Which Motorbike To Buy For Town, But Maybe Some Trips?

[OneMoreFarang]

2 hours ago, OliverKlozerof said:

Thanks tons guys for the feedback. Yes, I'm new to motorbikes. I've been in BKK 14 years and ride my bicycle around my neighborhood mostly but have ridden it from BKK to Pattaya and from Hua Hin 170km down the coast, etc.
Last year I went up to Mae Sai for a week where an old (Seattle area) high school friend was staying. We rented a Click and he helped me take baby steps to learn to ride over then next 4 days. We rode an hour each way to the Mekong and back, then another day up into the hills quite a ways, which was really fun. But apparently getting to the top of Doi Chang mountain is considerably higher. He said once he went with a friend who had a scooter. She had to stop several times on the descent to let her brakes cool off. At the shop where I rented it they said I was prohibited from going up there, probably for this reason. On my friend's Wave, he could downshift to take some of the load off his breaks, which you can't do on the Click. So scooters don't seem ideal for mountainous rides.
I'm not sure how often I'll end up wanting to take longer trips on the bike. I'm 63 and basically retired. I'm getting more and more bored with BKK so am thinking that though I'll probably keep my little room here as a base, I'd like to spend, say, a month in Hua Hin every year...maybe a month up north near CM or CR. And hopefully explore some parts of LOS I've never been. (And also a month exploring wine country in Europe...one reason I wanted a legal license.)
Actually, when I was in CR last year I met a friend of a friend who told me something that might be an option: When he went to Ko Samui (for a month or so), he shipped his motorbike there. I think he said it was very reasonable cost wise...like not much more than B1000. (I just emailed him to ask the details again.) He did say the bike got slightly damaged in shipping, but that next time if he took care to protect it, it would probably survive the trip fine.
Of course, in some cases it probably makes sense to just rent a bike at the destination, like if you'll only be there a few days, etc. But I could see where it could be cool to, say, take a train or fly to CM, then have your bike waiting for you when you arrive.
Or, of course, make an adventure out of slowly making your way between towns...stopping often, finding a cheap hotel, then continuing...that way your butt and hands might be able to handle it even on a smallish bike.... But obviously, a larger bike would have less vibration and be smoother. (I think some good riding gloves could help?)
But as one video I watched recommended, you need to just sit on the thing for a bit to see how it feels, etc. As one guy here recommended, getting a used Wave at first might be smart. Then after I get some hours in the saddle I'd probably have a better idea if I could handle riding it down the coast occasionally, etc.
Speaking of buying a used Wave (or similar), do you have any tips on how one might do this and end up with a good condition bike for a reasonable price? (Maybe find a local Thai biker to help check it out?)

It seems you want to make trips on your bike. And for trips (and mountains, and fun) I think a "big" bike is better than a scooter.

With the limited information from this thread I think you should consider the following: Learn to ride, maybe you are already comfortable also under not so good conditions like rain, bad streets, sand on the street, etc. After you are reasonable comfortable I suggest you rent a "big" bike to test how it feels and how you like it. Roughly I have something 300cc to 500cc in mind (but I don't know much what's available for touring). I guess if you try such a big bike you will like it in many ways. It's more comfortable, maybe you have some storage space, etc. Just try it. Because imagine the alternative: You buy a 150cc bike and ride it for 3 years. And they you try a bigger bike. And then you think: Why didn't I buy one years ago?!

My point is not that the bigger bike it much faster. Of course it is, but this is not the most important. You can ride 100km/h on a scooter. But accelerate to 100 and brake and accelerate again and you will soon enjoy the extra power. And if you want to overtake another vehicle it's nice to open the throttle, accelerate easily i.e. to 130 and get it done in seconds - and not minutes with a small bike.

[OneMoreFarang]

2 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

13 minutes ago, guzzi850m2 said:

No spare power, so you can't accelerate out of trouble

 

 

I don't know what trouble you are getting in but I've always found the Click 125i has more than enough power to accelerate away from potential trouble as required

Did you ever ride a bigger bike? Try it and feel the difference and then review what you wrote here.

[guzzi850m2]

34 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

I don't know what trouble you are getting in but I've always found the Click 125i has more than enough power to accelerate away from potential trouble as required

Well if one of those truck drivers nods off at the wheel and it happens right when he passes you, you are in trouble.

[jackdd]

16 minutes ago, guzzi850m2 said:

No spare power, so you can't accelerate out of trouble.

Only people who don't know how to ride would try to "accelerate out of trouble".

 

 

Buy something like a Honda PCX or Yamaha NMAX, good for the city and ok for touring.

[guzzi850m2]

44 minutes ago, jackdd said:

Only people who don't know how to ride would try to "accelerate out of trouble".

 

 

 

Really!

 

So are you saying that there can't be any situations out on the road where it's better to accelerate than braking!

 

I had a few over the +30 years I rode bikes and I never had any major accidents and in one case I had a near miss but because I accelerated very hard, I avoided getting clipped by a car, it was too late to brake.

 

[OliverKlozerof]

I just thought of another consideration...

