New Tiger 200 Police Bike

[PeaceBlondie]

Last week in Bangkok, I saw an orange police bike, Tiger, name like "Boxer" running an air-cooled single cylinder engine, big tank, mag wheels, big tires, almost a sport bike, and it seemed to say 200.

Is it available for sale to non-policemen? What's the price, and do you suppose it's even as fast as my trusty Honda CBR150R? And how much less reliable would it be?

[ajahnlau]

Won't be close to your 150. Wouldn't consider a small Tiger based on reviews,so a 200cc single would be way down the list.

[pianoman]

Last week in Bangkok, I saw an orange police bike, Tiger, name like "Boxer" running an air-cooled single cylinder engine, big tank, mag wheels, big tires, almost a sport bike, and it seemed to say 200.

Is it available for sale to non-policemen? What's the price, and do you suppose it's even as fast as my trusty Honda CBR150R? And how much less reliable would it be?

A couple of months ago I was in Khon Kaen and saw a shop that had several "Chopper Style" Platinum Brand bikes that were decked out in Black & White with Police Lights and "Police" in English on the sides... According to the shop owner (based upon his limited English and my very limited Thai) they were trying to sell them to the local Police for use in Khon Kaen... He said that the Platinum brand was Chinesse Parts but assembled in Thailand...

Anyone know anything about this brand???

Pianoman

[Master Chief]

Wow

A Tiger brand hi quality police motercycle

It must be of good quality as the MIB are to purchase those so good looking chooper bikes.

Done by OCC maybe.

A very good choice for all you police purchase officers, catch the offer before it closes.

These police motorbikes whom run 24 hours a day at 365 days must be running safe and on low maintaince cost.

Maybe some other more common brands should be concidered?

(Money to buy milk, tiger milk DUDES)

[apetley]

A couple of months ago I was in Khon Kaen and saw a shop that had several "Chopper Style" Platinum Brand bikes that were decked out in Black & White with Police Lights and "Police" in English on the sides... According to the shop owner (based upon his limited English and my very limited Thai) they were trying to sell them to the local Police for use in Khon Kaen... He said that the Platinum brand was Chinesse Parts but assembled in Thailand...

Anyone know anything about this brand???

Pianoman

In my own humble opinion I would stay way clear of the Platinum marque. I was suckered into checking out a couple in the local dealers. At about 50m's they look ok which is why I strolled over.

Massively overweight, made of pig-iron and some kind of monkey metal which cant be ally surely. Welding looks as though it has been done by a chimp on acid, more splash than Erewan Falls! Chrome? that was already peeling off a brand new bike, less than 2 kilos on the clock. More stickers than a 6 years olds football album. And straight away I was offered more than 10% off the ticket price, I wonder why? You can bet if the locals are not riding them its not worth the investment.

[Khutan]

<snip>do you suppose it's even as fast as my trusty Honda CBR150R?<snip>

Peaceblondie;

I have a few farang friends here in BKK who absolutely rave about the CBR150. Knowing you have one, I might send you a message next time I am in your area to have a little ride, as I am also considering buying one.

I understand the next step up from the CBR15R is what the Thai's call "Superbike" class, the Fireblades, YZF etc or the BMW.

I would have a guess, you have made a very good investment already - A certain amount of Jealousy exists now

[PeaceBlondie]

Thanks, Khutan, but I am sometimes suckered into believing that 'bigger is better.' The CBR150 is the tiniest bike I've ever owned, but my most favoritest now. I keep saying that if they come out with a CBR２００R, or Suzuki brings out a SV200 twin, I'll run down to the dealer with the title book in my hot hands.

The CBR150 looks and acts like a real sportbike, scaled way down.

[Lormaak]

I understand the next step up from the CBR15R is what the Thai's call "Superbike" class, the Fireblades, YZF etc or the BMW.

The CBR 150 is closer to a bicycle than a Fireblade. In terms of performance, you could go up to an NSR 150 (faster cos it's 2-stroke), a CBR 250, a CBR 400, and a CBR 600 before you get to the Fireblade superbike class. And that's just the Honda sports bikes.

The CBR 150s brilliance lies in it's low costs (purchase, maintenance, fuel economy), and the fact that a 5 year old could handle it. It's a great little bike and a good alternative to a scooter, but make no mistake, it's no sports bike.

[PeaceBlondie]

Lormaak, I agree that the CBR150 is not a BIG sports bike. For Thailand, however, it is a sports bike (or as TWO magazine calls it, "baby sports"). Agreed, lots of things between 150cc and 750cc are far better merely because of the power. But once you get past an NSR150 (which hasn't been made new for many years now), you're into a realm of bikes that usually aren't legal in Thailand, aren't supported by licensed dealers, have no traceable owners' history, may be quite outdated technologically, and which nevertheless every Somchai mechanic in Outer Thani can work on blindfolded.....

The dilemna in Thailand is that the only really easily legal bikes are too small, which is why even a Tiger 200 looked momentarily tempting. I've written a book where Suzuki starts selling SV200 and SV222 twin sportbikes in Thailand in November 2006, but it's only fiction.

PS: I have to add that the CBR150 looks like a sportbike, and after riding it on those hundreds of curves from Chiang Mai to Mae Hong Son and back, it handles like a sportbike. Have you bothered to ride one? Of course, if you're over six feet tall or have a 33 inch trouser inseam, it's out of the question, but not every 14 year old can reach the ground on it.

[Skyline]

A friend of mine had a Tiger bike but I forget the model.It was absolutely crap!Noisy,bad build quality and the most unrefined engine ive ever ridden aside from the Chinese Honda Dreams you get in Laos etc.

The CBR150 is a great bike and have been tempted many times to buy a new one,but I cant part with my NSR150,I love the 2T engine and the power it produces compared to the CBR.Gotta love that powerband!

[Lormaak]

Have you bothered to ride one?

Of course. I wouldn't really be in a postion to comment otherwise. I've already said it's a good bike. One of the best made here, certainly the best Honda currently made.

The fact that it's slow and has an upright riding position means it's not very sporty. It looks nice but feels too small, and isn't the most stable of bikes.

The 'baby sports' tag refers to the CBR 125, a learner legal (UK) bike for 17-year-olds and learners (without a full licence). A stop-gap on the way to something bigger. No self-respecting sports bike rider would ride one as a sports bike.

Anyway, the point of my previous point was to highlight the wealth of options between a CBR 150 and a Fireblade. I never said the bikes I mentioned were better (although they are), just that they offer a lot more performance. Try and use that performance in BKK rush-hour traffic though.

Big bikes can easily be had legally here. There are a few pretty decent mechanics around. Owners of big bikes should know how to do quite a bit of maintenance themselves. Riding a big bike is a way of life and most riders will accept the extra costs involved.

[mraitchison]

They way a tonne PB.

Seriously heavy.

Plus they are a Tiger so they are crap anyway

[Lormaak]

Plus they are a Tiger so they are crap anyway

Tiger's best bike is the aptly named 'joker'. And the joke's on you if you ride one.

[OneeyedJohn]

We have a Greenwing franchise here in C rai that has these Platinum another marque something like Magnum can't remember properly, but my friend bought the 150 dirt bike made in thailand from chinese parts and its not perfect ( front supension ) Too soon to say if its a load of crap. The platinum 250 looks great as previously said it has a key fob that starts it up remotely, the salesman scared the shit out of me when I was sitting on it and suddenly it bursts into life.The price is 71000 but where do u go for repairs spare parts etc?

Have not seen one on the road yet.