Do you ride a motocy.

[Bri19000]

Let's be clear from the outset, this is a 'Why do you ...' post!

Motorcycle, scooter, moped, all good nouns to describe a type of two-wheeled mechanical vehicle.

So my question, why do you call it a 'motocy'?, all variations on spelling are welcome.

Yes, we're in Thailand, and that's what the locals call them ... but why, when you know all about the various variations and pronunciations , do you still revert/prefer to choose this infantile and annoying word..?

https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3382/3433061979_6463790fc3.jpg

[amexpat]

You answered your own question, "we're in Thailand, and that's what the locals call them".

Also because it is less infantile and annoying than words like "moped".

[daoyai]

why do prefer moped when they don't have pedals and are not mopeds? Why do you assume others think motocy is infantile and annoying?

[taotoo]

No, i drive a rot

[thaiduncankk]

Misleading title.

'Why do people call them motocys ?' maybe would have been better.

[KhonKaenKowboy]

motorbike is common....so are "xzdans."

[cyberfarang]

I have a big chopper.

[uksomchai]

why do prefer moped when they don't have pedals and are not mopeds? Why do you assume others think motocy is infantile and annoying?

A Moped is a British thing. It was originally introduced to allow 16 year olds to be allowed to ride a motorised vehicle. It had to be under 50cc, most were 49cc and they had to be able to be pedaled for some strange reason. The Japanese manufacturers soon latched on to these rules and started a speed war that went on to the first superbikes and todays pocket rockets.

That said motorcy is just Thaiglish. Some Farang use it, some quite a lot. It bothers some people, amuses others and personally doesn't bother me in the slightest.

Oh and I ride my BIKE and my SHOPPING TROLLEY ( The scooter )

[Aussie69]

Motorcycle, scooter, moped, all good nouns to describe a type of two-wheeled mechanical vehicle.

So my question, why do you call it a 'motocy'?, all variations on spelling are welcome.

I glad u asked this because I have also wondered about this word. I thought ppl were just abbreviating to save typing.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I think it's because people want to appear at home in Thailand but can't pronounce Rot Krueang.

[1FinickyOne]

I guess the same reason that I use a wholle host of Thai words... I live in Thailand and it is not only appropriate but easier for me to be understood when I speak...

How would I know which of their words not to use? And why?

[daoyai]

I think it's because people want to appear at home in Thailand but can't pronounce Rot Krueang.

That is funny, I think of that as an archaic term, have never heard it from anyone under 70 years old,... do you really say rot krueng... do you also call wine "lau angun" grandpa.

[daoyai]

why do prefer moped when they don't have pedals and are not mopeds? Why do you assume others think motocy is infantile and annoying?

A Moped is a British thing. It was originally introduced to allow 16 year olds to be allowed to ride a motorised vehicle. It had to be under 50cc, most were 49cc and they had to be able to be pedaled for some strange reason. The Japanese manufacturers soon latched on to these rules and started a speed war that went on to the first superbikes and todays pocket rockets.

That said motorcy is just Thaiglish. Some Farang use it, some quite a lot. It bothers some people, amuses others and personally doesn't bother me in the slightest.

Oh and I ride my BIKE and my SHOPPING TROLLEY ( The scooter )

A Brit thing? haha you guys claim everything , mine was Italian, made by Piagio, the pedals are for going up inclines where the little motor was overwhelmed... 2 stroke motor and belt drive. I loved, then hated mine when I was 15.

[pgrahmm]

Nope....We drive cars....

I still call them motor scooters.....

The family is used to it but they say motor'cy....

To me motorcycles have cc's & don't look like plastic scooters.....

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I think it's because people want to appear at home in Thailand but can't pronounce Rot Krueang.

That is funny, I think of that as an archaic term, have never heard it from anyone under 70 years old,... do you really say rot krueng... do you also call wine "lau angun" grandpa.

I think it's more common in the North. Don't think I've ever heard it anywhere else.

[flare]

I will use 'motorbike' (or 'bike') as a catch-all term for any two-wheeled motorized conveyance, and 'scooter' for the mass of small step-throughs and wannabe 'big bikes', but I will never call a Honda Wave (or even a 650cc BMW maxi-scooter) a 'motorcycle' (even if they technically fit the dictionary definition) and I have never in 15 years here used the word ''motorcy' to describe any type of bike.

[daoyai]

I like how some dudes somehow involve their manhood image in how they regard motorbikes, "I will never call a honda wave a motorcycle"... haha classic, yep dude, don't compromise yer manhood. So a real motorcycle has the gas tank between the rider and handlebars . That is why the new Harleys had to put a fake tank there as the real tank is under the seat. hilarious.

[kilt]

I ride a "BIG BIGE"

[pgrahmm]

I ride a "BIG BIGE"

Hopefully not in a kilt....

