Dear Newbie

I am concerned for your safety if you need to ask on TV which bike is suitable for you !

Do you have a full bike license ? Can you ride a bike with gears ? Have you thought about luggage considerations and how much you want / need to carry ?

If you really want to go touring in comfort, then you are going to need at least a 500cc and preferably something more like a 650cc. I am not aware of any of the "scooter no gears" style bikes that come with good luggage configurations, so you would have to look at something like the Kawasaki Versys 650. A very reliable bike with loads of 3rd party luggage solutions. 

If you really can't face the gears and clutch, then look at the Honda NC700X DCT. It looks like a real bike but is automatic. Givi do several luggage options for it.

My wife and I travel extensively by bike all over the World, and even when staying in B&B's you are going to need 2 good size panniers and a topbox. You need to think about clothing, wet and dry, small stash of spares, ( bulbs, cable ties, duct tape,)  puncture repair kit with tyre irons, and compressor as a minimum. You also need to practice mending a puncture before you set off ! 

Good luck !!

one word dont if you value your life

I have a friend who had big bikes , first was a BMW and then a big Honda , he got rid of them because of the difficulty finding place to service them , like two hours ride away , perhaps stay over in a hotel  . Thailand is not an ideal place for big bikes with a speed limit of 90kms per hour , you are likely to be stopped and fined . Thailand has a very high accident and death rate , I recently read that a motor cyclist dies every 30 mins .   

12 minutes ago, Tidybeard said:

small stash of spares, ( bulbs, cable ties, duct tape,)  puncture repair kit with tyre irons, and compressor as a minimum. You also need to practice mending a puncture before you set off ! 

Do you really need that if you travel on roads in Thailand?

I imagine worst case find someone local with a pickup truck and transport the bike to the next repair shop. That should be possible almost anywhere in Thailand and probably mostly under 1000THB.

2 minutes ago, Darksidedude said:

one word dont if you value your life

And never cross a road and better stay at home all the time?

We all die. One important question is if we had a life before we die or if we were too scared to go out and have a life.

If I die today and have only a minute to think before I die I can smile and think about all the fun which I had in my life - including motorcycles.

Carpe diem

You may find something like this if you need to be more stable.

Well, Honda has most service points, 2nd place Kawasaki...so I would choose between those brands. CB300 is too small for 2 +load, you'll get tired of shifting gears.

500x is an undervalued bike, but needs a more comfortable saddle for long rides(5000B apex for a better one).

The wife and I have traveled all over Thailand, and personally I prefer a bike with a little more leaning riding position. Currently I am riding a Kawasaki ER6F, but have lowered the handlebar. That means I don't sit to much down on my ass when riding, and can ride longer between stops....  I think the bike has the perfect combination of HP, size, weight for Thai roads. You can ride both on paved and unpaved roads, and get to see more of the rural places. It is not the best bike for gravel, but it's possible. Done that, and, the wife are often falling asleep while riding.????.

Good luck finding your favorite, but remember that bikes are made for the average guy, you should modify it so it feels good for your body!

Xmax 300 works fine. Been from Bangkok to Hua Hin and back a few times

Good luck. People here will suggest that the best bike for you is the one they currently own. Everyone believe their choice is the best. 

 

Tip: Get the one you like. 

On 2/10/2021 at 9:40 PM, dsmiththailand said:

I have more than 15 years expericence riding motorbikes within many countries including Thailand.  We have fun with the Forza and seriously looking at the Forza 350 for a new purchase but just wanted to check around with the community first.  I would love to take a drive to Phuket from Pattaya but just a little hestiate.  

I did Pattaya to Nahkon Ratchasima and back  on an Aerox a couple years back without a problem. 
A close friend did Pattaya/Buriram/Khon Kaen/Nong Khai/Petchabun/back through Lop Buri on an Aerox in November and enjoyed himself immensely. Low experienced rider 

First step would be to decide whether you want a motorcycle or a maxi scooter. I would personally pick a proper adventure bike considering you're planning on touring around the country, however nothing wrong with the latter either. Those big scooters can actually be very comfortable for cruising with a pillion. They are not ideal once you get to the mountains though, as you don't have proper engine braking and risk overheating brakes (etc.). 

To decide: I strongly recommend traveling to Chiang Mai and renting out a bunch of different bikes from Pop rental to find out what you like. They have a huge selection of touring bikes and scooters to choose from. 

If you want to stick with maxi scooters, check out the Honda X-ADV 750. This is actually a very nice bike for touring with two on. My mrs. was so comfortable she would take naps on it during our 1500km trip around the North. There might be also an ADV350 coming out from Honda soon which sounds great. If you want a proper touring motorcycle, there are many models in the market to test. I would start from 600cc up. 

