What is the "Coolest" Bike Made in Thailand?

[Familyonthemove]

I think everyone will agree that there are no 'cool' cars manufactured in Thailand (using the old Top Gear 'Cool Wall' system), but there are some nice bikes made here.

But which is the coolest? This is not the fastest (Kawasaki Z800?) or the best tourer (Versys?), but the one that exudes the most coolness.

Using the Thai taxation definition of 'made in Thailand' would exclude Triumph, which with it's Steve McQueen legacy would be a contender - so from the rest here's my vote for the coolest in 'Miss World' style reverse order. What's your thoughts on the coolest bike made in Thailand?

6. Honda CB650F - those sweeping chrome headers are just cool

5. Kawasaki D-Tracker - the original affordable super-moto

4. Honda CRF250M - like a D-Tracker, but cooler

3. Ducati Scrambler - almost disqualified for trying too hard - but an air cooled, naked Ducati is definitive cool

2. Honda Super Cub - retro cool with classic, understated 'not trying too hard' looks and defiantly drum-braked old skoolery

1. Honda MSX - Second generation cool following in the footsteps of the Dax, can embarrass some sports bikes in the twisties - just a shame we're all too tall to ride one.

Have I missed any worthy contenders?

[OmegaRacer]

I would say my bike is the coolest! ?

It's a Yamaha SR400, not made in Thailand originally, but completely transformed by me...in Thailand. Haha

When I think about cool bikes, personally I automatically discard any bike made after 1992. But if I have to adhere to your conditions, I would go for the Ducati Scrambler.

[eisfeld]

Cool is a pretty wide term and means different things to different people. That being said, here my top 5:

5. Honda CB650F in tricolor - love the rear. it's the most affordable inline 4 in Thailand, making it accessible to many and that's cool

4. Kawasaki Z800 - brutal looks

3. Ducati Monster - it still turns heads

2. Ducati Scrambler - i am totally biased. From young and old, female and male... - I have gotten many compliments with it

1. Ducati Panigale 899 - if you don't make an impression on this panty dropper, you should see a doctor

PS: Familyonthemove, the fastest Thai made motorbike will probably be the BMW S1000RR, a lot faster than the Z800

[Markc]

Stallion Centaur 150 Sport Classic.

Because I have one and it just is.

Game over

[kiniyow]

Honda Monkey in 50 CC

[papa al]

He who worries about cool is not.

Guitar playing & $ is panty dropper.

Not some greasy bike.

Edited March 8, 2016 by papa al

[bramds]

I would say the Z800 and the Stallion CT400, kings of cool.

[apetley]

This one

[PoorSucker]

If you are female a pink Fino seems to be cool.

[rodcourt49]

Cool is a pretty wide term and means different things to different people. That being said, here my top 5:

5. Honda CB650F in tricolor - love the rear. it's the most affordable inline 4 in Thailand, making it accessible to many and that's cool

4. Kawasaki Z800 - brutal looks

3. Ducati Monster - it still turns heads

2. Ducati Scrambler - i am totally biased. From young and old, female and male... - I have gotten many compliments with it

1. Ducati Panigale 899 - if you don't make an impression on this panty dropper, you should see a doctor

PS: Familyonthemove, the fastest Thai made motorbike will probably be the BMW S1000RR, a lot faster than the Z800

...you guys on your big bikes are great..makes such a pleasure to be overtaken and hear the blast coming and the rush of air as you go by..then to get a close up of you at the lights with your machines idling away..good stuff..a nice break from all the 125s..you set good examples to other road users of how to ride correctly in traffic (a pity the masses didn't practice the same..would be a much safer track)...'Ride on'..is that the saying?

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

Bike for dad ?

[carter1882]

BMWs made in the 1960s.

[smccolley]

Stallion Centaur 150 Sport Classic.

Because I have one and it just is.

Game over

The Stallions is a now a real Thai brand motorcycle and made here in Thailand. At 150cc it is small enough to get through the crap traffic like a scooter and fun enough to know you are on a real bike.

[HooHaa]

any of the custom cubs referenced in this thread

err, link would help ... http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/753445-my-custom-super-cub/

Edited March 9, 2016 by HooHaa

[Familyonthemove]

I would say my bike is the coolest! ?

It's a Yamaha SR400, not made in Thailand originally, but completely transformed by me...in Thailand. Haha

When I think about cool bikes, personally I automatically discard any bike made after 1992. But if I have to adhere to your conditions, I would go for the Ducati Scrambler.

SR400 is certainly a cool bike, and being a Japanese/Thai Luuk Krung adds to the cool factor, but still does not qualify as a Thai made bike. Sorry.

[LivinLOS]

Made here by a manufacturer..

Hypermotard.. Or the 899.. Or even the scrambler..

Triumphs, the scrambler is cool..

Made here by Thai builders..

Google street cubs. I think they are wild fun and the Thai and Indo scene is highly creative.

Because the cub is so available here as rolling wrecks they make the ideal low cost donor which allows people to be wildly creative and just let work and design show.

https://www.pinterest.com/nguyenbongxu/steetcub/

I was hunting for a donor to have a play at building too, but seems I will be travelling too much this year or two.. Sure cooler than your stock PCX or something.

[The Deerhunter]

The classic Thai Honda Phantom 200cc twin cylinder with Harley lite looks and solid alloy wheel(s). All in Black and a bit of chrome. Absolutely!!! Retro cool but not an embarrassment to be seen on like a (PINK) Honda Super cub 2015/16 Repro. If I was not over my bike days I would have to own one. But, I still have a full Thai MC license, just in case I see a bargain one day and cannot resist it...................

In fact it is the only bike I would DESIRE to own. But a pity about the 200cc part. 350 - 400cc would make it a useful cruiser.

