Best Automatic Motorcycle - Bangkok

[Kim93]

Thinking about buying a bike for my daily commute (tired of driving 4 wheels due to heavy traffic) from Home to Work (About 20km ride). I pass Lat Phrao Rd., daily (talkin about traffic) what is the best automatic bike to buy in terms of fuel efficiency & maintenance. 

 

Thanks y'all

[OneMoreFarang]

Any bike will use a lot less fuel than a car.

Do you really want the best efficiency or how about efficient and fun to ride?

How much motorcycle experience do you have in Bangkok or a similar place?

 

The smaller the bike the easier you will get through the traffic. But "bigger" bikes might be more comfortable.

I suggest you write some more information about you and the route you take to get the best advice.

[NCC1701A]

2 hours ago, Kim93 said:

what is the best automatic bike

 

2 hours ago, Kim93 said:

(About 20km ride).

anything made by Honda between 125-300cc. what is your budget? how big/heavy are you?  

give some thought to a Givi box for added practicality.

and get a really good helmet. 

[scubascuba3]

Honda Click 125i will do a good job and is fun, light, so practical and only circ 50k new

 

 

[Kim93]

15 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Any bike will use a lot less fuel than a car.

Do you really want the best efficiency or how about efficient and fun to ride?

How much motorcycle experience do you have in Bangkok or a similar place?

 

The smaller the bike the easier you will get through the traffic. But "bigger" bikes might be more comfortable.

I suggest you write some more information about you and the route you take to get the best advice.

How much motorcycle experience do you have in Bangkok or a similar place? This will be my first time buying motorcycle. I never drove one before, but I am familiar with the road as I ride motorcycle most of the time specially when traffic really sucks and driving is not an option.

 

Do you really want the best efficiency or how about efficient and fun to ride? Efficient and at the same time comfortable to ride.

 

Thank you so much. 

 

[Fat Prophet]

Your question has no answer -- at least not "1" answer. And it is probably the wrong question in any event, as, as noted by OMF, the differences in "fuel efficiency & maintenance" in the many smaller (150cc) bikes from Honda and Yamaha are so small that other factors, such as purchase price, comfort, braking, style and ease of handling become more important factors/considerations. That said, the Honda PCX is probably the best "all around city commuting bike" available for an average sized farang (or the Yamaha N Max for the die-hard Yamaha fans, who are generally more concerned with the numbers on paper rather than the real riding experience). I would stay away from anything with less than 150cc. The PCX is now B93,000 and, the last time that I checked, the N Max was B81,000 (not sure if that N Max price includes registration (pretty sure that the PCX's price does)), so the difference could be as much as B3,000 less). In any event, with a B10,000 price difference (or in that range), the N Max is probably better value than the PCX. If your on a budget, the 150CC Click and the Aerox are the next steps down, but both fill the requirement for good "fuel efficiency & maintenance". The Aerox can be had with ABS, and as far as I know, the Click cannot. Lots of good choices, but IMO, those are the best. I own a Forza, and for comfort and handling it cannot be beat, but it is not as fuel efficient as the smaller bikes, and it is almost double the purchase price of the PCX. 

[scubascuba3]

I would stay away from anything with less than 150cc.

Why? the 125i Click easily does 100kph and he is only going 20km. No need for bigger bikes unless longer journeys and even then it's not essential

[OneMoreFarang]

35 minutes ago, Fat Prophet said:

I own a Forza, and for comfort and handling it cannot be beat,

Comfort might be true. But handling sure not. That thing is just to BIG.

[Fat Prophet]

3 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

 

 

Why? the 125i Click easily does 100kph and he is only going 20km. No need for bigger bikes unless longer journeys and even then it's not essential

 

Top speed and distance are totally irrelevant. Neither a 125cc or 150cc bike is useful for anything other than around town riding. The key issue is better acceleration, especially if the rider is more than 80 kg or there are 2 people on the bike. Getting out of/around a bad situation, especially in heavy traffic can be critical and the extra 25cc's can make all of the difference. I took my daughter's Scoopy to the Honda dealer yesterday afternoon to change the red plate, and when I turned the throttle hard, there was no acceleration, it just "stood there". I would not consider a 125 cc bike for a daily 20 km commute. They make a Click in a 125cc version and a 150 cc version for a good reason -- economy (in the case of the 125CC) and good sense (in the case of the 150CC). I would expect that the vast majority of farang opt for a 150cc or bigger bike, for a good reason. Next..... 

