Best Motorcycle for Isaan

[Watthanaya]

Looking to buy a motorcycle for Isaan. Need a bike that can go on small highways and on rice fields (very different needs than Bangkok). Also, in our village most roads aren't paved.

Looking at the:

Honda Dream 110i

Honda Wave 110i

Honda Wave 125i

Any suggestions?

Also, looking at manual transmission. What is the cheapest in Thailand; with clutch, or semi-automatic.

Thanks!

[cdmtdm]

wave 125i manual .... love mine goes anywhere ..

[DILLIGAD]

If you more interested In cheap, then look at a Chinese/foreign brand like Lifan or Sym.

Personally Id go for a KLX125 or something similar.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[lmfao]

Get a bike with good ground clearance and suspension, and I think some of the older manual like a Honda 100 are much stronger and safer than the newer plastic pieces of garbage,

Edited January 15, 2014 by lmfao

[sirchai]

I've found the right bike for you. Please page me for more details.-

[tom21]

I would recommend the Honda wave 125i. get one with electric start

[Gonsalviz]

Honda Phantom works for me.

[ktm jeff]

Most suitable for tracks would be a M-BIKE or KEEWAY dual sport type bikes , or a SHINERAY (from 30,000 baht), if you dont need a "green book".

[mrpakchong]

I'm using an ATV, could be an alternative for you to ?!

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[thrilled]

I'd want something bigger if your on the highway.If you stay in town,korat,khon kaen,udon ,or nongkhai then you'll be ok.I like A clutch myself 5-6 speed transmission.

[zyphodb]

A lifan 200cc trials bike would be ideal I'd say...

[NBD]

I bought an old 2 stroke Honda (I think it's a Tena?) with a clutch - classic motosai taxi - about 4 years ago for 7000 THB from a bike shop. I probably over paid too.

Never missed a beat, the odd little things I have had to fix or replace have been cheap as hell. I've ridden it through rice paddies, up a mountain, across a river and down countless dirt roads, and I did a 300km round trip visa run on it too. I've also left it on the street with the key in the ignition and it hasn't been stolen. I left it parked up for 6 months without using it and when I wanted to use it again it fired up after a few good kicks. Now I commute through Bangkok traffic on it every day and it's just as happy as in Isan.

Not very comfortable, but ultimately practical and so economical it's almost cheaper than walking.

[Briggsy]

Honda Wave 125i, semi-automatic. Go for the electric start option, it still has the kick start.

[Briggsy]

If you want to go with the cheaper Wave 110i, it has three optional extras, electric start, front disc brake and mag wheels. I would personally go with the first two whilst the mag wheels you can take them or leave them depending on how much you want to spend.

[patongphil]

Honda Wave 125i, semi-automatic. Go for the electric start option, it still has the kick start.

Agreed - the Wave is the workhorse of Isaan and deservedly so. Very reliable and cheap to run.

[coobah666]

Honda Wave the only bike for Isaan look around they out number the scooters up here 5-1 and when you look at them some have over 100 000 km on them and still go well, most a ridden around the rice fields and on dirt roads and on the highway can still do a respectable speed

LONG LIVE THE WAVE

THE WAVE LIVES LONG

[DerkMR]

Just bought a Yamaha Spark Nano - 1 year, 7000 km, for less than half of the list price in November.

As I have 200 m dirt road in front of my house the huge space between wheel and front fender is important as when rainy the mud gets collected below the fender and with a Honda Zoomer (nice broad wheels) the front wheel blocked the second day and it was a daily cleaning job in rainy season.

Bye,

Derk

[Nignoy]

A real bike for isaan used to be exWD 350 and 500 BSA single cylinder, there used to be an agent in Mukdaharn and there definitey still is a bsa sales and hire in Chiangmai , near chiangmai gate, I rode mine from Muk to Phuket and Penang regularly in 80,s and 90,s , still see it occasionally knocking round Cha Am

[Familyonthemove]

Although I reckon a Keeway 200 trail bike would be ideal - you'd need a local dealer and I don't think there is one?

So a KLX 125 may be the best bet - decent on and off road - better ground clearance than any scooter.

[Watthanaya]

Just bought a Yamaha Spark Nano - 1 year, 7000 km, for less than half of the list price in November.

