New beginner bike advice - RE650/Himalayan/Kawasaki W250 - ??

[Genmai]

Hi all,

Newbie here looking to get into motorcycles and hoping some more experienced members can give me some advice.

My riding experience is very limited, just driving some clunky 2 stroke clutch thing on forest roads as a kid at home and here in Thailand just sitting on the backs of scooters. I've driven a scooter a few times before and honestly keeping the feet placed in front like that feels very unnatural. Much prefer straddling the machine like with a real motorcycle, that feels less awkward to me.

 

I will be taking lessons at a driving school and practicing in the moobaan and Sunday mornings on empty roads before attempting anything else. Not a fan of speed. Obviously a newbie but I just can't help being captivated by motorcycles every time I see one. In particular those kind of retro-classic style naked things I think are super cool. 

 

I'm looking for a beginner-friendly motorcycle that will be used mainly for getting around town (CM) and eventually when I'm more experienced I'd like to go to national parks on camping trips. 183cm and 90kg, can lift heavy no problem. I'm looking at the royal enfield interceptor 650 which reportedly has great comfort and enough power to get around - but not enough to do anything crazy. The RE Himalayan seems to be geared towards more rugged terrain and crappy roads which is an option that would be nice to have in the future. One potential issue of RE is the lack of service/spare parts in TH if I need something replaced. Seems like Honda/Kawasaki have a much better network here? For this reason I'm also looking at the Kawasaki W250. It's in the same price range as the 650 but not as much bang for your buck? Kawasaki also has an adorable (and more affordable) W175 which I like the look of.

 

What I really don't intend to do is fly down highways at ridiculous speeds. Just leisurely chugging along. If there's any riding groups in CM that are open to newbies I'd love to be involved in that too.

 

 

[JeffersLos]

The CB500, R321, or the naked ninja400.

[papa al]

I think RE is coming out with a 350cc

pretty cheap.

[richard_smith237]

So many choices. The key factor for you would be ‘handling a bike’ in city traffic. 

 

Perhaps an Auto would suit you better. i.e. Honda ADV

 

Or stepping up a little - the Royal Enfield Himilayan or BMW G310GS 

 

Insist on something with ABS - the biggest risk in Bangkok is the ‘other bike’ pulling out in font of and the risk of a newer rider grabbing too much front brake. Thailands roads are extremely slippy, especially when wet - my ABS has saved me from dropping by bike a few times. 

 

 

A heavier bike is going to be tricker in traffic, especially lane splitting and feathering the clutch etc in traffic, especially for someone who is not familiar with a clutch or riding in Bangkoks crazy traffic. 

 

 

I’m a similar size to you - I started with a Scooter (Yamaha Tai-City) and moved up to a BMW G310GS. 

Now I’d like something bigger, but also something smaller. 

 

My choice would be a Honda ADV for nipping around Bangkok, or perhaps something with decent storage (helmet and shopping), and then a larger bike for ‘fun riding’ (i.e. Ducati Mulitstrada or BWM F850GS or something like an RnineT or Triumph Thruxton RS).

 

 

 

 

[Kwasaki]

Honda CB range 250 to start with is fine. 

[douglasspade]

With limited experience in bigger bikes I'd say stay below the 400cc class. I learned to ride when I was 14 on a Kawa GPZ750F, and even today in my 40's, on a frigging scooter, Thailand still throws me curve balls. It is a dangerous country to ride a bike, no matter what you ride, what speed you ride or experience you may have.

 

The Kawasaki W range looks like a nice starter bike for your classic retro look feel you are after. Currently for that look feel, the options are slightly limited. I will personally go for the Yamaha SR400. https://www.yamaha-motor.co.th/bigbike/sr400/overview. The motor is from the XT series scramblers, XT500. They are a bit pricey, but the quality is superb with a 30 year track record, and has a large fan-base if you want to resell.

Had a friend in 2008 that got a gray import from Japan and it impressed me so that I almost bought one myself.

 

Whatever you buy, good luck and ride responsibly!

[JeffersLos]

An Indian company have taken the 373cc engine from the KTM390 and put it in their own model. Bajaj or something. Around 115,000 baht I think. 

[JeffersLos]

For ease. I would stick with Kawa or Honda.

[damascase]

2 hours ago, papa al said:

I think RE is coming out with a 350cc

pretty cheap.

Yes, the 350 Meteor was introduced in TH 10 days ago.

150.000 baht.

 

[papa al]

Yamaha XSR155

Your best bet.

 

Slightly used

under B70K.

[canthai55]

Buy something cheap as your first bike.

You will crash, so have something that does not cost an arm and a leg to buy/repair.

As you skill level rises, so can the displacement of the bike.

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, canthai55 said:

Buy something cheap as your first bike.

You will crash, so have something that does not cost an arm and a leg to buy/repair.

As you skill level rises, so can the displacement of the bike.

 

Very sound advice....  

That said - a second hand cheaper bike may not have ABS - thus, buy the cheapest ‘decent’ modern bike as your first bike <300cc would also be wise. 

 

 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

I agree with the others about the engine size. A bike with a smaller engine is lighter and is easier to handle.

I have the KTM 390 with about 45HP - more than enough for the city and more.

 

I am sure you didn't forget the basics from riding in the forest. You will know how to ride.

But, as also the others mentioned, in Thailand one big problem are all those crazy riders.

I rode regularly on the back of the motorcycle taxis for about 3 years before I bought my first bike in Bangkok. By then I had a good understanding how things work here, all the local shortcuts, and all the dangerous spots where people do unexpected things.

Take it easy and you will be fine.

[richard_smith237]

17 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I agree with the others about the engine size. A bike with a smaller engine is lighter and is easier to handle.

I have the KTM 390 with about 45HP - more than enough for the city and more.

