Best Bike For A Youngster To Learn On

[wana]

one of the teachers in gf school school wants to get a brand new kawasaki KLX or d-tracker 250cc in a few days when his work permit comes through (doesnt want a scooter ) but hes never ridden any motorbike before , he asked me to drive it back from the showroom for him so he can practice in the car park for a few hours before using it on the bangkok roads

it all sounds a bit crazy to me but i told him he could save about 70,000 by starting with on a cbr 150cc or even save 50,000 thb and start on a cbr 250 but its not my decison

is a d-tracker a good learners bike ? or would anyone recommend something else ?even a ninja 250 is 4000 thb cheaper but he doesnt liike that either

[guzzi850m2]

I would say than any bike below 500 cc and 50 hp is a beginners bike, so why not.

He will off course have to show restraint and not twist the throttle all the way but take it easy in the beginning.

He is hopefully not driving in BKK, that a bit of a mouthful to start on.

I assume he have a bike driver license? If not he should get that before going anywhere, driving in Thailand without one is not very smart.

[guzzi850m2]

Ups I just saw in the OP that he actually is located in BKK, well then a D-Tracker or KLX are good choices, high riding position = good view of your surroundings when sitting/riding in traffic. They can also turn direction fast at relatively low speeds.

Remember to get that license first and wear a full face helmet + armored mesh jacket, gloves & boots

Edited August 17, 2011 by guzzi850m2

[andrew55]

All of the bikes you mention are fine learner bikes but not for inside BKK. A non-rider would be crazy to learn in BKK anyway! Talk him out of it. At least do a bloody course. Go to a social track day and learn from good riders.

He'd be so much wiser to buy a cheap little manual with a clutch. I'd also suggest having foot-pegs as opposed to a platform style scooter. This way he'll be developing the skills to 'progress' to a bigger and less suitable machine in the future. Small bikes are so much easier in BKK.

Sounds like he's gunna go the D-tracker anyway. If he's really never ridden he'd be well advised to visit a temple and let some fish go 'for lucky'. Hope he understands the importance of having the bike properly blessed - this is all that stands between life and death riding in the big Bangkok carpark.

I have a 135 in BKK - so easy, a naked 400 in N.Thailand and a Trophy 1200 (a full fairing tourer) in Oz. I learnt almost 40 years ago on a Gemini 50 with 4 gears and a clutch. My point is horses for courses

Of the bikes you mention the D-tracker might be the best choice. At least the rider is sitting up high and they're a bike you can 'steer' - The sportier styles like wieght shift and power adjustment through corners. He doesn't need that.

Wish him luck and have him check his insurance.

[Hili]

I would say than any bike below 500 cc and 50 hp is a beginners bike, so why not.

He will off course have to show restraint and not twist the throttle all the way but take it easy in the beginning.

He is hopefully not driving in BKK, that a bit of a mouthful to start on.

I assume he have a bike driver license? If not he should get that before going anywhere, driving in Thailand without one is not very smart.

I would say your statement would count for any country with civilized traffic. But i wouldn't recommend that in BKK where every little mistake could be your last and if you never ridden a bike before there will be for sure many little mistakes! First to get used to the traffic and its craziness get an auto scooter; when this is feeling comfortable move on to a clutched bike.

My history: Airblade -> CBR 150 -> CBR 250 -> ER6N

[JonnyF]

Assuming he's not too short, the KLX250 or D-tracker is a good choice. They're not very quick and the power is down low so being in the wrong gear will be quite forgiving.

I wouldn't suggest learning in BKK though. To ride in Bangkok you need first to understand how the traffic flow works, and secondly, riding the bike needs to be second nature - otherwise you'll be in trouble. You don't want to be trying to remember which hand is the clutch and which hand is the front brake at the same time that a bike is heading towards you on the wrong side of the road and a taxi is cutting in front of you to get a fare.

