1St Fully Motorcycle

[mic6ard]

Alright, I've been riding for a while now on a scooter. Time for something with more umph. Am looking for full size bike, i.e. clutch and all. What is the best one to look for. Am about 180 and even sitting on the ninja 250 feels small. Is it something I can get used to? Price is not an issue . Rather the ease of use, maintenance.

If anyone know a place in Chiang Mai for those type of bike, let me know.

[katabeachbum]

Lifan 200 Crosser at 46k baht

Lifan 250 Cruiser at 80?k baht

Kwaker Dtracker 250 at 147k baht

3 inexpensive for a starter

[H2oDunc]

Honda Phantom. Has to be the best all round Thai bike there is.

It is not the fastest bike there is nor the most powerful but for reliability, ease of maintenance, spares and cost to buy it you can't really go wrong. Any Somchai mechanic can service or repair it no matter where you are in Thailand and the warranty is is second to none. It is comfortable and very easy to ride. New around the 90,000 baht mark or a decent second hand one for around the 50-60,000 mark.

[katabeachbum]

Honda Phantom. Has to be the best all round Thai bike there is.

It is not the fastest bike there is nor the most powerful but for reliability, ease of maintenance, spares and cost to buy it you can't really go wrong. Any Somchai mechanic can service or repair it no matter where you are in Thailand and the warranty is is second to none. It is comfortable and very easy to ride. New around the 90,000 baht mark or a decent second hand one for around the 50-60,000 mark.

Phantoms are not sold new any more, as they are unable to pass present emission requirements.

I am 180 tall myself and used to have a Phantom years ago, and found it to small to be comfy, in addition to lack of traction and handling.

Try a D-tracker 250 for a comparison. Great bike, excellent for taller riders, more power and much more brakes and handling.

[mic6ard]

Honda Phantom. Has to be the best all round Thai bike there is.

It is not the fastest bike there is nor the most powerful but for reliability, ease of maintenance, spares and cost to buy it you can't really go wrong. Any Somchai mechanic can service or repair it no matter where you are in Thailand and the warranty is is second to none. It is comfortable and very easy to ride. New around the 90,000 baht mark or a decent second hand one for around the 50-60,000 mark.

Everyone, I know is saying the same thing too. I heard that Honda are going to bring out Phantom with F-I??? and Kawasaki is also bringing out the Boss with F-I as well!! True??? and then which one would be better. I see a lot of phantom around but hardly any bosses. WHY?

HHEEELLLPPP

[norwaygeir]

why not go for the ER6-N. Getting a lot for the money, enough power for everything and cheap parts. Used ones you can get from 165000 baht, almost new (2010 with less than 1000 km) from around 200 000 baht. You said it your-self, your a big/high person, and if you whant to feel comfy, you need a big bike.

[mic6ard]

why not go for the ER6-N. Getting a lot for the money, enough power for everything and cheap parts. Used ones you can get from 165000 baht, almost new (2010 with less than 1000 km) from around 200 000 baht. You said it your-self, your a big/high person, and if you whant to feel comfy, you need a big bike.

Dude, a 600 for a 1st "full" bike??? not a bad idea but kinda scarey. I do love the styling.

[mic6ard]

Soo many choices. For those who may be wondering why I'm skipping the semi-auto, I tried it and not reallly comfy with the gear shifting. Everything was too short and felt really cramped. Plus the lack of any levers on the left hand grip is really weird.

[norwaygeir]

After spending 1,5 month on a clik and 125 cc ryuka chopper, I bought a Honda Magna 750. ER6 is a bike for beginners, so I don't see the problem, just drive after your skill level.

[H2oDunc]

The Kawasaki Boss isn't a bad bike as such. The trouble is Kawasaki are not very big in Thailand so back up , service etc are not a patch on the Honda. Yo ucan still get a brand new Phantom and get a good deal at the moment. I'm 6 2 and found the bike to be very comfortable. I have been all over Thailand on one. With luggage and two up. As said it isn't the fastest thing on two wheels but it will go all day and not give you any heartaches. They are easy to hire so I would suggest hiring one for a couple of days and just see how you get on. Good luck

[BigBikeBKK]

The Kawasaki Boss isn't a bad bike as such. The trouble is Kawasaki are not very big in Thailand so back up , service etc are not a patch on the Honda. Yo ucan still get a brand new Phantom and get a good deal at the moment. I'm 6 2 and found the bike to be very comfortable. I have been all over Thailand on one. With luggage and two up. As said it isn't the fastest thing on two wheels but it will go all day and not give you any heartaches. They are easy to hire so I would suggest hiring one for a couple of days and just see how you get on. Good luck

But OP said he wants something with more "umph" and the sad fact of the matter is, most scooters will leave the heavy and underpowered phantom in their dust...

