Is There Something Bad Or Wrong With Yamaha Motorbike?

[4evermaat]

From what I've been able to observe, the overwhelming consensus on what brand of motorbike to buy seems to be HONDA. I was mentioning to several Thai people that i was considering purchasing a Yamaha and they almost immediately say "NO, This includes about 3 trusted people that I go to steer me the the right direction when I consider making big or important purchases. One friend said "better to buy honda [anything] than yamaha [best].

I was interested to know from here if this is true, at least from a mechanical standpoint. Are Hondas just better quality? Is it harder to fix/maintain a yamaha?

I can say that just about everywhere i go, 90% of the motorbikes for rent or being driven, are hondas.

[escaped]

Think the reason might be because the honda's have fuel injection where the yamaha's still use carburator.Carburator = problems with gasohol

[William Osborne]

herd mentality... they all seem to have a hard-on for Hondas or Toyotas.

Anyway, a scooter is a pretty basic machine so a bike from any of the big four Japanese companies will be fine.. but i'm not ready to buy Chinese yet.

[nikster]

herd mentality... they all seem to have a hard-on for Hondas or Toyotas.

Yeah well but you can't really go wrong with either a Honda or a Toyota. These companies have built a reputation by producing extremely high quality products for decades. Edit - actually - make that "high reliability" products, quality depends on price. That is they might be using cheap plastics to cut costs - but they're not gonna break down.

Yamaha scooters are fine - good bikes. But same reliability as a Honda scooter, no way.

Edited November 5, 2010 by nikster

[escaped]

herd mentality... they all seem to have a hard-on for Hondas or Toyotas.

Yeah well but you can't really go wrong with either a Honda or a Toyota. These companies have built a reputation by producing extremely high quality products for decades. Edit - actually - make that "high reliability" products, quality depends on price. That is they might be using cheap plastics to cut costs - but they're not gonna break down.

Yamaha scooters are fine - good bikes. But same reliability as a Honda scooter, no way.

But you know that yamaha and toyota are the same company?

[William Osborne]

or a Toyota. These companies have built a reputation by producing extremely high quality products for decades.

Yamaha scooters are fine - good bikes. But same reliability as a Honda scooter, no way.

just look at Toyota stock price since 2007 ... like a sinking ship after re-call after re-call ..

i've owned Suzuki, Yamaha, Honda, small bikes, 4 & 2 strokes and can honestly say nothing can really go wrong with them that a 1000 baht can't fix..also owned a tiger scooter and you can really tell how inferior it is compared to the jap models, rots in front of your eyes ... curently have a Yamaha Nuoevo and can say it has excellent finish plus has 135 cc engine compared to its honda 'competition' which is only 115 so no comparison really.

Also have an old Honda wave with 20 k and it feels like bone-shaker compared to the Nuoevo which has 6 k.

[crazyswede]

But you know that yamaha and toyota are the same company?

[Gonsalviz]

Yamaha burns more fuel. Probably due to the Fuel injection vs. Carb.

[CMX]

All Japanese majors build quality bikes to an equally high standard. Thais are almost all devoted to Honda - experience one that works on the farm for 10-20 years and you're sold for life. Their Cub is a legend. And Honda, for reliability today (a noted above), does not disappoint. (Neither do the others, IMO.)

There are two points in Honda's favor, one the reverse:

Hondas have better resale value. Hondas have wider service experience throughout Thailand.

But in purchasing a second-hand bike (apples to apples, Fuji #1 to Fujis #2, 3, & 4), one can almost always do better on price with the Yamaha, Kawasaki, and Suzuki. This is certain on models 125cc and down. However, given purchasing power of many Westerners here in Thailand, these financial considerations are not so important to us as which bike suits us more exactly, which gets off into important or critical subjective judgments.

Although a new bike of these models will need little help, most ThVi posters make a point of saying that a dealer who is close is a significant consideration.

