Are The New Cbr500's Only Available At Big Wing Centres?

[roly]

Apparently the new CBR500's are only available from the Honda Big Wing centres (e.g. in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, etc) - will the regular Honda dealers e.g. in Hua Hin order one? If not when will they be able to....last time I asked, they said Bangkok only. If that's the case, how can you buy a bike in Bangkok if you're living in HH...is it as simple as taking all the necessary paperwork there to the Big Wing center and just paying up as normal - or do you need a Bangkok address. I mean, the bike will be registered in BKK or can you transfer it?

Just after a CBR500 and a new scooter that's all- the scooter should be ok to buy in HH, but I was hoping to get the 500 locally and just order one and pick it up a week or two later......can't be that hard....

:-)

[roly]

Oh, by HH I meant Hua Hin...

[bramds]

Call them, they speak English.

02-790-3900

[JonnyF]

Only available at Big Wing. Honda clearly doesn't trust it's smaller dealers to service the bikes properly or sell them at the RRP. It's a good thing IMO, too many greedy dealers driving prices up when they're high enough already due to 'big bike' tax (to help pay for discounted small cars).

[taninthai]

i think its terrible marketing only selling a brand new model bike at 3 shops in the whole country,in fairness though they seemed to have got the pattaya and chaing mai shops up and running pretty quick and i believe phuket is next maybe already open,no doubt a few more ares will have big wing shops within a year.

[Almera]

Only available at Big Wing. Honda clearly doesn't trust it's smaller dealers to service the bikes properly or sell them at the RRP.

Such an inside scoop.

I thought it was because product numbers for Thailand was limited and they wanted to use the Made in Thailand range as the poster-boys of their national Big Wing marketing.

Are you saying I'm wrong?

[Almera]

i think its terrible marketing only selling a brand new model bike at 3 shops in the whole country

It is? Aren't they all sold out and have waiting lists?

Sounds like not-so-artificial scarcity to me.

[JonnyF]

Only available at Big Wing. Honda clearly doesn't trust it's smaller dealers to service the bikes properly or sell them at the RRP.

Such an inside scoop.

I thought it was because product numbers for Thailand was limited and they wanted to use the Made in Thailand range as the poster-boys of their national Big Wing marketing.

Are you saying I'm wrong?

Yes, you're wrong.

Why would they use the bottom of the range bikes as the poster boy? That would be like Man Utd having Darren Fletcher on the bill board posters instead of Robin Van Persie. Especially if they have limited numbers of the locally made bikes and can sell them all anyway. Much better to have the cbr1000rr or vfr1200 as the poster boy with the option to buy one of the 500cc bikes if you like the look/feel/image of the 'big bike' scene but don't fancy spending too much.

Honda don't want the greedy corner shops taking more profit on the bikes than they do and ruining their image with shoddy after sales service at the same time. That's why they're controlling the sales and the service ala Kawasaki. Better late than never.

[Almera]

Only available at Big Wing. Honda clearly doesn't trust it's smaller dealers to service the bikes properly or sell them at the RRP.

Such an inside scoop.

I thought it was because product numbers for Thailand was limited and they wanted to use the Made in Thailand range as the poster-boys of their national Big Wing marketing.

Are you saying I'm wrong?

Yes, you're wrong.

Why would they use the bottom of the range bikes as the poster boy?

Err, because they are made in Thailand, are (more) affordable, and are completely new to the entire World....

So you would consider a local made product (the only local one that you're selling), which thus doesn't incur the massive import duties that your other products do, thus is way more affordable, in a nation where patriotism is indoctrinated at birth, and also happens to be the launch of a much anticipated global product that is not available anywhere else in the World, as not being the poster-boy for your business in that locale?

You're not a TEFLer are you?

Despite them not having enough numbers to satisfy the Big Wing demand, of course they're not selling them at local dealers, thus having to train an extra few thousand employes despite there not being the numbers for them to sell any, because they're affraid of dealer profit and 'shoddy after sales service'...

It sounds like you have quite an axe to grind.

that would be like Man Utd having Darren Fletcher on the bill board posters instead of Robin Van Persie.

Absolutely.... if the billboards are in Darren Fletcher's home town...

Never mind lad.