Go rent an ER6n and take it for a spin. It's a real bike, very easy to ride, often recommended for beginners and tremendous value for money here in Thailand.

Ride On!

Tony

[LoneRider]

Hi mic6ard,

why not have a look at Lifan V250 Custom at Chiang Mai dealer, if you like the relaxed way of chopper driving.

If you like the higher seat position or more sporty bikes, i think the Kawa ER6n or the ER6F (ninja) is e real good choice, even for beginners.

Don´t be afraid of the power, its not a liter-bike or a racemachine, just start slowly and you will have enough reserve when you are more skilled driver

and don´t have to change again.

If you also open for second hand market, there is a huge offer of 400cc bikes.

[H2oDunc]

The Kawasaki Boss isn't a bad bike as such. The trouble is Kawasaki are not very big in Thailand so back up , service etc are not a patch on the Honda. Yo ucan still get a brand new Phantom and get a good deal at the moment. I'm 6 2 and found the bike to be very comfortable. I have been all over Thailand on one. With luggage and two up. As said it isn't the fastest thing on two wheels but it will go all day and not give you any heartaches. They are easy to hire so I would suggest hiring one for a couple of days and just see how you get on. Good luck

But OP said he wants something with more "umph" and the sad fact of the matter is, most scooters will leave the heavy and underpowered phantom in their dust...

Go rent an ER6n and take it for a spin. It's a real bike, very easy to ride, often recommended for beginners and tremendous value for money here in Thailand.

Ride On!

Tony

As said the Phantom isn't the quickest of bikes and yes most small auto's will leave it standing at the lights but try jumping on a click and doing 1000km in one hit and then tell me the big has no oomph and I also would like to see which rider got off their bike feeling fine after ?

Regardless of what you say the Ern6 is still a sports bike and for an experienced rider it may well be an easy bike to ride but even the OP realises it is a step too far.

The Lifan I wouldn't even go there. A Chinese bike that as good as it looks will spend more time in the shop being repaired or awaiting parts. Believe me!

As said to the OP rent one and try it for a couple of days.

As someone that is used to having 2,300CC OF British engineering excellence and more torque than you can shake a stick at between his legs I still rate the Phantom for the money as an all round Thai bike any day.

[mic6ard]

2nd hand is actually preferred. As I would really cry laying down a brand new one. Went to have a look at the CBR 250, looked nice and actually better than nin250. Felt like I wasn't cramped against the tank which is great. All the one that you guys have suggested so far have been really nice, since I did look at the Kaw's from the beginning and fell in love with ER-6. The CBR250 is a new one, and looks great like I mentioned. Still have to look at the Lifans.

Man, tough choices. To be more mature look (cruiser type) or go young (sports).

[skybluestu]

I recently paid a deposit on a CBR 250R ABS which will be my first 'big' bike. I've been riding a Nouvo every day for 3yrs and have ridden quite a few bikes with a clutch before so I'm not a total beginner but all the reviews say it's an ideal beginner bike with a very forgiving clutch and gears but also say it has enough so that you wouldn't outgrow it after a year or two although I'm not sure that'll be the case (versys?).

I'd planned on getting a D-Tracker and hadn't contemplated the CBR until I actually saw it in the flesh as I thought it would be too small but I paid a deposit there and then. They also had a used Ninja which I also tried out for size but the CBR felt more comfortable and seemed like it had more legroom (I am 190cm), the shape of the tank gave my knees more room and slightly more upright handlebars meant less pressure on my wrists.

At 120,000 it's an absolute steal, easily the best value bike available here and with better performance figures (apart from maybe 5kph top end) and more usable torque it is a better buy than the non-abs Ninja.

[justaphase]

Are you REALLY gonna go with someones elses opinion for this..?

Just go and try a few.

Money no problem? Gixer 1000 899,000

But take it easy

[LoneRider]

2nd hand is actually preferred. As I would really cry laying down a brand new one. Went to have a look at the CBR 250, looked nice and actually better than nin250. Felt like I wasn't cramped against the tank which is great. All the one that you guys have suggested so far have been really nice, since I did look at the Kaw's from the beginning and fell in love with ER-6. The CBR250 is a new one, and looks great like I mentioned. Still have to look at the Lifans.

Man, tough choices. To be more mature look (cruiser type) or go young (sports).

This is the right way.

Get the infos, whats available, but then have a look to all, sit on it and try it ......how does it feel.....

......and then let your feelings decide......

[mbox]

May i suggest some more Bikes...since the 600cc class was touched and price was not of importance ...