One of the reasons for getting the license is so I can rent a bike in Europe and ride around wine country, etc. (Of course while realizing drink and driving is a bad idea.) I haven't yet looked into the sorts of bikes one can rent in, say, Spain, France or Italy.... Anyone know if they're likely to have bikes similar to those available here? E.g., automatic scooters, semi-automatics with gears? Or maybe they have mostly bigger bikes? Riding through wine country, etc. would of course be more comfortable on a slightly larger bike...and allow for some luggage. Roads probably considerably better over there I'd imagine....
And, I may even want to rent & ride next time I'm back in the US....

[scubascuba3]

26 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Did you ever ride a bigger bike? Try it and feel the difference and then review what you wrote here.

Yeah I've had a 500, 600 and 800, big bikes are mostly an ego thing, not necessary most of the time

[dddave]

12 hours ago, baansgr said:

These things go to the moon and back, can't beat them. Never a problem. Even on a run of 100 kms or so is still comfortable enough. 

A friend who lives in Chang Rai (Great riding country, lots of hills) bought a Wave 125 new 7 years ago. He  installed a slightly larger sprocket, larger & wider tires and had the seat customized for his -uh- seating area.  It's a surprisingly comfortable bike to ride and excellent on gas.

Now 140K later and it still runs beautifully.  He's careful about regular maintenance and doesn't beat it up and expects to get 200K without any major issues.

 

The only cautionary note I'd raise about going from automatic to shifting is that sometimes inexperienced riders can get discombobulated shifting; like missing a gear or down-shifting instead of up-shifting or accidentally hitting neutral, and  get distracted from paying attention to the road. People who are used to keeping right rather than left can get distracted and find themselves turning into the on-coming lane, wondering why that truck is bearing down on them.

 

 

 

 

[scubascuba3]

6 minutes ago, guzzi850m2 said:

Really!

 

So are you saying that there can't be any situations out on the road where it's better to accelerate than braking!

 

I had a few over the +30 years I rode bikes and I never had any major accidents and in one case I had a near miss but because I accelerated very hard, I avoided getting clipped by a car, it was too late to brake.

 

If you are going 140kph have you considered you are the trouble? racing pickups most likely

[guzzi850m2]

33 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

If you are going 140kph have you considered you are the trouble? racing pickups most likely

 In the near miss situation, I was doing about 80 km/h.

 

How fast will a scooter accelerate at 80? My pcx not very fast, it's slow from 80 to 100.

[bkk6060]

Waves and Clicks are whimp bikes.  Their lack of power I believe is actually dangerous.

Get something with more power.

[scubascuba3]

17 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Waves and Clicks are whimp bikes.  Their lack of power I believe is actually dangerous.

Get something with more power.

There was a survey done a few years ago and it showed that those guys with bigger bikes had lower IQs, a definite link apparently. Probably the caveman mentality

[Skallywag]

So many threads about road carnage, terrible thai drivers, number of motorcycle deaths in Thailand... 

Then these motorcycle threads show up and everyone is praising and discussing all motorbikes enthusiastically.

 

So ironic to me

Yet I admit to being a bit jealous.    

Live long and prosper. ????

Peace ✌️

[Skallywag]

30 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Waves and Clicks are whimp bikes.  Their lack of power I believe is actually dangerous.

Get something with more power.

Back in Arizona in my 20-30's had a Suzuki 500cc 2- stroke, a Triumph Bonneville, and a BMW R75.  

OK - off topic again, just reminiscing.  Do not have a bike here in LOS....maybe someday

[OneMoreFarang]

59 minutes ago, OliverKlozerof said:

I just thought of another consideration...

One of the reasons for getting the license is so I can rent a bike in Europe and ride around wine country, etc. (Of course while realizing drink and driving is a bad idea.) I haven't yet looked into the sorts of bikes one can rent in, say, Spain, France or Italy.... Anyone know if they're likely to have bikes similar to those available here? E.g., automatic scooters, semi-automatics with gears? Or maybe they have mostly bigger bikes? Riding through wine country, etc. would of course be more comfortable on a slightly larger bike...and allow for some luggage. Roads probably considerably better over there I'd imagine....
And, I may even want to rent & ride next time I'm back in the US....

It definitely won't hurt if you learn to ride a bike with gears and clutch. Then you can select any bike you might want to rent. If you don't want gears that will limit your choice a lot.

[bkk6060]

20 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

There was a survey done a few years ago and it showed that those guys with bigger bikes had lower IQs, a definite link apparently. Probably the caveman mentality

By the fearful and uneducated.

Probably more they know how to handle a real bike that may in fact save their life.

I have ridden both and the safety advantages of a bigger bike are obvious.

But, stick with your Click I bet it is just perfect for you.

[OneMoreFarang]

10 minutes ago, Skallywag said:

So many threads about road carnage, terrible thai drivers, number of motorcycle deaths in Thailand... 

Then these motorcycle threads show up and everyone is praising and discussing all motorbikes enthusiastically.

 

So ironic to me

Yet I admit to being a bit jealous.    

