Where Where Where

[robsamui]

With a canny statistical stab in the dark, I reckon there must be about 20,000 motorbikes being used daily on the island. Sure as hell there are no actual figures available and sure as hell seems like it on the road. Chaweng Beach Road has thousands of them lining it from end to end daily.

And for 2 weeks solid now I've been dithering between tying myself up financially for 4 years grovelling to try and get car finance or chuntering internally trying to decide whether to keep my festering jeep and get a decent motorbike as the good-weather means of transport.

But where are the used bikes? Where can you go (see the other posting about this) to find a used motorbike? Checking the Thai Visa Samui classifieds there are currently 7 - SEVEN - used bikes for sale, of which 4 are big bikes and not scooters. And the other lot (no names) have the same thing.

Is it a Thai/farang thing? Do the thousands of Thai people in their tangled and extensive families pass on their bikes to their hundreds of friends and relatives? Where are the used motorbike shops? There are 100 times more bikes on Samui than cars and yet there are used car shops . . . Just look outside every police station and there 100s of scooters lying there outside, especially in Chaweng. Why isn't there an area the size of Tesco-Lotus carpark just crammed with second-hand bikes for sale?

Or is it to do with Thai people just hating to be seen with anything that's not brand new and shiny and so there's no public market for nasty, disgusting low-class used motorbikes? Dammit, I earn probably eight times more every month than my Thai neighbours with their Iphones and new lovely cars, even if they do live in tin sheds!

Or is it that us whities can't be bothered with piddly little scooters, preferring to lavish our thousands of stashed Pounds/Dollars on 4x4 trucks and flashy chrome choppers instead? In which case where are all the used big bikes? (Apart from in Om's Bikes in Chaweng? At daft prices?)

Or is it maybe that we (some of us anyway) pop 40,000B out of our spare change to buy the girlfriend a bike that we can get to ride when we feel like it . . . but don't actually own and register one in our own names?

I followed a lead today that took me to a surly Thai youth who glared and squirmed a lot, couldn't meet my eye and didn't smile. He was selling a 2-year old Honda Wave with 11,000K on the clock. I speak enough Thai to communicate adequately ("Hoo hoo - farang put Thai dai", giggle giggle) but he insisted on 30,000 baht and no offers. You can buy the bike NEW for 33,000 baht with tax and insurance and servicing included. My guess is that he was freaked by having to deal with a farang, didn't know how he should respond, was embarrassed and felt his face dropping of in front of his smirking neighbours and to keep it (face) and get rid of me (farang) kept chanting sam meun, sam meun, sam meun. .

On the other hand I know of two places where I can buy a presentable and newish scooter for 7000 or 8000 baht, no papers and no questions asked. Sigh.

Any pertinent economic or cultural observations on this phenomenon? Is this yet another case of passive aggression or simply a concrete example of just how separate the Thai people see themselves compared with the big hairy strange farangs?

Comments and free vallium welcome . . .

R

[ydraw]

You'd have more luck in Surat Thani. Samui is a holiday resort, there aren't many motorcycle dealerships or other industrial-type shopping venues. Alternatively you could ask some rental businesses, they turn the bikes over after a certain # of km and might be looking to offload some. That's where I got mine.

[Boo]

we used to buy ours off of Springer. never any issue, always fixed up to code included in the price & with the right paperwork to transfer ownership. always paid between 12-15k baht for a older but well running dream or wave.

A friend is looking to sell a moped in Lamai. I will email her to see if she still is & post back. She is Swedish so no faffing with shy thai's.

[sbk]

Dunno about Samui but for locals on Koh P you hear it on the grapevine or put the word out on the grapevine and someone who knows someone will tell you about a bike and the price.

Oh wait, thats what Boo just did.

[H2oDunc]

Rob what type are you looking for ? Auto. Clutch ? How much do you want to spend ? I know of a few about.

[joe84330]

many of the thai motorbike repair shops have used bikes for sale though they are not really ever advertised. thai's use them as a pawn shop when they need some quick cash and of course many don't return. if you don't speak thai very well than i don't suppose this network would help much but it is there and quite prevalent as motorbikes are currency here.

i think your estimate of 20k bikes is a bit low.

have you already tried posting an advert at tesco and big c?

[samuijimmy]

I'd agree with just ask at repair shops or even neighbours, had someone looking a while back and they seem to know who has bikes for sale...

Just make sure it has the Green Book, and license up to date.... and Also check to see what the oil is like.... If there is any! or if it is whitish colour, then water has got in... not good!

If you find a decent looking bike, get a shop to check it out first... (or take it to the dealer shop, i.e. Honda if it is a Honda....etc...

The repair shop may be friends of the owner to might not give an "honest" opinion!

[PoorSucker]

There's a shop on the road from ring road to dao market, chaweng.

Second hand scooters from BKK.

A good Click goes for 30.000 baht.

