What's an exciting bike of today?

[A1Str8]

Z1000

[papa al]

I would like to mention that Allan B did not say he wanted to tour nor did he say he had a passenger in mind in his original question. He is large though.

He does: want to tour & passenger.

We know bro Allan.

In general, to be on the safe side, I avoid living things larger than myself.

[Lokie]

I'd be like Forza, CBR500 or a Cruiser (if touring two up for distance) a trailie seat is not that comfartably for touring compared with other types and at 6ft the op may want a bigger feel than the CBR? defo need to hire a few and try them out first, see how you get on with them for a week or so (Hire)

I rwould lean towards a nice Cruiser with saddle bags etc and Screen for comfort, but everyone and each to their own...

[fxe1200]

My Honda CB 500 F is for sale. Red colour. One year old, and only done 330 kms from new. Taxed and insured it on 20 February. PM me if you are interested.

Geoff

Think, before buying a Honda 500!!

http://hondacb500fproblem.blogspot.com/p/other-known.html

[cornishcarlos]

My Honda CB 500 F is for sale. Red colour. One year old, and only done 330 kms from new. Taxed and insured it on 20 February. PM me if you are interested.

Geoff

Think, before buying a Honda 500!!

http://hondacb500fproblem.blogspot.com/p/other-known.html

That goes for any bike. All have some with issues. Majority of CB500 owners are happy, I think ? I know I am

[AllanB]

My Honda CB 500 F is for sale. Red colour. One year old, and only done 330 kms from new. Taxed and insured it on 20 February. PM me if you are interested.

Geoff

Think, before buying a Honda 500!!

http://hondacb500fproblem.blogspot.com/p/other-known.html

Have I heard this story before, possibly on a topic slagging off Chinese bikes, it does make you think and the Japs have a history of covering up faults in their cars over the years, as it is considered unpatriotic to report faults. Well that's what they say anyway.

Pretty heartbreaking to spend all that money for reliability and not get it, but the thing that perplexes me most is the cracks in the forks, that could mean death on a 100mph bike.

A good 50% of new things I have bought in Thailand have been faulty, including a genuine Seiko watch and more recently an LG Smart TV, which regularly crashes.

[JonnyF]

I would like to mention that Allan B did not say he wanted to tour nor did he say he had a passenger in mind in his original question. He is large though.

I had a great experience with Honda's CBR 250 and it has just grown a little now to 300cc with more models too. I saw a motard version yesterday. I assume it is great like my CBR 250.

I am recovering from a motorcycle accident, one of the very common slow speed kind. Sunday was a very busy day at Big C. Usually I park my Honda CTX 700cc automatic among the cars instead of going into the special area for scooters. Because there were a lot of cars I went in the scooter area where they expect me to go. My mistake. It was a tight turn going in but coming out there were the back to back 90 degree turns with an ankle high railing along a to narrow path. Scooters went in and out with ease but I got stuck because my 220 kg long full size motorcycle couldn't make the tight turns. As I tried to unstick it it fell over on me. Because my leg was also stuck in the tight quarters I fell hard on my back. I have a sore spot on the left and a right kidney that hurts. I think that CBS 300 would wiggle in and out of there okay, not as easily as a scooter. But I usually ride back and forth to BKK, and Pattaya from Surin and this Honda CTX is great on the highway. I learned my lesson and won't try to go every where the scooters go.

Don't forget next weekend's International GP Motocross. Google it if you are a motocross fan. It is near Pattaya and Chomburi on March 7 & 8th. I'll be there with a sore back - but there!

Just FYI, the GP is in Nakhonchaisri this year - they moved it from Chonburi unfortunately.

[BB24]

Join a bike club or two and talk to bikers - they may even let you sit on theirs.

Go on a guided bike tour with company that provides bike bikes (eg. Tony's Big Bikes in Chiang Mai) - try what bike/s you like - ride others in tour for a bit.

Dont buy until you have ridden that model yourself - at least have sat on one and spoken to an owner or two.

[zyphodb]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

My Honda CB 500 F is for sale. Red colour. One year old, and only done 330 kms from new. Taxed and insured it on 20 February. PM me if you are interested.

Geoff

Think, before buying a Honda 500!!

http://hondacb500fproblem.blogspot.com/p/other-known.html

Have I heard this story before, possibly on a topic slagging off Chinese bikes, it does make you think and the Japs have a history of covering up faults in their cars over the years, as it is considered unpatriotic to report faults. Well that's what they say anyway.

Pretty heartbreaking to spend all that money for reliability and not get it, but the thing that perplexes me most is the cracks in the forks, that could mean death on a 100mph bike.

A good 50% of new things I have bought in Thailand have been faulty, including a genuine Seiko watch and more recently an LG Smart TV, which regularly crashes.

My experiences here lead me to believe that you cant trust anything made here to be reliable as everyone cuts corners with their work & faults are nearly always covered up to save loss of face, I also don't trust any Thai worker/professional/mechanic to do his job properly for the same corner cutting or face saving reasons...

[apetley]

Nice looking, very low km's 500x in the small ads for 180k bht.

