Are big bikes worth it?

[geronimo]

Just now, overherebc said:

Agree. Factor together reaction, action, and say braking and stopping distance at 160kph which works out at nearly 45 metres travelled per second you have probably covered 100 metres before the bike even starts to slow down.

Imagine 300 kph!!!!!

[chrissables]

45 minutes ago, MaxYakov said:

So, you are handicapped in a way that you cannot drive a car or use a pickup that can carry a dirt bike? 

 

I think I know what your basic handicap is.

 

I have a good friend who raced motorbikes (both track and dirt). I watched him many times load his bike (race or dirt) into a small Toyota van and take them to the dirt or race track.

 

Visiting a hill tribe? Good one! I wouldn't visit a hill tribe even if I had a 6 X 6 with a quad fifty mounted on it.  

Handicapped? 

 

I have both a full Thai bike and car licence. Don't want a car, like riding.

 

What your imaginary friend may or may not do is meaningless to this topic.

[mogandave]

 

I would never ride a motorbike in Thailand. Twenty years ago, I rented a motorbike in Pataya. I was living in jomtien. It was a weekend, and traffic was at a standstill going towards the beach, but completely clear on the other side of the road. I inched past the cars, got out into the other side, perpendicular to the road, when a very large pickup truck was barrelling down on me, riding on the wrong side of the road. He hit the brakes and I just waited to get creamed. He stopped inches from me.  Just some selfish Sonchai in a big truck. It too dangerous.to be on a bike in Thailand. Me me me!

Yes, it is way too dangerous for someone that would sit on their bike waiting to be “creamed”.

Twenty years ago my girlfriend got mad and broke my cue. I’m never going to have another girlfriend or shoot pool again!

[overherebc]

3 minutes ago, geronimo said:

Imagine 300 kph!!!!!

And the only contact you've got with the road being two patches of rubber each one the same size as the sole of your boot.

[geronimo]

1 minute ago, overherebc said:

And the only contact you've got with the road being two patches of rubber each one the same size as the sole of your boot.

One way visit to the temple ..... in a small cardboard box ....

Edited August 2, 2019 by geronimo

[fordguy61mi]

I’ve been riding big bikes most of my life and a Harley Ultra the last 10 years and I wouldn’t ride one in Thailand. It’s not just about rider skill, you have to deal with all the texting lunatics there. No way!

[klauskunkel]

 

and 2 days ago:

 

Quote

Daily News reported that motorcyclists in Bangkok were a model for how the rest of the country might behave. 

 

In statistics produced in a survey by Road Safety Watch it has been shown that 85% of riders in the capital wear helmets - much more than anywhere else in Thailand. 

 

And their reward? 

 

Bangkok has one of the lowest fatality rates from road accidents in Thailand compared to all provinces. The city usually features in the top two or three "provinces" with fewest fatalities. 

In just 2 days Bangkok went from lowest to highest. 

[HLover]

18 minutes ago, soistalker said:

Twenty years ago, I rented a motorbike in Pataya.

Ahh, another trip down memory lane...

[Pilotman]

10 minutes ago, mogandave said:

 

Yes, it is way too dangerous for someone that would sit on their bike waiting to be “creamed”.

Twenty years ago my girlfriend got mad and broke my cue. I’m never going to have another girlfriend or shoot pool again!

 

did the cue kill you or maim you? Is there a chance that your cue will be broken every day and destroy your life forever?  Not really a valid comparison.  

[Sir Swagman]

If you want to ride these bigger bikes to their capability, given the state of the roads and the level of incompetence displayed by other road users with whom you have to ‘mix it’, perhaps they should be sold with a self-deploying white sheet as standard equipment?

[moe666]

4 hours ago, smedly said:

90% of accidents in Thailand someone is breaking the law - it doesn't matter whether motorbike or car - it doesn't matter the size of the car or motorbike - someone is doing something wrong, who is there to stop them - nobody

 

and 90% of them know they are doing something wrong and they will keep doing it until the risk of being caught increases 

I guess you advocate a cop every 20feet or so posted along the highway to give max. coverage. Yes people break the law but having enough enforcement to catch even half is a impossibility in any country let alone Thailand.

[GalaxyMan]

4 hours ago, smedly said:

and 90% of them know they are doing something wrong and they will keep doing it until the risk of being caught increases 

Being caught is no deterrent. Wai + 500 baht. SSDD. There needs to be consequences that they actually feel.

[Asquith Production]

I have been riding motorcycles for over 40 yrs and teaching CBT (compulsory Basic training)  as well as advanced riding for over 20yrs.  The only way is a graduated system of learning, both on and off road.  But of course this doesnt stop someone here just buying one and riding illegally. 

[tifino]

and as all bikes no matter the size are all kicked down to dredge along in the Left bike gutter lane with the ranged angry scooters! 

 - How do Super Trikes get on with life? Bit of a squeeze! 

