Ducati in thailand?

[mikemi]

Anybody got one in thailand?

 

Google tells me there are a few dealers, and the price list here https://www.ducati.com/th/th/bikes/2020-pricelist have all prices in baht, so can I assume that all the models are available?

 

Right down the bottom is the price of the scramblers ranging from 300k to 600k.

 

I think this desert sled model, pictured below, might be good for thailand, its 480k.

 

Seems like there is a premium over western prices but its not 100% markup or anything crazy like that, seems to be about 20% markup.

 

Its more than id like to spend right now, but whats the alternative? CRF250l or a klx250? look like nice bikes but I cant shake the desire to be able to accelerate away from traffic, should I want to.

 

CRF250l for example, looks like a nice bike, but you get some crazy lorries behind you then arent you a bit stuck for power? Or is it not an issue for some? Just pull off to the side?

 

When I used to ride a 125 I had that issue with cars getting too close etc. I dont fancy repeating that in thailand.

 

I think this bike looks like a real swiss army knife, basic offroad ability (like me), comfy on road, no shortage of power. Comfy seat and a luggage rack might be a splendid tourer.

 

I am in the UK right now, I am going to test ride this desert sled, a suzuki vanvan 200, CRF250L, KLX250. Is there anything I should add to these 4 to try out? And what do you guys think of this desert sled?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 7, 2020 by mikemi

[RAZZELL]

Some Ducatis are made in Thailand.

 

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/1351095/ducati-keen-on-rd-ties-with-test-centre#:~:text=In Thailand%2C Ducati Motor Thailand,a year with 208 employees.&text=Last year%2C Ducati delivered 55%2C451,from 54%2C809 bikes in 2015.

[uncleP]

The thai bikes are not the same as european models

[Kwasaki]

2 hours ago, mikemi said:

CRF250l for example, looks like a nice bike, but you get some crazy lorries behind you then arent you a bit stuck for power?

Never seen a lorry in Thailand that does nearly 140 kph.

 

Desert sled 800 cc how are you suppose to compare that scrambler bike with a CRF250.

 

 

Edited June 7, 2020 by Kwasaki

[mikemi]

2 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Never seen a lorry in Thailand that does nearly 140 kph.

Well, some of those pickups race around at about 60 odd, I would be worried a 250 is getting stretched at highway speeds?

 

My 125 was out of puff at 50. I hated it on fast roads, it felt dangerous. I am worried a 250 might feel similar.

 

In my experience, when riding a slow bike, the dangerous things that happened were all the result of cars trying to get passed me, and I was powerless to do anything about it (pun intended).

 

When riding a fast bike, the dangerous things that happened were all a result of me going too fast, and often trying to get past cars in front of me.

 

I am hoping there is a middle ground here. Something kinda sedate, that doesnt egg you on to go faster, but at the same time, its got a bit of oomph when you need it.

 

I gotta go get some test rides. I love test rides. New bikes, its so exciting. One of the best things about riding is getting test rides, isnt it?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[HashBrownHarry]

Currently have 2017 MS950 adventure / 2015 FT scrambler.

 

Previously had 2017 939 Hypermotard.

 

No problem with any of them, total kms about 55,000 ( each one with a smile ).

[Sundown]

Check the Facebook Pages of each dealer to find offers, few months ago Ducati Phuket was selling the Monster 797 @ 299000THB instead of 399000THB regular price. They had also huge discounts on new Multistrada 950 and Scrambler but I cannot recall the prices of these two.

[mikemi]

12 minutes ago, Sundown said:

Check the Facebook Pages of each dealer to find offers, few months ago Ducati Phuket was selling the Monster 797 @ 299000THB instead of 399000THB regular price. They had also huge discounts on new Multistrada 950 and Scrambler but I cannot recall the prices of these two.

Yeah I have noticed some heavy discounts on bikes here on the UK at the moment, 20% off etc

 

This virus is screwing everything up, its a buyers market right now for sure

 

edit: I checked the ducati phuket facebook page, the desert sled scrambler is advertised as 15% off, other models 25% off

 

thats making it mighty tempting, it sure is a good time to buy

 

Thanks for the top tip!!

Edited June 7, 2020 by mikemi

[Kwasaki]

20 hours ago, mikemi said:

My 125 was out of puff at 50. I hated it on fast roads, it felt dangerous. I am worried a 250 might feel similar.

Well it doesn't a 250 has good power at cruising and top end enough to stay away from lorries.