22 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Do you really need that if you travel on roads in Thailand?

I imagine worst case find someone local with a pickup truck and transport the bike to the next repair shop. That should be possible almost anywhere in Thailand and probably mostly under 1000THB.

I don’t carry anything probably not the best way to go.

I have had 3/breakdowns completely stranded one engine blew up then twice I had a chain snap,even if I was carrying spares I wouldn’t have had the stuff needed to sort these problems out.

rescued in all three cases by friends with trucks or locals nearby????.

On 2/11/2021 at 3:44 PM, jackdd said:

So you are looking for a maxi scooter and not a motorbike?

Budget?

i like the automatic for ease of driving and not having to worry about gears. for budget i am looking for new so up to $5500 USD

On 2/12/2021 at 11:46 AM, Tidybeard said:

Dear Newbie

I am concerned for your safety if you need to ask on TV which bike is suitable for you !

Do you have a full bike license ? Can you ride a bike with gears ? Have you thought about luggage considerations and how much you want / need to carry ?

If you really want to go touring in comfort, then you are going to need at least a 500cc and preferably something more like a 650cc. I am not aware of any of the "scooter no gears" style bikes that come with good luggage configurations, so you would have to look at something like the Kawasaki Versys 650. A very reliable bike with loads of 3rd party luggage solutions. 

If you really can't face the gears and clutch, then look at the Honda NC700X DCT. It looks like a real bike but is automatic. Givi do several luggage options for it.

My wife and I travel extensively by bike all over the World, and even when staying in B&B's you are going to need 2 good size panniers and a topbox. You need to think about clothing, wet and dry, small stash of spares, ( bulbs, cable ties, duct tape,)  puncture repair kit with tyre irons, and compressor as a minimum. You also need to practice mending a puncture before you set off ! 

Good luck !!

the bike will mostly be used in the pattaya area and as far south as Rayong and far north as Chon Buri, we will use our SUV for longer trips outside those areas. and yes i dont want to worry about changing gears.

On 2/12/2021 at 12:01 PM, Darksidedude said:

one word dont if you value your life

Thailand is no worse than driving a scooter in Vietnam, which i rode there for over 3 years with out any incidents. just pay attention to the way others drivers will drive and try to anticipate their next move and you will be fine and also alot of head turning.

On 2/12/2021 at 12:05 PM, OneMoreFarang said:

And never cross a road and better stay at home all the time?

We all die. One important question is if we had a life before we die or if we were too scared to go out and have a life.

If I die today and have only a minute to think before I die I can smile and think about all the fun which I had in my life - including motorcycles.

Carpe diem

I totally agree. If i die today, i will be going out with a smile on my face and doing things that made me happy on a daily basis....no regrets.

22 minutes ago, dsmiththailand said:

i like the automatic for ease of driving and not having to worry about gears. for budget i am looking for new so up to $5500 USD

That is the price range for the Yamaha X-Max 300 and the Honda Forza 300.  The Xmax has been very comfortable.  Nice wide seat, added the rear seat support for my GF and bought some aftermarket soft sided saddle bags.  You can also add a Rear Box if you like.   The under seat Area holds two helmets and more of the gear I take such as tools for repairs.  

 

2021 Yamaha XMAX Scooter Motorcycle - Model Home (yamahamotorsports.com)

48 minutes ago, dsmiththailand said:

Thailand is no worse than driving a scooter in Vietnam, which i rode there for over 3 years with out any incidents. just pay attention to the way others drivers will drive and try to anticipate their next move and you will be fine and also alot of head turning.

The biggest difference i found between VN and TH is:

 

VN - they drive much much slower but go all over the place

TH - they drive much quicker but for the most part stay in the correct lane(s)

3 minutes ago, HashBrownHarry said:

The biggest difference i found between VN and TH is:

 

VN - they drive much much slower but go all over the place

TH - they drive much quicker but for the most part stay in the correct lane(s)

Thailand is well known for the squeeze play antics, well at least here in Bangkok.  Traffic times can be a nightmare when riding a scooter as many cars try to keep you from passing in between.  You need to keep your head on a swivel and always expect the unexpected like a pedestrian suddenly stepping out from the curb, or a Bus just deciding it wants to make the U-turn and take up all lanes without a care for approaching vehicles.

1 minute ago, ThailandRyan said:

Thailand is well known for the squeeze play antics, well at least here in Bangkok.  Traffic times can be a nightmare when riding a scooter as many cars try to keep you from passing in between.  You need to keep your head on a swivel and always expect the unexpected like a pedestrian suddenly stepping out from the curb, or a Bus just deciding it wants to make the U-turn and take up all lanes without a care for approaching vehicles.