[KRS1]

There's a few million Thais that have learned to ride in BKK, if they can do it your friend can do it. If your friend is shorter than 5'-6" the D-tracker will be hard to navigate BKK traffic for a beginner since there's a lot of foot on ground zig zagging involved. He'll probably lay it over 3 times the first month and get chased down by a pick up when he smacks someones mirror with his handlebars....my suggestion is too run, it'll develop his riding skills.

[wana]

first thing i suggested was an auto elegance 135 because i drive these myself and i cant recommend them highly enough for heavy city traffic jams ,i am nearly always beating big bikes through the gridlocked traffic because theyre either to wide or the riders are not quick enough with their gear changes and the 135cc engine sounds like nothing but it can get me up to 120+kmph on the express way if i do get a chance to floor it

of course big bikes will blast in front of me if theres an open stretch but more often than not i catch them at the next set of lights or even see them stuck behind a bus and the footpath choking on diesel fumes and i can just squeeze through that gap where they cant so theres nothing that would convince me a "big bike " is better to negeotiate bkk traffic jams

sometimes i even wish the elegance was a bit thinner when i see some thai kid squeezing through a gap thats just 1-2" too narrow for the elegance ( he would be normaly be driving a honda wave, usually with mirrors removed because who needs those silly things anyway?

of course ,when i go to chonburi or another city i take the car or a bigger bike but its horses for courses and i think the the 135 is perfect for BKK

[KRS1]

The old cbr 150 can squeeze through tighter spaces than all autoscooters do to narrower profile and collapsible mirrors. Cant zig zag as fast though.

[RED21]

A Sonic or a Nova?

[Shocktreatment]

I would say than any bike below 500 cc and 50 hp is a beginners bike, so why not.

He will off course have to show restraint and not twist the throttle all the way but take it easy in the beginning.

He is hopefully not driving in BKK, that a bit of a mouthful to start on.

I assume he have a bike driver license? If not he should get that before going anywhere, driving in Thailand without one is not very smart.

I would say your statement would count for any country with civilized traffic. But i wouldn't recommend that in BKK where every little mistake could be your last and if you never ridden a bike before there will be for sure many little mistakes! First to get used to the traffic and its craziness get an auto scooter; when this is feeling comfortable move on to a clutched bike.

My history: Airblade -> CBR 150 -> CBR 250 -> ER6N

It will not matter what size bike he is on if he doesnt know how to drive or ride in Thailand traffic he will be road kill. The cc of the bike will have nothing to do with it, any of the cheap light 250 or 600 Thai bikes on the market are fine to learn on. It wont be if he falls off but more when.

Edited August 17, 2011 by Shocktreatment

[wana]

There's a few million Thais that have learned to ride in BKK, if they can do it your friend can do it. If your friend is shorter than 5'-6" the D-tracker will be hard to navigate BKK traffic for a beginner since there's a lot of foot on ground zig zagging involved. He'll probably lay it over 3 times the first month and get chased down by a pick up when he smacks someones mirror with his handlebars....my suggestion is too run, it'll develop his riding skills.

hes a young guy ,not too heavy but about 6 or 6'1" tall so maybe the KLX would be a better fit than the CBR 250

wel find out in a few days anyway

theres no way hes going to ready for bangkok rush hour after practicing for an hour in the car park though

[JeffreyMcCollum]

Having ridden for years. I always like to have someone start small and in a safe area.

Having driven more place in the world than most people, I think BKK is not the safest place to learn.

Sonic or CBR 150 is a good place out in the country side Really even the scooters and get to know and understand traffic for 6 months or a year first.

However, as bikes go, and I have several, including the CBR as well as the DTracker and 250 Ninja, Though a better bike could be chosen, it has an easy power band and with the limiter on it that have in Thailand, it does not bite much

Be safe, drive smart, use safety gear !

No one else will look out for you so you must look out for yourself

[katabeachbum]

dtracker 250 is a great beginners bike

the upright seating position makes it much better as beginner bike than the 250 "sports"

spend some time on braking and handling before appoaching public roads

keep it restricted for a while

[thaicbr]

ummm if he hasn't ridden a bike with a clutch before why not sign up for the Honda riding school. Its a weekend's worth of training and it gets you the Thai bike licence. All done in safety away from the traffic in a purpose built training centre.

http://www.aphonda.co.th/hondasafety/

My GF did the basic course before i got her a scooter. it was adequate training and certainly better than on the road training.

