〓 Help please 〓 A 5000B bike, is it worth buying?

[levenisme]

Hey guys, I am a newbie for bike,and I sincerely need your helps on this.

Recently I met someone who is selling his bike for THB 5000.Its a Honda Nova Tena (as pictured). He mentioned several problems plaguing the bike, so he is selling it off like a scrap metal.

I wonder if its too unworthy buying this bike if it requires a massive overhaul. It's a more than 10 years old bike. Below are the problems he lists:

1) Starter not in good condition. have to step on d gas many times before it get started.

2) High oil consumption

3) Noisy

4) Some cracks on d seat cushion

5) Brake not functioning well

So is it worth buying?

[Overandout]

Do you have the knowledge, tools, time, money and space to repair it?

If you can answer yes to all of the above, then fine, but it will never be worth as much as what you will have to spend on it.

If no to any of the above, forget it.

[levenisme]

Do you have the knowledge, tools, time, money and space to repair it?

If you can answer yes to all of the above, then fine, but it will never be worth as much as what you will have to spend on it.

If no to any of the above, forget it.

Thx for ur reply bro. One thing, how much do u tink it would cost in total to repair the problems listed above ?

[ll2]

man, all those repairs and stuff and most importantly time and hassle. you repair them and another part starts to leak and moan soon.

just pay 10 k more and get something newer and it better shape at least something that starts so you dont need to drag an old bike to a mechanic.

good luck.

Edited August 18, 2014 by ll2

[RubberSideDown]

I honestly would not take that bike for free- it will be a constant problem, it will leave you stranded, and it will nickel-and-dime you to death.

Edited August 18, 2014 by RubberSideDown

[Overandout]

No-one can estimate how much the repairs will cost until the root cause of the problem is identified.

For example, what does "high oil consumption" mean? The bike is a 2 stroke, it is supposed to burn oil, the only way this bike can burn more oil than "normal" is if too much oil is going into the mixture. Why? Who knows? I don't.

Noisy ? What noise? Where from?

[guzzi850m2]

+1 for the replies so far, which is: don't bother man.

[levenisme]

Thanks for your replies guys!

[BKKBike09]

man, all those repairs and stuff and most importantly time and hassle. you repair them and another part starts to leak and moan soon.

just pay 10 k more and get something newer and it better shape at least something that starts so you dont need to drag an old bike to a mechanic.

good luck.

+1 to this. Lots of places where you can get a decent scooter for 15K.

[Bung]

You are living here in Thailand looking for some transportation and you seriously don't have $500 to spend?

[levenisme]

You are living here in Thailand looking for some transportation and you seriously don't have $500 to spend?

It's not a question of I can afford or not, i can afford a car if i wan to, its about wether its a good bargain or not

i will never spend too much on vehicles cuz d moment u buy them, u lose money.

Save that bucks for property instead, dude.

[Bung]

The moment you buy that scooter for 5000 you are going to lose money. And most likely be walking. There is a reason the seller said it was scrap. Because it is.

A friend sold a perfectly good scooter for 10000 today, I am sure an extra 5000 won't make too much impact on your realty aspirations.

[ttakata]

Not worth it, it's a money pit.

Build a ramp and jump it into a river for fun (don't leave it there and pollute the river)

An old 2 stroke will likely need a new bore and piston rings.

If the head has been bored out too much in the past; a whole new head, piston, and rings are needed.

You don't want to be mixing 2 stroke oil/gas all the time too.

New crappy tires will run you 2000 baht alone.

New brakes, suspension rebuild, new chain & sprocket, all other rubber parts are brittle or cracked..........

[ClareQuilty]

Friend, that bike is fantastic. Buy it now.

Don't ever feel afraid of old Honda Novas, Tenas, or in fact most old two-strokes. I've bought well over a dozen of them over the last few years, all for around that price - 3,000-6,000 baht. All have been sterling performers once you start driving them at a good speed and fairly frequently, and once you iron out a few minor details. Repair and parts for these bikes is incredibly cheap - a good engine rebuild is only 1,000-1,500.

Rebuilding the front forks (the front shocks) costs about 200 baht at most, brakes are dirt cheap. The only thing pricey on these bikes might be a rear shock or a disk brake - figure well over 500 for either. Typically these older bikes are far, far better made than the newer bikes, and most parts are eminently replaceable.

I've only ever had one get the 'can't be fixed' or 'not worth fixing' diagnosis from a mechanic, and that's an old 3,000 baht Nova - something wrong with the crankshaft or wrist-pin: however even that bike still starts every time after sitting for weeks, and runs and drives fine - I do believe even with its internal problem it will outlast any used automatic.

Edited August 18, 2014 by ClareQuilty

[laislica]

My current scooter cost 5,000 baht, lots of broken bits, ran like a dog.

Got the local boys in the bike shop to fit a Thai (not Honda) replacement carb.

Goes like expletive deleted!

No one would even think of stealing it.

A brilliant bike.