Live long and prosper. ????

Peace ✌️

What is the alternative?

Bicycle? Car? Taxi? Walking? Public transport?

I think most of the time a bike is a good choice.

Obviously life is more difficult with crazy drivers and riders. But a big part is how defensive we want to ride. It's a good idea not to take all those risks and hope to survive another day.

[scubascuba3]

4 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

 

I have ridden both and the safety advantages of a bigger bike are obvious.

 

Around Pattaya where i ride i can see bigger bikes have no safety advantage, in fact are a greater risk, usually tempted to go too fast but justify it by saying good for getting out of trouble that they keep finding themselves in

[Isaanbiker]

 "(We couldn't go up the big mountain, cuz the Click's brakes would get too hot coming back down.)"

 

Have you ever heard about breaking with gears? I've got a big bike and a Mitsubishi L200, where I'm using the gears to break down to save brake shoes/ pads. I do that automatically without thinking. 

 

   Whenever you ride down a hill, do not use the highest gear and you'll have no problems with hot brakes at all.

 

I had a Click in Mae Hong Son and Pai and rode around all day long, but I never had hot brakes. A bike is only as good as its rider. 

 

I still have the first brake shoes ( rear brakes) in my Mitsubishi and got 309,000 km on the clock. 

[Moonlover]

I've been riding my 'wimp' Click for 4 years now and thoroughly enjoy every outing. For me, it's all about 'horses for courses' and in city traffic I reckon that nothing beats the snappy acceleration, nimbleness and ease of riding that the modern scooter provides.

 

A scooter is also a great load lugger. We don't have a car, but this has never been a problem for us as we're able to carry so much under the seat and in the foot well where a tote bag fits perfectly.

 

So please don't scoff the humble scooter. It's the perfect bike for the job.

 

 

[JimmyTheMook]

1 hour ago, bkk6060 said:

By the fearful and uneducated.

Probably more they know how to handle a real bike that may in fact save their life.

I have ridden both and the safety advantages of a bigger bike are obvious.

But, stick with your Click I bet it is just perfect for you.

 

For inside the city transportation the smaller framed Clicks etc. are way more nimble and practical than a larger size clutch motorcycle.

  

[rhodie]

3 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

There was a survey done a few years ago and it showed that those guys with bigger bikes had lower IQs, a definite link apparently. Probably the caveman mentality

So when you had your 500, 600 and 800, your IQ dropped? ????

[Agusts]

I think for a beginner to riding motorbikes a big bike is actually dangerous, it's faster and heavier and harder to control and do a estimate of speeds, corners and slopes for stopping etc. ...

 

As a beginner please stick to 125 Or 150cc for a few years, get the experience and then move up, I think everyone agrees with this statement...

[scubascuba3]

5 hours ago, rhodie said:

So when you had your 500, 600 and 800, your IQ dropped? ????

That was an anomaly. When you commute intercity in the UK a bigger bike makes a little more sense, but bigger bikes are more standard in the UK

[scubascuba3]

11 hours ago, guzzi850m2 said:

 In the near miss situation, I was doing about 80 km/h.

 

How fast will a scooter accelerate at 80? My pcx not very fast, it's slow from 80 to 100.

Not really relevant, the op wants to use around town mainly, hopefully you aren't doing 80km\h

[Assurancetourix]

13 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Did you ever think about asking a mechanic to repair your brakes?

You know, or should know, these brakes are supposed to work smoothly in any condition and that's what mechanics are for: They can fix them.

Maybe try it and you will be astonished how wonderful life can be with proper working brakes.

This is something that I have already said a thousand times to my wife who is the exclusive user of the machine; (100% for her and 0% for me)
Ah! but it's expensive ;
I replied that a visit to the hospital will certainly be much more expensive.
but thai are even more stubborn than bretons ..
It's her business, not mine.
  I maintain my MTBike very carefully; she just has to do the same thing with this Honda Wave ..

[Assurancetourix]

15 hours ago, OliverKlozerof said:

But apparently getting to the top of Doi Chang mountain is considerably higher.

 

Not very high but incremental percentages;
I went there by mountain bike from Chiang Dao; in certain places we rolled in zig zag so the slope is strong; and the descent to Chai Prakan is impressive;
do not do it with a Scoopy or similar fully automatic machine, this is the bowl provided.

 

Road 1249

 

[OliverKlozerof]

13 hours ago, Isaanbiker said:

"(We couldn't go up the big mountain, cuz the Click's brakes would get too hot coming back down.)"

 

Have you ever heard about breaking with gears?

You obviously didn't read the thread. You can't downshift on a Click.

[alx123]

1 hour ago, OliverKlozerof said:

You obviously didn't read the thread. You can't downshift on a Click.

nah, he said he owned one before. so he knows what he's talking about...

[papa al]

19 hours ago, OliverKlozerof said:

I could see where it could be cool to, say, take a train or fly to CM, then have your bike waiting for you when you arrive.

Yes, VERY COOL

papa has read on mc forum

that bikes up to 125cc can still transport by train.