As I have 200 m dirt road in front of my house the huge space between wheel and front fender is important as when rainy the mud gets collected below the fender and with a Honda Zoomer (nice broad wheels) the front wheel blocked the second day and it was a daily cleaning job in rainy season.

Bye,

Derk

Thanks Derk! My husband is born in raised in the village…no running water or electricity till he was 8 (and now just 28). He recommends Yamaha; said a lot of Thais get Honda cause it looks good! However, these new motorcycles not made the way they used too.

So between a Yamaha and the Wave! Thanks everyone!

[willyumiii]

I live in rural Issan.

Dirt / mud roads into and out of my small village.

HWY access to the larger towns, immigration office and such.

Bought a Honda Wave 110 two years ago and it has done very well.

Honda has been great about any service needed.

Sounds like you live in an area much like mine.

Whatever you buy, do not forget the mud and flood issues in the wet season.

I have seen some of the "pretty" Yamaha with wheels and fenders so packed with mud they won't move.

Not a problem with the Honda.

Also, during the floods this year, I was able to ride the Honda with water levels just below the air intake.

No electric shorts, no problems.

My wife's Yahama would short out when the motor was only half under water.

Good luck and welcome to the North Country.

[Issangeorge]

I had a 25 year old Honda Dream 100. I bought it at 3 years old from a rental bike shop and had it for 22 years. It was stolen last year. I wanted to take it to a bike shop and have it redone for about ฿8,000. My buddy did the same with his 12 year old dream and it looks and runs like a brand new bike. They will run for ever.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ X using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Issangeorge]

The picture in the post above is my friends 12 year old refurbished dream.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ X using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[CTO]

After a few Honda's, bought the yamaha, far better, especially the cheaper kick start version, I love it, BUT I also like a mates Keeway that he used, good for knocking around the place

[jcb2001]

wave 125i manual .... love mine goes anywhere ..

Agree 100%. Honda Clicks and Yamaha's with automatic transmissions do not do well on unpaved roads. The dust during the dry season and the mud during the rainy season will play havoc on the automatic transmissions. Never had any problems with my 125i on the unpaved roads.

[Crazy chef 1]

i think the best motorized vehicle for thailand is:

even a little bit more expensive,but saves lifes.

Just sent

[DILLIGAD]

i think the best motorized vehicle for thailand is: ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect Thailand1390263206.183245.jpgeven a little bit more expensive,but saves lifes.Just sent

Not if driven by some of the local drivers that I have seen !

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[NeverSure]

i think the best motorized vehicle for thailand is: ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect Thailand1390263206.183245.jpg even a little bit more expensive,but saves lifes. Just sent

Think "defensive driving."

[nelson bunker]

I bought a honda wave 110i three years ago, it now has 16000 kms on the clock, most of them done duo.

I am very happy with it. I went for the drum brake, kick start version, i find the electric starter very superfluous...

I drive slowly on the issan roads and get 70kms with a liter of benzine and 66kms with a liter of gazohol with two people on the wave.

As the new wave evolution is just out on the market, you can get the older version cheaper.

I am in Surin and i wandered in a motorbike shop this afternoon while my wife was talking kmer with her girlfriend.

My wave now cost 32700THB on the road, 730 euros!

I went for the wave because it is the evolution of the honda cub which is the most produced vehicule on earth...

The only drawback is the manual in thai...

I search this forum and the internet for an english version without success...

[Dakling]

I have a Honda Click automatic and when we lived in an urban area it was great. Now I am looking to get a used Honda Wave because I do about 50% of my riding on dirt roads and broken pavement. The main reasons for the change are the transmission, the body shape/style and the wheel size. The click is brilliant for quick runs to the local shop and the step through body is great for carrying things like bottled water or even a case of beer if you force it a bit. Unfortunately that big flat floor area is a real bother on rutted out dirt roads/trails because when combined with the small wheels I regularly bottom out the bodywork on the sides of ruts. A wave with its more motorcycle"ish" body is narrower and having the cross bar is likely stronger too. The biggest difference though is the wheel size, the larger diameter wheels with an on/off road tire work much better off road and they are still pretty good on asphalt as well though maybe the click is more plush.

A couple of good things about the wave are that they are easy to find lightly used (though dealers will try to charge too much), and that they are easy to find shops and parts though most of the Japanese scooters should be about the same. I see fewer keeway/lifan shops but admittedly they are becoming more common.