Edited November 5, 2010 by CMX

[H2oDunc]

I have had both Honda and Yamaha and as far as scooters go the Yamaha Nouvo beats the Honda click hands down. The 135cc motor is a gem and yes it has a carb but that has caused me no problems and the mileage I'm getting I'm happy with.

Honda are the biggest but that doesn't always make for the best

[Pria]

herd mentality... they all seem to have a hard-on for Hondas or Toyotas.

Yeah well but you can't really go wrong with either a Honda or a Toyota. These companies have built a reputation by producing extremely high quality products for decades. Edit - actually - make that "high reliability" products, quality depends on price. That is they might be using cheap plastics to cut costs - but they're not gonna break down.

Yamaha scooters are fine - good bikes. But same reliability as a Honda scooter, no way.

You must be joking. If not, please, post some examples.

I've had a Yamaha Spark for three years and it hasn't missed a beat.

This is just the normal Thai preoccupation with status and as Honda is considerably more expensive that Yamaha or Suzuki it wouldn't matter how good another brand is a Thai will choose Honda because he/she knows that all of his/her friends know that they are more expensive than competing products. Honda are also more preferred by thieves because they know the status of Honda will find a ready market if offered at a bargain price.

Asking a Thai for advice on buying most things is an exercise in futility. The highest price or most bling is going to be their choice every time irrespective of any other factor.

[mca]

From what I've been able to observe, the overwhelming consensus on what brand of motorbike to buy seems to be HONDA.

Tell that to the zillion Fino owners.

[Thailaw]

herd mentality... they all seem to have a hard-on for Hondas or Toyotas.

Yeah well but you can't really go wrong with either a Honda or a Toyota. These companies have built a reputation by producing extremely high quality products for decades. Edit - actually - make that "high reliability" products, quality depends on price. That is they might be using cheap plastics to cut costs - but they're not gonna break down.

Yamaha scooters are fine - good bikes. But same reliability as a Honda scooter, no way.

But you know that yamaha and toyota are the same company?

In 2000, Toyota acquired a 5% interest in Yamaha Motors, the maker of Yahama Motorcycles. I am not aware of any further acquisitions of shares of Yamaha Motors by Toyota. That hardly makes them "the same company". The largest shareholder of Yamaha Motors is the Yamaha Corporation, which is not owned by Toyota.

[mbox]

Having a good lineup of scooters at home i can say that the quality or reliability of yamaha are in no way behind of Honda. Honda is being liked more here due to more advertisings and the associated brainwashing effect...

Our Scoopy lost rear indicator after only 500km from new and the Fino seems to be a weak starter....The Click-i is an ok bike but stands nothing behind the Yamaha Nouvo MX( but it was too noisy according to wife and thus we sold it- same we will do with the honda click-i) ...all these bikes we had since new .

Ozzy Osborne, assuming that you had one of the older Tiger Scooters, the current Model line-up from Tiger Bikes has some very decent quality and will not rot in front of your eyes. The Retro i have is fine ( although only 2 month young) but i also bumped into a owner of a 1 year old retro yesterday and the bike was fine, no fading plastics or colors...just a broken mirror of a falling bike at parking.

I had a Boxer 250RS for a year which also had no "rot'ing" problems at all ...are the Tiger Bikes, Japanese quality? Not quite there, but very very close.

here our current bike/scooters @ home

mbox

[ozsamurai]

I used to work in Honda Quality control, there were over 2000 workers in the complex for cars, 2 for bikes, who had nothing to do..... Its just pure engineering, they are built well.

Oz

[angiud]

Here in Thailand I would not buy any other bike except the Honda

[Thailaw]

..... This is just the normal Thai preoccupation with status and as Honda is considerably more expensive that Yamaha or Suzuki it wouldn't matter how good another brand is a Thai will choose Honda because he/she knows that all of his/her friends know that they are more expensive than competing products. Honda are also more preferred by thieves because they know the status of Honda will find a ready market if offered at a bargain price.