Ducati Monster 696

KTM 690 Duke R

Yamaha FZ6

Triumph Street Triple 675

if the above Bikes prices are an issue and you still are a "Naked" Biker

kawa er6n

and if the 250 class is what you look out for

Tiger Boxer 250RS ( cheap spares that are easy to get + 3 yr &30000km guarantee )

whats my personal favorite amongst the 600cc+ ?? probably a "undecided " between monster and duke and triple..

happy choosing,

mbox

[norwaygeir]

I went to the local Honda dealership in my hometown (in norway) and asked about the new cbr250r,(when they where getting it, specs, and so on). He said that he wasen't really sure about taking one in, because he would feel he was fooling the customer. He told me that a bike with that small engine could not be fun to drive, and that the buyer probably after a month or two, would come back for something bigger. Twice the engine cize, twice the fun. There are almost no bikes sold in norway with engine size less than 600 cc, and the reason for that is, we don't buy it for everyday use, we buy it for to have fun. We don't care about how many km pr l, we just whant to have as much fun as possible the short time it's possible to use a bike here.

So what is importent for you, is it to have a bike you use every day, that give you 30-40 km pr l, that have really cheap parts, and every roadside mec can fix, or a bike that gives you pleasure in ways no girls can give you, a bike that other men will envy you, a bike that allways will be first out of the intersection (if you whant to), a bike that gives you bad value for the money, but still makes senze to you, then you go for a big bike. A good bike is like prozak, it keeps you happy. What would it be, a phantom og a Gixxer

[mic6ard]

Are you REALLY gonna go with someones elses opinion for this..?

Just go and try a few.

Money no problem? Gixer 1000 899,000

But take it easy

Nope, just want to see what people thinks. Plus it might give me another options that I didn't think of, such as the Lifans and Tigers!!!!!!. Eventhough they don't really have the 'rep' yet. Blame my scientist mentality, I want the most information I can.

[mic6ard]

I recently paid a deposit on a CBR 250R ABS which will be my first 'big' bike. I've been riding a Nouvo every day for 3yrs and have ridden quite a few bikes with a clutch before so I'm not a total beginner but all the reviews say it's an ideal beginner bike with a very forgiving clutch and gears but also say it has enough so that you wouldn't outgrow it after a year or two although I'm not sure that'll be the case (versys?).

I'd planned on getting a D-Tracker and hadn't contemplated the CBR until I actually saw it in the flesh as I thought it would be too small but I paid a deposit there and then. They also had a used Ninja which I also tried out for size but the CBR felt more comfortable and seemed like it had more legroom (I am 190cm), the shape of the tank gave my knees more room and slightly more upright handlebars meant less pressure on my wrists.

At 120,000 it's an absolute steal, easily the best value bike available here and with better performance figures (apart from maybe 5kph top end) and more usable torque it is a better buy than the non-abs Ninja.

I hear ya. Have the same problem with the nin250. My knees were pressed against the tank. And the posture on CBR seems more relaxing. Abit cheaper, ABS brakes (don't forget combi).

[wjmark]

May i suggest some more Bikes...since the 600cc class was touched and price was not of importance ...

Ducati Monster 696

KTM 690 Duke R

Yamaha FZ6

Triumph Street Triple 675

whats my personal favorite amongst the 600cc+ ?? probably a "undecided " between monster and duke and triple..

happy choosing,

mbox

Monster! (lowest seat height...)

[jahsoldier]

6 months ago i had never even driven a scooter, and thought they were quick when i first tried one.

Now i have wouldnt go for anything below the er6n, didnt take long to get bored of my CBR150r that i bought as my first "real" bike. I rent a CBR600rr sometimes on the weekends now to get some fun and looking to buy a er6n soon.

If u go for anything below the er6n u will probarly get bored after a couple of months, if ur not only into cruising.

[justaphase]

Are you REALLY gonna go with someones elses opinion for this..?

Just go and try a few.

Money no problem? Gixer 1000 899,000

But take it easy

Nope, just want to see what people thinks. Plus it might give me another options that I didn't think of, such as the Lifans and Tigers!!!!!!. Eventhough they don't really have the 'rep' yet. Blame my scientist mentality, I want the most information I can.

Just think what you're gonna use it for.

Being sensiblish i would say go for a trumph speed triple. The older ones are really good. Barking. And easy to get used to and ride.

Whatever power you have you'll soon get used to it. A bike is only as dangerous as the rider. Big bikes go fast, but they stop fast too.

My sonic125 is madness at 120kph, but my ZX7RR back in UK didn't make sense until you were doing twice that.. (nearly!!)

I bet you'll regret it in a year if you buy a 250.

[ttakata]

Your riding personality is a big factor.

If you're a daredevil/risktaker, there's great potential to wreck or die jumping up to a literbike.

Just watch youtube videos of first time bikers on big bikes.

If you have time and money, I'd suggest a 250cc DTracker or CBR and then jumping up to a bigger bike later.

