Riders of powerful "Big Bikes" will take separate tests and have different licenses to other motorcyclists

[Cranky]

Big bike = 750 CC and up.  End of.

[Tony Hanscomb]

Over 125cc and over 18yo.

[stanleycoin]

2 minutes ago, Just1Voice said:

For those who care to Google it, there are a number of videos showing how to pickup a big bike.

I can't see one,   with that brown paper bag of shame on your head.

( as that's  where we want to hide, when it happens ) 

Oh no,  Shit,   Oops,   Did anyone see it,  who knows me. ?  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

 

[dpspike]

Most crashes do not involve big bikes because most Thais don't own one, so it seems unlikely this is based on accident statistics or the like. I believe that money is at the root of everything, especially in Thailand. Generally speaking, only people with money can afford these "big bikes", which seem way over-priced in comparison to the cost of cars and trucks here (relative to Western countries). I suspect this is primarily motivated by the police/govt getting higher fees/fines from big bike riders, and will go further towards creating a division in rider status: those who can afford a big bike vs. those who can't, much like the "big bike only" parking lots that have sprouted up all over Thailand recently. 

 

The real problem, as I see it, is the lack of common "safety sense" in this culture, and the unwillingness of police to enforce the existing traffic laws, except in the case of foreigners or easy marks (poor motorbike riders). Until those things change, Thailand will continue to be in the top most dangerous countries in which to drive.

[Lokie]

5 minutes ago, Cranky said:

Big bike = 750 CC and up.  End of.

Showing your age a bit there as 750 is nearly an extinct capacity most bikes now go 650 to 800cc as 750s were 70s/80s fair and really phased out in the 90s.

 

IMO I consider 600 and above a big bike but thats just me, whether I am in LOS or UK

[Aussieroaming]

I would hardly call a 650cc bike "big". People need to consider the weight to power relationship because that is what governs final speed and acceleration rates. 

[GTgrizzly]

250cc is way to high

I once owned a Suzuki 250 and the cops could not catch me until they bought out the Honda 4 750cc

it was ugly but went like the clappers

[Media1]

6 hours ago, Just1Voice said:

That comment shows that you know absolutely zip about bikes.  You going to say my son's 150cc PCX is a "Big Bike"?  What a joke.  

All these comments are from people that think like a THAI. It makes no difference the size of the bike globally proven. The fact is police allo Thais without licences or knowledge of road laws to ride. The government are funny uneducated clowns who no nothing about nothing. The problem is speeding and bad policing looking to make money off the bike rather than police the roads. Cowboys in uniforms 

The licence test crap is crap period 

I been riding for 34 years raced and my father a bikie. I laugh at this. Only in Thailand.

[wonder6281]

How about classifying big bikes by noise.  Might stop the young idiots who scream around my moobaan revving the crap out their bikes! 

Edited August 22, 2018 by wonder6281
Word missing

[Media1]

6 hours ago, Scottjouro said:

A wise move i think...the average Thai who is used to riding a motocy struggles with a "big bike" and then we have the dumb ass farangs who cant even ride a motocy properly trying to ride a "big bike" as well...

 

I would think capping the motocy at 125cc and anything above that is considered a "big bike" 

Stupidity and you know nothing about Thais. They have no license to start with. So how is it wise ?

Secondly it's the unreformed police force which is the problem period 

This forum produce some whacked out opinions 

[KhaoYai]

Hopefully this will be accompanied by the right to be able to use big bikes on tollways and motorways.

[yasorab]

Big bikes are not really the issue here as most are bought and used by more mature riders. It is the kids on modified mopeds that are the danger . Put a minimum age on who can use bikes over say 400 cc would need a better idea.

[Media1]

6 hours ago, Just1Voice said:

I started on "mini bikes" when I was 10, and have spent my life (I'm 69) on one kind of bike or another, both on and off road.  After my wife of 27 years died, I spent the next 4 years on a 650cc Kawasaki, hitting EVERY state in the Continental U.S.  So I would venture that I know a hell of a lot more about bikes than you do.  

However my comment to your post was that anything above 125 cc be considered a "big bike", which is laughable to anyone who knows anything about bikes.  In the U.S. a 300cc bike is considered a "starter bike".  

