Scooter With The Best Brakes? (Or I Could Diet)..... Lol

[karlos]

To cut a long story short, some prick in a taxi decided it would be a good idea to stop for a customer who was waiting the other side of a hump-back bridge.

My self and a motorcycle taxi had no idea a vehicle had stopped in the middle of a carriage way, after riding to the top of the bridge we both saw what was instore for us and both slammed on our brakes (his a new Nouvo SX, mine a 1 year old Mio 125GTX)

The guy on the SX managed to stop about 1m shy of the taxi's rear bumper, while i had nowhere to go but into the back of his car or into the passenger and child who were about to enter his vehicle. Doing the right thing i decide to hit the back of his car. Now, on the subject of brakes, i reckon with another 2m i would have come to a halt but with my extra KG's (perhaps 35 more than the SX rider) i was never going to stop quicker than him.

Now the question is, what would be the best scooter to purchase with regards to tyre width and brakes out of the showroom floor.

My bike just needs two new headlights and a couple of pieces plastic then she's good to sell.

I should get around 30,000Baht for it, which would be a nice down payment on a click 125i or even the new SX, i'm not a PCX man myself but i do need a bike that the girlfriend can ride and one that has a fair amount of room under the seat.

Answers on a postcard please

Edited September 11, 2012 by karlos

[JonnyF]

I'd have thought the stock tyres, brake pads etc. are going to be pretty average on any scooter off the showroom floor. Have you thought about keeping the Mio and buying top of the line brake pads, calipers, disks and tyres? I'd have thought a one year old Mio with these parts upgraded would be much better stopping than any other brand new scooter with stock parts.

[2008bangkok]

After wondering the same question 3 yrs ago and researching I went with a Nouvo and haven't looked back, plenty of space on the bike and underneath, at 130 kg myself I feel comfortable but can still fit the mrs on the back also.

Hands down the best moped you can buy even better than the PCX I recon

[karlos]

I'd have thought the stock tyres, brake pads etc. are going to be pretty average on any scooter off the showroom floor. Have you thought about keeping the Mio and buying top of the line brake pads, calipers, disks and tyres? I'd have thought a one year old Mio with these parts upgraded would be much better stopping than any other brand new scooter with stock parts.

Good point, but where to buy REAL/good quality brake components’ here in Thailand, without taking a gamble. There are plenty of shops near my home with 800Baht brembo calipers..... :S EBC brake pads 180bhat!! and it get's worse, braided brake lines that burst when you depend on the the most.

My girlfriend is telling to to sell the Mio because it's now 'an unlucky bike' so perhaps a new bike with some upgraded parts would please both her and myself

Any recommendations towards a shop in bangkok with GOOD braking components’ would be highly appreciated, bearing in mind i don't want anything to mental that will lock the front wheel with the slightest of tugs

[karlos]

After wondering the same question 3 yrs ago and researching I went with a Nouvo and haven't looked back, plenty of space on the bike and underneath, at 130 kg myself I feel comfortable but can still fit the mrs on the back also.

Hands down the best moped you can buy even better than the PCX I recon

Thanks for that, i was and always will lean towards the Nouvo SX, but let's not invite gangs of members for a slagging match about the PCX and Nouvo, plenty of them on this forum already!

I wonder when the first scooter in Thailand with ABS will be released, the technology has been around a while now and should filter down to a scoot within 5 years i reckon. With these slippery Thai roads and hamfisted Thai's ABS would be a welcome addition, but would they pay extra to have it??

[JonnyF]

I'd have thought the stock tyres, brake pads etc. are going to be pretty average on any scooter off the showroom floor. Have you thought about keeping the Mio and buying top of the line brake pads, calipers, disks and tyres? I'd have thought a one year old Mio with these parts upgraded would be much better stopping than any other brand new scooter with stock parts.

Good point, but where to buy REAL/good quality brake components’ here in Thailand, without taking a gamble. There are plenty of shops near my home with 800Baht brembo calipers..... :S EBC brake pads 180bhat!! and it get's worse, braided brake lines that burst when you depend on the the most.

My girlfriend is telling to to sell the Mio because it's now 'an unlucky bike' so perhaps a new bike with some upgraded parts would please both her and myself

Any recommendations towards a shop in bangkok with GOOD braking components’ would be highly appreciated, bearing in mind i don't want anything to mental that will lock the front wheel with the slightest of tugs

I don't know of any shops other than the standard places selling the skinny rims for scooters etc. Probably best to avoid those places anyway as you said. I reckon your best bet if you decided to go that route would be to buy one of the magazines dedicated to the guys who race these bikes. These guys are pretty quick so you'd have to assume they're running decent quality brake lines, disks etc.

If the bike's been deemed 'unlucky' now then maybe just get something like a Nouvo and change the tyres to some softish compound Pirellis or similar. The tyres on my Nouvo MX were rock solid, barely showed any signs of wear after 21000 kms but they weren't too sticky...

[KRS1]

id look into a bigger front disc with caliper adapters. ABS?

That reminds me of a guy that showed me his ABS module from a JRD. He showed me how well it worked as he came into the garage and locked up the front tire....LOL

[William Osborne]

ABS on scooter ??? c-mon guys try and learn some bike control here !!

[VocalNeal]

Go to a good bike accessory shop get a slightly larger disc, a caliper/bracket set and some new pads. (have done this on a Wave) If tires are no good you could splurge on some Michelins or Bridgestones After this is done take the bike to the Wat to be blessed. Problem solved.

Depending on circumstances ABS may not have stopped you any quicker. ABS is about control when stopping not necessarily about reducing stopping distance.

[BigBikeBKK]

I wonder when the first scooter in Thailand with ABS will be released, the technology has been around a while now and should filter down to a scoot within 5 years i reckon. With these slippery Thai roads and hamfisted Thai's ABS would be a welcome addition, but would they pay extra to have it??

Already here, CB'r' 250 has ABS option

Watch out for those bridges mate! Ducati sales manager killed himself a couple years ago going over a blind bridge too fast and hitting a parked truck on the other side.

Slow down! Practice line of site riding at all times and ASSUME there will be an obstacle in every blind corner. Sure the taxi was a wanke_r for stopping in a blind spot, but this is Thailand- you have to expect such nonsense.

[wantan]

Slow down! Practice line of site riding at all times and ASSUME there will be an obstacle in every blind corner. Sure the taxi was a wanke_r for stopping in a blind spot, but this is Thailand- you have to expect such nonsense.

I can only agree

ABS is sure a nice thing, but just imagine a combination of hazards. Taxi stopping in blind spot, sand or oil on the street and some potholes to look at. If you are going to fast no skills and no technologies will help you then.

[wantan]

But on the other hand you are expected to go fast on streets in Bangkok. If you don't they'll kick you in the back or push you on the sideway. Maybe an accident now and then should be considered as normal in Thailands city traffic.

A safe scooter would need more than ABS imo. Maybe the C1 wasn't that bad

[mania]

Could you describe your braking technique in this instance?

Did you grab both brakes? Are your brakes linked?

Use any engine braking?

Of course situational awareness 1st &

I realize you had short notice but on the Wave125i we use around town

Anything more than a split second decision & I think none would have problem

stopping on a dime.

It has a good front disc & back drum. If time allows a downshift you have that too.

(another reason I prefer a semi auto over a full auto scooter )

[roban]

which would be a nice down payment on a click 125i or even the new SX

...boring

A Wave (automatic) with a 300 mm front disc, caliper with two, better four piston.

Rear disc brake conversion, wider rims and 100 on the front and 120 on the rear, Dunlops/Brigdestone/or similar, is the way to go

[karlos]

No downshifting required on my automatic Mio125

I grabbed the brakes as hard as i could without the front wheel locking up and grabbed a fist full of rear brake, there was a lot of chirping and squealing but no locked front wheel until the last 2M when i really did realise there was no way out of the situation.

I'd say the bike did pretty well at stopping considering the short braking distance the <deleted> in the taxi offered me.

ABS on a scooter would assist with any skill a rider already has, you try and brake firmly and then hit some sand or oil, you'll have to let off the brakes a little and reapply the force all over again until you find the correct pressure for the given surface, then all over again when you're clear of the slippery section of tarmac. ABS would have sorted this out in a nano second and when braking from 90km/h that 0.5-1second of adjustment could result in 3-5m!

[TommoPhysicist]

Alternatively, you could use a bit of common sense and slow down when you can't see the road ahead of you.

[karlos]

THe taxi driver wanted to flee the scene but i had already taken his keys from the ignition and he wasn't going anywhere until i had at least spoken to my girlfriend. Now i could have got my neighbor who was a police officer to come and force the taxi driver to cough up some money. But this taxi driver really had something to hide, he really wanted to go and was pleading for 'no police' seems he knew he was in the wrong and for the sake of 1500Baht for a couple of headlights and some trim, i thought it wasn't worth pursuing it any further, Especially considering the damage to his car will cost more than my bike repair.

A trip to Yamaha tomorrow will have that fixed.

Edited September 11, 2012 by karlos

[tolsti]

Always drive at a speed that will enable you to stop in the distance in front of you that you can see to be clear.

Drummed into me on a UK Police driving school course of 4 weeks quite a few years ago.

Still valid.

[karlos]

All very well but the taxi driver cut across and brakedhard to collect his passanger. Nowt much i could have done in that situation

[mania]

All very well but the taxi driver cut across and brakedhard to collect his passanger. Nowt much i could have done in that situation

the red trucks here สี่ล้อแดง (see-lor-deng) are famous for darting left or right at the possibility of

picking up a fare.

Anytime I see one left,right or center in front of me I expect the worst & am usually correct

Hey glad your all right! when I first read the post I thought a bump was all but that was some real damage!

Lucky you didn't break a wrist or worse.

Also lucky your forks didn't bend.

Take Care

Edited September 11, 2012 by mania

[karlos]

Quad post!!! :S

Edited September 11, 2012 by karlos

[karlos]

Quad post!!! :S

Edited September 11, 2012 by karlos

[karlos]

Quad post!!! :S

Edited September 11, 2012 by karlos

[karlos]

All very well but the taxi driver cut across and brakedhard to collect his passanger. Nowt much i could have done in that situation

the red trucks here สี่ล้อแดง (see-lor-deng) are famous for darting left or right at the possibility of

picking up a fare.

Anytime I see one left,right or center in front of me I expect the worst & am usually correct

Hey glad your all right! when I first read the post I thought a bump was all but that was some real damage!

Lucky you didn't break a wrist or worse.

Also lucky your forks didn't bend.

Take Care

Lucky really, i was also concerned about the forks, but they look and function just fine

It was the nose of the bike and handle bars that took the brunt of the impact, the wheel just dingged his hollow bumper, i guess i was doing perhaps 15-20kmh by the time i collected the rear end of his car.

I'll strip the bike down tomorrow and check over the forks more thoroughly and the frame too.

I guess it's all the milk i drink, Mr Unbreakable ehhh ......

[mania]

Quad post!!! :S

Uh-oh that hit might have been harder than you thought

[transam]

In farangland, UK, we are/were taught to read the road ahead, ALSO behind, for this taxis drivers learning curve.

But, OP, PCX has good brakes if you have two hands, not on the phone, not holding an umbrella, not holding a dog or baby.

[RED21]

At least you came out relatively unscathed,mate...

[dave_boo]

Better tyres make a huge difference. Also the combi-braking that Honda offers makes for some really good stops. First played with it on the mother in law's Airblade and then on the wife's PCX. Training oneself to grab a big old handful of rear brake applies a decent amount of force to the front but still allows one to modulate from there. I was actually shocked at the difference it made in braking.

[bdw]

i don't want anything to mental that will lock the front wheel

Say WHAT ?!

[glassdude007]

it seems to me you were driving to fast to stop in time and following to close....

yes i know you said taxi just stopped in front of you for a fare...

but

no excuse what if he hit the breaks for a child running out in the rode???

you still would have hit him...you driving to close and to fast...

If the cops or insurance got involved you would be at fault for hitting him for sure..

be careful out there mate...

Edited September 11, 2012 by glassdude007