What's the best used bikes in Thailand in terms of quality and value? Opinions please!

[craigp]

Hi, I've never ventured into this forum before, I normally float around the visa forum.

I'm not experienced with the Thai market of used bikes.

To make matters worse, I'm not really sure what I'm looking for....

Nothing too expensive and nothing totally crap. I want to spend about 100,000B-150,000B

Any recommendations?

I've been considering-

Honda XR 250,

Kawasaki D-Trakker 250

Honda Steed 400

Honda CB 400

Yamaha SR 400

Or, jump in and go for one of the older big boys.....

Opinions, please!!

[BSJ]

Be smart and find the extra money for a new SR400. Well looked after they will last for decades.

[craigp]

Be smart and find the extra money for a new SR400. Well looked after they will last for decades.

How much are new ones?

Didn't think they made them anymore. They look dated. How do they ride/performance?

[RubberSideDown]

150K will get you close to a nice ER-6N- there's a clean 2010 in the TV classifieds going for 170K- you could toss a 150K offer at the seller and see what happens.

[craigp]

150K will get you close to a nice ER-6N- there's a clean 2010 in the TV classifieds going for 170K- you could toss a 150K offer at the seller and see what happens.

ER-6N That's a nice looking bike!

I'm 188cm tall, so need some seat height really...

[RubberSideDown]

The ER-6N's seat height is about the same as the CB400 and SR400 (and a lot higher than the Steed's...)

[DLock]

150K will get you close to a nice ER-6N- there's a clean 2010 in the TV classifieds going for 170K- you could toss a 150K offer at the seller and see what happens.

Agree totally.

I have quite a few bikes, but the ER6N is a favorite.

Fast enough, well designed and build, plenty of add-ons available, well priced and with ABS.

Hard to beat in my opinion....especially as there are many low km's bikes around.

[Shurup]

You mentioned quite a range of different bikes, you need to decide 1st what you really want.

In case of a cruiser, I have a nice 2005 Yamaha Dragstar 400 for sale, with green book and everything.

[OmegaRacer]

Like Shurup said, deciding what kind of bike you want/need is crucial.

Try to answer the following questions:

1) What do you want to use the bike for? City? Countryside? Do you want to go on long tours? Light offroad maybe?

2) What kind of rider are you? Relaxed? Sporty?

3) Are you an experienced rider, a beginner or somewhere in between? What was your last bike (if any)?

4) What is the top you can spend?

Once you know what kind of bikes would suit your needs, you can choose from a smaller range.

I have an SR and an ER6n. Both are great bikes ad I love them, but they're very different.

[OmegaRacer]

Be smart and find the extra money for a new SR400. Well looked after they will last for decades.

How much are new ones?

Didn't think they made them anymore. They look dated. How do they ride/performance?

The new ones are 265k. They are in production since 1978, only stopped in 2009 (I think) to change production to the new fuel injected model. The SR looks dated, because it's a cult bike that has been produced since 1978 and has changed very little since then. Even in 78 it was a bit dated and anachronistic. While all the major bike manufacturer spit out model after model with increased performance and technology, the SR went against the current and copied the style and technology of the English single cylinder bikes that dominated the market in the 60s.

Performancewise...well, it's got a bombproof engine which is very smooth and it's a pleasure to ride. Maintenance is super easy. Lots and lots of aftermarket parts if you want to customize it. If you don't expect crazy amounts of horsepower, the SR is a great choice.

[craigp]

Like Shurup said, deciding what kind of bike you want/need is crucial.

Try to answer the following questions:

1) What do you want to use the bike for? City? Countryside? Do you want to go on long tours? Light offroad maybe?

2) What kind of rider are you? Relaxed? Sporty?

3) Are you an experienced rider, a beginner or somewhere in between? What was your last bike (if any)?

4) What is the top you can spend?

Once you know what kind of bikes would suit your needs, you can choose from a smaller range.

I have an SR and an ER6n. Both are great bikes ad I love them, but they're very different.

1) City, (Mainly), Countryside yes, and very occasional offroad. (But off-road isn't a necessity) No long tours.

2) Relaxed these days. But like a bit of power. (No need for anything crazy, I'll end up killing myself on a big sport bike)

3) in between. (I had various bikes when I was young, (Yamaha 125 DT etc)

4) Honda Phantom (It actually served me really well for the money, I still have it. But 200cc it's just a bit........gutless .....)

So, I want a bit of everything, for a tall rider, for 100k-150k, used prices.

I like the retro SR 400 and appears well made and ultra reliable. But I'm worried I'll get bored of it quickly. I could buy a used one, I wouldn't want to pay over 200k for one.

