advice on purchasing a motorcycle

[mavrik]

Hello.

 

Hi guys, I am new here.  I plan on purchasing a motorcycle to get around BKK and I was wondering if I could get your advice on below?  I've never owned a motorcycle in my life but I find myself riding the grab motorcycle on a daily basis to get around...no choice as I need to move around.  I've only been in bkk 6 months but I still have a lot of common sense left in me but I'd appreciate your advice if any.  Not a speedracer, relatively safe driver.  No need to zig zag but would like to get in front of the line.  No need to be 1st or 2nd off the line.  Just want to get around town but don't want a scooter.  Thank you.  I plan on taking my time 3-6 mos. 

 

Yamaha MT 03 vs Honda CBR 150R vs CBR 300 vs Kawasaki Z250?  I am currently leaning towards Brand New CBR150R due to price and size.  Any thoughts on others? Main thing would be getting through the traffic although I may change my mind later on but for now that's the purpose.

 

Naked/street vs non?

 

Any dealerships or service center advice? Where to get parts etc? I usually toubleshoot/google what the problem is and will try to get the parts and fix it myself or take it to a mechanic and tell him exactly what to do.  Served me well with my vehicles.

 

Buy new vs used?  it seems its better to pay the extra for new vs used?  used pricing does not justify buying new to me, it seems.

 

anything else I should know?  Thanks!

[BE88]

"" I've never owned a motorcycle in my life""

 

The best advice I can give you is buy a car.

[Yellowtail]

This might be a useful thread:

 

[KhunLA]

Been riding motorcycles for over 40 yrs, all sizes, and I would not drive one in Bangkok...nuff said.

 

Buy a car or learn the bus routes.

[OneMoreFarang]

When I arrived in Bangkok many years ago I thought I will never ride a bike here. Then I used motorcycle taxis for years. I learned a lot from them. How cars and trucks and bikes ride in general. Where they use legal shortcuts like some small alleys instead of the main roads. Where they use illegal shortcuts. On the junctions on my usual way: red lights which are ignored and any other crazy moves which are done by many riders all the time.

 

After years I bought a relative small and agile bike and I learned how to ride myself in this town.

 

I recommend you by a small bike like 150cc. I suggest one with gears and clutch so that you get used to that.

You will learn a lot with that little bike and if you have an accident or drop the bike, then the costs are not too high.

 

Something like this. Perfect for Bangkok. 100km/h is no problem. Fast enough for the city and small enough to wiggle between the cars.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[VocalNeal]

9 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

and I would not drive one in Bangkok

 

Neither would I. I might on the other hand, ride one around town.🤔

[OneMoreFarang]

9 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Been riding motorcycles for over 40 yrs, all sizes, and I would not drive one in Bangkok...nuff said.

 

Buy a car or learn the bus routes.

Depending on what you do and if you need to get around town all the time then motorcycles are by far the fastest method.

Then you can decide if you want to rely on the skills of the motorcycle taxi riders or if you want to blame yourself if something happens.

 

IMHO many motorcycle taxi riders know what they are doing. But some think they are invincible. All in all I feel more comfortable to do it myself and blame myself if something happens. I ride in Bangkok since over 20 years, and I didn't have any accident which hurt. Worst case a collision with maybe 5km/h. 

[VocalNeal]

or even a Yamaha. Same , same but different. https://www.yamaha-motor.co.th/commuter/exciter-155-2023/overview

 

[connda]

advice on purchasing a motorcycle

Don't.

[lopburi3]

I just can not understand anyone risking MC use in Bangkok when there is ample choice of public transport everywhere.  Taxi service is just about the cheapest in the world.  Why do you have to be to the light first or second?  AC taxi will only be a few minutes slower and much safer and more comfortable.  

 

Living outside the city your own transport makes sense - but not in Bangkok.

[connda]

1 minute ago, connda said:

advice on purchasing a motorcycle

Don't.