[Yachty]

On 6/7/2020 at 10:09 PM, uncleP said:

The thai bikes are not the same as european models

Ducati Scrambler Bikes sold in Thailand ARE exactly the same spec as European models. I have the 2019 -2020 desert sled it is PERFECT for Thailand although you do not see many here as the seat height is 86cms, as standard  too high for shorter Thais. However there is a 250 euro optional lower seat replacement ( with a small dip in it ) that lowers the seat height to 82cms.

DONT start messing with the fully adjustable front and rear suspention to lower the seat height as it is set up perfectly from the factory for dual purpose excellent off road and excellent on road use!!

Awesome bike! as all the reviews do say read the many reviews on you tube, thats why it is ranked the best seller in Europe and USA. Loads of HorsePower bags of torque, don't confuse it or compare it with a CR250 motocrosser as the duke is too heavy at 180 kgs, ( 209 Wet ) but as a dual purpose off roader it ticks all the boxes. People stop and stare when they see or hear mine ( the air cooled L twin, with twin exhausts sounds awesome )  with thumbs up as its a beautiful looking well designed bike too. Same price as the UK around 10K with the standard 2 year warranty extendable to 5 years. Best purchase of my life !!

[OLDMANHARRY]

Ducati is the go , look around bahtsold and thaivisa classified ,I brought my scrambler last year then 2 years old 11,000 klicks 280,000 bt I use this bike for my hack great fun in the dirt and good on the road with heaps of power .

I also have a Honda fury 1300 cc for cruising nice bike for long distance  

[PaoloR]

Consider the Yamaha MT03.

Fast (160km/hr) so no problem on the highway.

Much cheaper to buy and run than the Duc (Ducati are much more expensive to service and parts are premium priced)

A Yamaha can be serviced in every town.

I looked at and drove the Ducati but it felt cheaply made and a bit all or nothing in throttle action. Great for hooning about on - but not as good for day to day. I went with the Triumph Bonneville instead. (Unfortunately I wrote that off)

When I reach to the key rack now it's the MT03 I pick every time unless I'm planning a trip and need luggage.

Honda/Yamaha/Kawasaki are all much cheaper and easier to keep on the road also are easier to sell later.

I can't understand why you are comparing slow and relatively cheap bikes with the Duc, have you really thought through what you need as well as what you want?

[SteveK]

I would never want to own a Ducati in Thailand and would stick with a Japanese brand. Unless you are very lucky and live not too far from a good dealership, then you're going to be at the mercy of a quite possibly untrained Thai mechanic working on your bike and ordering the parts. If you are on a trip to a more remote part of the country and you break down - good luck, with a Jap bike you could probably find someone who can fix it every few km. Owning a Ducati in a first world country is great as they are now just as reliable as anything out there, but they do need special knowledge and parts to be ordered, many of the Jap bikes do not.

 

Therefore I would do some research on your local dealer first. With a CRF250, you could do a lot of the maintenance on that yourself with some basic tools, as could Somchai down the street. A much easier, not to mention cheaper life.

Edited June 9, 2020 by SteveK

[DeeMoney]

On 6/7/2020 at 8:18 PM, RAZZELL said:

Some Ducatis are made in Thailand.

 

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/1351095/ducati-keen-on-rd-ties-with-test-centre#:~:text=In Thailand%2C Ducati Motor Thailand,a year with 208 employees.&text=Last year%2C Ducati delivered 55%2C451,from 54%2C809 bikes in 2015.

Depends how you define it.

 

Ducatis with aircooled engines are "made from scratch" in Thailand. Steel and aluminum rods and sheets are shipped into the assembly plant, bent into various shapes and sizes, made into the trellis frame you see, painted using the exact same equipment they use in Bologna, and then dried out. Same for the engines, they assemble the pistons, rods, desmodromic valves, all from scratch in the Rayong factory.

 

For liquid-cooled ones, the whole engine is assembled in Bologna and then shipped to Thailand. The same goes for assembled brake calipers, frames, sub-frames, gas tanks. The Rayong plant puts them together, but doesn't necessarily manufacture specific parts. 

 

VERY few models are imported whole into Thailand. From my knowledge, only the Monster 1200 is not assembled in Thailand, and it's reflected in the price. Even the Panigale V4 is assembled in Thailand.

 

On 6/7/2020 at 10:09 PM, uncleP said:

The thai bikes are not the same as european models

 

They are exactly the same. The layout of the plant, the equipment used in the assembly process (everything imported from Italy, even the coffee). the Q&A process, the parts, whole engines that is imported from Italy. Not to mention the Q&A engineers and management staff are all Italians. 

