Buying a big bike in Chiang Mai

[sharktooth]

When I lived in the UK I never had any interest in motorbikes

The last year before I left a newly acquired friend had an R1 and my best mate bought a daytona 675 new!!! (what a bike!!!)

This sowed the seed and now all I think about is bikes (and women)

I bought a click which is a logical step up from a push bike and got bored in 2 months

I'm reading what you are saying so I hope I can find the patience to save

Maybe I could just rent a bike for a day every now and again.

That way I can get my fix and save in the meantime

Ninja 300 is the number 1 choice but If i put 10 away every month it will be 18 months before i get one

That is a lifetime to me

But I am still unsure of my pay come June so maybe It could come sooner

A second hand CBR or ninja 250 I could get very soon

Louis blackbird how much do you want for the cbr?

Are you in Changers?

OK, so you're a relatively new biker. And so I've revised my thoughts.

Kawaskai 650s are often advertised as "starter bikes." They really aren't. I think my bike has 72HP, and at least one or two gobs of torque (not as much as a Ducati, but hey...). Don't get one of those yet.

The Ninja 300 is a relatively new model. You'd probably pay a premium for such. More than you would for the second hand Kawasaki 650 I just told you not to buy.

Your best bet, seems to me, is either a second hand CBR250 or a second hand Ninja 250. Both have less power than I'd want, but hey, I'm an old guy whose been on bikes most of his life. So my personal preferences don't much matter. Both of these 250s are "good enough," but have somewhat different characteristics. I think the Ninja 250 would be better for the highway, while the CBR250 would be better around town (and not good at all on the highways). You should be able to find either bike for under 100,000 Baht, second hand. I think I've seen CBR250s for as little as 70,000, and I last looked a year or two ago. But don't take my word for anything. Read here: http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/9/9134/Motorcycle-Article/Honda-CBR250R-vs-Kawasaki-Ninja-250R.aspx

Another alternative: a Keeway 200.might be worth considering. That's a Taiwanese company that's alleged to make a decent product. Several different models, all for 59,999 Baht or so, new. All using the same, almost 10HP engine. I think max speed is 120KPH, which means your max cruising speed would be around 100KPH. http://www.keewaymotor.com/_d275480822.htm I leave it to you to find a review of these. Search Thaivisa. There are many comments there. I'm not recommending such, per se, mind you. I merely find them an interesting possibility. You can find a Keeway dealer just north of Big-C/HomePro and Index Living Mall, on the frontage road along the highway out that way to the east. Another is in the Big-C shopping center just south of Hang Dong.

I've backed off to recommending the smaller bikes for a couple of reasons. First, they're cheaper. Second, you will splatter yourself sooner or later, and especially riding around Chiang Mai. I say this because you're a new biker, and will be riding around Chiang Mai. It is not the friendliest place to learn about riding bikes with more power than your Click. One slip is all it'll take for a bike to get away from you as you weave between cars and motorbikes, trying to get around the moat. That slip will probably be more dramatic on a bigger bike. So yes... You'll want to buy a full coverage helmet of some kind (because you want to keep your chin). And at least lightweight armored gloves. Lower priced and decent boots can be found at the army surplus stores on the north side of the moat. You'll look at bike porn completely differently while you're waiting 6-12 months for the skin over your kneecaps to rejoin. Trust me on that one. I know.

You won't lose too much money on a second hand CBR250 or Ninja 250, nor even on a Keeway 200, given that they're already bargain priced. But you'll lose some, for sure. Still, you should be able to save enough for any of these in 6-8 months, at 10K per month. Any of those bikes should be able to carry you to Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son, or Nan for a weekend, no problem. And I assume you'll want to upgrade sooner or later, so keep saving so you'll have something to add to whatever you get when it's time to sell the CBR, Ninja, or Keeway (or whatever).

But whatever you get, don't borrow money to get it, and don't put it into a local's name. It should be yours, not theirs. If you really do feel the need to borrow money, then borrow what you can from family back in the UK.