Asking a Thai for advice on buying most things is an exercise in futility. The highest price or most bling is going to be their choice every time irrespective of any other factor.

What utter and complete crap! if Thais really thought and behaved as you say, Yamaha could solve all of their problems (and they do have problems) by raising their prices on each and every model, so that Yamaha would provide the status you suggest Thais crave to the exclusion of all other considerations.

Before I recently purchased a PCX, I had narrowed my choices to the PCX and The Yamaha Nouvo. I liked the bigger 135cc engine on the Nouvo. I quizzed 3 independent Thai motorbike mechanics -- not your average "status concious" Thai as you accuse them of all being -- and asked which was better Honda or Yamaha. Without exception, all 3 said Honda was by far better. One mentioned superior electronics, one said a better, more reliable motor, but with their knowledge and experience with each, all recommended Honda over Yamaha. I think I got good, sound advice based on significant knowledge and experience with each motorbike, and seeing what can and does go wrong with each. That said, the small Yamahas are good motorbikes, no question about that, and I have never seen or heard of an owner of a Nouvo complain about the quality or reliability of his/her Nouvo. You really can't go wrong with a Nouvo, and you will, I am sure, be happy with it is you buy one (especially if you buy new and your ownership is limited to 5 years/20,000 km or less). The new Hondas are all fuel injected and the Yamahas have carburetors, but that should not, I think, affect reliability, only performance and fuel economy. I really like the PCX, I expect that I would have been happy also with the Nouvo -- I chose the PCX for its greater status and "bling".....(whatever that is!).

If your interest is a bigger bike, 400cc or above, then Honda is the only way to go. I would not touch a big Yamaha -- they just don't compare with their Honda counterpart.

[Thunderbird4ever]

Its like Osbourne says, a herd mentality. And it all starts at young age .Your dad or familiy has got one and its 90 % chance the offspring's will buy one. The cub model from Honda started it all and has been a successful model world over.

Thais are too much brand loyal and also little willing to try out new brands the more expensive they get. It seems that rather than getting some updated info about quality of other brands they go for the Honda. Thais of course also think about the second hand value if tradig off their bike ...

So what does this mean... nothing but a big bad spiral it is. With the market shares that AP Honda has and the amount of money they are making and they should have made the Honda scene in Thailand so much more exiting than they did.

Yamaha no doubt equals Honda in quality. And as mentioned by one, when buying second hand and you definately get most for money when buying another brand than Honda.

If you wanna stick with a bike to its nothing left of it or consider it 0 value after 10 years. I would say go for a one, two year old Suzuki. They re great bikes and you get them closer to free than what was the original new price. The Suzuki 125 is also the fastest of the 125. I dont know if the 135 cc Nouvo is faster now.

Edited November 6, 2010 by Thunderbird4ever

[Kwasaki]

20cc more and 10cc more whow !!! really fast err there scooters.

When is the toyota motor scooter coming to Thailand l want one.

[Thailaw]

20cc more and 10cc more whow !!! really fast err there scooters.

When is the toyota motor scooter coming to Thailand l want one.

It is time for your nap.........

[4evermaat]

Think the reason might be because the honda's have fuel injection where the yamaha's still use carburator.Carburator = problems with gasohol

Is fuel injection on a motorbike a difficult technology to incorporate? Not really used to motorcycles, only cars. Unless you buy a car before 1992, you hardly hear the word carburetor.

herd mentality... they all seem to have a hard-on for Hondas or Toyotas.

Anyway, a scooter is a pretty basic machine so a bike from any of the big four Japanese companies will be fine.. but i'm not ready to buy Chinese yet.

I was thinking this at first. I wanted a more "farang" opinion and came here.

Here in Thailand I would not buy any other bike except the Honda

One of my best thai friends said: "You know Jon, if you not want problem with motorbike, I think best for you buy new from company. Or if you buy used, buy from company."