 

It's all bullshit don't listen to them bro. They no nothing about biking and it's the human aboard. You can't mount a THAI with the brain of a peanut on a rocket. And they don't need a license to do it either. They are the worst in the world period. The government scamming for more money. This will be squashed by a new PM. clowns 

[iroc4life]

All you arguing over what makes a "big bike" hahaha. Did you forget TIT and another law on the books just to be ignored and not enforced will do nothing!!!! By the way, "big bike" should start at 300cc and up. I have ridden for 4 years and currently ride 1000cc CBR here in the LOS. Its dangerous as heck but so is riding/driving anything else in Thailand.

[Amusements]

Why don't they just have a proper bike test in the first place?

My bike test (Thai) consisted of answering nonsensical multiple choice questions, and then having someone looking out of a window, watching me drive round a tiny car park..... while they were also busy doing another job.

Edited August 22, 2018 by Amusements

[manarak]

6 hours ago, Scottjouro said:

The UK has about 4 different license types which involve the age of the person and the maximum cc or HP of the bike, and if memory serves 125cc features as a transition from "scooter" to " bike"

we really don't need excessive administrative hoops to jump through.

 

I also wonder if cc is the right criteria for distinguishing between bikes, Vespa makes a scooter with 300cc engine while I have seen bikes with small 110-150cc engines resemble "racing bikes" and due to the rider's position on the bike the only thing he can possibly do is speeding.

 

 

[Media1]

7 minutes ago, iroc4life said:

All you arguing over what makes a "big bike" hahaha. Did you forget TIT and another law on the books just to be ignored and not enforced will do nothing!!!! By the way, "big bike" should start at 300cc and up. I have ridden for 4 years and currently ride 1000cc CBR here in the LOS. Its dangerous as heck but so is riding/driving anything else in Thailand.

Dream away... 300cc is a learners bike. I raced with Lee Hogan in Australia for 3 seasons and if a 300 is a big bike l will take it in the ass.

[Media1]

1 minute ago, manarak said:

we really don't need excessive administrative hoops to jump through.

 

I also wonder if cc is the right criteria for distinguishing between bikes, Vespa makes a scooter with 300cc engine while I have seen bikes with small 110-150cc engines resemble "racing bikes" and due to the rider's position on the bike the only thing he can possibly do is speeding.

 

 

LOL I are enjoying the TV bikers day. 

[Moonlover]

52 minutes ago, Kerryd said:

Not sure either but back when I was a wee lad (8 going on 9) and dad was teaching me to ride a Honda 90 he told me that if I couldn't pick the bike up from the ground by myself, I shouldn't be riding it, regardless of how big I was or the how big the bike was.

(And dad wasn't exactly a giant, he barely stood 5'6" himself and used to ride Harley's himself before I was born.)

While it would take time (and effort), Thailand should have Driver Education courses taught in all the schools with emphasis on motorcycles starting when kids are 9 or 10. They are more likely to listen at that age and may carry those lessons on through adulthood.

By the time they are teenagers, like all teenagers everywhere, they think they already know everything there is to know in the world so it would be a little harder to start training them at that age, especially as they'd probably have already been riding kwaii, farm equipment and scooters for years by that point.

There have been a number of studies in developed countries that indicate that bad driving skills are passed down through the generations. Here are just 2 of them:

 

http://articles.latimes.com/2001/aug/07/local/me-31491

 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/4760445/Bad-driving-habits-are-hereditary.html

With that in mind, catching kids young whilst still in school is vital. With kids as young as 10 years riding around on motorcycles, following their elders example, they must be caught early, or Thailand will never break this cycle of death on the roads.

Edited August 22, 2018 by Moonlover

[Media1]

Thailand big bike 500cc and up or 650cc up to you. Thai will still ride will make no difference. It's just another rort for the regime and police 

[DJ54]

It will be interesting how they determine what is a BIG bike.They should First do a study on previous accidents and determine what the root cause really is then decide how to move forward. My guess is most

Moto accidents are below 200 cc. 

 

Unlicensed, drunk and under age riders contribute to moto accident problems. What percentage of Moto accidents are caused by cars

shoukd be included. 

 

California had laws that a Moto under “X” cc weren’t allowed on the freeway/interstate. If a bike is two light on the highway higher winds makes it a difficult ride. 

 

California has 2  license available M1 and M2.  M1 for motorized bicycles and Scouters M2 for all other motos. 

 

I had a HD Streetglide and took the road test on it. I failed the first time because put foot down when exiting the circle. Second time I took test on my sons BMW R75/6 which I rode one time for 30 minutes the night prior. Passed! BMW is shaft driven and very easy to control in tight spaces. Picture of the circle part attached.