[scubascuba3]

Top speed and distance are totally irrelevant. Neither a 125cc or 150cc bike is useful for anything other than around town riding. The key issue is better acceleration, especially if the rider is more than 80 kg or there are 2 people on the bike. Getting out of/around a bad situation, especially in heavy traffic can be critical and the extra 25cc's can make all of the difference. I took my daughter's Scoopy to the Honda dealer yesterday afternoon to change the red plate, and when I turned the throttle hard, there was no acceleration, it just "stood there". I would not consider a 125 cc bike for a daily 20 km commute. They make a Click in a 125cc version and a 150 cc version for a good reason -- economy (in the case of the 125CC) and good sense (in the case of the 150CC). I would expect that the vast majority of farang opt for a 150cc or bigger bike, for a good reason. Next..... 

you can't compare a scoopy with a 125i click, easily adequate, also fine with 2 people so 125kg+, the op is using for commuting. Most thais seem to cope just fine with 125s or less

[Fat Prophet]

23 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Comfort might be true. But handling sure not. That thing is just to BIG.

You are, of course, right. I should have said that "it has great handling for a bike its size". It cannot weave in and out and around cars in stalled traffic like a Wave can. But I can get through most places that a smaller bike can squeeze through. The big issue there is distance between the widest points of the mirrors, and, while I haven't measured them, I think that my Forza is not much wider than a PCX. I include within "handling", good acceleration, good/responsive steering and good brakes, and the Forza (especially the new model) meets or beats the 150cc's in all categories of "handling". I had no expectation that the OP would be interested or should consider a Forza, although it is a great bike for a daily commute. But anyone basing a bike purchase decision on "fuel efficiency & maintenance" is not interested in Forza -- it gets 29 km/liter vs 52 km/lt for the 150cc Click. And its purchase price is 3 times as much.  It is a great bike, but it is not cheap. If he is like most farang in Thailand, the OP will opt for the Click (hopefully for him the 150cc model) or the Aerox, and he will be very happy with his purchase.

[Fat Prophet]

2 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

2 hours ago, Fat Prophet said:

Top speed and distance are totally irrelevant. Neither a 125cc or 150cc bike is useful for anything other than around town riding. The key issue is better acceleration, especially if the rider is more than 80 kg or there are 2 people on the bike. Getting out of/around a bad situation, especially in heavy traffic can be critical and the extra 25cc's can make all of the difference. I took my daughter's Scoopy to the Honda dealer yesterday afternoon to change the red plate, and when I turned the throttle hard, there was no acceleration, it just "stood there". I would not consider a 125 cc bike for a daily 20 km commute. They make a Click in a 125cc version and a 150 cc version for a good reason -- economy (in the case of the 125CC) and good sense (in the case of the 150CC). I would expect that the vast majority of farang opt for a 150cc or bigger bike, for a good reason. Next..... 

you can't compare a scoopy with a 125i click, easily adequate, also fine with 2 people so 125kg+, the op is using for commuting. Most thais seem to cope just fine with 125s or less

The 125 Click is, as you say, "adequate", the 150 Click is more than "adequate". To put it in perspective, the Click 125 is B54,700 MSRP and the Click 150 is B60,700 MSRP, B6,000 difference (10.4%). And the Click 150 comes with idle stop, which (I believe) the Click 125 does not.  The fuel consumption is 52 km/litre (150cc) vs. 53 km/litre (125cc). So, the difference in price is B6,000 (less than US$200) and the difference in fuel consumption is 1 km/litre (1.9%). If you keep a bike for 5 years, that works out to less than US$40 per year. And, I expect that you will get every bit of the difference in purchase price back in resale. Given these very small differences, anyone who would opt for the Click 125 over the Click 150 is either (1) an under 50 kg Thai female (there is no 150 cc version of the Wave); (2) one of the cheapest farang in Thailand, (3) completely clueless; or (4) all of the above. 