{

One thing I learned about making ANY electronic purchase or major purchase is to purchase it new at a major company if possible. If you do buy used, either buy it from a company that can give you guarantee, or buy it from someone with original receipt and warranty. It's easy to buy things here, but harder to sell. Most of the locals will sell anything out here to make money and generally could care less about quality, especially when they see you are foreigner. A thai lady i had been renting a scoopy fo 3 months from wanted 35-40k for the bike when i approached her about buying it. And she wasnt sure about the warranty (0-1 years old bike with about 5500 km). A trip down to the local dealership revealed the bike cost 44-46000 NEW with 3 year warranty. I offered her 20000, maybe 25000. but she declined.

Why set yourself up for anything less?

Or you can take your chances on used with no warranty, but at least check everything first. Then if the price is right, just take your chances.

Whenever I bought anything big in the USA, I always kept my receipts and paperwork for warranty. When it was time to sell, I have no problems.

I wanted ZERO problems with this motorbike, and I decided to go with new Honda click i (forgot the exact model number, but it was the top model with the black rims). I saw one 2 years old for 38000 with 1 year guarantee. But why not pay the extra 10000 and just get it new? In order to buy something like that used, it has to be a significant savings (from my point of view). The lady wanted the scoopy, but i had to convince her the click was a much better buy.

I think that part of it is the ability to get it serviced also. I didn't even know there was a yamaha dealer in patong until i went to the carnival outside junceylon and they had a setup out there and told me they were across from the esso. When i passed through phuket town, i counted about 15 honda dealerships (at least 5 had the big honda logo out front) . Overkill? Or is phuket town really that crowded?

[4evermaat]

Thanks everyone for their input.

[BSJ]

Each of the Jap 4 have had a dud model here and there....but not to many lately! I think it comes down to marketing.

[ClareQuilty]

Popularity or market share is rarely the sign of a good product. Why is the world covered with McDonalds? It is just one of those bits of propaganda that competition leads to the best product.

More specifically, Yamaha was probably a nicer bike than Honda in the past - my old Tiara was a lot nicer than my Tenas. At some point a near monopoly drains the funding of the declining firm and boosts that of the rising one, meaning that the declining firm cannot replace products. In the end you usually are left with just one or two companies in any given field, less choice, and poorer quality and value.

It is worth noting that my friend the Honda dealer states that Honda got into its advantageous position through vigorous restraint-of-trade type practice rather than through any superiority of product. Over the last couple of decades, he says, Honda sold motorbikes at less than cost, and more importantly paid Suzuki, Yamaha, and Kawasaki dealers exorbitantly to switch to Honda or shut down. He says it was a concerted program to destroy the competition by shutting them out of the Thai market.

[Thailaw]

Popularity or market share is rarely the sign of a good product. Why is the world covered with McDonalds? It is just one of those bits of propaganda that competition leads to the best product.

More specifically, Yamaha was probably a nicer bike than Honda in the past - my old Tiara was a lot nicer than my Tenas. At some point a near monopoly drains the funding of the declining firm and boosts that of the rising one, meaning that the declining firm cannot replace products. In the end you usually are left with just one or two companies in any given field, less choice, and poorer quality and value.

It is worth noting that my friend the Honda dealer states that Honda got into its advantageous position through vigorous restraint-of-trade type practice rather than through any superiority of product. Over the last couple of decades, he says, Honda sold motorbikes at less than cost, and more importantly paid Suzuki, Yamaha, and Kawasaki dealers exorbitantly to switch to Honda or shut down. He says it was a concerted program to destroy the competition by shutting them out of the Thai market.