[bramds]

Friend, that bike is fantastic. Buy it now.

Don't ever feel afraid of old Honda Novas, Tenas, or in fact most old two-strokes. I've bought well over a dozen of them over the last few years, all for around that price - 3,000-6,000 baht. All have been sterling performers once you start driving them at a good speed and fairly frequently, and once you iron out a few minor details. Repair and parts for these bikes is incredibly cheap - a good engine rebuild is only 1,000-1,500.

Rebuilding the front forks (the front shocks) costs about 200 baht at most, brakes are dirt cheap. The only thing pricey on these bikes might be a rear shock or a disk brake - figure well over 500 for either. Typically these older bikes are far, far better made than the newer bikes, and most parts are eminently replaceable.

I've only ever had one get the 'can't be fixed' or 'not worth fixing' diagnosis from a mechanic, and that's an old 3,000 baht Nova - something wrong with the crankshaft or wrist-pin: however even that bike still starts every time after sitting for weeks, and runs and drives fine - I do believe even with its internal problem it will outlast any used automatic.

Are you the seller?

[Beardog]

Again Claire you are the king of cheap & the odd man out. If the bike is sold as scrap It is junk. Not that a teena is a bad bike but the owner states that it should be junked Scrap. OP why not just spend double that & get a bike that runs or you will be like poor Claire Quilty posting for years on all his problems with his crap bikes.

I never bought a shitty bike up here & none of them ever broke down short of tire punctures in scooters. If you see yourself as a roach go for it.Unless you need a part or 2 off off it it is as the owner says scrap which is junk.

[ll2]

Friend, that bike is fantastic. Buy it now.

Don't ever feel afraid of old Honda Novas, Tenas, or in fact most old two-strokes. I've bought well over a dozen of them over the last few years, all for around that price - 3,000-6,000 baht. All have been sterling performers once you start driving them at a good speed and fairly frequently, and once you iron out a few minor details. Repair and parts for these bikes is incredibly cheap - a good engine rebuild is only 1,000-1,500.

Rebuilding the front forks (the front shocks) costs about 200 baht at most, brakes are dirt cheap. The only thing pricey on these bikes might be a rear shock or a disk brake - figure well over 500 for either. Typically these older bikes are far, far better made than the newer bikes, and most parts are eminently replaceable.

I've only ever had one get the 'can't be fixed' or 'not worth fixing' diagnosis from a mechanic, and that's an old 3,000 baht Nova - something wrong with the crankshaft or wrist-pin: however even that bike still starts every time after sitting for weeks, and runs and drives fine - I do believe even with its internal problem it will outlast any used automatic.

So how much did your last 5000 thb click cost you in total after repairs? And i am sure there are lots of parts like tires etc needs to be changed.

Claire, you say you rent these bikes so maybe renters does not care hard old tires or old brake pads but if someone wants to ride a bike at this condition personally for transport and fun, a lot of parts needs to be changed.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[andrewrooney]

I drove an old Tena similar to that for a little while, borrowed from my wife's aunt because I was in need of a bike at the time, and the Tena was sitting unused. I figured, "why not, free bike?" Had a mechanic fix up the brakes, change the oil and spark plug, etc., paid to get the tax up to date and I was good to go. It got me from point A to point B most of the time, but it threw up a massive smokescreen everywhere I went. My wife (unaffectionately) called it the "barbecue chicken bike" because there was more smoke than a bbq chicken cart. It enjoyed stalling out at red lights on a pretty regular basis. Also whenever it rained water would get in and the bike wouldn't start. When the heavy rainy season hit it started having more and more problems so I gave the bike back to the aunt and she wound up selling it for 3000 baht (probably only worth that much because the green book was in order).

After that I, on a whim, purchased an old Kawasaki KR150 from a local mechanic on the cheap. It was really fun to ride, I managed one good road trip on it, and it got me to work and back for a couple months but it was plagued with problems as well. Won't get into it, but shortly after that my wife forbade me from ever buying another two stroke and I stopped being a cheapskate and bought a firsthand Wave.

Long story short, I see the appeal of these cheap old two strokes as they're fun bikes when they're working, but most of them have been very poorly maintained and will bring about big headaches in the long run.

[Tywais]

Off topic post removed.

[brfsa2]

I've also ridden that bike, not bad... no doubt 2-stroke are fun...

But, are you ready and capable of maintaning a 2-stroke bike of unknown condition? probably not, so dont waste your money it.

[guzzi850m2]

There is a saying: You get what you pay for. I think most of us realize that this is true.

For 5000 baht I can have a great night out in Pattaya and I sometimes treat my wife out for such a night.

For 5000 bath you can have a real crappy old bike that might last for perhaps a year or having a catastrophic failure perhaps even causing you to crash. As others mention, 2 stokes are for people that likes to tinker with it. They go very fast when they are in a good trim.

It's your money man so it's all up to you what you do with them obviously.