[scubascuba3]

The 125 Click is, as you say, "adequate", the 150 Click is more than "adequate". To put it in perspective, the Click 125 is B54,700 MSRP and the Click 150 is B60,700 MSRP, B6,000 difference (10.4%). And the Click 150 comes with idle stop, which (I believe) the Click 125 does not.  The fuel consumption is 52 km/litre (150cc) vs. 53 km/litre (125cc). So, the difference in price is B6,000 (less than US$200) and the difference in fuel consumption is 1 km/litre (1.9%). If you keep a bike for 5 years, that works out to less than US$40 per year. And, I expect that you will get every bit of the difference in purchase price back in resale. Given these very small differences, anyone who would opt for the Click 125 over the Click 150 is either (1) an under 50 kg Thai female (there is no 150 cc version of the Wave); (2) one of the cheapest farang in Thailand, (3) completely clueless; or (4) all of the above. 

The Click 125i has idle stop, but most people don't use it including me. The 150 doesn't have a kick start, also no ignition key. The only good reason to get the 150 is the better choice of colours

[thailand49]

14 hours ago, Kim93 said:

How much motorcycle experience do you have in Bangkok or a similar place? This will be my first time buying motorcycle. I never drove one before, but I am familiar with the road as I ride motorcycle most of the time specially when traffic really sucks and driving is not an option.

 

Do you really want the best efficiency or how about efficient and fun to ride? Efficient and at the same time comfortable to ride.

 

Thank you so much. 

 

For 20 KM, I use to do that distant everyday if not more although not in Bangkok, I've had bikes as small as Click 110, Wave and now PCX, I've been looking at Yamaha/Honda 300 CC,  great looking bike but I feel that would exceed especially in Bangkok traffic due to its size and weight.

Prior to getting a 150 CC Honda PCX, I heard all the stuff too big can't navigate around cars but found it to be untrue!  I rented one for the day and had no problem whatsoever doing all the same stuff I did on a smaller bit. The biggest plus I found although the bike a bit larger the suspension ride was so much better and comfortable. Under the sit compartment larger so is the fuel tank allows me to put rain gear and back up wear including shoes if it rains.

First, PCX 2012 got 90,000 KM and still running like new just regular service!  None of my Honda bikes have ever broken down.

[rosst]

15 hours ago, Fat Prophet said:

Your question has no answer -- at least not "1" answer. And it is probably the wrong question in any event, as, as noted by OMF, the differences in "fuel efficiency & maintenance" in the many smaller (150cc) bikes from Honda and Yamaha are so small that other factors, such as purchase price, comfort, braking, style and ease of handling become more important factors/considerations. That said, the Honda PCX is probably the best "all around city commuting bike" available for an average sized farang (or the Yamaha N Max for the die-hard Yamaha fans, who are generally more concerned with the numbers on paper rather than the real riding experience). I would stay away from anything with less than 150cc. The PCX is now B93,000 and, the last time that I checked, the N Max was B81,000 (not sure if that N Max price includes registration (pretty sure that the PCX's price does)), so the difference could be as much as B3,000 less). In any event, with a B10,000 price difference (or in that range), the N Max is probably better value than the PCX. If your on a budget, the 150CC Click and the Aerox are the next steps down, but both fill the requirement for good "fuel efficiency & maintenance". The Aerox can be had with ABS, and as far as I know, the Click cannot. Lots of good choices, but IMO, those are the best. I own a Forza, and for comfort and handling it cannot be beat, but it is not as fuel efficient as the smaller bikes, and it is almost double the purchase price of the PCX. 

Well done, yes I have a 125 PCX, great machines, look for a used low Kilometres one and buy a good well ventilated helmet. 

[Henryford]

4 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

12 hours ago, Fat Prophet said:

The 125 Click is, as you say, "adequate", the 150 Click is more than "adequate". To put it in perspective, the Click 125 is B54,700 MSRP and the Click 150 is B60,700 MSRP, B6,000 difference (10.4%). And the Click 150 comes with idle stop, which (I believe) the Click 125 does not.  The fuel consumption is 52 km/litre (150cc) vs. 53 km/litre (125cc). So, the difference in price is B6,000 (less than US$200) and the difference in fuel consumption is 1 km/litre (1.9%). If you keep a bike for 5 years, that works out to less than US$40 per year. And, I expect that you will get every bit of the difference in purchase price back in resale. Given these very small differences, anyone who would opt for the Click 125 over the Click 150 is either (1) an under 50 kg Thai female (there is no 150 cc version of the Wave); (2) one of the cheapest farang in Thailand, (3) completely clueless; or (4) all of the above. 