Edited March 19, 2013 by Almera

[Beardog]

They have a showroom settup inat Big C in Pattaya Maybe they will do the same in Hua Hin. As for the bikes they had I was not impressed new technology my ass. Not one with an inline 4 They are so stuck in the 1975 era here.

[dave_boo]

They have a showroom settup inat Big C in Pattaya Maybe they will do the same in Hua Hin. As for the bikes they had I was not impressed new technology my ass. Not one with an inline 4 They are so stuck in the 1975 era here.

Mind listing one Thai made sub-500K bike that comes with more than 2 cylinders?

Before my time 1975 was, but did bikes back then that cost a month's salary come with computerised fuel injection, clean burning exhaust systems that put out nearly 1 hp per 10cc while meeting ever increasing standards, have service intervals measured in the 1000's of km, have frames that didn't pretzel or squirm around like a 5000 baht Pattaya date when ridden well beyond their street roots, did they have discs front and rear (not to mention ABS), etc?

[justcruisin]

They have a showroom settup inat Big C in Pattaya Maybe they will do the same in Hua Hin. As for the bikes they had I was not impressed new technology my ass. Not one with an inline 4 They are so stuck in the 1975 era here.

Buy a bike at Big C? Display only.

Buy one at BKK or CM, they should be able to get the registration in your hometown.

They are selling like hotcakes and for a good reason, having ridden the new CB500X I was very impressed with the overall feel (Power/Handling/Braking) and I can see these outselling all of the Kawa 650 range in time to come.

[dave_boo]

They have a showroom settup inat Big C in Pattaya Maybe they will do the same in Hua Hin. As for the bikes they had I was not impressed new technology my ass. Not one with an inline 4 They are so stuck in the 1975 era here.

Buy a bike at Big C? Display only.

Buy one at BKK or CM, they should be able to get the registration in your hometown.

They are selling like hotcakes and for a good reason, having ridden the new CB500X I was very impressed with the overall feel (Power/Handling/Braking) and I can see these outselling all of the Kawa 650 range in time to come.

And if smart they'll introduce a locally produced 750 line at the same price of the Er-6 line that gets ~66 RWHP in a couple of years that keeps people who are upgrading in the Honda fold.

[JonnyF]

Almera, you sound a lot like a certain forum member who used to spam Honda and got banned

If Thai's wanted locally made products you wouldn't see so many wealthy Thai's driving high end imported bikes and cars. Yes they're patriotic on the surface, but they're not stupid and they recognize that European and Japanese imports are higher quality than locally made ones. That's why the government taxes the imports so highly, otherwise the Thai's would buy more of them and the local market would suffer.

Thai's aren't rushing to buy these 500's because they want to wave the Thai flag, it's because they're cheap. I very much doubt it's even crossed the mind of the locals whether these bikes are available elsewhere. The wealthy Thais will still be buying their high end Ducati's and BMW's. And if the street corner dealers get their hands on a few of these 500's then they'll put the price up for their own short term profit. And yes, the aftermarket service would be at best 'mixed' and out of Honda's control, unlike if they manage it themselves through BigWing. I'm not sure why you find it so hard to accept Honda's logical reasons for managing this properly through BigWing? It's not Honda bashing, I think it's a good idea and long overdue.

PS I'm not an TEFL'er I work for a multinational in Bangkok, but judging by your derogatory comments towards them I'm guessing you are the one with the axe to grind. We're here to discuss bikes, there's plenty of sub forums on TV where you can play out your delusions of grandeur ...

[Almera]

Almera, you sound a lot like a certain forum member who used to spam Honda and got banned.

They ban people from here?

"If Thai's wanted locally made products you wouldn't see so many wealthy Thai's driving high end imported bikes and cars. Yes

they're patriotic on the surface, but they're not stupid and they recognize that European and Japanese imports are higher quality than

locally made ones. "

The CBR500 range is a luxury item to most Thais.

The wealthy will have Ducati's and Beemers any where in the World.

"Thai's aren't rushing to buy these 500's because they want to wave the Thai flag, it's because they're cheap."

Hardly that cheap as they are more expensive than in the US and other markets. And possibly around 2 years salary of the average Thai.