Yes I also once bought a 2nd have honda wave 125 for 15k baht and it was great and my brother in-law still has it, we posted it up to SiSaket and it's still running but it looks like 5k baht now, it must be over 12 years old now(not sure).

[levenisme]

Friend, that bike is fantastic. Buy it now.

Don't ever feel afraid of old Honda Novas, Tenas, or in fact most old two-strokes. I've bought well over a dozen of them over the last few years, all for around that price - 3,000-6,000 baht. All have been sterling performers once you start driving them at a good speed and fairly frequently, and once you iron out a few minor details. Repair and parts for these bikes is incredibly cheap - a good engine rebuild is only 1,000-1,500.

Rebuilding the front forks (the front shocks) costs about 200 baht at most, brakes are dirt cheap. The only thing pricey on these bikes might be a rear shock or a disk brake - figure well over 500 for either. Typically these older bikes are far, far better made than the newer bikes, and most parts are eminently replaceable.

I've only ever had one get the 'can't be fixed' or 'not worth fixing' diagnosis from a mechanic, and that's an old 3,000 baht Nova - something wrong with the crankshaft or wrist-pin: however even that bike still starts every time after sitting for weeks, and runs and drives fine - I do believe even with its internal problem it will outlast any used automatic.

Thanks Claire for your reply, 1 question, does your dozen of tena bikes break down in front of traffic light like what Andrew has faced with his bike?

and also is the bike vulnerable to rain or is it just case by case basis?

[levenisme]

Well, thanks guys for your replies. These are very helpful inputs!

[ClareQuilty]

Guys my Tenas never break, they never - I'm serious never die at traffic lights or any of that other stuff. They are absolutely sterling reliable after in some cases spending nothing and in other cases spending up to (in the very worst case) 1,500 baht fixing them up. The idea that four strokes are more reliable or 'better running' than two strokes is absolutely not reality.

You all mention tires and brakes - brake pads are I believe less than 100 baht - change them, what's the big deal? Tires are a little more but I always keep good tires on bikes.

And by the way what are you fellows talking about 'changing the oil' or complaining about smoking? Its a two-stroke fellows, it is supposed to smoke. If it isn't smoking there is something wrong. Just keep the oil reservoir full and these old Tenas will last you many, many years.

I do recall mentioning on here one Nova (before the Tena model) which did have a brief spell of 'vapor lock' or whatever you call it - but I was driving it around at 110 kph for 20-30 minutes. The idea of old two strokes is relaxed put-putting around town at 60-80 kph at most. Don't go crazy with these bikes, just enjoy almost-free transportation.

Enclosed find a photo of my Honda Smile and a Honda Tena of mine which have run for over half a decade since I bought them and made me thousand of baht with minimal repair, and also the Nova which had the vapor lock - a one time event, I still drive it every week and it never needs any further repairs. All bought for 3,500-8,000 baht.

Edited August 19, 2014 by ClareQuilty

[andrewrooney]

And by the way what are you fellows talking about 'changing the oil' or complaining about smoking? Its a two-stroke fellows, it is supposed to smoke. If it isn't smoking there is something wrong. Just keep the oil reservoir full and these old Tenas will last you many, many years.

By 'changed the oil' I meant the gear oil, probably should have clarified that.

I realize a two stroke is supposed to smoke, but not the way this bike did! It was like a house on fire. It was like James Bond's Aston Martin, but not in the good way. Any Catholics living within 5 miles thought that Rome had failed to elect a new pope whenever I drove by.

Anyway I'm not trying to knock your bikes, if they're running well for you that's great. As I said I think two strokes are a lot of fun, and if they've been properly maintained for the life of the bike I don't doubt they can last a very long time. The problem is a very large number of older bikes haven't been well maintained, and unless OP has the patience and free time to tinker with that Tena I think he'd be better served spending a few thousand more on a Wave or something similar.

[Bung]

Two strokes should be banned like they are in most civilised country's as being bad polluters. They not only burn fuel but oil as well and forget any gasohol, these need straight benzine to run properly unless they are modified.

Of course Thailand doesn't care. You just have to look around Chiang Mais moat road to see red sorng taos and tuk tuk belching smoke like it is still the industrial revolution.

[cornishcarlos]

If it wasn't for the cracks in the seat cushion, it would be a bargain... !!

[Overandout]

Two strokes should be banned like they are in most civilised country's as being bad polluters. They not only burn fuel but oil as well and forget any gasohol, these need straight benzine to run properly unless they are modified.

Of course Thailand doesn't care. You just have to look around Chiang Mais moat road to see red sorng taos and tuk tuk belching smoke like it is still the industrial revolution.

Are these the same civilised countries that initially promoted the use of, and continue to allow diesel oil to be burnt in vehicle engines, producing fumes that are officially categorised by WHO as highly carcinogenic alongside asbestos and plutonium?

No double standards there then.

[StefanBBK]

Just buy a new bike. 1500 USD gets you a good ride with no worries.