[steelerian]

There's a shop on the road from ring road to dao market, chaweng.

Second hand scooters from BKK.

A good Click goes for 30.000 baht.

Ive been told in the past that the milegae on their bikes isnt always "honest".

[robsamui]

You'd have more luck in Surat Thani. Samui is a holiday resort, there aren't many motorcycle dealerships or other industrial-type shopping venues. Alternatively you could ask some rental businesses, they turn the bikes over after a certain # of km and might be looking to offload some. That's where I got mine.

Yes - this is one of my points!

Why are there no used bike shops here? There are thousands of bikes on the roads . . .

R

[robsamui]

we used to buy ours off of Springer. never any issue, always fixed up to code included in the price & with the right paperwork to transfer ownership. always paid between 12-15k baht for a older but well running dream or wave.

A friend is looking to sell a moped in Lamai. I will email her to see if she still is & post back. She is Swedish so no faffing with shy thai's.

Thanks - but still ripping my hair out as to what to go for . . .

[robsamui]

Rob what type are you looking for ? Auto. Clutch ? How much do you want to spend ? I know of a few about.

I'm not after a throwaway - I've actually got an excellent sh*t heap that runs like a dream (except it's a Yamaha) already. If I can't sell this then I'll keep it for a spare(!)

My thinking is that I can buy a new Wave for 33,000. That's the cheapest going. Or I can buy exactly the same thing that's 3-4 years old for 18-20,000B. But I'm at the point where I really feel like something less run of the mill - something that gives me a little glow of pride. Must be a time-of-life-related thing. (Hence the wailing about the used bike market.) I'm living solely on my income each month with no fat bank accounts abroad to dip into so that's a problem . . . I've got just 50,000 cash put to one side at the moment.

My ideal would be a nice plain Steed. But I can't afford that. Phantoms look like crud; all plasticky and with that toytown-made-in-India tank logo from the 60s and ditto tank speedo and that sad chrome rocker cover that looks like it's been cannibalised from kitchen equipment. BUT the Phantom Fire looks a lot less toytown, all black and with a pleasing tank. They are hard to find but there's one I'm after in Lamai - going to look at it tomorrow.

So if you know of anyone with a Steed (or even a little Virago)who would take 50,000B down and 10,000B month . . .

Cheers!!

Rob

Edited April 30, 2011 by robsamui

[robsamui]

many of the thai motorbike repair shops have used bikes for sale though they are not really ever advertised. thai's use them as a pawn shop when they need some quick cash and of course many don't return. if you don't speak thai very well than i don't suppose this network would help much but it is there and quite prevalent as motorbikes are currency here.

i think your estimate of 20k bikes is a bit low.

have you already tried posting an advert at tesco and big c?

The biggest problem with a bike owned by a Thai is that they never, ever have routine maintenance done on them - they simply wait until something breaks or fails then get it fixed (or sell it . . . another thing that puts me off buying a scooter).

And there is a girl at Tesco-Lotus who's sole job is to strip the sale-board every two days, which she does with a religious zeal. So I have no faith in the boards there or at Big C.

Sigh.

R

[robsamui]

There's a shop on the road from ring road to dao market, chaweng.

Second hand scooters from BKK.

A good Click goes for 30.000 baht.

Thanks for the info - I'll take a look.

But 30,000 is silly money for a Click: they are selling them in Big C new for 33,000B!

OOOOPPPSSS! Sorry - not the Click - it's the Wave - apologies

R

edited due to brain damage

Edited April 30, 2011 by robsamui

[robsamui]

Rob what type are you looking for ? Auto. Clutch ? How much do you want to spend ? I know of a few about.

I'm not after a throwaway - I've actually got an excellent sh*t heap that runs like a dream (except it's a Yamaha) already. If I can't sell this then I'll keep it for a spare(!)

My thinking is that I can buy a new Wave for 33,000. That's the cheapest going. Or I can buy exactly the same thing that's 3-4 years old for 18-20,000B. But I'm at the point where I really feel like something less run of the mill - something that gives me a little glow of pride. Must be a time-of-life-related thing. (Hence the wailing about the used bike market.) I'm living solely on my income each month with no fat bank accounts abroad to dip into so that's a problem . . . I've got just 50,000 cash put to one side at the moment.

My ideal would be a nice plain Steed. But I can't afford that. Phantoms look like crud; all plasticky and with that toytown-made-in-India tank logo from the 60s and ditto tank speedo and that sad chrome rocker cover that looks like it's been cannibalised from kitchen equipment. BUT the Phantom Fire looks a lot less toytown, all black and with a pleasing tank. They are hard to find but there's one I'm after in Lamai - going to look at it tomorrow.

So if you know of anyone with a Steed (or even a little Virago)who would take 50,000B down and 10,000B month . . .

Cheers!!

Rob

as in it looks like this!

[PoorSucker]

as in it looks like this!