Fair warning.  If you do.  Make sure you have and up-to-date health insurance policy that includes coverage for motorcycle accidents, life-insurance if you're married, and a last will and testament include how to dispose of your body if you are killed.

As far as bikes.  Honda Wave 125 is all you need for in city driving.  And if you total it or someone else totals it for you, your only out $1000 USD and change. And you can get it fixed virtually anywhere in Thailand. You need maneuverability in the city.  Not speed and power. 

But?  Unless you have a whole lot of MC experience before driving on Thai roads - It's still dangerous as hell. 
You've been warned.  Don't take it lightly.  Best of luck.

[CHdiver]

I would go with a scooter. Automatic will be a best in the heavy traffic in Bangkok. Manual is murder in a city like Bangkok. Maybe a ADV 160? Now, before you go and buy one, go and rent different models, including the manual ones you mentioned. Then decide. If you don't drive like a maniac or drunk, then you are fairly safe. Good helmet is a must. 

 

 

[Yellowtail]

I had an inspector visit our plant in Thailand (out in Prachinburi) for a couple weeks. I would drive him back and forth from his hotel. The second week he was here, I had to go out or the country, so I asked him if he wanted to use the company Honda Wave and he said sure! 

 

It never occurred to me that he had never ridden a motorcycle before. The first time he rode it, he went out he gate and ran it into a 2m deep open concrete drainage canal. 

[sometimewoodworker]

Lots of “don’t buy one” I’ve ridden motorcycles in Thailand for years on my trips over here. The only reason I don’t ride now is I live in the countryside and have no need for short transport, if I do I use SWMBO’s bike. I have ridden from Bangkok to Singapore and back, Bangkok to Chang Mai but took the train back all on a 110cc bike, with the bike. Today it’s a 120km round trip to town and a car is better for me. If I lived in Bangkok I would have a motorcycle again.

 

Recommendations;

get an expensive good quality helmet,

don’t ride in flip flops wear bike boots, a friend didn’t he lost toes in an accident.

wear gloves.

wear a long sleeved jacket leather is best

wear long trousers 

 

If you can’t commit to wearing sensible clothes DO NOT GET A BIKE. Accidents happen good clothing like a leather jacket drastically reduce the damage you suffer. 

[connda]

8 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

I had an inspector visit our plant in Thailand (out in Prachinburi) for a couple weeks. I would drive him back and forth from his hotel. The second week he was here, I had to go out or the country, so I asked him if he wanted to use the company Honda Wave and he said sure! 

 

It never occurred to me that he had never ridden a motorcycle before. The first time he rode it, he went out he gate and ran it into a 2m deep open concrete drainage canal. 

Exactly.

[KhunLA]

58 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Depending on what you do and if you need to get around town all the time then motorcycles are by far the fastest method.

Then you can decide if you want to rely on the skills of the motorcycle taxi riders or if you want to blame yourself if something happens.

 

IMHO many motorcycle taxi riders know what they are doing. But some think they are invincible. All in all I feel more comfortable to do it myself and blame myself if something happens. I ride in Bangkok since over 20 years, and I didn't have any accident which hurt. Worst case a collision with maybe 5km/h. 

Not saying I couldn't or wouldn't if I lived there.  A MB really is too convenient, especially since little parking is available.  I don't drive our car there, for that reason, and to avoid having an oops out of province.

 

But Thailand, especially Bangkok, is not the place to learn how to drive one.

[expat_4_life]

43 minutes ago, CHdiver said:

Now, before you go and buy one, go and rent different models, including the manual ones you mentioned. Then decide.

 

 

@mavrik Buy one, don't, opinions differ.

Good advice regards helmet/kit, and insurance.

The rent before you buy advice is solid gold, replies should help you narrow the choices.

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, lopburi3 said:

AC taxi will only be a few minutes slower and much safer and more comfortable. 

That is just not true. Sometimes a trip takes <10min with a bike and >1h with a car (taxi, own, whatever).