And yes, the aftermarket service would be at best 'mixed' and out of Honda's control,

I remember reading that when the CBR250 was released every Dealership in the country had to have a mechanic specifically trained to work on the bike.

A fair expense for a bike that is going to be sold in huge numbers.

I read somewhere that the CBR500 is limited to something like 600 bikes for the first year, if that is the case and they that most or all are likely to be sold before they get to sit on the showroom floor, why would they go to that expense. Business wise, it makes much more sense to just have to train the staff at the BW stores.

I'm not sure why you find it so hard to accept Honda's logical reasons for managing this properly through

BigWing? It's not Honda bashing, I think it's a good idea and long overdue.

the idea that they're not training thousands of staff to work on a bike that most will never have to work on, because they're afraid of dealership mark-ups and the such are crackpot at best.

Edited March 20, 2013 by Almera

[loserlazer]

as i stated in another thread, honda bigwing bangkok as of now, sold 1200 new 500 series and Chiang Mai and Pattaya bigwing number are not included on this.

So, i do no think so they need to place poster anywhere or do a hard marketing campaign

They go like hot cakes automatically as Thai people and farang alike - rich and poor, i have seen both sides at Honda Bigwing Bangkok - are hungry for an efficient, cheap and easy big bike to have the image of big bike rider.

[loserlazer]

And, it is best to sell them only at Honda Bigwing centers as we all know how inefficient, out of knowledge and careless the local official honda shops. They do not even care about service as for them less service is better as it is waste of time for most of them and they do not earn anything.

On top, all these greedy price gouging makes us all tired over the years even on a honda wave. I am sure they put a 50 k increase if they were selling cbr500 in these shops

Good decision for honda to sell big bikes in Bigwing only. This way, price is fixed, service is the best i have seen in Thailand, mechs trained in Japan, sales people and staff can speak English and mostly good people.

[JonnyF]

And, it is best to sell them only at Honda Bigwing centers as we all know how inefficient, out of knowledge and careless the local official honda shops. They do not even care about service as for them less service is better as it is waste of time for most of them and they do not earn anything.

On top, all these greedy price gouging makes us all tired over the years even on a honda wave. I am sure they put a 50 k increase if they were selling cbr500 in these shops

Good decision for honda to sell big bikes in Bigwing only. This way, price is fixed, service is the best i have seen in Thailand, mechs trained in Japan, sales people and staff can speak English and mostly good people.

Exactly, it's pretty clear why Honda want to sell them only in BigWing (despite Almera's nonsense above) given the price gouging and shoddy workmanship of many (not all!) local Honda dealers. Only today we have a tale over on the Forza thread of a 'local' Honda dealer not being willing/able to change an oil filter on Rickster's new bike. Rickster got there in the end and fair play to him, but why should he have needed to educate them about their own bikes? I don't want an argument with some muppet when I take my bike for a service, I just want them to do what the service manual says.

They can't keep up with demand of these 500's anyway so if they miss a few sales from people who live out in the sticks then I doubt they care too much. If I was buying a Honda I'd much rather buy from somewhere like BigWing with their fixed prices and trained mechanics than haggle over price with Somchai and then trust the servicing to his band of merry helpers.

[Almera]

I'm afraid we'll have to agree to disagree.

The notion that a sold-out big bike is being kept away from small-bike dealerships because the company is 'afraid' of price gouging and aftersales service and not because of the massive costs involved of training thousands of mechanics to work on a bike they will likely never work on or see is, quite frankly, ludicrous.

But hey, if that's what the chip on the shoulder is telling posters, then sure, run with it.

Edited March 20, 2013 by Almera

[wantan]

Imo the reason for not selling the CBR500 at the Honda dealers is simple: There has to be a limitation of what is sold at the dealers and what is sold at Big Wing. Very simple, Honda just don't want to mix it

All these interesting thoughts here are just speculations. And of course the people not living near a Big Wing complain about the situation. And the others mostly like it. Its just as it is, neither good nor bad, neither right nor wrong. We will see what the future brings and if the mechanics at Big Wing can keep the standard. A bit early to draw conclusions imo.

[Almera]

We will see what the future brings and if the mechanics at Big Wing can keep the standard.

I believe that they were trained in Japan, whether that included the 500 range or just the imported products I don't know.