Oh, and don't forget -- you've got a Click you can sell. That should be good for 25-30K Baht, at least. Roughly half of what you'd need for a Keeway.

There is a lot of sense in what you have written. Someone who has limited exposure to motorbikes should tread very carefully as they progress to the bigger bikes. Some of the "small" bikes can be lethal in the unskilled hand. 120kph is 120kph no matter what size the engine is, and the results of coming off just the same.

It's not the how fast the bike will go in Thailand, it's how fast it'll stop and stop under control.

[AJ Alex]

I guess i'm inpatient and I want to own a bike that I can enjoy asap

I'm looking at bike porn every day and want to fast track so to become a reality soon

I have read mixed opinions about the whole work permit gives you credit issue

The whole reason my click is in my directors name is because I couldn't get credit from honda

Do you know of anywhere specific in Chiang Mai that will give credit if a work permit is shown as honda definitely wont

Thanks

...sincerely hope you are not teaching ESL...?

dont worry i'm not an english teacher. I'm a guitarist who teaches music. im glad i invested the time to master my instrument instead of grammar as it's paid off now.

[SDM0712]

I have a very similar story to the OP. I arrived in Thailand never haven riden a bike, but keen to try. I bought a PCX (125) to start, after four months upgraded to a CBR 250 (a most disappointing bike,) and after a further six months got a Ninja 650, which I love. In terms of the other gear I have a quality helmet (7,500), light weight armoured jacked (6500), decent gloves (3500), mid calf waterproof boots (7500), insurance costs me 12,000 a year. Most of the time I'm around Phuket (not the best safety record for bikes), but occasionally take a ride out to Krabi with some like minded fellows.

My advice to the OP is to consider the package rather than just the cost of the bike.In my opinion any accident that you just survive is a good result. The safety gear I have is all mid-range rather the the most expensive stuff, but still I'm in to it for 25,000 and that's not thinking about the insurance and not mentioning my medical insurance. On top of that I should still get some armoured jeans and a spine protector really for the "off Island " runs.

Good luck ride safe.

SDM

[AJ Alex]

thanks for the posts. I have decided to get a ninja now.

I will decide about new or secondhand depending on what the dealer says in CM

I will buy the safety gear first because I actually came off my click last night :-(

I'm ok but have a big graze on my knee and my jeans are ruined

definitely a lesson learnt without too much consequence

It makes sense to buy the gear first that way i can progress towards my dream and be safe from day one

I'm thinking i should get white leathers to help with the heat

Any thoughts?

[SDM0712]

You don't need leathers, a set up similar to mine should be fine and some armed jeans if you want leg protection.

[AJ Alex]

Sod it...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-H-A6gltx8

[RedQualia]

thanks for the posts. I have decided to get a ninja now.

I will decide about new or secondhand depending on what the dealer says in CM

I will buy the safety gear first because I actually came off my click last night :-(

I'm ok but have a big graze on my knee and my jeans are ruined

definitely a lesson learnt without too much consequence

It makes sense to buy the gear first that way i can progress towards my dream and be safe from day one

I'm thinking i should get white leathers to help with the heat

Any thoughts?

Amazing how little resistance denim has to asphalt, no?

But you don't want leathers, no matter the color. If you do buy leathers, you'll end up not using them most of the time. I wore full, armored leather everywhere back in the world. But it gets =hot= here. March and April, and most other months, putting on a helmet is like sticking your head into a bucket of sweat (Can't believe anyone stole my helmet, but they did. My karmic "revenge" is just knowing that they're sticking their head into my old bucket of sweat) . I almost never use my (imported, fleece lined) leather gloves, either. Too hot and sticky.