The Click 125i has idle stop, but most people don't use it including me. The 150 doesn't have a kick start, also no ignition key. The only good reason to get the 150 is the better choice of colours

Agreed, i wouldn't buy any bike with those stupid remote keys. Or even better buy the Yamaha Freego and save 5000.

[Tropposurfer]

If you want the best ride on a  scooter styled bike then look no further than a 250 or 300 Vespa. Plenty of power very quick off the mark and gorgeous to ride. There are Vespa mechanics in BKK but a bikle ]like this will cost you more to service. As dfor parts they don;t wear out as quick as the Asian bikes from my experience.

[scubascuba3]

If you want the best ride on a  scooter styled bike then look no further than a 250 or 300 Vespa. Plenty of power very quick off the mark and gorgeous to ride. There are Vespa mechanics in BKK but a bikle ]like this will cost you more to service. As dfor parts they don;t wear out as quick as the Asian bikes from my experience.

That's surprising if Italian parts last longer than Japanese parts

[Fat Prophet]

19 minutes ago, Henryford said:

Agreed, i wouldn't buy any bike with those stupid remote keys. Or even better buy the Yamaha Freego and save 5000.

My new Forza has the remote key. I really don't like it, and I worry what will happen if I lose it, but it is/was not a sufficiently serious issue to deter me from buying the bike. It is a "gimmick", but I expect that most people like the ease/convenience. YMMV. I really do like the idle stop on the PCX (not available on the Forza), and I wish it was a standard feature on all bikes. The stop lights in Thailand seem to stay red for an eternity.... The Freego is 125cc and competes with the Click 125 -- both "non-starters" IMO. I am truly amazed that anyone worries about spending (or saving) B5,000 in respect to the decision of which motorbike to buy.   

[Fat Prophet]

37 minutes ago, Tropposurfer said:

If you want the best ride on a  scooter styled bike then look no further than a 250 or 300 Vespa. Plenty of power very quick off the mark and gorgeous to ride. There are Vespa mechanics in BKK but a bikle ]like this will cost you more to service. As dfor parts they don;t wear out as quick as the Asian bikes from my experience.

I do like the look of the Vespa, but the wheels are just too small for Thai roads. I doubt that parts last longer than the same parts on Asian bikes, but even if it is true, parts and labour here are incredibly cheap, and very little is gained by "longer lasting" parts (unless the life is double, which is certainly not the case). A nice scooter for Rome; a clear "I'll pass" for Thailand....

[IssanMichael]

18 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Honda Click 125i will do a good job and is fun, light, so practical and only circ 50k new

 

 

I just bought one , nice nippy auto. elec start, good storage, and engine cut out at lights etc with auto start. A great buy.

[Briggsy]

Go to any of the many motorcycle showrooms in Bangkok. Tell them you want the Hello Kitty bike. Don't let them fob you off with anything else. This will meet your criteria.

[scubascuba3]

The other thing to factor in when buying a bike is ego, I'm convinced in most cases a standard size bike will do the job easily such as Honda Click 125i but i appreciate ego is a factor and people like bigger bikes which are often just not required. I've had a 500, 600 and 800 in the UK and easily prefer my 125i

[scubascuba3]

I just bought one , nice nippy auto. elec start, good storage, and engine cut out at lights etc with auto start. A great buy.

The thing with the idle stop on my Click is it seems to be more random, one day it might kick in early on, on another day i could be riding for a good 25 mins and it still doesn't switch off. In the end i just didn't bother with it and turned it off. Is yours consistent?