Of course you could train a 3 year old child in Japan and they'd still have the competence of a 3 year old child, so it isn't a massive statement of brilliance.

[Beardog]

They have a showroom settup inat Big C in Pattaya Maybe they will do the same in Hua Hin. As for the bikes they had I was not impressed new technology my ass. Not one with an inline 4 They are so stuck in the 1975 era here.

Mind listing one Thai made sub-500K bike that comes with more than 2 cylinders?

Before my time 1975 was, but did bikes back then that cost a month's salary come with computerised fuel injection, clean burning exhaust systems that put out nearly 1 hp per 10cc while meeting ever increasing standards, have service intervals measured in the 1000's of km, have frames that didn't pretzel or squirm around like a 5000 baht Pattaya date when ridden well beyond their street roots, did they have discs front and rear (not to mention ABS), etc?

Here are the U.S. Inline 4 bikes available in the U.S..

Japan has the Cb400 available 2012 maybe 2013 (I almost bought one so I know

firsthand) Japan most likely will have a wider range of inline fours I let you

check it out if your curious.

The 500 series bike is very unpopular in the U.S. Myself

1976 was the last year I bought CB500 & CB550 inline 4’s(Honda’s)

They are an alright beginners bike but by 1977 I had 750’s

inline 4 & 1980 & up all liter+ bikes . 500 just to small on the

freeways in the U.S. & not too much fun to drive cross country for 3 days.

U.S. would have 500 series but seriously I have not known anyone in the bike

circles to even want such a small ride.

Thailand & other Asian countries here are just to lame

to step up to the plate & match the other western countries in regards to

the inline 4’s. At the least Honda should go back to the NC30 type 4 cylinder

motors. That is why I say they are so 70’s. Not saying the deuces are crap just

saying for a company that is touting technological advances I just don’t see

it. My Bike now is a Kawi 650ER6n & have 2 motors a liter & a 1100 I

may (if the frame will allow it with modifications to make it reinforced)shipped

up here so I can really let the good times roll. Here there just is no choices

V twin or parallel. If Thailand was a western country(which it is not) they

would get killed on sales with the lack of choices.

2013 Kawasaki:

ZX6R , ZX6R Abs,

Ninja ZX10R , Ninja ZX10R Abs , Ninja ZX14R ,Ninja ZX14r abs

2013 Honda:

CBR 600RR , CBR1000RR

2013 Yamaha:

YZF-R6 , FZ6R,FZ8, FZ1, & YZF-R1

Granted this is not a 500cc bike(or actually less than that here) But The U.S. is not into small sport bikes 600 is a small sportbike working towards the liter superbikes. And the new bikes pretty much all either come with option for ABS or stock as ABS now. Not comparing the frame & the supension just the engine & I believe they could do better since Honda controlls the Govn up here in bike world.

And if Honda in the rest of the world can offer inline 600's I fail to see why Honda& Kawasaki can't do the same. Of course they would have to spend money to retool the machinery & actually teach the techs how to work on a 4 cyl. engine.

Edited March 20, 2013 by Beardog

[taninthai]

^
don't know what that post is going on about can't make head nor tail of it ,but you can by nearly any bike you want here there is only one problem they are all seriously overpriced ,the only compensation is cheap fuel ,cheap track days and no big brother watching you so you can actually ride around without worrying that your gonna lose your license.
Oh and of coarse loads of great sunny days so again you can enjoy the bike,sometimes if you really want things you gotta say <Snip!> it and pay the money.
For me I thnlk I would just go the 2 nd hand Market if I wanted a sports 600,750 or litre bike more and more becoming available.

Edited March 21, 2013 by metisdead
: Profanity!

[JonnyF]

I'm afraid we'll have to agree to disagree.

The notion that a sold-out big bike is being kept away from small-bike dealerships because the company is 'afraid' of price gouging and aftersales service and not because of the massive costs involved of training thousands of mechanics to work on a bike they will likely never work on or see is, quite frankly, ludicrous.

But hey, if that's what the chip on the shoulder is telling posters, then sure, run with it.

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink...