Your post would make much more sense if you had started it "Once upon a time.......", because it truly is a fairy tale. There is a typo in the 4th word of the third paragraph -- you forgot the "h" after the "t" and before the "i". If by "a good product" you mean giving people what they want at a reasonable price, then McDonanlds truely does produce "a good product". Its not gourmet food, but it doesn't cost 50 quid per person or take an hour and a half to be served as it does in a fancy restaurant (perhaps that is the only "good" product in your world), and it's cheap and quick for folks on the run (I prefer a Whopper at Burger King, but that's only because I am a gourmet). And perhaps your friend the Honda dealer was speaking in Thai and you didn't understand, or perhaps he sells Hondas in Timbuktu. If you walk into any/every Honda dealer that I have ever seen in Thailand it also sells Yamaha -- nobody has been pushed out or forced to switch from one to another! They all sell both. What better opportunity could anyone (as a buyer) want -- you can compare every feature side-by-side and negotiate the price on each bike with the same person, and do that at multiple shops -- the best man (at least in the eyes/minds of the consumer) wins. Yamaha dealers are everywhere, just open your eyes. And Yamaha has produced some very popular motorbikes -- the Fino and the Elegance are very popular, so much so that Honda has copied the Fino with the Scoopie. Both are available, and consumers will decide which they like better. The Yamaha situation is not unique to Thailand, as you suggest. Check to see how many factories Yamaha has close worldwide in the last year. But maybe it is all part of a very successful worldwide conspiracy, or maybe (just maybe), riders and buyers like Hondas better!

[4evermaat]

It is worth noting that my friend the Honda dealer states that Honda got into its advantageous position through vigorous restraint-of-trade type practice rather than through any superiority of product. Over the last couple of decades, he says, Honda sold motorbikes at less than cost, and more importantly paid Suzuki, Yamaha, and Kawasaki dealers exorbitantly to switch to Honda or shut down. He says it was a concerted program to destroy the competition by shutting them out of the Thai market.

Sounds more like western capitalism to me.

I do know from experience that honda and toyota cars are very popular for their reliability. My toyota corolla got 28-34 mpg and was still quite peppy for a 1.5ltr 4-cyl. The primary reason why i bought it was because of my family and friend's history with foreign cars and my own experience with them when i used to [more than just] valet park cars.

I did learn that many of the fancy cars were just names for status only. For the price, they rarely had anything to do with features or practicality.

[4evermaat]

.... If by "a good product" you mean giving people what they want at a reasonable price, then McDonanlds truely does produce "a good product". Its not gourmet food, but it doesn't cost 50 quid per person or take an hour and a half to be served as it does in a fancy restaurant (perhaps that is the only "good" product in your world), and it's cheap and quick for folks on the run (I prefer a Whopper at Burger King, but that's only because I am a gourmet).....

i guess it all depends on what your interpretation of quality is. I would never buy any meat from any fast food chain. i stay away from their fries also. Too many preservatives and unknown chemicals beyond the potato/chicken/beef, assuming it is actual potato/chicken/beef/etc being used. A local or chain restaurant who you can verify uses local meats and fresh vegetables is a much better bet. Instead of waiting 4 minutes at the McD drive through, you may have to wait maybe 7-10 minutes, and the price may be more, but you can be more confident as to what you are putting in your mouth. in Thailand, usually the price of local stuff is cheaper anyway, so when you go McDs or BK, it's purely for taste or to get your western fix. I've always had a knack for BK hash browns. I was happy to see that they serve it 24/7 here at all the thailand. In USA, breakfast was only during breakfast hours.

..... If you walk into any/every Honda dealer that I have ever seen in Thailand it also sells Yamaha -- nobody has been pushed out or forced to switch from one to another! They all sell both. What better opportunity could anyone (as a buyer) want -- you can compare every feature side-by-side and negotiate the price on each bike with the same person, and do that at multiple shops -- the best man (at least in the eyes/minds of the consumer) wins. .......

I did see maybe 2 or 3 yamahas or other non-honda bikes used at some of the honda dealerships i visited, but of course the overwhelming majority of bikes were of the dealer name brand. If it was a mom/pop dealership with no particular brand name, then you saw more of a mix of brands, with honda usually taking up 60% of the lot

But maybe it is all part of a very successful worldwide conspiracy, or maybe (just maybe), riders and buyers like Hondas better!

most likely the latter, lol. But it isn't uncommon for a bigger competitor to buyout or attempt to block out its competition. Often times a big competitor will buy out a competitor with a better idea and then kill it to decrease or eliminate the potential public awareness to a more efficient alternative.