I wear a full coverage (over my chin) helmet almost every time and everywhere. Scoyco makes armored cloth gloves that I like quite a bit. Should be able to find them for 600-700 Baht, depending on style. The ones I have aren't doing a very good job of keeping my hands warm in the cool weather of late, which means they aren't hot at all. Have to wash them often, however, as they start to smell bad from sweat pretty quickly. I'm not as religious about wearing boots as I used to be. Any trips of any length, yeah... Sure. But my bad habit is to often get on the bike with just sandals if I'm not going far. I don't "armor up" for around town either, but I'm a fairly conservative rider (if you see some old guy going slowly on a 650 around town, It's probably me, so say hi... ). Boots are hot. Also tiresome to remove when you go anywhere (like an auto parts store I know of) where one must remove shoes before entering. Yes... I know just wearing sandals is not a good idea.

There are armored net/mesh "jackets" and "pants" you can find. Mostly, these consists of armor with netting (think fish net stockings, but much, much stronger) holding the armor in place. Recommend you at least look at these before you buy. You will be much more likely to use such things than you would be to use leather. Probably cost a lot less as well. I dunno... Maybe I should wear leathers. Saunas are helpful at losing weight, no?

[NeverSure]

OP, I am a certified motorcycle instructor. In my state in the US, you have to get a signature from someone like me after passing my class to get your motorcycle endorsement.

Many of our students have never been on on motorcycle before. At age 16 or older, male or female, we start them out on one of our Honda 250s.

That is considered a very small, beginner's bike.

The bikes all have standard transmissions with clutches, as required by law for training. We start people out by simply having them get to where they can take off in 1st gear without killing the engine, and then stop, pulling the clutch without killing the engine. Next we have them advance to shifting into second gear, then back down to 1st and again stopping without killing the engine.

The very next thing we teach is braking from "full speed" in 2nd gear. At least 60% of braking is done with the front tire due to weight transfer onto that tire giving it the most traction. Now maybe you know why most people wear out their rear tire first. It isn't because of acceleration because the bike doesn't have enough power. It's from skidding the back tire while braking. A bike will stop in about 1/2 the distance using the front brake rather than the rear. We can tell if they are doing it right by watching the bike nose dive a little, and by watching to see if they are skidding the rear tire.

Next we teach a lot of other things such as weaving through cones, braking on a curve, stopping at an exact point, etc. etc.

Most important, we teach them to counter steer. If you want to turn right, you push forward on the right handle grip, initially turning the front wheel to the left. This gives extremely fast maneuvers, like this, and can allow you to dodge around an object with finesse:

Edited December 28, 2013 by NeverSure

[RedQualia]

As for "What the Kawasaki dealer says," they'll say "buy a new bike." Which translates to "pay big bucks."

You'll come a lot closer to getting something adequate buying second hand. Ninja 250s on classifieds.thaivisa.com at present range in price from 80-140K Baht. This one is 80K: http://classifieds.thaivisa.com/automotives-vehicles/motorcycles/modified-kawasaki-ninja-250-green-chiang-mai-for-sale-241454.html

Buy second hand because you'll want something bigger, later.

Recommend you not buy a 650 yet. You're too new. But there are a couple on thaivisa for 150K or less.

[RedQualia]

The very next thing we teach is braking from "full speed" in 2nd gear. At least 60% of braking is done with the front tire due to weight transfer onto that tire giving it the most traction. Now maybe you know why most people wear out their rear tire first. It isn't because of acceleration because the bike doesn't have enough power. It's from skidding the back tire while braking. A bike will stop in about 1/2 the distance using the front brake rather than the rear. We can tell if they are doing it right by watching the bike nose dive a little, and by watching to see if they are skidding the rear tire.

Almost never use the back brake. Mostly just in dirt or gravel or such, it seems, and then mostly for stability. I will jab at it in a panic stop, if enough time to think about it.

[BlackArtemis]

I wear perforated leathers, but Kevlar jeans most of the time. I get used to the sweat haha

I just regularly clean my stuff. And after 2 years of No AC while on the 3rd floor of a townhouse, I have become accustom to the heat.