 

[rwill]

The problem with them is that I see them driving on the highways at high speed weaving in and out of traffic within inches of vehicles, just like some drive the autos here.

[essox essox]

4 hours ago, Oziex1 said:

Big bikes can be a problem in inexperienced hands but I see little to be gained by targeting this particular issue. A broader approach is required on road safety in Thailand, to put it mildly. 

a complete overhaul of how a driver "passes" any driving test to achieve a driving licence is required in this country.....a test that teaches ANTICIPATION and PERCEPTION....and one that teaches the laws of the roads.

Having said this.....very difficult to MAKE people drive safely......

[The Preacher]

I've been riding bikes a long time.  THERE IS ONLY ONE RULE:  It is up to the rider to stay alive.  It doesn't matter who is wrong or who is "dead" right.  One has to constantly scan and see everything, learn to anticipate the unexpected, and always have a subconscious readiness to take action, whether it be turn, break or crank on the throttle.  As often as not, it takes full throttle to get out of "a situation" instead of brake.  Those riders that cannot understand the basic rule will probably die.  It is that simple.

 

Since most Thais seem incapable of thinking ahead, they should not ride big bikes.  Period.  They are doomed by their culture.  Motorcyclists that think they already know it all, or who are so arrogant that they think they are above others, will die.  Out of the gene pool; no sympathy from me.

 

Another potential problem here is the folks who work on motorcycles.  I haven't seen anybody that seems to be competent.  In the West, you can go to a dealer and they are "factory trained" and know their stuff.  Here, they cannot even use the computer diagnostic software.  Few "techs" ever use a torque wrench or thread lock.  If you do not do your own work, you might have an unexpected equipment failure.  Allowing a Thai to work on your bike is a death wish. 

 

Maybe there are some competent mechanics around,  I just haven't found any.  When I first came here, I was using the dealer shop until I realized how incompetent they were.  Just as an example, when I asked for "full service," I discovered that they did not even lubricate the brake, clutch and throttle cables.  I was shocked.  But that was years ago.  Now I expect incompetence.  I do my own work.

 

It is absolutely crazy to have these powerful bikes worked on by incompetents.  And most riders do not know any better than to trust them.  THAT can get you killed.

 

 

[KhaoYai]

3 hours ago, MaxYakov said:

Big bikes should be restricted to racetracks. The ordinary motor vehicle infrastructure was not designed with them in mind. You don't see formula 1 cars on the roads very often. Big bikes are just splendid for dramatic, horrific demonstrations of suicide on ordinary roads.

Completely wrong.  Most vehicles in Thailand could be defined as dangerous in your way of thinking. Its not the bike, its the rider, the lack of training, the lack of a proper age restriction and the ease of getting a licence.  Compared to a lot of S.E.Asian countries, Thailand's roads are actually pretty good and improving. There is actually a perfectly good infrastructure, well suited to big bikes, its just that the stupid laws which are different to most countries, don't allow big bikes to use it.

 

I'm %1...(not as young as I was ????) and have been riding bikes since I was 11 years old = a long, long time. I learned to drive a car at 12 and got a licence for both as soon as was legal. In that time I've had 2 major accidents, both in cars - apart from on the racetrack, I've never had a major accident on a bike. I drive/ride a lot of miles and I don't poodle around.  Why is that? Because I can ride, because I know how vulnerable I am if I do have an accident and because I respect the machine.  If you're going to ride a bike, any bike, not just big bikes, you have to be 110% aware of what's going on around you, you don't think the car approaching the junction with your road, 500m ahead might pull out on you, you assume it will. I ride a big-ish bike (650) in Thailand and am perfectly happy to do so.

 

Big bikes may be rocket ships these days but they also have phenominal brakes and a lot have ABS now. Its not the bike that's at fault, its the rider and the stupidity of other road users. That's not a reason to banish them to the racetrack - its a reason to sort out the lack of training and crap law enforcement.  Thailand's road safety record is abysmal no matter what vehicle you are in/on - its time the authorities stopped talking about sorting it out and started doing something.

[brianthainess]

I thought all M/c now were a minimum 125 cc who is still making 110cc ?

[KhaoYai]

3 minutes ago, The Preacher said:

One has to constantly scan and see everything, learn to anticipate the unexpected

Absolutely!

[RobbyXNorway]

Demanding better training of big bike riders in and off itself is useless. It's EVERYONE who gets to drive a car, truck/lorry or motorbike who needs better training. Focusing on just the big bikes is stupid.

 

I ride a Honda X-ADV 750cc myself here in Thailand. About 54 hp with a max speed of about 180 km/h. Plenty to kill myself, but nothing compared to the sportsbikes. The funny part is that I never had the license back in Norway, but got it here in Thailand. Pretty much self learned I guess, through hours upon hours of YouTube learning videos and by self training. And its been perfect record since. Just have to be super careful and not speed. I do have certain rules also. Never drive after dark or too early in the morning (before daylight), never drunk drive, never speed. See so many crazy situations in the traffic here daily. So many people just drive into the road without looking.