[jackcorbett]

Hondas and Yamahas are as far as I'm concerned absolutely equal quality wise. I've had two Yamaha Nouvos now over a span of five years with no problems. In fact I don't even know anyone who's had anything major go wrong with either a Honda Air Blade or Yamaha Nouvo. The finish on both makes holds up unlike what i've seen on some other companies bikes. As far as overall engineering prowess I'd rate Honda and Yamaha equal with Honda coming out on top one year only to have its top dog model eclipsed by Yamaha's newest effort the next and so on.

[transplant]

If you go out to the country in Thailand, you'd notice Honda Dream's coming out of the bushes hauling a lot of wood, rubber, families, etc. and a lot of the bikes are very old. Honda Dreams are extremely durable and have essentially replaced the Buffalo. Believe it or not, Honda's run better with time as other brand of bikes fall apart. Thai's know how to make things last for a long time and they are very well aware of the durability, quality and build of a motorcycle as it seems just about every family has at least one. The bottom line is, Honda has built a reputation for producing motorcycles where just about every component on the bikes are better than what the competitors have to offer.

[transplant]

Popularity or market share is rarely the sign of a good product. Why is the world covered with McDonalds? It is just one of those bits of propaganda that competition leads to the best product.

More specifically, Yamaha was probably a nicer bike than Honda in the past - my old Tiara was a lot nicer than my Tenas. At some point a near monopoly drains the funding of the declining firm and boosts that of the rising one, meaning that the declining firm cannot replace products. In the end you usually are left with just one or two companies in any given field, less choice, and poorer quality and value.

It is worth noting that my friend the Honda dealer states that Honda got into its advantageous position through vigorous restraint-of-trade type practice rather than through any superiority of product. Over the last couple of decades, he says, Honda sold motorbikes at less than cost, and more importantly paid Suzuki, Yamaha, and Kawasaki dealers exorbitantly to switch to Honda or shut down. He says it was a concerted program to destroy the competition by shutting them out of the Thai market.

Your post would make much more sense if you had started it "Once upon a time.......", because it truly is a fairy tale. There is a typo in the 4th word of the third paragraph -- you forgot the "h" after the "t" and before the "i". If by "a good product" you mean giving people what they want at a reasonable price, then McDonanlds truely does produce "a good product". Its not gourmet food, but it doesn't cost 50 quid per person or take an hour and a half to be served as it does in a fancy restaurant (perhaps that is the only "good" product in your world), and it's cheap and quick for folks on the run (I prefer a Whopper at Burger King, but that's only because I am a gourmet). And perhaps your friend the Honda dealer was speaking in Thai and you didn't understand, or perhaps he sells Hondas in Timbuktu. If you walk into any/every Honda dealer that I have ever seen in Thailand it also sells Yamaha -- nobody has been pushed out or forced to switch from one to another! They all sell both. What better opportunity could anyone (as a buyer) want -- you can compare every feature side-by-side and negotiate the price on each bike with the same person, and do that at multiple shops -- the best man (at least in the eyes/minds of the consumer) wins. Yamaha dealers are everywhere, just open your eyes. And Yamaha has produced some very popular motorbikes -- the Fino and the Elegance are very popular, so much so that Honda has copied the Fino with the Scoopie. Both are available, and consumers will decide which they like better. The Yamaha situation is not unique to Thailand, as you suggest. Check to see how many factories Yamaha has close worldwide in the last year. But maybe it is all part of a very successful worldwide conspiracy, or maybe (just maybe), riders and buyers like Hondas better!

Mr.English teacher give it a rest. Stop nitpicking as your English isn't perfect either.