Hi guys I was hoping to get some input on where to buy a good motor in CM.

There are always some in the classified bike section

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/forum/148-bikes-for-sale-in-thailand/

Also Baht & Sold set to Chiang Mai & Motorcycles

http://www.bahtsold.com/en/quicksearch?co=Thailand-1&c=1010&ca=9&pr=NULL&submit=

Lastly they have some kind of auction monthly ( I think ) in the back of Big C Extra ( formerly Carrefour)

There is a huge s/h motorcycle market at Meechoke Plaza every Saturday+Sunday ,but they are mostly over priced from what i could see.

Why not try the dealers themselves such as Nihom/ Saha Panich Toyota? Both have a good selection of serviced 2nd-hand/reclaimed bikes.Ask to check the bike's computer maintenance record, if originally purchased there. Ask to check their pre-sales check list. Then at least you know the bike's engine oil has been changed, unlike so many bikes whose owners have probably never done so. Run your fingers along the oil dipstick to check for grit. Personally check brake pads,tire wear, brake fluid for bubbles...etc. Turn over the engine, then insist on a test drive. if the seller rides pillion, that's fine, as you can get a handle on its pulling power.Also, try asking a m/c mechanic there, on their lunch break if s/he knows of a good deal.Costs may appear high at a local dealer's; but, the motorcycle 'market'/ notice board prices are usually much higher. Compare prices of any m/c being sold by our compatriots, including/especially those on church ad sites; these are usually not realistic.Teacher notice boards often offer up second-hand/used items for sale.You may also wish to check the weekend market past Sanpatong on the RHS of the main highway heading south. It's a large expanse of land at the highway's edge with numerous open-sided long wooden sheds. Can't miss it. Mind you, probably a long way to go when you can readily get shafted closer to CMai.Just before any deal is almost closed, ask for a discount. If none offered - walk. You'll need it to possibly buy a new battery, inner tubes, and/or brake discs.BTW once you have a m/c, and for those with a m/c; always ask the mechanic to use an air pressure wand fitted with a wrap-around rag to seal the filler opening, to blow out the remnants of used warm oil to remove the metal dust sludge seated at the bottom of the tank. Otherwise adding new oil to remnants of the oil sludge is counter-productive. I always hover nearby to ensure this is done.Failure to regularly change oil and replacing the filter is anecdotally a main reason occasioning the sale in the first instance - think new pistons. Then again, unbeknown to the seller and to the buyer's advantage, simply renewing the spark plug may breath new life into a m/c.In the end, you may decide it's false economy to go 2nd-hand, and best to purchase new. Caveat emptor...

Edited June 30, 201214 yr by tango

Don't bother with any checks suggested by the previous poster, waste of time.

The scooter style bikes all work well and last forever no matter what the abuse.

Repairs are very cheap.

Airblade or Click 4-5 years old around 25k

New Click 50k

Older ...... 4-10k

If you're the sort of person obsessed by servicing history ....... buy a new one.

Edited June 30, 201214 yr by TommoPhysicist

Why not try the dealers themselves such as Nihom/ Saha Panich Toyota? Both have a good selection of serviced 2nd-hand/reclaimed bikes......

.In the end, you may decide it's false economy to go 2nd-hand, and best to purchase new. Caveat emptor...

I looked at 2nd hand a bit but prices for what you got was not much less than new. ( apples to apples compare I mean )

Yes of course a much older bike did show a discount but in the end I did buy new from Niyom Panich Chiang Mai

They actually have slightly better prices ( for cash ) on the new bikes than any major Honda dealers I went to + they have stock.

Check here Google maps 18.779983,98.988229 There is a Chinese guy there who has a lot of bikes, they range from about 15,000 to 30,000 baht. He's got a fairly good rep.

http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&q=18.779983,98.988229&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x30da30757839ca67:0x130346c5cf388670,%2B18%C2%B0+46%27+48.92%22,+%2B98%C2%B0+59%27+17.38%22&sa=X&ei=Lq7uT4DTF4LxrQfig-i9DQ&ved=0CAkQ8gEwAA

Edited June 30, 201214 yr by DowntownAl

There is a huge s/h motorcycle market at Meechoke Plaza every Saturday+Sunday ,but they are mostly over priced from what i could see.

Actually it's at Ruam Chok market. Mee Chok is where Rim Ping, McDonalds, etc are located. Ruam Chok is right next door if you're heading towards Mae Jo University. We got a good used motorbike there.

>> We got a good used motorbike there.<<

• 
  Thanks for the correction .
  

Did they discount or did you have to pay the asking Price ?

The next auction is on 24 Aug at 1100 Big C extra ( old carrefour) Cars too on 22 and 24

Check here Google maps 18.779983,98.988229 There is a Chinese guy there who has a lot of bikes, they range from about 15,000 to 30,000 baht. He's got a fairly good rep.

http://maps.google.c...ved=0CAkQ8gEwAA

known two people to buy utter beat bikes from him and he offers and exchange, but low and behold the only exchanges he has at the moment at all a bit more expensive, despite there being multiple bikes at the original price point. Furthermore the bikes they got the second time were still not 100%.

My mechanic work on the far end of Nataram at the front of the temple, he has never suggested me to go look at this guy's bikes when I wanted something new...

I picked up a Honda nice for 9000. Jumped on a Yellow truck at 5am on Saturday and rode out to San Patong for 20B to "Gat Hua" (probably mispronouncing it). THey had tons of bikes from 2000-100,000. The guy wanted 13,000 for the bike so I walked away, tucked all my money away except for 9,000 and told him I only had 9,000. He took it, he wasn't estatic, but he took it. Then I rode the bike back into town where the next day I proceeded to strip it down for parts and from what I saw, it was a good, clean bike.

ask around a few bars farangs maybe be leaving and need to sell the bike quick

I picked up a Honda nice for 9000. Jumped on a Yellow truck at 5am on Saturday and rode out to San Patong for 20B to "Gat Hua" (probably mispronouncing it). THey had tons of bikes from 2000-100,000. The guy wanted 13,000 for the bike so I walked away, tucked all my money away except for 9,000 and told him I only had 9,000. He took it, he wasn't estatic, but he took it. Then I rode the bike back into town where the next day I proceeded to strip it down for parts and from what I saw, it was a good, clean bike.

More likely to be 'Gat Wua' as translated it means Buffalo (Cow) Market