 

If they want 2 tier moto license let’s hope their logical about it.

[Media1]

2 minutes ago, DJ54 said:

It will be interesting how they determine what is a BIG bike.They should First do a study on previous accidents and determine what the root cause really is then decide how to move forward. My guess is most

Moto accidents are below 200 cc. 

 

Unlicensed, drunk and under age riders contribute to moto accident problems. What percentage of Moto accidents are caused by cars

shoukd be included. 

 

California had laws that a Moto under “X” cc weren’t allowed on the freeway/interstate. If a bike is two light on the highway higher winds makes it a difficult ride. 

 

California has 2  license available M1 and M2.  M1 for motorized bicycles and Scouters M2 for all other motos. 

 

I had a HD Streetglide and took the road test on it. I failed the first time because put foot down when exiting the circle. Second time I took test on my sons BMW R75/6 which I rode one time for 30 minutes the night prior. Passed! BMW is shaft driven and very easy to control in tight spaces. Picture of the circle part attached.

 

If they want 2 tier moto license let’s hope their logical about it.

They are funny people 

[overherebc]

46 minutes ago, GTgrizzly said:

250cc is way to high

I once owned a Suzuki 250 and the cops could not catch me until they bought out the Honda 4 750cc

it was ugly but went like the clappers

Super 6 was a scary little shit of a bike until you got used to it. ??

Called the X6 in USA

Edited August 22, 2018 by overherebc

[DaMoony]

In certain “developed countries”, kids of age 16 can ride scooters of no more than 50cc’s and limited to 45 km/h. Once 18 years of age, the max cc they can ride is 125, following two Saturdays of “riding courses”, theory and practical exams. If the first two years were “accident free”, they then can apply for 125cc and up, again following two Saturdays of “riding courses” on bigger cc’s incl. manoeuvres, full stops at high speeds slamming the brakes as well as sliding courses on slippery surfaces. In my humble opinion, there is a big difference between your average 125cc and your 300cc already... I’ve been riding big cc’s (500 and up) in Thailand for 20 years already and it is definitely a step in the right direction as most riders in bigger cubics can ride fast on a straight line but apart from that have no idea of how to handle a bigger bike!


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[Jimbo1964]

 

6 hours ago, Crossy said:

An excellent move, now let bikes over, say, 500cc on the expressways.

 

You took the words out of my mouth......  Absolutely !!! 

[Kiwiken]

Some 650 machines are suitable for learners. Depends on the torque available. Some people are useless on a 125 scooter. Its about common sense. Sadly when we are young we think we are invincible.

[NoshowJones]

 

"A senior government spokesman has said that the cabinet agrees with the idea of separating big bikes from

other motorcyclists".

That's fine, then the big bikes can use the same roads as other traffic, including the tollways.

I don't believe it, so that means that the Thai authorities in charge of the roads are actually going to bring out a fair and sensible law at last.

[moose7117]

i think that they should just leave the system alone.

It demonstrates Darwins theory of evolution beautifully.

changing the rules won't do anything, it all boils down to peoples attitude.

 

look at America, the rule is you don't shoot people and how well does that work for them.

Look at Canada, high rate of gun ownership and they don't kill each other for amusment.

 

This aint a civilised country and as long as the small people see the HISO getting away with murder, they will never change into a law abiding nation.

 

the main reason i left my country of birth is that too many lawmakers have changed the whole society i lived in, I choose Thailand because we Falang are still relatively unburdened by ridiculous laws and rules, it is looking like this place will be just like home soon but with spicy food.

 

and yes i have had "Big" bikes for all my adult life and i won't stop riding till i cant get on one anymore.

[moose7117]

33 minutes ago, Media1 said:

Dream away... 300cc is a learners bike. I raced with Lee Hogan in Australia for 3 seasons and if a 300 is a big bike l will take it in the ass.

 

Better brace yourself mate, the do-gooders on here will be racing around to your place with a jar of vaseline and stupid ill informed arguments to take up that offer.

[NoshowJones]

6 hours ago, robblok said:

They are talking about in future.. so i guess old licenses will be grand fathered, just like that there are still some people out here with licences that never expire while most of us now have 5 year licenses. But we will see. I hope that if there really has to be a new license it also means big bikes can go on the express way. I mean give a lil take a lil when updating laws.

Just out of curiosity Rob. Do you know if Thais need to sit car and motorbike  tests every five years like us Farangs? Or do the ones with licences have them for life?

I won't give my opinion on this until I know the facts.