On 2/19/2018 at 1:33 PM, johng said:

Yes light and not stupidly expensive would be nice too

Recently I saw a  Honda CB650F and  Yamaha MSLAZ 150  parked next to each other 

virtually identical in size (not weight) 

thought perfect size for me...onto the Honda big wing page   288,000 baht  or  6400 UKP at todays horrible exchange rate...errm maybe I'll make do with my 150 for a bit longer ....

 

You virtual ride? Or you real ride? 150 its toy for children. Even do not understand why its need. Can't ride. Not convenient.. For what is motorcycle?

13 minutes ago, ardokano said:

You virtual ride? Or you real ride? 150 its toy for children.

150cc is ok (ish) for me ( 500cc would be nice but they are all big heavy and expensive)

120KPH on Thai roads is already scary enough for me......

yes I'm still a child (at heart)

plus small bikes are easy to park, easy and cheap to maintain,cheap to insure and tax.

cost less to buy,use less fuel,

My real ride.  16,000 THB  3rd hand

My virtual ride  ?

 

Long time ago when I was a teenager in a country far away I had a 50cc bike. And then a "fast" 80cc bike. Later I put a 115cc cylinder and a racing exhaust on that and I thought I was flying.

125 or 150cc is more than enough to get through the city or from village to town.

Getting trough traffic is easy on most of these bikes, parking is easy, etc.

I own now a 150cc small bike and a 390cc "big" bike. If I know there will be heavy traffic I will take the small bike. If I know I have to park in one of those buildings with micro parting places I take the small bike. It works just fine.

Obviously the big bike is faster, has better acceleration and is fun - but only on relative free roads...

I learnt to ride on a Yamaha 125cc in the UK 22 years ago, a one day basic training followed by 4 days intensive full training.  The day after I finished I collected my Suzuki DR650 from the dealer and nearly scared myself to death.

 

When I first arrived in Chiang Mai 17 years ago I rode a Honda Sonic 125, it was the only bike available for rent that had gears and a clutch, I loved riding it and kept renting them for 7 years until I bought my CBR150 which at that time was big bike here at least for local people.

Since then the traffic in Chiang Mai has become horrendous and that bike was the perfect compromise.  My new Z250SL is really not that much bigger although I can defnitely no longer fit down some of the gaps I used to be able to, maybe it's just the wing mirrors.

 

I am loving having a bit more power, it feels very stable at higher speeds but which I mean 80 KM/h.  I hope to take it out of town soon although I have to get through the first 1,000 KM under 7000 rpm which should happen in another week.

 

I actually think a 150 is perfectly suited to this city and I guess as the locals are often a bit smaller than foreigners it makes perfect sense to sell them.

 

I own a 150cc Yamaha SZ RR V2.0 in India, it's a lovely bike but as I live in Dharamsala it struggles going up the mountain if I have someone on the back but on my own it's fine.  A different kind of bike but I enjoy riding just the same and it only cost ฿35,000.

 

My bike outside the Yamaha dealer in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh.