Wave Mods - Suggestions For Parts Please! (Chiangmai)

[wjmark]

Would like to find some better (longer) forks, bigger shocks, longer swing-arm (maybe), better wheels and rims...

Are there any brands or companies that are cheap enough, but better quality?

Thanks, Mark

[JeffreyMcCollum]

Not sure about the longer forks, do you want to make a chopper wave ?

But evveryting else is easy. You say your in CM most bike shops have huge selections.

Along canal road is dozens of shops that only do mod work

From the old city towards the river are another slew of bikes shops, 1 does Engine mods. Want a 177cc wave ?

Good shocks 1000 +

Decent larger tires 800+ each

Rims 1000 +

Just leave your computer for a minite and go for a ride and look out side

[wjmark]

Thanks for the advice. A little snide, but thanks!

Please note that I was asking about manufacturer's parts and what is recommended. The prices sound about right - I'd even go a little higher for decent parts..

I actually want to make it more 'dual-purpose', not a chopper. More like a Wave-Tracker. Maybe even put in a support-bar across the step-through.

Springs - YSS. Tires - VEE. But are there good companies for forks? Rims? Are there good lite-weight rims?

---

Is there a shop THAT YOU RECOMMEND that knows about these parts, and does good work?

I certainly know about little bike shops - a lot of them do really crappy work. So do a lot of bigger shops. Happened too many times. I don't really want to venture into some butcher-shop and fk up my bike.

So your suggestion of getting away from my computer "and go for a ride and look out side" really doesn't help.

Are you recommending I just take a chance?

Or Is there a shop on Canal rd that is particularly decent?

thanks, Mark

Edited November 24, 2012 by wjmark

[VocalNeal]

You can buy a "dual-purpose" Wave. At least I have seen them in Pattaya. Maybe someone else can pitch in. They also have a frame brace.

I modded a Wave but not for "off-road". As the bike is quite simple it is good fun. Build yourself a small platform for working on the bike. I used the TV cabinet in my company house Make the work much easier.

Aluminium swing-arms are available but never seen a "longer" one. Up-side down forks but never seen any long travel "off-road" ones. Alloy rims are available but not branded, Oil cooler, wavy disc, over bore kits , cam, big valve heads, larger carburetor, it is all out there.

Now for snide. All this crap about what brand, what we recommend, etc is nonsense. The parts are made locally for Waves, this is not a European BMW or KTM we are talking about. I think the only part on my bike that had manufacturers name was Endurance on the muffler. Of course you are going to take a chance, we all did that when we came to Asia . For instance I bought two camshafts one was a regrind for 900 baht, one was a new billet for 1200. Both claimed to be "racing" I use the new one in the end and gave the reground one to a co-worker. None of the stuff is really expensive so the risk is minimal.

Jeffrey is correct get off your *** and visit every bike shop in Chiang Mai, talk to the people there it doesn't matter what language you use as you will be talking "motorcycle". That is the only way you will learn what is out there and you might find something you don't even know you want! If you have money to spend they will listen. I used to know every motor bike shop in Rayong where I bought most of my parts. One guy even tried to dissuade me from buying the upside down forks as he said they were too firm for a farang! Also don't forget night markets if there is one in Chiang Mai. All sorts of bits and pieces there.

Does this help, probably not. The only way forward is for you to help yourself. You will find the right shop and they will have most of what you need.

Edited November 24, 2012 by VocalNeal

[mania]

One item that I would jump on is a rear disc kit/wheel if available.

Anyone ever see one?

Thanks

[VocalNeal]

One item that I would jump on is a rear disc kit/wheel if available.

Anyone ever see one?

Thanks

Popular in the Philippines so would think also here. If in BKK Saphan Kuay is right place.

[thaicbr]

Tiger did/do a ready built bike.39500b

http://www.tigermotor.co.th/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=46:cx135&catid=36:motorcycle&Itemid=164

[mania]

One item that I would jump on is a rear disc kit/wheel if available.

Anyone ever see one?

Thanks

Popular in the Philippines so would think also here. If in BKK Saphan Kuay is right place.

In CM but good to know it may be available.

If I had known about the Suzuki Axelo 125 ..I may have given it a look when

getting my wife the wave

Looks like a good scoot too with the dual disc brakes & 125FI

[Turkleton]

One item that I would jump on is a rear disc kit/wheel if available.

Anyone ever see one?

Thanks

I asked around a while ago, but every shop told me, there are no "complete kits" like this one

available.

Seems, they usually tinker it together with a mix of new and 2nd hand parts.

Edited November 24, 2012 by Turkleton

[wjmark]

I've been meaning to post these photos for a while...

Last November, after trying three different independent shops who really just dicked me around for a week ("No problem come at 3:00. We have parts..." "Oh sorry come tomorrow" "Oh cannot get - try somewhere else" - etc), I went to the Honda dealership on the way to the bus station - I know they have a large selection of tires.

Took them about two hours - longer shocks, smaller rear rim, and new tires. With new brakes it was 3200bt.

Never found anybody to do longer front forks.

First thing I did was go up to Doi Pui and down the back to Huay Thong Tao. Wet, slippery and a little muddy going down, the front tire didn't slip once!

Through December probably put on 250km on hill trails - mostly off the Samoeung rd. Great fun - handles like a chair!

Not so bad actually, and can really climb everything. Not bad for a bike with 60,000km already on it! (I bought it with 19,000km)

Haven't tried any jumps - and won't!

Not enough torque to do donuts (unless I 'pop' the clutch - which I won't!).

So there it is - happy with my bike!

M

--

ps - People were down on me for not going out and finding a shop on my own. Well, I did that and just wasted time. The shop at Canal and Suthep kept me hanging for 2 days, and then he asked his wife and she just waved her hand go away. Nice

The big guy who apparently does a lot of dirt-bikes on ChiangMoi literally didn't even look up. I stood there for ten minutes (I don't know him - first time there), and then asked him about forks for a Wave - he didn't even answer. Just looked away. The woman there just waved her hand go away. Nice

I went to a little shop behind Huay Keow rd that had done decent tuneups for me. I showed him a photo of the knobby tire I wanted on the back - he said fine. I came back the next day - a scooter tire with road tread... Nice

Ok - none of it was nice. It was just a pain. That's why I asked here.

I do get out a lot - I have ridden over 80,000km here. Over the years I have been to dozens of shops and had horrible shit happen to my bikes dozens of times.

A well known Big-bike shop changed the bearing in my steering column (CBR150) - and then the bike handled really improperly for months. It took 5 different shops before it was fixed.

The Honda dealer out MaeRim told me to come in the next morning to fix it. I asked if they had the bearing. "YES". I came the next morning, and they said come back at 5:00!! I asked again if they had the bearing. "Yes!". I came back at 3:00 - my whole bike was in pieces, and three guys were standing around it. NO BEARING! "Mai pen rai" They actually said it! Come back in 3 days - they will have the part. I insisted they take the bearing out of another bike - they finally did.

The Honda guys on Huay Keow once rebuilt my piston when it turned out it was just the electronic ignition box was dead (CBR150). They once gave me back my bike with the front brake disconnected.

So I didn't post here asking for help like a lost invalid. I just wanted to know if there was anybody GOOD.

So the advice to visit every bike shop in Chiangmai wasn't really so useful...

[KRS1]

Go down Chang Moi road and you will see a few shops

[wantan]

I've been meaning to post these photos for a while...

Last November, after trying three different independent shops who really just dicked me around for a week ("No problem come at 3:00. We have parts..." "Oh sorry come tomorrow" "Oh cannot get - try somewhere else" - etc), I went to the Honda dealership on the way to the bus station - I know they have a large selection of tires.

Took them about two hours - longer shocks, smaller rear rim, and new tires. With new brakes it was 3200bt.

Nice! One bike for all purposes. Thai style. Sure a lot of fun. I would like to have such toy too

So you changed rear shocks for longer onces and put knobbies on it. Guess with "new brakes" you means new brake pads/shoes.

But why a smaller rear rim? Smaller diameter or width?

EDIT:

OK, after having another look at the photos i guess its a smaller diameter, so that the knobbies have enough space in the rear. Right?

Edited March 10, 2013 by wantan

[wjmark]

Yup! Smaller rear gave me a big tall knobby - just slightly shorter than the original tire actually. The longer shocks also gives a bit more ground clearance. That's why I wanted a slightly longer front forks with more excursion - would be perfect! You see I have a rather big 50/50 tire on the front (2.75) - a little heavy, but really holds well. And with the slightly smaller rear diameter, the acceleration is slightly up (top end dropped about 10-15km/hr)

It's fantastic fun on any sort of urban problem - holes, rocks, taking the shoulder at high speeds. I can just make it over the center divider on Huay Keow without bottoming out - a Thai couple applauded me once as I hopped over and left rush-hour behind...

[loserlazer]

Vjmark, i rode all up north on a rented wave 125 including some hard trails.

I rode with another rented wave on the hills and cliffs of koh samui and koh chang where only quad bikes are running normally.

Wave is one of the best bikes i owned. I can understand why it is the best selling bike of all times.

Do it all bike and saved my life during the floods in Bangkok as it can go like a submarine as well!

And it still runs fine and do the job whatever the assignement is.

With knobbies, it looks just at home.

Wjmark, wish you another 80 k on it. It is a bike that people will continue to ride even after we all die!