Honda Wave And Honda Dream

[Totster]

Honda dream is probably one of the first popular 4 stroke motorbikes in Thailand. It's around for at least 13 years (and probably longer but that was when I drove the first one).

It originally had a 100 CC engine, and was marketed as the "econopower" engine.

Back then most popular bikes had two stroke engines which apart from being quite a bit faster were also noisier, dirtier(because of the smoke generated by the burning of the two stroke oil) and had a lot worse mileage compared to the 4 stroke engine!

Today it is marketed with either a 110cc or 125cc engine as are the Honda Waves (100,110 or 125cc)

Check out following site for an overview of the Honda bikes currently for sale, along with their suggested retail prices:

http://www.aseanmoto.com/Honda-eng.htm

Ha ha ha .... I love the way they describe them as "Family type Motorcycle"...

I've got visions of this......

totster

[RDN]

What is the difference between the Dream and the Wave....

I think the main difference is that after three months, the brakes on the Dream start to squeak. On the Wave, it takes four months.

[PeaceBlondie]

I just can't see trying to stay alive on anything less than 150cc and 15 horsepower in Thailand. Some of these 110/125 bikes don't have 11 horsepower, or disk brakes, and they have weak step-through frames, skinny cheap universal tread tube tyres, spindly wire wheels, small fuel tank, etc.

I'll take my Honda CBR150R into the dealer in a few days for an oil change; 19,400 kilometers and going great. You can get out of some tight squeezes that would smush you badly on a smaller bike.

Yes, I like that name, "Suzuki Smash." Next year maybe there'll be a "Kawasaki Krash" or a "Yamaha Yawn."

Thanks a million, Monty, for that Honda website, although the CBR150R looks like the model from about two years ago, so I wonder if the other bikes are current. Anyway, I bookmarked it.

Funny: the CBR150R costs 62,000 baht here, but when they send the CBR125R to the UK, the price is 2,349 pounds (168,000 baht, right?). Plus, it's less powerful than the 150. Now, why would the UK have some prohibitive tariffs on a bike that gets 70 miles to a gallon, when there's no competing bikes manufactured in the UK?

[RDN]

....Funny: the CBR150R costs 62,000 baht here, but when they send the CBR125R to the UK, the price is 2,349 pounds (168,000 baht, right?).  Plus, it's less powerful than the 150.  Now, why would the UK have some prohibitive tariffs on a bike that gets 70 miles to a gallon, when there's no competing bikes manufactured in the UK?

Do you know the price in the UK is due to a tariff? It might be because Honda know UK people will pay the asking price.

[sleir]

the only (and probably best ?) advice i can give scampy is to not be afraid.

it is not the same as to not be careful, but fear vs. confidence makes the difference in dangerous pre-accident situations :

if you're in constant fear of an accident, the first thought that you'll have 0,5 sec before you crash will be " oh darn, an accident ".

and within that short time you could have prevented a crash, but you give in to what you think is inevitable.

on the other hand if you're confident with your skills/driving style or just your good luck you will react a lot quicker and better, and thus maybe avoid being hit, to drive into another vehicle or falling out of the curve. every driving teacher in europe will tell you that.

another point is your eyes. when you're scared of falling out of a curve or hitting a vehicle you will stare at the incoming danger and automatically drive in its direction.

if you on the other hand see the danger merely as an obstacle you'll put your gaze on where you have to drive and thus head that direction.

i've had quite many accidents, mostly back in europe myself, fully crashed 3 bikes and hope to have learnt my lesson. when i'm insecure or feel uneasy i drive very, very careful or not at all, at all times i try to be confident in my skills to improve my security.

being a mad dog doesn't really help tho and there seem to be lots of them around koh samui, phuket...

post scriptum : ever wondered why thais have relatively few accidents in comparison to their driving skills, speed and lack of care on the street ? i really think it's because they are so calm, stubborn and fearless on the road, never expecting an accident to hapen, or being their own fate if it ever happens... doesn't help all of them tho

[The Gentleman Scamp]

the only (and probably best ?) advice i can give scampy is to not be afraid.

it is not the same as to not be careful, but fear vs. confidence makes the difference in dangerous pre-accident situations :

if you're in constant fear of an accident, the first thought that you'll have 0,5 sec before you crash will be " oh darn, an accident ".

and within that short time you could have prevented a crash, but you give in to what you think is inevitable.

on the other hand if you're confident with your skills/driving style or just your good luck you will react a lot quicker and better, and thus maybe avoid being hit, to drive into another vehicle or falling out of the curve. every driving teacher in europe will tell you that.

another point is your eyes. when you're scared of falling out of a curve or hitting a vehicle you will stare at the incoming danger and automatically drive in its direction.

if you on the other hand see the danger merely as an obstacle you'll put your gaze on where you have to drive and thus head that direction.

i've had quite many accidents, mostly back in europe myself, fully crashed 3 bikes and hope to have learnt my lesson. when i'm insecure or feel uneasy i drive very, very careful or not at all, at all times i try to be confident in my skills to improve my security.

being a mad dog doesn't really help tho and there seem to be lots of them around koh samui, phuket...

post scriptum : ever wondered why thais have relatively few accidents in comparison to their driving skills, speed and lack of care on the street ? i really think it's because they are so calm, stubborn and fearless on the road, never expecting an accident to hapen, or being their own fate if it ever happens... doesn't help all of them tho

Very valid post scriptum at the end Sleir.

Fortunatly I am very confident in my (self taught) driving skills and have got myself out of many a potential smash by the means you describe.

My strong points are my sense of grip on the road, my balance and my indicating and checking mirrors at any and every oppertuntiy.

My weak points are my occasional lack of patience and the vulnerability of my eyes to insects at night (until I get a visor).

I got a good tip for saving gasoline too - put our foot on the gear change pedal but don't take it off when approaching a steep hill and you can 'roll' down with the engine off, providing you keep your foot on the right pedal/rear break.

[sleir]

nice tip scamp, i am always using very high gears to save petrol but i haven't tried that yet. gotta try it once i'm back in los !

[Gazza]

Use your engine to brake. Excessive use of brakes can cause the brake fluid to overheat causing a severe loss of braking power.

The amount of fuel saved by coasting on a very long downhill stretch would probably only be mere satangs anyway.

It just isn't worth it.