 

[GarryP]

17 hours ago, Fat Prophet said:

Your question has no answer -- at least not "1" answer. And it is probably the wrong question in any event, as, as noted by OMF, the differences in "fuel efficiency & maintenance" in the many smaller (150cc) bikes from Honda and Yamaha are so small that other factors, such as purchase price, comfort, braking, style and ease of handling become more important factors/considerations. That said, the Honda PCX is probably the best "all around city commuting bike" available for an average sized farang (or the Yamaha N Max for the die-hard Yamaha fans, who are generally more concerned with the numbers on paper rather than the real riding experience). I would stay away from anything with less than 150cc. The PCX is now B93,000 and, the last time that I checked, the N Max was B81,000 (not sure if that N Max price includes registration (pretty sure that the PCX's price does)), so the difference could be as much as B3,000 less). In any event, with a B10,000 price difference (or in that range), the N Max is probably better value than the PCX. If your on a budget, the 150CC Click and the Aerox are the next steps down, but both fill the requirement for good "fuel efficiency & maintenance". The Aerox can be had with ABS, and as far as I know, the Click cannot. Lots of good choices, but IMO, those are the best. I own a Forza, and for comfort and handling it cannot be beat, but it is not as fuel efficient as the smaller bikes, and it is almost double the purchase price of the PCX. 

If you've got long legs, the Honda SH-150i is much more comfortable than the PCX. About the same price too. Just not that common. They tried to push it in Thaland at one time but it was not a good seller because of the seat height. One of the most popular scooters in Italy though. 

[alx123]

the best one is the one i currently own..

[wes360]

Lol is no one going to touch on the fact that this guy has never ridden a motorbike before and is going to start in Bangkok ????????????? 

 

Driving a car and a motorbike are 2 total different things my friend not matter how well you think you know the roads 

[Fat Prophet]

41 minutes ago, wes360 said:

Lol is no one going to touch on the fact that this guy has never ridden a motorbike before and is going to start in Bangkok ????????????? 

 

Driving a car and a motorbike are 2 total different things my friend not matter how well you think you know the roads 

Apart from it being totally off point and having nothing to do with what the OP asked, how do you suggest "the fact that this guy has never ridden a motorbike before and is going to start in Bangkok" be touched? No one suggested a Honda CBR1100XX Blackbird, Yamaha YZF R1 or a Kawasaki Ninja ZX-11/ZZ-R1100 -- give him/her a few months to work up one of those. The OP lives in Bangkok; where else to you expect him/her to learn to ride? And for a beginner, a 150cc bike is just about exactly where he/she should start. The fact that he/she has never ridden before does not bar him/her from starting now; albeit carefully. Riding a bike is more dangerous than driving a car, that's a given. But with care, it can be a very good way to get around in the Bangkok traffic and can also be a lot of fun. This is the motorcycles sub-forum; most of the readers/posters here are not deathly afraid of motorbikes, but do have a healthy "respect" for the dangers involved and act accordingly. I suggest that you go back to sleep, and wake up again (assuming that you are actually awake) when this thread has run its course -- as the OP hasn't been seen here for some time, it shouldn't be too long. 

 

[GarryP]

1 hour ago, wes360 said:

Lol is no one going to touch on the fact that this guy has never ridden a motorbike before and is going to start in Bangkok ????????????? 

 

Driving a car and a motorbike are 2 total different things my friend not matter how well you think you know the roads 

Bought my first scooter 4 years ago when I was 53. Had no accidents and all my riding is done in Bangkok, both main roads and side streets. I haven't driven a car since I was 18 and will start taking driving lessons next month. Will buy a new car once I get my driving licence. What is your problem?   

[Henryford]

6 hours ago, Fat Prophet said:

My new Forza has the remote key. I really don't like it, and I worry what will happen if I lose it, but it is/was not a sufficiently serious issue to deter me from buying the bike. It is a "gimmick", but I expect that most people like the ease/convenience. YMMV. I really do like the idle stop on the PCX (not available on the Forza), and I wish it was a standard feature on all bikes. The stop lights in Thailand seem to stay red for an eternity.... The Freego is 125cc and competes with the Click 125 -- both "non-starters" IMO. I am truly amazed that anyone worries about spending (or saving) B5,000 in respect to the decision of which motorbike to buy.   

I only drive in Pattaya from one traffic light to another at 30 kph. A 125 is more than sufficient. A Click 56,000, a Freego 51,000, better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. The 150 gives you an "extra" 2hp wow.