Edited March 9, 2016 by The Deerhunter

[Jeffrey346]

Royal Enfield

[bramds]

BMWs made in the 1960s.

They were made in Thailand?

[Jedsada3]

Many cool bikes made in Thailand...

[Jedsada3]

for every budget...

[Familyonthemove]

Royal Enfield

Cool - yes, made in Thailand - not yet.

I think the 'street' Super Cubs are going up in the ranking.

Still not sure about the Stallion Centaur - the name sounds a bit too much like a brand of condom or a sex aid to be truly cool - although this could add to the rebel cool factor if raised in polite conversation .... "my Stallion Centaur vibrates too much, think it needs a balancer shaft".

Names are important --- the M-Slaz 150 looks good, but the name just sucks, whereas the Triumph Thunderbird Sport (never made in Thailand unfortunately) must be one of the coolest bike names ever.

[cat handler]

So cute that people actually think the Scrambler is a cool bike. Personally I wouldn't get caught dead n any of the bikes mentioned.

[PoorSucker]

The classic Thai Honda Phantom 200cc twin cylinder with Harley lite looks and solid alloy wheel(s). All in Black and a bit of chrome. Absolutely!!! Retro cool but not an embarrassment to be seen on like a (PINK) Honda Super cub 2015/16 Repro. If I was not over my bike days I would have to own one. But, I still have a full Thai MC license, just in case I see a bargain one day and cannot resist it...................

In fact it is the only bike I would DESIRE to own. But a pity about the 200cc part. 350 - 400cc would make it a useful cruiser.

Try to get the Honda Magna, same look but V-engine on 250 cc.

It's like the Phantom on steroids.

[Blue Muton]

Having just bought one I'd have to say a Kawasaki Vulcan S. Wait, no I wouldn't, I didn't buy it to be cool, I'm way past bothering about that kind of nonsense.

[RigPig]

http://www.motorcycle.in.th/article.php/Stallion-Centaur-CT400_400cc-Cafe-Racer

[PoorSucker]

Having just bought one I'd have to say a Kawasaki Vulcan S. Wait, no I wouldn't, I didn't buy it to be cool, I'm way past bothering about that kind of nonsense.

Cool.

[RedQualia]

After the Ducati I had in the states, I was very disappointed in the Scrambler I rode recently. Struck me as quite under-powered, and I didn't care at all for the wide handlebars and bolt upright riding position. I'm not sure what Ducati's game plan is these days. Apparently not racing so much, nor winning, anymore. Looks like they're most interested in selling average bikes to the masses. Panigales are much too expensive here to be cool.

The various Kawasaki 650s made here have quite a bit of merit. They've been around for a while, so service and parts are quite easy to come by. That they've been around for a while also means they can be had second hand relatively cheaply. They're also big enough to haul two people plus bags anywhere in Thailand. Barely big enough to do so! But big enough to do so. The engine isn't particularly high tech these days, but it produces about the same amount of torque as a Harley 883 Sportster or Yamaha Bolt, and has 15-20 more horsepower. Certainly not the "coolest" bikes ever made, but there lots of versatility in them that's hard to beat, and OP did stipulate "made in Thailand."

I haven't ridden the Z800, so can't really talk about it so much. I know it's pretty heavy, though, and have observed at least a few people unloading Z800s in favor of the 650s. No idea what that means. Just sayin'...

The price of 299,000 Baht suggests that the Yamaha MT-07 is made in Thailand. I think it's around 685-690cc or so. I kinda like it, but haven't ridden it. Really, Yamaha seems to have an off-again on-again relationship with selling their bigger bikes in Thailand, and I kinda worry about long terms parts and service availability. Sukuki seems worse in that regard. Any bike for which you have to wait 3-6 months for the (wrong?) parts to arrive and can't find ready service for is definitely uncool. And so who you gonna get to work on that pretty Benelli? Once the guy opens the engine, will they know what to do?

I think most Thai people are big, big fans of anything with the letters "Honda CB" at the front, and it doesn't much matter what comes after. Which means they tend to be extremely common, which is kind of not cool. But also means that they're probably easy enough to sell when the time comes, and that is pretty cool. Noticed a while back that the CB500 has ten more horsepower than my old Triumph 650 Bonneville. Not sure how it really would perform in comparison, but interesting. Still, gonna pass on the Honda "big bikes." I haven't heard anything good about their service departments just yet, but have heard lots of bad. Maybe in a few years, but not just yet.

I don't think I'd want a Harley 750, but is that one made in Thailand? Wherever it's made, I've read that it's selling quite well.

Have to pass on the various Thai brands of motorcycles, regardless of size. My experience is that they're much too likely to break down (though the good news is that parts are cheap).

I think that pretty much exhausts my list of potentially "cool" and made in Thailand bikes. I think I've gotten close to "cool" a few times above, but haven't quite made it to real "cool."

Your list can certainly vary, and surely will! My kid thinks her Yamaha GTX 125 is about the coolest thing in the world.

Edit PS: Bikes without greenbooks are definitely uncool, no matter what they look like, how big or small they are or how much power they might have.

Edited March 9, 2016 by RedQualia

[Blue Muton]

Having just bought one I'd have to say a Kawasaki Vulcan S. Wait, no I wouldn't, I didn't buy it to be cool, I'm way past bothering about that kind of nonsense.

Cool.

Thanks, we went for white:

[MolesterStallone]

The Vulcan is sexy!

Im a big Kawasaki fan so my opinion isn't worth yesterdays toilet tissue but i have to agree with Red Qualia about the 650's. Cheap to buy cheap to run but wicked fun there is something cool about that. ER6n is a mini hooligan too.