 

The Rayong plant also exports to markets such as Australia, and sometimes the USA.

 

It is impossible to tell the difference between a Panigale V4 assembled in Rayong vs a Panigale V4 assembled in Bologna. Unless of course you look at the VIN number, the Thai assmbled one has ML in the front.

 

I would even go as far as to say it is also impossible to tell the difference between a Desert Sled made in Thailand and a Desert Sled made in Italy, despite the bike being manufactured from scratch in Rayong.

 

Source: Used to work for Ducati

Edited June 9, 2020 by DeeMoney

[cmrichsw]

Problem in Chiang Mai is SERVICE. As most other single dealerships in Thailand. 

[Nik spacey]

Hi 

I'm sure there is a big Ducati dealer in Pattaya.Seem to remember passing it on my way home to the Airport in Feb.Looked quite new although.Hope this helps.

[mikemi]

17 hours ago, PaoloR said:

 

I can't understand why you are comparing slow and relatively cheap bikes with the Duc, have you really thought through what you need as well as what you want?

I guess I want something that can go more or less anywhere I want to, but not too fast, and not too slow.

 

If the CRF/KLX250 feel fast enough I might go for one just because its cheaper. But if they really do feel too slow, I might have to get something bigger/faster.

 

I want something nice and relaxed, but capable.

 

I will update when I have done some test rides.

 

ps I think I saw you on youtube, didnt I? I enjoyed watching that ????

[richard_smith237]

There are Ducati Dealers in Bangkok and Pattaya (maybe other cities?).

 

How tall are you? I'm 183cm and sat on the Cafe Racer and Flat Tracker - I felt like a circus bear on a trike.

The Desert Sled or 1100 may suit better.

 

I always wondered if the Air-cooled was an issue and if a Ducati would get too hot under the seat in and around congested traffic.

 

Air-cooled options may be worth considering.

 

Modern 250's have no issue accelerating away from cars and lorries and can probably cruse a most highway speeds (110kmh).

 

I have had the BMW G310GS which I've always been happy with. I'd like something larger for touring the nation, but something larger would be too large for town.

 

G310GS is now for sale.

 

The Kawazaki Versus has always been a very popular model for Thailand - it may be worth picking up a second hand model and life with that for 6 months before making a final decision, or picking up any of the second hand Ducati Models (facebook market place is a good place to look)

[mikemi]

1 minute ago, richard_smith237 said:

I always wondered if the Air-cooled was an issue and if a Ducati would get too hot under the seat in and around congested traffic.

Yeah i had the same worry about that, I read some other forum this guy was saying he never had in issue in las vegas summers with his. Anecdotal but something to look into further.

 

I think im 179cm

 

I will have a look on facebook marketplace, ive never looked at that before, time I found out how it works, thanks

 

 

 

[Don Mega]

23 minutes ago, mikemi said:

 

I want something nice and relaxed, but capable.

 

 

What about an XSR700 ?

 

https://www.yamaha-motor.co.th/bigbike/xsr700/overview

[mikemi]

1 minute ago, Don Mega said:

What about an XSR700 ?

I like the look of those, I wanted one for a while either the xsr700 or the xsr900. I testrode I think it was an xsr700 a few years back when it first came out, and it seemed like a really nice bike, though I couldnt open it up properly because it was too wet - it was really raining hard.

 

I just think for thailand it would be nice to have basic off road ability? Some roads are pretty bumpy where I am, I think bouncy suspension is going to be a good idea.

 

 

 

 

[moose7117]

3 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

 

The Kawazaki Versus has always been a very popular model for Thailand - it may be worth picking up a second hand model and life with that for 6 months before making a final decision, or picking up any of the second hand Ducati Models (facebook market place is a good place to look)

I agree, one of the major problems with Ducati motorcycles in Thailand is a dearth of available service agents however there is a Kawasaki or Honda Big Wing in nearly every major town.

I am a member of aa few different ride groups here in Thailand and all of the guys that have Ducatis bemoan the availability of Parts and after sales service.

I believe that the Ducati dealer in Chiang Mai, a very large northern city, closed down and has not reopened.

 

In Hua Hin i know that quite a few Ducati owners do not use the official dealer for servicing their bikes and choose to get their work done at the Kawasaki shop.

 

i Was looking at purchasing a Ducati a few years ago and have owned them in my home country however after researching Ducati here i chose to go with Kawasaki.

