Lightest Family Motocycle / Scooter

[CMX]

OP, we may have an agreement among us - you do not want a moped, as it either has pedals (way old), low cc's (50), or can't go but 50kms<Brit. law. Or it could be translated from Thai law to simply indicate "low power."

Some were very light, however, as pictured.

Profound congratulations on initiating a thread where harmony is more prevalent than contentiousness.

[ignis]

Reason for looking for a light bike is because I am quite a small build. Plus it will be my 1st time on bike, a step change from my bicycle.

Why must it be light ?

In the next Village there is a UK Guy with a 650 cc Motorbike, often see his very tiny wife riding it.

OR

What about a Trike ? you can get them from 50cc to 500 cc

[SamritT]

Thai girl are often very week physically. It is impossible for an average Thai man to ride a 650cc, not to mention girl.

[Richard-BKK]

I know a Thai girl who rides daily a Yamaha FZ1 to work, and her weight is 48 to 49kg.

[Lancelot]

Thai girl are often very week physically. It is impossible for an average Thai man to ride a 650cc, not to mention girl.

Good things come in small packages

[CMX]

Well, I don't know. In view of the OP's request, I have to stick to the idea of a Fino, Gelato, or Scoopy (alpha order). Emphases below mine:

"What is the lightest and easy to ride bike available in Thailand. It must be street legal, not a moped. I am think of buying my first light and easy to ride bike. This is for going around the soi and do simple shopping. Speed is not a concern, however is must be light weight, with electric starter, and need minimum maintenance. Don't have to be automatic, BUT must have no clutch.

Reason for looking for a light bike is because I am quite a small build. Plus it will be my 1st time on bike, a step change from my bicycle."

I really prefer the idea of putting a first time rider, my own kid perhaps, in Thailand, on an automatic. Short trips don't require greatest fuel efficiency, and in spite of some claims, I think that these manufacturers produce enormously reliable automatic x-missions while relieving the owner of chain maintenance. Greater cost is a factor, of course, and if cost were not a factor, I'd think about a Ducati Monster before suggesting a Fino, Gelato, or Scoopy.

[chantorn]

Finally I got my white Honda Click.

My budget is limited, so I went with my dad to buy the Tiger Retro. He like it too, but was not sure about the front brake. We end up buying a white Honda Click, with my dad paying the difference. Yehhhhhhh. But I have to wash his car, once a week for the rest of the year. I think it is good deal. Reason for the Honda Click, apart from the brake, is that it is water cool, more suited for our hot country. I don't really care whatever cool, as long as it looks cool!

I really like it, and it is so quiet and fast (compared to by bicycle). My dad is old school. He say kick start it from time to time to make sure that the kick start systems continue to work, plus it prolong the battery life and the live of the starting motor. Is that a valid advise?

[guzzi850m2]

Finally I got my white Honda Click.

My budget is limited, so I went with my dad to buy the Tiger Retro. He like it too, but was not sure about the front brake. We end up buying a white Honda Click, with my dad paying the difference. Yehhhhhhh. But I have to wash his car, once a week for the rest of the year. I think it is good deal. Reason for the Honda Click, apart from the brake, is that it is water cool, more suited for our hot country. I don't really care whatever cool, as long as it looks cool!

I really like it, and it is so quiet and fast (compared to by bicycle). My dad is old school. He say kick start it from time to time to make sure that the kick start systems continue to work, plus it prolong the battery life and the live of the starting motor. Is that a valid advise?

Congratulations on the Click hope you have many safe/toublefree km's on it.

It's really a shame with the Retro, I hope that the factory will come to their senses and make a option with a small front disk brake. They will sell more Retro's if they do for sure.

Don't worry about the kick starter, my wide's Fino has kick start too but we never tried it, hmm maybe I should try it so I am sure its not a fake.

[guzzi850m2]

Ohh yes I forgot, you made a bloody good deal with your dad. If the price difference is say 15K bath and we have roughly 18 weeks left of this year, you are "paid" +800 bath pr car wash. See if you can get the "deal" going in 2011 too, he-he.

[jackcorbett]

Thai girl are often very week physically. It is impossible for an average Thai man to ride a 650cc, not to mention girl.