Can anyone pass any comments on the Honda CB400? Lots in the market and seem affordable.

[craigp]

Be smart and find the extra money for a new SR400. Well looked after they will last for decades.

How much are new ones?

Didn't think they made them anymore. They look dated. How do they ride/performance?

The new ones are 265k. They are in production since 1978, only stopped in 2009 (I think) to change production to the new fuel injected model. The SR looks dated, because it's a cult bike that has been produced since 1978 and has changed very little since then. Even in 78 it was a bit dated and anachronistic. While all the major bike manufacturer spit out model after model with increased performance and technology, the SR went against the current and copied the style and technology of the English single cylinder bikes that dominated the market in the 60s.

Performancewise...well, it's got a bombproof engine which is very smooth and it's a pleasure to ride. Maintenance is super easy. Lots and lots of aftermarket parts if you want to customize it. If you don't expect crazy amounts of horsepower, the SR is a great choice.

Got it.

I'm interested.....

http://www.yamahamotorsports.com/sport/2015_sr400_history.aspx

[OmegaRacer]

Here's the thing, used SR with a clean(ish) book are pretty difficult to find and they sell for around 100k upwards.

Looking at the answers you gave, if I were you, I would go for a used ER6n. Plenty around and unbeatable value for money.

I would steer clear of the old CB Superfours. They're past their prime and many have been messed about by 'expert' mechanics.

So, for me it would be definitely an ER6.

[craigp]

Seemed to have been narrowed down to the ER6/SR, Thanks for all the advice so far.

Just wondering.....

Are the trials bikes not rated? (D-tracker and Honda 250.)

They can be bought new for my budget range and appear tough and durable for the Thai roads of the north and also high seats.

Or are they no good??

[ttakata]

You can search the forum but here are some old ones.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/574705-dtracker-250-vs-honda-crf-250-vs-klx-250-which-one/

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/454267-cbr250-vs-ninja250-vs-dtx250-brc/

I personally liked the D-Tracker X 250 for it's on/off road ability but the stock seat was not for me.

As a tall person, maybe a KLX250 would be good.

Both are designed to crash unlike a road bike.

I dropped/crashed my DTX250 at least 50 times and it kept going.

Just get some Protaper bars and it will be almost indestructable.

Now if you drop a 200kg+ road bike several times.......although the SR can take Protapers so maybe that will be OK.

If riding bigbike speeds isn't a big concern of yours, then I would look at a new Ninja250 or Z250, or maybe even a used Forza300 if you want a scooter.

Any bike that was never sold in Thailand officially has no dealer support.

So you should wonder if it has a legal greenbook, who will fix it, and how will you get parts for it?

That goes for the XR, CB, and Steed.

[macknife]

For that money you could buy a brand new Honda CBR300 or for a little bit more a Ninja 300. If you want second hand then a Kawasaki er6n is the way to go.

[OmegaRacer]

I think you'll be gagging for more power with anything undet 400cc. Even the new CB500 is a bit on the weak side.

All being said, at the end of the day buying a motorcycle is an affair of the heart and not just cold numbers. Still, the head should be used as well or you could end up with a gorgeous looking bike, without green book and with endless problems.

Good luck

[craigp]

You can search the forum but here are some old ones.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/574705-dtracker-250-vs-honda-crf-250-vs-klx-250-which-one/

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/454267-cbr250-vs-ninja250-vs-dtx250-brc/

I personally liked the D-Tracker X 250 for it's on/off road ability but the stock seat was not for me.

As a tall person, maybe a KLX250 would be good.

Both are designed to crash unlike a road bike.

I dropped/crashed my DTX250 at least 50 times and it kept going.

Just get some Protaper bars and it will be almost indestructable.

Now if you drop a 200kg+ road bike several times.......although the SR can take Protapers so maybe that will be OK.

If riding bigbike speeds isn't a big concern of yours, then I would look at a new Ninja250 or Z250, or maybe even a used Forza300 if you want a scooter.

Any bike that was never sold in Thailand officially has no dealer support.

So you should wonder if it has a legal greenbook, who will fix it, and how will you get parts for it?

That goes for the XR, CB, and Steed.

Any bike that was never sold in Thailand officially has no dealer support.

So you should wonder if it has a legal greenbook, who will fix it, and how will you get parts for it?

That goes for the XR, CB, and Steed.

"Really good advice!, Thanks"

[craigp]

Thanks for all your advice guys.

At the moment, in my mind the best all rounder for the money I want to spend (and the kind of guy I am/what I do etc)- The SR400 is in pole position, closely followed by the er6n. (Very contrasting bikes, to look at anyway, I've ridden neither yet)

However, I've narrowed it down to the two.(I think)

If I go for the D-tracker, I'll be disappointed with the lack of power and sore arse fairly quickly.