Ok.....and?

1 hour ago, dsmiththailand said:

i like the automatic for ease of driving and not having to worry about gears. for budget i am looking for new so up to $5500 USD

With those requirements you narrowed the options down to the Honda Forza and the Yamaha XMAX

2 minutes ago, HashBrownHarry said:

Ok.....and?

They don't stay in their lanes.  Riding a bike in the city can be fun and dangerous at the same time.  comparing countries is like comparing apples and oranges.  Not the same.  Just like riding a bike in the rural Area's of Thailand like Nong Khai, or Udon Thani Vs. Bangkok, traffic is not the same.  I have ridden in the North, having lived in Chiang Mai, and Udon Thani, to riding in Phuket, having lived in Rawai, and Chalong and Cape Panwa, to now living in Bangkok.  It is all different as far as how you need to ride and adapt.

Just now, ThailandRyan said:

They don't stay in their lanes.  Riding a bike in the city can be fun and dangerous at the same time.  comparing countries is like comparing apples and oranges.  Not the same.  Just like riding a bike in the rural Area's of Thailand like Nong Khai, or Udon Thani Vs. Bangkok, traffic is not the same.  I have ridden in the North, having lived in Chiang Mai, and Udon Thani, to riding in Phuket, having lived in Rawai, and Chalong and Cape Panwa, to now living in Bangkok.  It is all different as far as how you need to ride and adapt.

It's merely my observation after living in VN for 3 years and here for 21 years.

 

Make of it as you wish, it's no sweat off my sack.

 

 

3 minutes ago, HashBrownHarry said:

It's merely my observation after living in VN for 3 years and here for 21 years.

 

Make of it as you wish, it's no sweat off my sack.

 

 

Just trying to add to the commentary.  I have now lived in Bangkok for the past few years and ride my Motor bike through the traffic on Rama 4 Rd. Rama 9 Rd, Wireless, Silom, Sathon, and Sukhumvit Areas. Weekends are the best obviously.  I like my X-max for the handling and size.  Can get in and out of situations pretty quickly, the only issue is when I get squeeze played and can not get through the cars and other 100's of bikes.  

On 2/14/2021 at 8:37 PM, dsmiththailand said:

I totally agree. If i die today, i will be going out with a smile on my face and doing things that made me happy on a daily basis....no regrets.

Well said, man. I am of the same mindset, although I’d prefer dying tomorrow rather than today!
 

On 2/14/2021 at 5:30 PM, ThailandRyan said:

Thailand is well known for the squeeze play antics, well at least here in Bangkok.  Traffic times can be a nightmare when riding a scooter as many cars try to keep you from passing in between.  

 

I don’t interpret the ‘traffic behaviour’ in Bangkok as ‘squeeze play antics’.. I don’t think those cars who do block motorcyclists do so deliberately, I believe these drivers are simply more absent minded or vacant rather than thinking conscientiously of their road positioning. 

 

What I have noticed is that when traffic is extremely slow or stationary the vast majority of vehicles edge to the side of their lane as the car in front as done allowing for a smoother passage (lane splitting) for motorcycles. Thus usually occurs for about 10 cars or so until an absent minded driver inadvertently stops where they are rather than stops with consideration of passing motorcyclists and blocks ‘that side’ of the land forcing motorcyclists to switch across to the other side of the lane in stationary traffic. 

 

For the most part I don’t find that the Bangkok drivers do anything to deliberately impede motorcyclists out of a nasty nature etc its just simple absentmindedness & thoughtlessness. 

 

This absentmindedness & thoughtlessness is prevalent throughout the nation where traffic is concerned, also known as a lack of consideration for anyone else - I think thats all it is, but this lack of consideration is an ugly monster and the knock-on effect is atrocious gridlock and devastating road death statistics. 

On 2/10/2021 at 12:54 PM, HashBrownHarry said:

I'm sure others will disagree

Nope, totally agree. No problem on good roads but hitting a pothole with a small wheeled machine is much different to hitting one on a bike with say 17 inch wheels.

 

Its the 'leverage' effect - that's why many offroaders (and some on roaders) have larger front wheels.  I don't know what the current trend is but I used to have a Honda XL with a 21 inch front.

On 3/8/2021 at 1:25 PM, KhaoYai said:

I don't know what the current trend is but I used to have a Honda XL with a 21 inch front.

My buddy has an old XL250

w/ 23" front rim.

How cool is that.?

He likes 'em tall and skinny.

23" - try 30"

 

7 hours ago, papa al said:

My buddy has an old XL250

From memory, that would be approx 1983?? I had one of those too.

The narrow bars on most scooters don't help either.