 

I am sure you didn't forget the basics from riding in the forest. You will know how to ride.

But, as also the others mentioned, in Thailand one big problem are all those crazy riders.

I rode regularly on the back of the motorcycle taxis for about 3 years before I bought my first bike in Bangkok. By then I had a good understanding how things work here, all the local shortcuts, and all the dangerous spots where people do unexpected things.

Take it easy and you will be fine.

 

Agree with that. The biggest single facet of riding safely in Thailand is being able to predict the utter unpredictability of other riders. 

 

i.e. If you are riding and see a motorcycle approaching from a side soi and think ‘there is no way on earth they’d be daft enough to pull out into traffic without looking and ride straight into me’ thats what they’ll probably do. In fact, my Wife witnessed exactly that a month ago (and showed me the cam footage); a motorcycle pulled out from a side soi turning right, they looked right, but didn’t look left, the motorcyclist simply pulled out straight in front of a van... How is that possible?? I’ve no idea how someone just ‘forgets to look’, but it happens all the time. 

 

The sheer utter dangerous idiocy of other riders simply cannot be overstated - every single time I’m out on a road I see motorcyclists do silly stuff.

 

------

 

When I was young and first in Thailand I wanted a Suzuki GSXR 750... I went as far as going to the shops to look at them (at the time there was a ‘big bike shop’ in Ekammai and another just down the road from Siam Square (Teera). Fortunately, in my 20’s I wasn’t stupid enough to get a Motorcycle in Thailand and instead got a car. After driving a car for 15 years, I then succumbed to the motorcycle bug, first getting a scooter for two years before stepping up slightly. 

 

In 5 years (2 on a scooter and 3 on a 300cc motorbike) I haven’t had an accident, not dropped the bike once, which is not so much to do with skill and control than it is to do with having an underlying understanding of the capacity for sheer, total, utter £uc#wittery of those riding around me. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[KhaoYai]

Everyone has their own preference but as you have had virually no experience, I woudn't recommend you go much bigger than 250cc in Japanese stuff - even some of that can fly and is potentially dangerous in inexperienced hands.  Its one thing to be able to ride a bike and many think they can but experience is something that can't be taught - its a question of taking it steady for a couple of years. Then move up to something that suits what you want to do with it - you may stay with the 250.

 

I've been riding for over 50 years (I started at 6 months ????) and have been through the whole range. My last bike in the UK was a Kawasaki ZX9 which is basically a missile disguised as a bike.  I wouldn't even consider owning something like that in Thailand - way too dangerous and very uncomfortable.  Once you've decided on your beginner's bike and gained some experience, if you want a bike that's not too expensive, has poke but won't wrench your arms out of their sockets and will suit most situations in Thailand, get yourself an ER6N.  That's what I have now and once I got used to the drop in power (from the ZX), I found it perfectly suited to Thai roads. I use mine around town and I've done some pretty long tours - I'm very happy with it.

 

Sports bikes are all well and good but they get uncomfortable fairly quickly - your wrists will kill you until you get used to it.  Although the roads in Thailand are improving (overall) - a sit up bike has one major advantage when it comes to hitting one of the many potholes you will experience - leverage. Hit a pothole on a sports bike with narrow, low down bars and there's a very good chance you'll get spat off. You stand a far better chance of remaining in control on a sit up bike with wide bars.

 

One possibility you might want to consider, if you have designs on eventually having a 'big bike' is - in the UK licence requirements mean that most new riders are limited to a certain hp until they have some experience - I thinks its 2 years.  That has led to restrictor kits being available.  For a bike such as an ER6N - you can buy a restrictor kit from the UK (mail order) for around 3000 baht and take it off when you feel ready.  The kits are very easy to fit and limit the bike to 47hp which is plenty for an inexperienced rider.  Bigger bikes are more planted, have better brakes and in my opinion, are generally safer than some buzzy little thing wobbling around in the bike lane so you might want to consider that route (mine also has ABS). One advantage of buying a bigger bike and restricting it are that you don't lose money when you sell the smaller bike. Be aware that a lot of bikes under 400cc in Thailand have had a proper thrashing so might not be a sensible buy secondhand.

 

Whatever you decide to do - be aware of the new licencing rules set to come in next year that will require a separate test for 'big bikes' - over 400cc I believe.

[siam dreamers]

I thought about your question and situation a few days before answering. I have more experience riding than you but still looked extensively at every single bike on the Thai market before first buying a Himalayan and then an Interceptor. Of course foremost I want you safe but still think that the interceptor would be a great choice for you. 

The Himalayan is a bit clunky and underpowered and not the best choice if you are not interested in going off road a bit. Although I had no problems with the Himalayan I always had a feeling it wasn't going to have a problem free life. The  Interceptor on the other hand is the sweetest bike I have ever owned. There is no reason for speed on this bike, the ride is just fun. Basically any Thai fly by me on their Honda wave but the experience of riding the interceptor may be what you are looking for. As far as parts and service the bikes have had very minimal reviews or complains of any kind. I chang my own oil and adjust the valves every 10,000 kilometers. The Interceptor handles great in city or highway and even though it is a 650 it a great bike to take it easy on. I will say it is a bit top heavy and takes bit to get used to moving it around. I read watched one review from Knox and the girl said it is a perfect step up from a 125. I defiantly agree with that. Good luck

 

[jackdd]

Get a second hand 300cc bike, something like the Honda CB300F, CB300R or CBR300 depending on which style you like, they are cheap on the second hand market, usually don't fail and replacements parts if you drop it are cheap as well.

Ride this for a while, get some practice, sell it, and then get something which you fancy.

[VocalNeal]

47 minutes ago, siam dreamers said:

I defiantly agree with that.

 

Did predictive text do that for you?