On some routes public transport is available, but many people use motorcycles before and after the SkyTrain for the first and last kilometer.

If people drive in the morning to work and in the evening back then maybe you get used to spending additional two hours in the traffic.

But if you have to go here and there, maybe 3 or more trips in one day, then a motorcycle is basically the only viable option. 

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, CHdiver said:

Manual is murder in a city like Bangkok.

BS!

If you are used to it, then you don't even notice when you use the clutch and change gears.

Why restrict yourself to automatic bikes if you can ride any bike? 

 

I see lots of people with automatic bikes holding their phone with the "free" hand. Another reason against those things. 

[lopburi3]

3 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

That is just not true. Sometimes a trip takes <10min with a bike and >1h with a car (taxi, own, whatever).

On some routes public transport is available, but many people use motorcycles before and after the SkyTrain for the first and last kilometer.

If people drive in the morning to work and in the evening back then maybe you get used to spending additional two hours in the traffic.

But if you have to go here and there, maybe 3 or more trips in one day, then a motorcycle is basically the only viable option. 

And to me that is total nonsense.  I did not and would not operate a MC here in Bangkok.  Unsafe to the extreme - almost all Thai road deaths are on MC - it may be safer as normal low speeds of Bangkok but it is far from safe for anyone.  I seems OP is talking short trips - which are not that much quicker on MC in any case,  As to the elevated/underground networks there just is no reason to risk you life needlessly.  But as stated above - that is my take on the matter - understand you and others are free to disagree.  But do not believe it is a true/false situation.

[OneMoreFarang]

6 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

And to me that is total nonsense.  I did not and would not operate a MC here in Bangkok.  Unsafe to the extreme - almost all Thai road deaths are on MC - it may be safer as normal low speeds of Bangkok but it is far from safe for anyone.  I seems OP is talking short trips - which are not that much quicker on MC in any case,  As to the elevated/underground networks there just is no reason to risk you life needlessly.  But as stated above - that is my take on the matter - understand you and others are free to disagree.  But do not believe it is a true/false situation.

How many people use a motorcycle every day in Thailand? Many millions.

How many die every day? About 50.

That number is obviously high, but there are millions of riders out there all the time who never had an accident.

 

We all die. Riding motorcycles is one option, walking across the street another one, cancer, heart attack, and and and.

I am sure by riding a bike I didn't spent at least 1h per day in traffic. If I add this up for 20 years that's 7,300 hours. With an 8h day that are 912 days or 2.5 years. So, since I live in Thailand I avoided 2.5 years in traffic. I rest my case. 

[richard_smith237]

Advice to Op. As you have never owned a motorcycle before.

 

You don't really want to be learning how to ride a geared bike in the middle of Bangkok, it is of course possible for a novice, but there really is too much other stuff going on.

 

Buy a decent Scooter with ABS and and 'combo-breaking'...   If you still want a larger bike, evolve into it.

 

 

Ideal bike to start with: I'd recommend a Honda ADV 160 (opinions of others will vary of course).

 

 

Further advice: 

- Full Face Helmet (decent brand)

- Gloves

- Proper footwear

- Jacket (with back protector)

 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

32 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

BS!

If you are used to it, then you don't even notice when you use the clutch and change gears.

Why restrict yourself to automatic bikes if you can ride any bike? 

 

I see lots of people with automatic bikes holding their phone with the "free" hand. Another reason against those things. 

 

I've done both....  Scooter, then up to a larger bike, then back down to a scooter. 

 

The reasons...

1) I never took the Big bike out of Bangkok enough, so no real need for it.

2) A scooter has better storage (more practical in the city).

3) *Gears on a real-bike were a bit of a PITA... 

 

*I get your point, ride enough and changing gears is hardly noticeable, but just like an Auto vs a manual car, auto just makes life easier...  Plus, feathering the clutch while filtering through traffic is also quickly wears thin.

[richard_smith237]

15 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

How many people use a motorcycle every day in Thailand? Many millions.