Don't do it.

The Fire edition has half of the components made in China.

The old ones are better quality.

I have had a old (phantom custom) and a new black one.

I got lucky to sell the fire edition....

[robsamui]

as in it looks like this!

Don't do it.

The Fire edition has half of the components made in China.

The old ones are better quality.

I have had a old (phantom custom) and a new black one.

I got lucky to sell the fire edition....

Depends on what components, I suppose. Anyway, given a choice between a waggonload of Thais making something and a shedful of Chinese, my instincts would dispose me towards the orientals . . . (isn't the iPhone4 made in China??)

R

Edited April 30, 2011 by robsamui

[NHJ]

Thanks for the info - I'll take a look.

But 30,000 is silly money for a Click: they are selling them in Big C new for 33,000B!

OOOOPPPSSS! Sorry - not the Click - it's the Wave - apologies

R

edited due to brain damage

bikes at bigc are second hand with new plastic and changed mileage.

[robsamui]

Thanks for the info - I'll take a look.

But 30,000 is silly money for a Click: they are selling them in Big C new for 33,000B!

OOOOPPPSSS! Sorry - not the Click - it's the Wave - apologies

R

edited due to brain damage

bikes at bigc are second hand with new plastic and changed mileage.

Really? How do you know??

R

[H2oDunc]

Changing the mileage on both cars and bikes these days is very hard, though not impossible, to do. As the odometers are mostly digital these days even changing the clocks will still give you the same mileage. My friend did just this and was amazed that the mileage came on as exactly the same

People also tend to hark back to the days when an engine was finished when it was nearing the 100,000 miles. These days with the advances in alloys, metals, fuels and lubricants engines are still perfectly sound even after 500,000 miles.

Rob I have a nice sexy Italian number looking for a new ride if you can manage a clutch

There is also a second hand shop on the right at the end of the one way in Nathon. The missus got her Nouvo from there. As new and very low mileage. Most of them come from BKK. There is also a place in the Big C shopping mall as you come down the escalator in front of you.

[Rooo]

Just past Bophut lights, heading to Maenam , on your left. Large bike shop, many repossessions.

[BigC]

u might like to check th classified ads. would help if u had a thai friend that could banter with u. sometimes u might want to venture out a bit to get a good deal.

like u seaid brand bew is about 30 k for some bikes in nakornsri thanomart it is even cheaper.

To be honest though. i don't know yr finacial situation but simetimes it is just easier and less cost effenciant in the long run to buy a brand new one. .

i would not have been in a crash before.

the immergration can make u a paper that u give to the bike company so u can register it in your name. then u r free to ride around

some old the old bikes worth 10 or 11 k have either been bought and sold about 2o times without changing the registration over or there are serious porblems for example i bought 1 for 10 k and the forks were bent and other stuff would have cost me about 15 to fixx it so some how i managed to get my money back.

if u r here long term then if for example u were to buy a bike for 50 k that is about 4 k a month for 1 year.

or 2 k a month for 2 years. cheaper thsan renting plus u can sell in that time with all the paper work.

i have been put off so many deal because of in correct paper work.

also registering the bike in samui would help if u want to sell in samui.

before i nearly bought a second hand car but i would have had to do the transfer in nakorseri thammorat . so could not be bothered.

i would like to know if there are any scrap yards in samui or in suratthani n gernal for things like car seats and wing mirrors.

i might open 1 . if i could be bothered.

they propbably rarther fix the car so it can drive about 1000 kms and sell it for about 500 k than scrap them but whatever

[NHJ]

Really? How do you know??

R

everybody knows it, i also know the sale attendant there, be carefull books are often no there might take 6 month and more to get it, same can be applied to the honda dealer after the traffic light in bophut.

one of my friend went to complain to the plice after 6 months waiting to get the book.

if you buy a second hand motorbike ask to see the book, if the book is not there and ready with paper to transfer owner ship don't buy it.

at honda dealer mileage is also changed, you can find a post in the samui forum about a guy that brought his bike to maintain and got out with 4k on the teller

[steelerian]

Just past Bophut lights, heading to Maenam , on your left. Large bike shop, many repossessions.

They have a good selection of 2nd hand bikes in there, at the back right corner.

They are not cheap though. eg a 2 year old AirBlade with 10k on clock for 40k (should be about 33k-35k IMO)

[robsamui]

A BIG thank you to all who helped me here.

(I almost bought a bike unseen from Chiang Mai - only 2,000B to send it to Samui by rail/ferry!)

But I have now found what looks like a goodie.

Nouvo, 5 years old, 28K on clock, just a bit scuffed but not dropped or scraped, for 19,000B. It's in Khun Nong's bike shed tomorrow for oil changes and checks.

Thanks for all your input.

Rob

ps - in the process I found a way to get floating green books tied to Surat.

Edited May 18, 2011 by robsamui