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Posted

I'm saving up for a medium-term trip to Thailand & I would like to buy a new bike (one of those 'sports' bikes, something good value, a good allrounder). I was hoping if someone knows so I can start doing my budget & expenses. I was thinking (hoping) about 90000 baht or less.

The type of riding I expect to be doing is short trips during the week and occasionally some upcountry day trips.

Posted
I'm saving up for a medium-term trip to Thailand & I would like to buy a new bike (one of those 'sports' bikes, something good value, a good allrounder). I was hoping if someone knows so I can start doing my budget & expenses. I was thinking (hoping) about 90000 baht or less.

The type of riding I expect to be doing is short trips during the week and occasionally some upcountry day trips.

For B90,000 the only 'new' bikes you can consider are less than 200cc. The CBR150cc is a little small for upcountry riding. Tiger have a new bike 200cc about 60,000? that might be worth considering (as used by the Thai Police), but resale is probably low. You can also consider a second hand 400cc machine, about 8 years old+ for that price, condition about 90%.

Posted

Some of us who have ridden a CBR150 in Thailand for over 35,000 km think it's an all-rounder. My friend with the two-stroke NSR150 sport bike has a trunk on the back of his!! I know a guy who rides between Bangkok and Chiang Mai occasionally on a CBR150. I've done all-day trips in reasonable comfort. They sell for 66,000 baht new (including registration and insurance, and a cheap helmet thrown in), with full warranty, and adequate parts and service (which the bikes over 400cc may not have).

The police Tiger 200 probably doesn't have the quality of the Honda.

Some people think the Honda Phantom 200 cruiser/chopper is an all-rounder, too. They cost over 80,000 and the full dresser can run 100K.

To a westerner, anything under 200cc seems small. Folks in Thailand think a 150 is big.

Posted
I'm saving up for a medium-term trip to Thailand & I would like to buy a new bike (one of those 'sports' bikes, something good value, a good allrounder). I was hoping if someone knows so I can start doing my budget & expenses. I was thinking (hoping) about 90000 baht or less.

The type of riding I expect to be doing is short trips during the week and occasionally some upcountry day trips.

I think the NSR 150 covers all your points and it is great fun to ride. Not sure if it is still sold new.

The CBR 150 is cheaper and it will also take you everywhere. Less fun.

As PeaceBlondie pointed out, the 150 cc are good size engines to travel in Thailand's roads.

Posted

I'm saving up for a medium-term trip to Thailand & I would like to buy a new bike (one of those 'sports' bikes, something good value, a good allrounder). I was hoping if someone knows so I can start doing my budget & expenses. I was thinking (hoping) about 90000 baht or less.

The type of riding I expect to be doing is short trips during the week and occasionally some upcountry day trips.

I think the NSR 150 covers all your points and it is great fun to ride. Not sure if it is still sold new.

The CBR 150 is cheaper and it will also take you everywhere. Less fun.

As PeaceBlondie pointed out, the 150 cc are good size engines to travel in Thailand's roads.

I think the CBR is OK, I have ridden it. I own an NSR and a Boss 175, but I still think it's worth trading up to a big bike if you have the cash and the confidence. I would not consider touring Thailand on one of my smaller bikes, it is pushing the limit of the suspension, engine, brakes etc., especially 2-up. Bikes under 200cc are good fun, but they don't give you the same feeling that a big bike does. I would still say 'buy a 400+ if you really love riding'. I have owned a number of big bikes, once you know where to shop, parts can be found. As for warranty, learn to do some of the work yourself! It's all part of the fun! As a car driver also, I feel that certainly the bigger bikes on the highways seem to encourage drivers to give them a wider berth and encourage more respect, plus they have power to keep up at speeds of 120-140kph in the fast lane. However, the smaller bikes do win in an urban environment. Buy a CBR, after a year you will want to trade up, like most of the customers who buy my bikes.

Posted

Get yourself a pair of roller blades, 6 feet of rope and find you a few soi dogs once you get to Thailand. They will produce about the same amount of horse power as the toy offered in Thailand.

Posted

400 is a good size bike for touring around Thailand, but if you are in the middle of nowhere and you have problems nobody can fix it for you. Any common small 150cc they will strip down, have parts on the shelf or the next hut along will. This goes for tires, wheel etc. too A well taken care of bike should not let you down but a blown tube can happen anywhere anytime, to any size bike.