[AllanB]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

My Honda CB 500 F is for sale. Red colour. One year old, and only done 330 kms from new. Taxed and insured it on 20 February. PM me if you are interested.

Geoff

Think, before buying a Honda 500!!

http://hondacb500fproblem.blogspot.com/p/other-known.html

Have I heard this story before, possibly on a topic slagging off Chinese bikes, it does make you think and the Japs have a history of covering up faults in their cars over the years, as it is considered unpatriotic to report faults. Well that's what they say anyway.

Pretty heartbreaking to spend all that money for reliability and not get it, but the thing that perplexes me most is the cracks in the forks, that could mean death on a 100mph bike.

A good 50% of new things I have bought in Thailand have been faulty, including a genuine Seiko watch and more recently an LG Smart TV, which regularly crashes.

My experiences here lead me to believe that you cant trust anything made here to be reliable as everyone cuts corners with their work & faults are nearly always covered up to save loss of face, I also don't trust any Thai worker/professional/mechanic to do his job properly for the same corner cutting or face saving reasons...

If I need anything now I buy it in the UK and on an odd occasion the item is faulty I return it and get all my money back instantly, here I spend hours arguing over everything. I even had to go through Seiko UK to eventually get a replacement watch, even though I bought it in Thailand and it was well out of warranty by that time. They shipped the watch from the UK to Seiko Thailand who even were unable to deliver the bloody thing, even though they had the address in Thai and English.

I am getting very close to having my NV reliable and often think "better the devil you know", but MrsB really wants a new bike for these trips as she says our Thai built Wave has been 100% reliable over the 5 years we have had it. But then the Wave is renowned for it's reliability and some of these other Jap bikes perhaps have question marks.

There are two main Honda dealers in Khon Kaen and I am not sure I trust either of them when it comes to service and whilst I can fiddle with the NV, doing any work on a modern high tech machine in not feasible.

So here is a question, if you have a problem with a new bike, do you have to take it to the dealer you bought it from, or could you use the other Honda dealer, assuming they will help you having bought it somewhere else?

[Shurup]

Any honda dealer. What's the point of having a Honda dealer network then?

[macknife]

You can take it to any Honda dealer where it would be fixed free of charge.

[Genericnic]

I assume that none of the big 4 produce a cruiser style bike, a bit like the old Phantom, which was an easy bike to ride slowly and apart from the complete lack of torque/power was good 2 up.

http://www.kawasaki.co.th/th/motorcycle_06_vulcan_S_abs.asp

You should read up on this bike, it's the only cruiser with adjustable seat, bars and pegs settings so could be set for virtually any size rider.

I would love to have a Kawa Vulcan again. I rode a Vulcan 900 Classic in the US and really miss it. I could by new, of the showroom floor, for US$10,000 including tax/title/license. The last time I looked, here it is closer to US$15 or 16,000 plus I think they ask for your left testicle as well.

It is a really great bike though.

David

[joesanunu]

I assume that none of the big 4 produce a cruiser style bike, a bit like the old Phantom, which was an easy bike to ride slowly and apart from the complete lack of torque/power was good 2 up.

http://www.kawasaki.co.th/th/motorcycle_06_vulcan_S_abs.asp

You should read up on this bike, it's the only cruiser with adjustable seat, bars and pegs settings so could be set for virtually any size rider.

I would love to have a Kawa Vulcan again. I rode a Vulcan 900 Classic in the US and really miss it. I could by new, of the showroom floor, for US$10,000 including tax/title/license. The last time I looked, here it is closer to US$15 or 16,000 plus I think they ask for your left testicle as well.

It is a really great bike though.

David

The Thai prices are high but you get it returned when re-selling.

Cost of ownership should be close got that of back home, no?

[bramds]

My Honda CB 500 F is for sale. Red colour. One year old, and only done 330 kms from new. Taxed and insured it on 20 February. PM me if you are interested.

Geoff

Think, before buying a Honda 500!!

http://hondacb500fproblem.blogspot.com/p/other-known.html

Already did 30.000 kms on mine without problems.

[RubberSideDown]

I assume that none of the big 4 produce a cruiser style bike, a bit like the old Phantom, which was an easy bike to ride slowly and apart from the complete lack of torque/power was good 2 up.

http://www.kawasaki.co.th/th/motorcycle_06_vulcan_S_abs.asp

You should read up on this bike, it's the only cruiser with adjustable seat, bars and pegs settings so could be set for virtually any size rider.

I would love to have a Kawa Vulcan again. I rode a Vulcan 900 Classic in the US and really miss it. I could by new, of the showroom floor, for US$10,000 including tax/title/license. The last time I looked, here it is closer to US$15 or 16,000 plus I think they ask for your left testicle as well.

It is a really great bike though.

David

The Thai prices are high but you get it returned when re-selling.

Cost of ownership should be close got that of back home, no?

Not so much the last couple of years- with new models being introduced and prices falling due to local production, used bike prices have been dropping quite a bit- guys that won't drop their asking price (often due to money owed on a financed bike) often still have their motorcycles six months after first advertising them.

Some models hold their value better than others, if course, but the more popular Thai-factory-produced bikes are 'cheap' on the used market.