Also, my 2011 Ninja 650 cost me 180,000 used.

a new Ninja 300 costs 182,000

z250 costs 151,000

and a CBR500 210,000

Find a used CBR250 or Ninja 250 for 80-100k

[NeverSure]

A 650 isn't too big for a beginner if he takes lessons. A Click is too big if he's had no lessons. In fact the heavier bike is more stable, and with proper braking and counter steering, it is safer do to its mass, just as my Ford F150 4X4 is safer than a tiny car.

I would rather have the mass around me if I'm going to get hit, and I can out maneuver most people who are riding a Click on my Harley.

Here are people on the big Harley FLH models, doing what many people couldn't dream of doing on a Click. If any competitor puts a foot down, he's disqualified.

U Turn.

Edited December 28, 2013 by NeverSure

[jackr]

Braking on any size bike is roughly 70% front / 30% rear... one would typically do this instinctively if one knows what one's ding and can feel the road.

Edited December 28, 2013 by jackr

[RedQualia]

A 650 isn't too big for a beginner if he takes lessons. A Click is too big if he's had no lessons. In fact the heavier bike is more stable, and with proper braking and counter steering, it is safer do to its mass, just as my Ford F150 4X4 is safer than a tiny car.

Not much argument. My first bike was a 650, but a Bonneville 650, rated at 40HP, almost half what the Kawasaki 650s are rated at. Great bike, and I learned in the mountains behind Santa Barbara, CA. Not much out there.

The Kawasaki 650 is also one of the most stable and easiest to handle bikes I've ever encountered. Seems as forgiving as any motorcycle can be (not much). Still, not gonna recommend it for a newbie who will be tempted (forced) to split lanes around the moat, or to keep up with all the Thai kids talking on their cell phones with no helmets, weaving in and out of traffic at 100KPH. With or without English language training on riding bikes in Thailand. Others may, of course. I'd rather see the OP get a cheap Ninja 250 to learn on, then decide on what the next bike should be (if any) without being too much out of pocket. If and when the time comes, I'm sure he'll still be able to find a 650 for 150K or so. Or by then, perhaps a better bargain will have come along. Doubt it, but you never know.

Again, not to disagree with you really. Just an alternate viewpoint, and not that such an alternate viewpoint really matters so much. The OP will do as he wishes. Motorcycles are like girlfriends that way... You can never tell someone whom to love or whom not to, even if you have photos of her with the entire football team from last night.

[onthedarkside]

All the promotional posts for bike sale removed.

[Briggsy]

Get yourself a CBR 150 R. It is the logical step. Or the 250 version.

Push to get the finance or borrow the cash off somebody.

I just sold my 3 year-old CBR 150 R for 49,000 Baht. It cost me 76,000 out of the showroom. So 3 years cost me 27,000 Baht in depreciation.

Get one today. Don't delay.

[RedQualia]

For the new biker...

[AJ Alex]

thought I would ask another question as there are some experienced riders following this thread

I have just realised that I could finish my payments on my click before I move to Chiang Mai

The bike is currently in my directors name

What should I do to get the bike transferred into my name

Paying it all off will result in me being broke for my first month in CM

But i'm guessing this will be better than potentially having to travel back to south Thailand just to sign a bit of paper once it's all been paid off

Any thoughts would help a lot

Thanks

[Briggsy]

To transfer a vehicle to your name, go to the Land Transport Dept with the log book, your passport and a residence certificate from Immigration that shows your address.

The director will need to come too or he will have to complete a power of attorney if not attending in person.

The transfer fee will be 500 Baht but might be less for a Click.

The transfer of ownership will be recorded in the log book.

[AJ Alex]

ok so i'm hoping my director will have the log book.

I don't have a RC but I do have a work permit and a passport so I hope that will do

I'm Interested about "power of attorney"

If it can be done without the two of us being present then this might make my 1st month in CM easier

[Briggsy]

Work permit will do instead of residence certificate.

Power of attorney form can be downloaded and printed off here.

Log book is very important. Big green thing.