Safest Bike

[SailingHome]

Safest bike in the 45k to 60k price range?

[Briggsy]

Safety and motorcycles has little to do with vehicle make and model unlike cars.

Improve your chances by

1. Riding safely and within the limits of your ability and road conditions.

2. Wear personal protective equipment on every ride, full face helmet, armoured jacket, boots, etc.

3. Maintain your bike. Pay great care to tyres and brakes.

4. Be visible. Wear bright orange, reflective gear and ensure all lights on the bike are sufficiently bright, working and not obscured.

For 45 to 60 K, you will be buying a new 125 cc, e.g. a Honda Click. There is no great difference in safety between models.

At that price, for a new bike, ABS is not available, although combination braking systems may be slightly safer than non-linked braking systems.

[SailingHome]

How far would you travel in a day on such a cheap bike with little engine? I envision long drives from Bangkok to Rayong for instance. Wouldn't a little bike burn out?

How to cut down on the stifling heat when wearing all that safety gear?

[Briggsy]

How far would you travel in a day on such a cheap bike with little engine? I envision long drives from Bangkok to Rayong for instance. Wouldn't a little bike burn out?

How to cut down on the stifling heat when wearing all that safety gear?

I have done Bangkok to Rayong on a 125 cc. That is about as far as I would go in one day on a 125 cc due to lack of comfort and having to drive on the hard shoulder due to Thai driving conventions. On a larger bike I have done 700 kms in a day many times. But this would be over budget for you.

I can assure that Japanese bikes produced in Thailand are very well quality controlled and the engine would certainly not burn out on a 200 km ride.

You will find that by moving, you create a wind which reduces your body heat due to convection and evaporation of sweat so the heat is not stifling generally. Riding in Bangkok, where you are often stopped at the lights is a different matter. There are specific vented armoured jackets for a hot climate. I have one myself. Also by covering your skin, you are not directly hit by sunlight. Many farangi think that the coolest option is a singlet and shorts. That is not necessarily the case.

[ll2]

a second had cbr250r is the safest for those prices like 60 - 65 k thb. bigger tires, good enough suspensions etc.

but i see cbr250s with abs maybe a bit more expensive as second hand but definitely it saves your a..s..ss a big time.

[TomYumpoochai]

The safest bike for thailand in that price range is an exercise bike in the lounge.... everything else involves danger!

[Pinot]

I think all the bikes are pretty similar in terms of safety. Wear a helmet at least. I'm one of the few it seems, in Phuket.

The new LED headlights on my new PCX was a vast improvement for night driving, great brakes, plenty of power, lots of storage room, comfortable for two riders. The PCX is hard to beat. The new Click has the LED lights also.

[dave_boo]

For sure if you get a bike in that price range...make sure it has combined braking!

Sawing back on the rear brake and then modulating the front makes for quick safe stops.

And if you buy used, replace the rear brakes quick like especially if they're drum. For some reason every time I jump on a local's bike with rear drum they are wore all the way down. Even me adjusting it for them (which they always thank me for) shows just how wore they are.

[papa al]

Yamaha Nouvo SX.

Twin rear coils.

16" wheels.

Better braced frame vs. Click.

Saw one @ CM showroom, 54.5Kbaht new, so 5.5K left for better tires & struts?

[andrewrooney]

For sure if you get a bike in that price range...make sure it has combined braking!

Sawing back on the rear brake and then modulating the front makes for quick safe stops.

And if you buy used, replace the rear brakes quick like especially if they're drum. For some reason every time I jump on a local's bike with rear drum they are wore all the way down. Even me adjusting it for them (which they always thank me for) shows just how wore they are.

Yeah, what's with the rear brake thing? I let my wife's sister borrow my Wave for a couple months so she could use it to get to work. She took good care of it for the most part, but when I got it back I noticed the rear brake was a lot more worn and I needed to adjust it. It was like she didn't use the front brake at all.

[fredge45]

For sure if you get a bike in that price range...make sure it has combined braking!

Sawing back on the rear brake and then modulating the front makes for quick safe stops.

And if you buy used, replace the rear brakes quick like especially if they're drum. For some reason every time I jump on a local's bike with rear drum they are wore all the way down. Even me adjusting it for them (which they always thank me for) shows just how wore they are.

Yeah, what's with the rear brake thing? I let my wife's sister borrow my Wave for a couple months so she could use it to get to work. She took good care of it for the most part, but when I got it back I noticed the rear brake was a lot more worn and I needed to adjust it. It was like she didn't use the front brake at all.

The rear brake pedal makes a nice resting place for the right toes... ever notice how many bikes running round with their brake lights on whilst driving down the road?

[papa al]

It is no prob to put around town using rear brake only.

You know what happens when you use the front on sandy?

Boom!

[No, not boom-boom.]

Edited February 17, 2015 by papa al