If you talk to Brian at Sumet cycle he may be able to give you additional info.. Off course he would prefer that you buy a Honda

Edited August 17, 2011 by thaicbr

[wana]

the honda course sounds like a great way to get started on two wheels without being run over by a pick up

is it on every weekend or just once as monthly or something ? and would they let you do the course on a kawasaki or can u rent a bike from them ?

how much does it cost for the weekend ?

sorry for the questions but for some reason that site doesnt display properly on my computer but the wifi here is patchy at the best of times

[thaicbr]

the ap honda site will not open properly if you use Firefox.. best use IE

[Gonsalviz]

I would say than any bike below 500 cc and 50 hp is a beginners bike, so why not.

He will off course have to show restraint and not twist the throttle all the way but take it easy in the beginning.

He is hopefully not driving in BKK, that a bit of a mouthful to start on.

I assume he have a bike driver license? If not he should get that before going anywhere, driving in Thailand without one is not very smart.

Even 50 HP is a pretty powerful bike for a beginner. CC's means nothing. A 250 cc 2 stroke will leave a newbie in the dirt when it hits its power band.

[ttakata]

I agree with most of you guys, I have a DTracker 250 which may be best for BKK, especially if you chop the bars 50mm and get scooter mirrors on it.

Still for a beginner, I'd recommend a Nouvo 135 also.

I never ride my 250 in BKK, it simply can't split traffic as easily as a scooter can.

If he wants to shift, a Yamaha Spark 135 or CZ-1 would be good choices, but I feel a beginner in BKK should concentrate avoiding BKK traffic instead of shifting.

I've had 3 low speed crashes on my Nouvo (must replace the OEM tires) 4000kms and it's easy to pick up.

I've dumped my DTX250 many times in the woods and at 130+ kilos, picking that up gets old real quick.

[nikster]

I'd recommend a Scoopy or Wave until he's used to the BKK traffic - a month or 2 - before going on a D-Tracker. I'd also recommend a bike with ABS, which currently means the Honda CBR250 ABS. The D-Tracker is a great fun little bike, it was my first big bike, but I learned to ride it in the country and I already had years of experience on a wave so I knew the traffic in Thailand well. Fell over in the first month, too, but wouldn't have had I had ABS... plus IMO the CRB250 is an even better beginner's bike.

Oh yeah and full gear all the time...

[guzzi850m2]

I would say than any bike below 500 cc and 50 hp is a beginners bike, so why not.

He will off course have to show restraint and not twist the throttle all the way but take it easy in the beginning.

He is hopefully not driving in BKK, that a bit of a mouthful to start on.

I assume he have a bike driver license? If not he should get that before going anywhere, driving in Thailand without one is not very smart.

Even 50 HP is a pretty powerful bike for a beginner. CC's means nothing. A 250 cc 2 stroke will leave a newbie in the dirt when it hits its power band.

I agree more or less, the HD Sportster 883 is considered a beginners bike in the US. A pretty weak bike for its engine size (45 hp I think). Is there any 2 stroke bikes on the market expect old used ones? But yes the 2 strokes are nasty (fun) and will easily flop over during acceleration if you don't know what you are doing.

[wana]

I'd recommend a Scoopy or Wave until he's used to the BKK traffic - a month or 2 - before going on a D-Tracker. I'd also recommend a bike with ABS, which currently means the Honda CBR250 ABS. The D-Tracker is a great fun little bike, it was my first big bike, but I learned to ride it in the country and I already had years of experience on a wave so I knew the traffic in Thailand well. Fell over in the first month, too, but wouldn't have had I had ABS... plus IMO the CRB250 is an even better beginner's bike.