I used to have a 650 BMW but later I got a 1000 c.c. K-100 RS. I weigh around 168 pounds. The 650 is 65 % of the displacement of the larger BMW and 75 % of the weight. Let's cut my weight first by 33 %, then by 25 %. Well first off, although I will make no claims as a great racer capable of competing professionally and never could for that matter, I will also say I could handle bigger bikes than the K-100 RS. Anyway.....65 % of my weight is just 117 pounds. 75 % of my weight is 126 pounds. Most Thai guys are heavier than either amount so let's assume that 1000 cc's represents the upper weight I can handle. By this rationale the average Thai guy might not be able to handle 1000 c'c's but certainly could handle a 650 c.c. bike.

The average American Civil War soldier weighed just 143 pounds. That's probably not too far off the weight of the average Thai male today. I'd venture to say that the average weight of a World War I soldier was not much different from that and even the average World War II soldier probably did not weigh much more than 150 pounds. I suppose that it's only been recently that both the U.S. and Europe have been able to breed real men who actually have the strength to handle 650 c.c. motorcycles.

[CMX]

chantorn

Great choice. Smart deal. Congratulations. White means that you are more likely to be seen too, which is half of staying uninjured (see and be seen), plus since you are washing anyway....

Getting in practice by kick starting is a great idea as it prepares the owner for surprises. If your dad is really old school, he'll stick a tack in your tire and supervise your fixing it by pretending to let you help.

Old school.

[katabeachbum]

Thai girl are often very week physically. It is impossible for an average Thai man to ride a 650cc, not to mention girl.

I used to have a 650 BMW but later I got a 1000 c.c. K-100 RS. I weigh around 168 pounds. The 650 is 65 % of the displacement of the larger BMW and 75 % of the weight. Let's cut my weight first by 33 %, then by 25 %. Well first off, although I will make no claims as a great racer capable of competing professionally and never could for that matter, I will also say I could handle bigger bikes than the K-100 RS. Anyway.....65 % of my weight is just 117 pounds. 75 % of my weight is 126 pounds. Most Thai guys are heavier than either amount so let's assume that 1000 cc's represents the upper weight I can handle. By this rationale the average Thai guy might not be able to handle 1000 c'c's but certainly could handle a 650 c.c. bike.

The average American Civil War soldier weighed just 143 pounds. That's probably not too far off the weight of the average Thai male today. I'd venture to say that the average weight of a World War I soldier was not much different from that and even the average World War II soldier probably did not weigh much more than 150 pounds. I suppose that it's only been recently that both the U.S. and Europe have been able to breed real men who actually have the strength to handle 650 c.c. motorcycles.

My thai GF rides a Ninja650R. Its more than 200kg, and cause she is less than 60kg, she is faster than meB)

[LivinLOS]

Met a woman in Chiang Mai a week or so ago, who was going dirt riding that afternoon.. She was explaining she could ride anything 1000's, you name it..

Impressed, biker chick !!

[jackcorbett]

Met a woman in Chiang Mai a week or so ago, who was going dirt riding that afternoon.. She was explaining she could ride anything 1000's, you name it..

Impressed, biker chick !!

Looks like the world needs a larger class of motorcycle then. I just read that American women weigh an average of 164 or 166 pounds according to two different sources I've found. That's more than 20 pounds more than the average Civil War soldier and I suspect a great deal more than your Thai woman friend from Chiang Mai. Perhaps there should be more motorcycles around 1500 cc's. Perhaps even a 1750 c.c. six? That ought to separate the wimps from the real men and real women.

[CHdiver]

Not so long ago I had a look at the Sym Bonus-X a 110cc modern build cub/wave style motorcycle. With perfect working brakes and excellent engine. Price of the Bonus-X is 31,900 Baht.

(Sym is a Taiwanese manufacturer who just joint the Thai motorcycle market)

Hi Richard

If you only had a look how do you know the brakes & engine work excellent? Or did you testride it?

Tiger/Sachs Club - Mbox

Indeed, I need to confess I did more than just looking. The front disc brake is able to stop the motorcycle, including an average rider of 70kg in less then 2.5 meters at a speed of 50km/h while pressure applied on the brake lever is a lot less compared to our own Honda Wave.