NSR 150 v CBR 150 i have ridden both, i have the NSR and hopping onto the CBR i noticed a huge power drop even at such small bike sizes there is a diff.

You cannot now buy a new NSR i believe they stopped producing them. So you would have to go second hand with all the risk entailed.

The CBR is without doubt much better on fuel consumption too, my 150cc NSR uses more than a good 400cc 4stroke would. They drink petrol, which is something to consider if planning lots of km.

The chopper style bikes are not my cup of tea, but if you are planning long trips, the fat arse, old git seat, (he he bring the flames) may prove more comfortable, as may the riding position.

I am used to 1000cc bikes back home, but here 150cc seems fine. I miss the power but hey I might not miss the dog at that speed.

Posted

I'll definitly check out the CBR & second hand NSR's. 66000 baht for a CBR sounds like good value. I've only had a few years experience on 250cc bikes, so I think i'll stick with my plan for a smaller bike. After some Thai road XP, if I get the itch I can always upgrade to a more beastly machine. For now with all things taken into consideration, the CBR sounds best for my needs.

Posted

One point to keep in mind is the cost and ease of maintenance and repairs. Thai mechanics will be able to get parts for and repair Thai built bikes easily and quickly. Getting parts for and finding a knowledgable mechanic for a bigger bike can be a problem, especially outside of the larger cities.

I would get one of the bigger Thai bikes if I were in your position.

Posted

The CBR150 drinks a liter of 91 octane petrol every 30 km, even when pushed hard. Top speed with a 90-kg pilot is 140kph. Traffic on the super-highway isn't safe above that. You might be surprised how well it keeps up with all but the fastest cars (I used to pass Benzes and new Volvos). Besides, I was only doing about 30kph when I hit the dog in the road. :o

Posted
The CBR150 drinks a liter of 91 octane petrol every 30 km, even when pushed hard. Top speed with a 90-kg pilot is 140kph. Traffic on the super-highway isn't safe above that. You might be surprised how well it keeps up with all but the fastest cars (I used to pass Benzes and new Volvos). Besides, I was only doing about 30kph when I hit the dog in the road. :D

Those numbers sound great. Can't wait to start motorbike riding again. :D The pushbike i've been using for the last 10 months in OZ is fun enough from A to B but im starting to get sick of the swooping birds and pushbike chasing, ankle biting dogs :o

Posted
400 is a good size bike for touring around Thailand, but if you are in the middle of nowhere and you have problems nobody can fix it for you. Any common small 150cc they will strip down, have parts on the shelf or the next hut along will. This goes for tires, wheel etc. too A well taken care of bike should not let you down but a blown tube can happen anywhere anytime, to any size bike.

NSR 150 v CBR 150 i have ridden both, i have the NSR and hopping onto the CBR i noticed a huge power drop even at such small bike sizes there is a diff.

You cannot now buy a new NSR i believe they stopped producing them. So you would have to go second hand with all the risk entailed.

The CBR is without doubt much better on fuel consumption too, my 150cc NSR uses more than a good 400cc 4stroke would. They drink petrol, which is something to consider if planning lots of km.

The chopper style bikes are not my cup of tea, but if you are planning long trips, the fat arse, old git seat, (he he bring the flames) may prove more comfortable, as may the riding position.

I am used to 1000cc bikes back home, but here 150cc seems fine. I miss the power but hey I might not miss the dog at that speed.

One point to keep in mind is the cost and ease of maintenance and repairs. Thai mechanics will be able to get parts for and repair Thai built bikes easily and quickly. Getting parts for and finding a knowledgable mechanic for a bigger bike can be a problem, especially outside of the larger cities.

I would get one of the bigger Thai bikes if I were in your position.

Maintenance and repairs were the main points that made me decide against buying a big bike. I wanted the CBR 1000 and a Honda dealer talked me out of getting it here (he probably didn't have a way to get one at that time, but I still believe it was good advice).

Funnily enough, those have not been the real reasons I'm glad I followed the advice. The Thai roads are an important reason for that and the size of the bike is the other: it would never make it on the narrow "motorcycle lanes" in Bangkok (yes, you know, those dotted white lines between the perennially stopped cars on the streets)

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