How many die every day? About 50.

That number is obviously high, but there are millions of riders out there all the time who never had an accident.

 

We all die. Riding motorcycles is one option, walking across the street another one, cancer, heart attack, and and and.

I am sure by riding a bike I didn't spent at least 1h per day in traffic. If I add this up for 20 years that's 7,300 hours. With an 8h day that are 912 days or 2.5 years. So, since I live in Thailand I avoided 2.5 years in traffic. I rest my case. 

 

Agreed....  While there is no doubt that riding a motorcycle is more risky than driving a car, its riskier in any nation.

When people look at the 25,000 road fatality stats (80% of them motorcyclists) - they think the roads are lethal, but those stats are made up primarily of motorcyclists who take chances (ride drunk, without helmets, speeding, racing, jumping lights etc)...

For a safe rider those stats are less applicable - that doesn't remove risk, recent incidents involving forum members (Kwasaki and BritManToo) highlight that...  BUT... we need to evaluate other factors...

- How much riskier is it to ride our own bike than take a moto-taxi ???

 

 

IF someone is happy sitting in traffic *(in their car or a taxi) then thats fine, doing so is definitely safer.

I haven't ridden my motorcycle in over a month, because I haven't needed to - but its there when I needed and that adds an excellent level of convenience which cannot be surpassed if we are someone who is ok with the elevated risk. 

 

What I do find ridiculous are the comments such as "riding a motorcycle in Thailand is a Death wish" - those are simply emotional comments which don't really consider the individual factors versus the aggregate stats.

 

[OneMoreFarang]

3 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Plus, feathering the clutch while filtering through traffic is also quickly wears thin.

There is no need for that with a little bike which has 5 or 6 gears up to 100km/h.

I had a VFR400 which had "top speed" of 100km/h in the 1st gear. Sometimes I had to feather that clutch. But I don't remember that that was ever a problem or annoying. 

Not too long ago there were no bikes without clutch. And bikes had no ABS. And people used those old-fashioned bikes all the time without any issues.

 

 

[UWEB]

If never had a Bicycle before, do you have a Thai Driver License?

[richard_smith237]

38 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

As to the elevated/underground networks there just is no reason to risk you life needlessly.  But as stated above - that is my take on the matter - understand you and others are free to disagree.  But do not believe it is a true/false situation.

 

For many... Getting to and from the BTS is not easy....  I'd need to take a 10-20min taxi journey....  Or if wanting to be quicker, take a moto-taxi (something I'm not going to do).

Not everyone lives on a convenient BTS / MRT route....  

 

Someone mentioned 'learn the busses' !!...  they have no idea... I used to take our maid 15-20 mins to get to us on her bike. 

When her bike was being fixed it took 1.5 hrs on busses - extremely impractical. 

 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

3 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

There is no need for that with a little bike which has 5 or 6 gears up to 100km/h.

I had a VFR400 which had "top speed" of 100km/h in the 1st gear. Sometimes I had to feather that clutch. But I don't remember that that was ever a problem or annoying. 

 

Depends on the bike...  Stop start traffic, there's definitely a need and in Bangkok there is a lot of stop-start traffic at busy periods, especially approaching junctions. 

I remember having a new BMW and my left hand ached after riding in traffic. 

 

3 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Not too long ago there were no bikes without clutch. And bikes had no ABS. And people used those old-fashioned bikes all the time without any issues.

 

ABS has brought huge improvements with safety.

 

If someone prefers a clutch, then fair enough... But for city riding (and driving) and auto is undeniably more convenient and easier.

 

 

[Denim]

3 hours ago, mavrik said:

anything else I should know?  Thanks!

 

Seriously, considering  your limited experience,  get the best insurance  money can buy and get a will drawn up and leave it with someone you trust.

 

Apart from that , happy Russian Rouletting. 

[papa al]

CB150R not CBR.

good 2nd-hand 40-50,000baht,

Or a Wave.