[flare]

I like how some dudes somehow involve their manhood image in how they regard motorbikes, "I will never call a honda wave a motorcycle"... haha classic, yep dude, don't compromise yer manhood. So a real motorcycle has the gas tank between the rider and handlebars . That is why the new Harleys had to put a fake tank there as the real tank is under the seat. hilarious.

No, it has nothing to do with 'manhood'- I've owned and ridden scooters for nearly two decades (and actual motorcycles for longer than that), so it's not like I look down upon others who ride them. The fact is that they're not 'motorcycles' as far as I'm concerned, nor are they as far as the perception of them goes in the US where I grew up- they are a different class of vehicle. On the same token, I would never call a motorcycle a 'scooter' (though I realize that they can be affectionately referred to as such, especially in the past). You can read what you want into that statement, of course.

[JaseTheBass]

I think it's because people want to appear at home in Thailand but can't pronounce Rot Krueang.

Nor can most Thais.

Sent from my R2D2 using my C3P0 manservant

[daoyai]

I like how some dudes somehow involve their manhood image in how they regard motorbikes, "I will never call a honda wave a motorcycle"... haha classic, yep dude, don't compromise yer manhood. So a real motorcycle has the gas tank between the rider and handlebars . That is why the new Harleys had to put a fake tank there as the real tank is under the seat. hilarious.

No, it has nothing to do with 'manhood'- I've owned and ridden scooters for nearly two decades (and actual motorcycles for longer than that), so it's not like I look down upon others who ride them. The fact is that they're not 'motorcycles' as far as I'm concerned, nor are they as far as the perception of them goes in the US where I grew up- they are a different class of vehicle. On the same token, I would never call a motorcycle a 'scooter' (though I realize that they can be affectionately referred to as such, especially in the past). You can read what you want into that statement, of course.

Fair enough, so then what are your definitions?

for me, a "scooter" is a bike with the classic vespa shape such as Scoopi and fino and then with the modernised shape, the click and mio. What about airblade and and the similar 135 cc Yamaha. (forgot the name. Then you have the super scooters, lots of plastic, and bigger displacement, pcx, goldwings and farza (sp?) what these have in common is small wheels and auto trans. I think of Waves and Dreams as step theough MCs due to larger wheels, manual or semi manual trans. How about the bad ass little Honda sonic?

When talking to locals, they are all MOTOCYYYYY.... !

[MadMac]

Nephew rides our Scoopy for 2 years or so, he is now 16 and went for a driver license this week, on the Scoopy. Failed the test, next week again . They can do it as long as they need to pass with 1 day in between to reconsider.

[CMKiwi]

Yes motorcy seems like a silly word but when in Rome...

I myself ride a motorbike or motorcycle although we also have a couple of scooters at home. Although my bike is only a 250, its in a proper motorcycle frame as are 'normal' motorbikes.

Scooters however seem to be covered in an enormous amount of plastic and dont take much to fold up/crumple when in an accident. But in saying that there are now a lot of big scooters about...

Maybe its all to do with the shape of the 2 wheeled contraption? But Id never call a Ducati Hypermotard a scooter or a motorcy...Id call it heaven!

[pgrahmm]

Yes motorcy seems like a silly word but when in Rome...

I myself ride a motorbike or motorcycle although we also have a couple of scooters at home. Although my bike is only a 250, its in a proper motorcycle frame as are 'normal' motorbikes.

Scooters however seem to be covered in an enormous amount of plastic and dont take much to fold up/crumple when in an accident. But in saying that there are now a lot of big scooters about...

Maybe its all to do with the shape of the 2 wheeled contraption? But Id never call a Ducati Hypermotard a scooter or a motorcy...Id call it heaven!

Yeah - and we'd all get there faster too if we started riding one.....

[lordblackader]

Kap rot geng: drive car (sedan)

Khii Motorcyi: ride Motorcycle

Thai is the local language, perhaps you've never heard of it op?

or are you seriously suggesting every loan word in Thai (and there are plenty of them) is infantile, because if you are the only thing infantile is you making fun of the local language of the country you live in.

[spiritrace]

I ride an Indian Chief Roadmaster 1720 cc and call it a "bike". I also have a Baja minibike 175 cc that I call a "minibike". In America we all tend to change the names of things regardless of logic.

[A1Str8]

I have never called it that way. Thais do coz they dont speak english.

[tandor]

I guess the same reason that I use a wholle host of Thai words... I live in Thailand and it is not only appropriate but easier for me to be understood when I speak...

How would I know which of their words not to use? And why?

...so many options for words here as in our countries ...slang, local enunciations etc. ..go with the flow..they know what we mean and 99% of the time will help.

They call a mini-bus a 'van' and a bus a 'tour'.

Edited May 30, 2016 by tandor

[brommers]

I use a trolley in the supermarket, some use a cart and last week in Promenada I heard an older north American man say to his wife " I'll go get a wagon". Isn't the world a wonderful mix of myriad terms that are equally valid to the person using them! Pity some people cannot see anyone but themselves as being "right" or should I say correct.