I am not sure if you are joking about the 2.5 meters, if you actually managed that I would think about a stoppy that went wrong. In that case I whish you a speedy recovery

[Gonsalviz]

Family? How many bodies can you get on one?

Edited October 3, 2010 by Gonsalviz

[nikster]

I know a Thai girl who rides daily a Yamaha FZ1 to work, and her weight is 48 to 49kg.

SamriT obviously has no clue. I know quite a few teeny-tiny Thai girls who ride big bikes.

@chantom - congrats, can't really go wrong with a Click (or any Honda for that matter). Nice bike.

Edited October 3, 2010 by nikster

[Genericnic]

As far as storage goes, you can buy a rack and a rear topbin from Dr Bike in Lat Phrao.

I think baskets are asking to get wet and its contents.

I have a Givi 30 topbin, but it is of inferior design to the Shad 40 I have as well.

I suggest the 40 cubic liter so you can lock a full helmet, or a lot of groceries if need be and they wont get wet.

Just be careful if you load it up with lots of heavy things like a case of soda because the bike will become top heavy.

Was reading this thread and saw this post mentioning the Shad top boxes. Looked at the web site and they look interesting. Does anyone know if there is a place in Chiang Mai that has them? I assume from the comment that ttkata made that Dr Bike carries them but that is a bit far away at the moment.

Thanks

David

[MaiChai]

Honda Icon. Small, cheap, automatic and its a Honda. And its a Honda, and its a Honda. Get the idea. No one got fired for buying IBM (or Honda).

Alternative is a battery operated bicycle thingy if you are just wizzing round the soi and local area. Does not need petrol, insurance and road tax. Mind you needs a power point for charging.

PS: Is that really you in your avatar or are you an old fat ugly farang pretending to be a cute looking Asian girl?

Edited March 27, 2011 by MaiChai

[SumetCycle]

Wow, I seems to be spoil of choices. I did a google on Tiger Retro. The price is seems to be very attractive. I drive to work on weekdays, so the mileage I will put on my protential bilke will be minimal. I will go and take a look, but I don't think I have seen a Tiger shop anywhere near Rama 3 area before. Need to see the real thing before I can decide.

And thanks many posters who warn me about cheap bike and suggest that I stay with the mainstream Japanese. I will certainly go and take a look at the Yamaha Mio as suggested. But to me Yammaha always sound like a music instrument I grew up with. I once saw a Suzuki scooter with 2 round eyes in front. I though it looks quite cute. But I hardly see it again. I suppose it is not very popular.

Thanks for the advise about the basket. It seems that most of you support the box at the back rather than a front basket. I quite like the design of the scooter with a flat floor as you can place your shopping bags in the leg area. But will it be difficult to control as the weight of the hanging bags shift from side to side like a pendulum?. Has anyone think of a design to add a removable bucket on the flat floor for wet market shopping? My dad is from the previous generation who think that supermarket food and mostly pre-frozen, and cannot beat the freshness of a wet market. I like to think otherwise.

I think the Suzuki you are talking about is the Jelato. They are still available. If you like the looks of that, you should also check out the Yamaha Fiore. Our ad links to our Honda site, but we also sell Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki, and Vespa if you are interested. I hope you find the bike you are looking for. Best of luck.

Brian

[LeCharivari]

The front disc brake is able to stop the motorcycle, including an average rider of 70kg in less then 2.5 meters at a speed of 50km/h while pressure applied on the brake lever is a lot less compared to our own Honda Wave.

I am not sure if you are joking about the 2.5 meters, if you actually managed that I would think about a stoppy that went wrong. In that case I whish you a speedy recovery

Maybe landing on his head afterwards accounts for some of Richard's "facts". Stopping under control from 50 kph "in less than 2.5 metres" using just the front brake? Dream on. European standard tests using both brakes and not including reaction time allow for nearly five times that distance (12m).

It could also explain the vision problems: a SYM Bonus-X is as similar in style to a Honda Cub as it is to a Ducati - though to be fair they all have two wheels.

Edited March 31, 2011 by LeCharivari