Price gouging by the dealers damages Honda's image and makes no extra money for Honda. Honda aren't going to spend money to train thousands of Somchai's little helpers (employed by Somchai, not Honda) who are going to leave next week and get a job at the 711, why would they? Better to sell it from the BigWing centres and keep 100% of the sales profit themselves, maintain the company image, train their own staff and service the bikes themselves to a reasonable standard. Same as Kawasaki do for big bikes in Thailand.

You're clearly not the latest edition of hehehoho, that dude was way smarter than you

[wantan]

Price gouging by the dealers damages Honda's image and makes no extra money for Honda. Honda aren't going to spend money to train thousands of Somchai's little helpers (employed by Somchai, not Honda) who are going to leave next week and get a job at the 711, why would they? Better to sell it from the BigWing centres and keep 100% of the sales profit themselves, maintain the company image, train their own staff and service the bikes themselves to a reasonable standard. Same as Kawasaki do for big bikes in Thailand.

And why not selling the new Forza at Big Wing then? If Honda wanted to start a "campaign against their own dealers" this wouldn't make much sense imo. The CBR500 is a bit more complex to service than a single cylinder. And it has 500cc (or 470?). Thats all imo. But if you want to live in a world of conspiracy theories feel free to do so

Apart from that i also heard some negative things about Kawasaki service. But thats of course offtopic and we shouldn't discuss this here. We all know the problems to get quality service in LOS. Where there is no quality control there rarely is much quality

[JonnyF]

Price gouging by the dealers damages Honda's image and makes no extra money for Honda. Honda aren't going to spend money to train thousands of Somchai's little helpers (employed by Somchai, not Honda) who are going to leave next week and get a job at the 711, why would they? Better to sell it from the BigWing centres and keep 100% of the sales profit themselves, maintain the company image, train their own staff and service the bikes themselves to a reasonable standard. Same as Kawasaki do for big bikes in Thailand.

And why not selling the new Forza at Big Wing then? If Honda wanted to start a "campaign against their own dealers" this wouldn't make much sense imo. The CBR500 is a bit more complex to service than a single cylinder. And it has 500cc (or 470?). Thats all imo. But if you want to live in a world of conspiracy theories feel free to do so ;)Apart from that i also heard some negative things about Kawasaki service. But thats of course offtopic and we shouldn't discuss this here. We all know the problems to get quality service in LOS. Where there is no quality control there rarely is much quality

Going by Rickster's experience today with the non existent oil filter (and subsequent argument) for his new Forza, maybe they should have sold it from BigWing? They have to draw the line somewhere though, maybe they thought the corner shops could handle a scooter. Obviously not...

[Richard-BKK]

The whole deal with the 500cc's has more to do with the Thai government, actual Honda is not stupid, they would love to supply us with endless amounts of 500cc's until the market is flooded.... meaning they will actual make a good provide with selling parts in the long run... a simple strategy Honda has used for ages...

But as the Honda 500cc is not really a 500cc, it is a 471cc, Honda has signed a special agreement with the Thai government that has limited the amount of motorcycles Honda can sell produced in Thailand with limited amount of TAX paid. A thing that Kawasaki can use unlimited as they produce motorcycles bigger than 500cc (a BOI set limit for 2013, in 2014 this limit is expected to fade out).

[Almera]

Honda aren't going to spend money to train thousands of Somchai's little helpers (employed by Somchai, not Honda) who are going to leave next week and get a job at the 711, why would they? Better to sell it from the BigWing centres, maintain the company image, train their own staff and service the bikes themselves. Same as Kawasaki do for big bikes in Thailand.

Well done lad, you're starting to understand.

[JonnyF]

Honda aren't going to spend money to train thousands of Somchai's little helpers (employed by Somchai, not Honda) who are going to leave next week and get a job at the 711, why would they? Better to sell it from the BigWing centres, maintain the company image, train their own staff and service the bikes themselves. Same as Kawasaki do for big bikes in Thailand.

Well done lad, you're starting to understand.

You're a funny dude Almera , replace the bottle of beer with a keyboard and it could be you...

[Almera]

^ Projection as a defense-mechanism..... cool!

As you said,

"Honda aren't going to spend money to train thousands of Somchai's little helpers (employed by Somchai, not Honda) who are going to leave next
week and get a job at the 711, why would they?"

Good to see you come round and see sense mate.