 

It's not the bikes, its the riders. And same for all other vehicles in Thailand.

[ICELANDMAN]

3 hours ago, Worldplus said:

 

 

Big bikes are much better than riding a 110CC bike.. They can stop quicker and get out of trouble quicker..

 

This is not true, the east braking system always proportionate to the weight of the bike plus passengers, the same est result. You seem to brake quickly if you travel alone on your bike.

[geronimo]

8 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

Completely wrong.  Most vehicles in Thailand could be defined as dangerous in your way of thinking. Its not the bike, its the rider, the lack of training, the lack of a proper age restriction and the ease of getting a licence.  Compared to a lot of S.E.Asian countries, Thailand's roads are actually pretty good and improving. There is actually a perfectly good infrastructure, well suited to big bikes, its just that the stupid laws which are different to most countries, don't allow big bikes to use it.

 

I'm %1...(not as young as I was ????) and have been riding bikes since I was 11 years old = a long, long time. I learned to drive a car at 12 and got a licence for both as soon as was legal. In that time I've had 2 major accidents, both in cars - apart from on the racetrack, I've never had a major accident on a bike. I drive/ride a lot of miles and I don't poodle around.  Why is that? Because I can ride, because I know how vulnerable I am if I do have an accident and because I respect the machine.  If you're going to ride a bike, any bike, not just big bikes, you have to be 110% aware of what's going on around you, you don't think the car approaching the junction with your road, 500m ahead might pull out on you, you assume it will. I ride a big-ish bike (650) in Thailand and am perfectly happy to do so.

 

Big bikes may be rocket ships these days but they also have phenominal brakes and a lot have ABS now. Its not the bike that's at fault, its the rider and the stupidity of other road users. That's not a reason to banish them to the racetrack - its a reason to sort out the lack of training and crap law enforcement.  Thailand's road safety record is abysmal no matter what vehicle you are in/on - its time the authorities stopped talking about sorting it out and started doing something.

+1

[KhaoYai]

14 minutes ago, essox essox said:

Having said this.....very difficult to MAKE people drive safely......

I agree with the rest of your post but not the above. They need to have laws and bloody well enforce them. I'm not saying it doesn't happen but once someone loses their licence in the UK, they stop driving - why? Because the penalties are severe.  In Thailand if they are stopped with no licence, they just say they left it at home and pay the copper a couple of hundred baht. There is no check to see if that person actually has a licence - madness!

[geronimo]

1 minute ago, KhaoYai said:

I agree with the rest of your post but not the above. They need to have laws and bloody well enforce them. I'm not saying it doesn't happen but once someone loses their licence in the UK, they stop driving - why? Because the penalties are severe.  In Thailand if they are stopped with no licence, they just say they left it at home and pay the copper a couple of hundred baht. There is no check to see if that person actually has a licence - madness!

and the reality is it is not likely to change!

[moutamine]

Natural selection at work here folks... nothing to see, keep going.

[mikebike]

2 minutes ago, ICELANDMAN said:

This is not true, the east braking system always proportionate to the weight of the bike plus passengers...

Uhm...if you really believe that all bikes are created with equal braking capabilities you definitely shouldn’t be riding one.

[4MyEgo]

Been riding big bikes for years, the last was a ZZR 1100 (Battlestar Galactica) as my late brother used to call it, he had a Hayabusa 1300.

 

No one should be on big bikes unless they have had years of experience 1st on smaller bikes, on and off road.

 

Then all they have to worry about is vehicles on the roads, potholes, dips, train lines, the wet and not turning that throttle to hit warp speed (the latter, not hard to do).

 

Miss warp speed I do, but those was in a different country with better road conditions, and I dare say, better drivers, and just to clarify, I wouldn't ride a big bike here, that's just me, each to their own. 

 

  

Edited August 2, 2019 by 4MyEgo

[KhaoYai]

9 minutes ago, ICELANDMAN said:

This is not true, the east braking system always proportionate to the weight of the bike plus passengers, the same est result. You seem to brake quickly if you travel alone on your bike.

No way, what have you been riding?

 

If I was on my bike and you were on a Honda Wave. doing 100kmh - and both did an emergency stop, I would have rolled a ciggy and smoked half of it before you stopped.

 

My bike would also not skid all over the road under hard braking.

Edited August 2, 2019 by KhaoYai

[ICELANDMAN]

10 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

No way, what have you been riding?

 

If I was on my bike and you were on a Honda Wave. doing 100kmh - and both did an emergency stop, I would have rolled a ciggy and smoked half of it before you stopped.

 

My bike would also not skid all over the road under hard braking.

No way, I go max speed 20 Kmh ????