Oh yeah and full gear all the time...

the cbr is around 115,000- 120,000 with ABS so thats a good contender also as its inside the price range and not insanely powerful

i wil tell him to do the weekend safety course at that honda place first ,anyone remember how expensive it is ?

[chunkylover53]

How about the D-Tracker 125? If he wants that style it's perfect, just underpowered.

[Skinlog]

I'd like also to go for honda driving center. how many days past training.what is the price?and do they give the DL there?thanks in advance

[wana]

How about the D-Tracker 125? If he wants that style it's perfect, just underpowered.

would it not be too small for 6"1 guy ? ive seen little kawasakis 110cc and 125cc motards in the car parks and some of them look like kids toys to me

[wana]

I'd like also to go for honda driving center. how many days past training.what is the price?and do they give the DL there?thanks in advance

i just called them and from what i could make out it costs 2000 thb to do it on one of their CBR'S (choice of a 150cc or 250cc for same price )

the course takes 4 x mondays to complete

if theres a weekend course they didnt mention it to me

Honda Safety Course Centre

ศูนย์ฝึกขับขี่ปลอดภัยฮอนด้า กรุงเทพฯ

1289 ถ.รามคำแหง แขวงหัวหมาก เขตบางกะปิ กรุงเทพฯ

Tel 02 7353999 , 02 7353458

Fax 02 7353933

รถยนต์ Tel 02 5402444 ต่อ 101 , 141

Edited August 18, 2011 by wana

[thaicbr]

I'd like also to go for honda driving center. how many days past training.what is the price?and do they give the DL there?thanks in advance

i just called them and from what i could make out it costs 2000 thb to do it on one of their CBR'S (choice of a 150cc or 250cc for same price )

the course takes 4 x mondays to complete

if theres a weekend course they didnt mention it to me

Honda Safety Course Centre

ศูนย์ฝึกขับขี่ปลอดภัยฮอนด้า กรุงเทพฯ

1289 ถ.รามคำแหง แขวงหัวหมาก เขตบางกะปิ กรุงเทพฯ

Tel 02 7353999 , 02 7353458

Fax 02 7353933

รถยนต์ Tel 02 5402444 ต่อ 101 , 141

They have 2 places one near Bang Na and one on Ramkangpheng. Different schedule at each.

[wana]

got a thai friend to call them and aparently there is more courses available than they initialy told me about

theres a course to drive 110 cc waves,unlease that power baby ..

theres a 150 cbr course

a 250 cbr course

and a 250-750cc course

some of which are on on weekends saturday/sunday etc and others on on mondays from what we could figure out

also some cost 1500 and others 2000 thb

jeans and sports shoes required /no shorts , speedos or flip flops

if u have a helmet and jacket ,wear it ! ,if not they can borrow u one

[SumetCycle]

I'd like also to go for honda driving center. how many days past training.what is the price?and do they give the DL there?thanks in advance

i just called them and from what i could make out it costs 2000 thb to do it on one of their CBR'S (choice of a 150cc or 250cc for same price )

the course takes 4 x mondays to complete

if theres a weekend course they didnt mention it to me

Honda Safety Course Centre

ศูนย์ฝึกขับขี่ปลอดภัยฮอนด้า กรุงเทพฯ

1289 ถ.รามคำแหง แขวงหัวหมาก เขตบางกะปิ กรุงเทพฯ

Tel 02 7353999 , 02 7353458

Fax 02 7353933

รถยนต์ Tel 02 5402444 ต่อ 101 , 141

There are weekend courses available, but they are usually reserved for customers of Honda Dealers. There are 4 levels, and each one takes a day to complete. If you would like to participate, it is best to speak with your local Honda dealer about it. We recently did level 1 with over 50 of our customers. If we do another one in the future, I'll be sure to let you guys know. Thanks.

Brian

[Tibo27]

I was looking for info about that HOnda driving school for my gf. Do they speak english ?

I went there already (not for a course) and they have a very nice range of bike you can choose from, all in great condition.

2,000thb is per day or for the 4 days course ?

Thanks in advance for the infos

Tibo