 

there are a few Thai language websites that you can access second hand bikes and as the ovoid problems worsen there seems to be a lot more for sale.

 

My suggestion is that you best ride a few different bikes in your home country before deciding on what bike to buy here.

 

honda also do a few nice mid capacity bikes as well.

 

the nearest Yamaha, BMW, triumph, suzuki service center/ sales shop is 350 kms away from me in Bangkok, Kawasaki 30 KM's, honda big wing 100 km's

 

do your research buddy and save yourself some heartache.

[JonnyF]

Ducati's are more expensive to service but that's the only issue I've found. Mine (899 Panigale) has been reliable and the parts take about the same time as they do for my MT09 (1-3 weeks).

 

Obviously it's easier if you live near the dealer. Fortunately I am 7kms from Ducati Vibhavadi and 5kms from Yamaha Riders Club on Kaset Nawamin. Ducati picked my bike up and returned it to me for a flat 500 Baht fee last service. It's not worth doing 2 trips to the dealership for that. 

 

If I was out in the sticks I probably wouldn't own either big bike and I'd get something smaller and simpler like an MT03.

[mrfill]

KTM bikes are available in Thailand....

 

[PaoloR]

7 hours ago, mikemi said:

I guess I want something that can go more or less anywhere I want to, but not too fast, and not too slow.

 

If the CRF/KLX250 feel fast enough I might go for one just because its cheaper. But if they really do feel too slow, I might have to get something bigger/faster.

 

I want something nice and relaxed, but capable.

 

I will update when I have done some test rides.

 

ps I think I saw you on youtube, didnt I? I enjoyed watching that ????

Yup I was on the tube - hosting a friend from the UK - TMF; Andy The Missenden Flier

[PaoloR]

2 hours ago, mrfill said:

KTM bikes are available in Thailand....

 

But where to get them serviced? They have come and gone and come again leaving large parts of Thailand with no service and few qualified mechanics. Pity or I would have bought one.

[dddave]

 

"I will have a look on facebook marketplace, ive never looked at that before, time I found out how it works, thanks"

 

FB Marketplace has a wide variety of listings but a lot of deceptive pricing so be on your toes, especially about verifying Green Book/chain of ownership before laying down one baht.

BTW, speaking of "Green Book", while you are still in the UK would be a good time to study-up on motorcycle buying and ownership regs. here in Thailand.  This might be a good article to start with.

https://chiangmaibuddy.com/how-to-buy-a-motorbike-in-thailand/#:~:text=Anyone can buy a Motorbike,you are living in Thailand.

[papa al]

3 hours ago, mrfill said:

KTM bikes are available in Thailand....

 

Is there dealer Pattaya?

[properperson]

7 hours ago, papa al said:

Is there dealer Pattaya?

 

Yes Al ....

 

The Benelli / Royal Enfield dealers on the sukhumvit (just before you get to the Kawasaki dealers) have a ktm section with loads of original parts (and some new bikes for sale), and they do servicing too - i bought a service kit a few days ago for my Duke 390.

.......

The girl there told me that the new "KTM Thailand" importer is about to launch ( havebeen putting it off cos of the virus).....

 

Once they kick off, no only they be offering the 2020 Duke 390 Adventure, but the greatly anticipated Duke/Adventure/RC/Supermoto 490 (twin cyl) range early next year.....

 

more info here:

 

https://www.gt-rider.com/se-asia-motorcycling/threads/2020-new-thailand-ktm-importer.15330/

Edited June 10, 2020 by properperson

[properperson]

On 6/9/2020 at 10:06 AM, PaoloR said:

Consider the Yamaha MT03.

Fast (160km/hr) so no problem on the highway.

Much cheaper to buy and run than the Duc (Ducati are much more expensive to service and parts are premium priced)

A Yamaha can be serviced in every town.

I looked at and drove the Ducati but it felt cheaply made and a bit all or nothing in throttle action. Great for hooning about on - but not as good for day to day. I went with the Triumph Bonneville instead. (Unfortunately I wrote that off)

When I reach to the key rack now it's the MT03 I pick every time unless I'm planning a trip and need luggage.

Honda/Yamaha/Kawasaki are all much cheaper and easier to keep on the road also are easier to sell later.

I can't understand why you are comparing slow and relatively cheap bikes with the Duc, have you really thought through what you need as well as what you want?

 

Ultimately depends if you want a vanilla bike - of a choco mint chip bike (with strawberry sauce...)

.