Either will be plenty of fun in those Chiang Mai hills.

IMO, it's funner riding a smaller bike to full potential than riding a superbike at 30% potential.

Even if you get bored of a medium sized bike in a year, at least you didn't cripple yourself.

I suppose a bigger 600cc might be OK since there doesn't seem to be much traffic in CM (relative to BKK).

Just some opinions.

[submaniac]

If money is really no object, take Justaphase's advice and get the GSXR1000. You will NEVER outgrow that bike (though you may get bored with it in 15 years or so).

Otherwise if price IS a factor look into

(1) a used ER6N

(2) a new CBR250

If price is a factor and you don't want to spend the money on either of the above bikes, try one of the used 400cc bikes. Like a cbr400 or a vfr400; there are alot of used Japanese 400cc bikes out there that will run with (or perhaps outperform) even the ER6. There's an updated VFR400 on the classifieds for 80,000 baht, and the other 400cc can run from 30,000 to 60,000 baht. This is the route I chose (Yammie FZR400) cuz (1) I didn't want to spend that much money on a bike (2) a Japanese inline 4 kicks over anything else for the price. (Yes I would prefer a 400cc I4 over a 650 twin because of the engine characteristics).

The only drawback is maintenance and repair. The parts are readily available (and can be shipped from Japan). BUT the bike is old, and parts do wear out. Do not go this route if the bike will be necessary for daily transportation (like you don't have any other vehicle or a taxi to get around).

[PaulD]

Your own experience of clutched bikes is paramount because of safety issues here. You'll know this from your scooter experiences. If you have ridden sports bikes a lot, heavier bikes a lot, mostly cruisers (like me), all those are very important when settling into Thai traffic. So yes, the idea of getting a second hand bike and then moving in the direction that suits has validity. For example, a number of contributors assume that you want "real" power, a 650 say. That's up to you, but I'd say that you should go with your experience and if it is not substantial on medium twins of this sort, start with a lighter bike that's easier to handle. Buying a second hand bike and selling it can be cheaper than renting a Honda Dream.

In my opinion, nothing can replace your own experience when applied to testing bikes. All around the eastern moat are renters, and there are other well known places near. A day's rental in traffic and on out into the countryside should tell you the most about yourself right now. Then you might research the model that you (tentatively) prefer, here. Also of course, Thai Visa Classifieds will give you an idea for price.

I'm sure you are aware of the fuel issues - price, availability.

Finally - and almost as an aside, I beg to differ with H2odunc's generalization regarding "Chinese" bikes. His advancing a Honda brand is just, of course, when it comes to commonality of bikes on the road (service, parts). It has been out of production for more than a year, maybe two, even if there are some around. But you might not "fit" a Phantom. Also, it is a "cruiser" type which you might like, or not. But it might be the springboard from which to grow and it offers a low center of gravity plus traditional Honda virtues.

I'm driving a new Lifan 250 because I want something (for me) that is "cruiser" steady - I'm no sports, motocross, or trail rider, never was. And it's a smooth twin, quicker all around (than Phantom/Boss). But you'll never cruise at 120 on it with speed to spare. Too short for you too, probably. You could look at the Lifan Cross 200 as a new "starter" bike, but while I think that Lifan is a far better bike than non-branded or infamous Chinese types, service is just developing in this country.

Edited February 3, 2011 by PaulD

[submaniac]

Finally - and almost as an aside, I beg to differ with H2odunc's generalization regarding "Chinese" bikes.

OK Newbie, in this forum we do not 'beg to differ'. Usually we out and out insult each other and resort to personal attacks.

[snowflake]

I think that you should take a look at how you will use the bike... one up, two up, 5 up???

Open highways all the time or downtown, dirt roads or gravel... You know where you live...

A great starter bike that would keep you happy would be the CBR/Ninja- small and you would probably get bored with it within a year or two...

An ER6N/ER6F/Vesyrus is probably a better choice if you know how to use the clutch... But then again, these bikes are bigger and heavier...

I started on a Yamaha Diversion 600cc a long time ago, never any problems...

I would personally not go for a phantom or lifan (chopper style) bikes as I don't like them, I like to ride fast...

You could opt for the GSXR1000, but you would probably end up as statistics within the first year, unless you have great selfcontrol, that bike can be sweet as honey, but as we know- bee's like honey too and they sting!

Good luck!

(ps, money no option- a cheap CBR first few months and then a brand new ER6N)..

[mic6ard]

After much consideration here's the usages

Commute, typically open road, (super highway in CM), some in town.

Typically speed so far is approx 80k -90km on a scooter (don't feel safe going any faster on the little thing)

Definitely stylish (lifestyle requirement )

Gasohol compatible.

Easy to maintain.

ACCESSORRIES, gotta have ACCESSORRIES.