Great advice and thank you all for your help, when I finally decide (and have bought it), I'll give my review in this forum.

[craigp]

Like Shurup said, deciding what kind of bike you want/need is crucial.

Try to answer the following questions:

1) What do you want to use the bike for? City? Countryside? Do you want to go on long tours? Light offroad maybe?

2) What kind of rider are you? Relaxed? Sporty?

3) Are you an experienced rider, a beginner or somewhere in between? What was your last bike (if any)?

4) What is the top you can spend?

Once you know what kind of bikes would suit your needs, you can choose from a smaller range.

I have an SR and an ER6n. Both are great bikes ad I love them, but they're very different.

Could you kindly explain in your opinion how they are different and the pros and cons of each of the bikes please?

[happysoul]

Hi, you can have my ***** platinum 250, 4000km for 19'000.- if you want

Edit: it's not a recommendation!

[JonnyF]

Cbr500 might be a good option second hand.

I'd avoid the old 400s as most have been opened by local mechanics and have all the associated issues. Might have a bent book as well.

[OmegaRacer]

Wow, I could go on for hours talking about my bikes, but I'll try to keep it concise.

ER6n:

I bought mine this year. It's a 2009 model but it had only 69km on the clock, I kid you not! I've ridden it most days so far and done 2 longer tours on it, one of which was a 7 day tour.

The ER is a great bike and can be used for short, medium and long range riding. It's got enough power to speed along bigger bikes, but smooth at the same time for city riding. Handling is great. Engine had many years of development and is very reliable.

I got myself a set of saddlebags and a tank bag from 'Bag Connection', which are great, but since you won't do any touring, that might not interest you. Parts are cheap and readily available and there are many aftermarket parts to choose from.

SR400:

This is where my heart lies. It has a character which I can't find in the ER6. While the ER6 was for me a logical and rational choice, with the SR it was more of a gut feeling. I fell in love with the sound of its thumping single engine, the simplicity, the retro look and the fact that I could transform it in endless variations. From standard I changed it to a cafe racer, then a street tracker and now it will change again into a full aluminium faired retro racer.

I use the SR for short and medium distances. The sweet spot when riding it is around 80-90km/h (ER6 around 110-120). If you like to customize your bikes, this is the one. You'll never get the same satisfaction with an ER6.

A couple of years ago I wrote a blog post about buying an SR in Thailand, but that was before the new FI SR came back. Still, it might be helpful if you decide to buy the old model.

LINK

People who buy the SR don't care about HP and performance, they feel attracted by the style and it's more of a life philosophy than anything else. While I could see myself selling all other bikes I have, the SR is for life. :-)

If you go the SR route, I would buy the new one. Get it on finance if you can't afford it straight away.

[CarlTyson]

Go to Baht & Sold and do a search for bikes in your price range.

Here are some bikes in the 100,000-200,000 range.

http://www.bahtsold.com/quicksearch2?co=Thailand-1&s=Keyword+%7C+Ad+No&keyword_type=2&ca=9&c=NULL&pr_from=100000&pr_to=200000&show_qs=1

[BSJ]

The only thing I can think of that would stop me from buying an SR400 is that it's kick start only....no electric leg! And my right knee is almost buggered!

[craigp]

I really need to test ride one of these SR400's.

(Luckily, it's my left knee that's shafted......)

[craigp]

You boys know much more than me, however...

Here are my concerns about the SR

1-I'll look like my dad.

2- The price (new)

3- It 'looks' small for a tall guy.

4- lack of performance?

[Shurup]

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/783708-2005-yamaha-dragstar-classic-400cc/

These are simple air cooled engines and they have a good reputation of being very reliable. I have had zero engine problems and it has enough punch, lots more than the Phantom. Just saying.

[AllanB]

Your choices

Honda XR 250,... Don't know.

Kawasaki D-Trakker... the ones I have seen are a lot of money for what you get, if they have been off-road that means a lot more wear and tear.

Honda Steed 400... unreliable pretend HD and a pig to work on,

Honda CB 400... thirsty and trouble, so obviously cheap.

Yamaha SR 400... overpriced, most without green book and still overpriced and unless you are short you will look a dick. New they are over 250k+ baht, outrageous, buy one at that price and you will be a dick.

The new CB300f is on offer right now for 128k, nice bike.

Anyway you can get a 650 for that money, so SH it's a no brainer ER6n, or similar. There are plenty for sale, so prices will be good.

[Garry]

The ER-6N's seat height is about the same as the CB400 and SR400 (and a lot higher than the Steed's...)

And they make good track bikes

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