Thailand grants citizenship to half a million people – but not farangs

[CLW]

Any could do a test ride? Is the bike already available at Kawasaki dealers?

[Familyonthemove]

3 hours ago, CLW said:

Any could do a test ride? Is the bike already available at Kawasaki dealers?

Yes in dealers, and I saw one on the road yesterday.   But test rides may be a challenge. 

[pbas400]

i read 2 roadtests on french websites, the bike is perfect, only negative point is the seat very hard and uncomfortable 

 

the bike seems to be a good choice for traveling in Asia

[Happy Grumpy]

I'd still rather the 180cc more in the CB500X.

[Rhys]

 

 

 

 

 

...the CB 500 X    seems to be in this group....I like it over the Kawa300.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

[Nickymaster]

Buy a good second hand bullet proof versys 650. The perfect bike if you want to tour around Thailand.


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[Nickymaster]

http://www.cycleworld.com/2017-kawasaki-versys-x-300-adventure-motorcycle-review#page-4


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[speedtripler]

1 hour ago, Nickymaster said:

Buy a good second hand bullet proof versys 650. The perfect bike if you want to tour around Thailand.


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

That's what I was about to suggest when I heard the price of these 300's are 200-220k 

 

A good 2nd   hand versys 650 should be easy  enough to find for 220k  and I've seen some that have only been used for going Around Bkk on, practically no  wear  and tear and low mileage

[CLW]

Buy a good second hand bullet proof versys 650. The perfect bike if you want to tour around Thailand.


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

Depends on your purpose.
I tried the CB500x for touring in Northern Thailand, it's a good bike and easy to handle on OPEN roads.
I need my bike also for commuting in central Bangkok and I don't want to have a heavy and big bike similar to CB500x or even Versys.
So I think if someone wants to have only one bike, the Versys 300 might suit better.

[mark131v]

5 hours ago, CLW said:

Depends on your purpose.
I tried the CB500x for touring in Northern Thailand, it's a good bike and easy to handle on OPEN roads.
I need my bike also for commuting in central Bangkok and I don't want to have a heavy and big bike similar to CB500x or even Versys.
So I think if someone wants to have only one bike, the Versys 300 might suit better.

The CB500X is not big or heavy when you are on it and carving through traffic is no problem at all, it has really good manoeuvrability is very forgiving and has a tight turning circle nothing to dislike during city riding....

[howard ashoul]

I has gear indicator! That's what I'm missing on both of my motocycles. I never have a idea what gear I'm riding until I can't shift to higher or lower gear.

[mark131v]

3 hours ago, howard ashoul said:

I has gear indicator! That's what I'm missing on both of my motocycles. I never have a idea what gear I'm riding until I can't shift to higher or lower gear.

Seriously??

It is a nice to have but hardly vital to riding looking at the revs and listening to the engine note will tell you whether you need to change up or down and most modern bikes are very forgiving and will happily take off in 2nd or 3rd if needed

[howard ashoul]

43 minutes ago, mark131v said:

Seriously??

It is a nice to have but hardly vital to riding looking at the revs and listening to the engine note will tell you whether you need to change up or down and most modern bikes are very forgiving and will happily take off in 2nd or 3rd if needed

Yep, Im changing gears without looking at RPM etc. I can feel and hear when to change gear.

 

But problem is, that I never know what gear Im riding. So every 10 minutes I try to gear up, but Im at sixth (last) gear already. Sometimes I ride my fifth gear for 10 minutes at highway without realising, that I have one more gear up to go.... . It just annoying not know what gear Im riding. And to confirm trying to change gear up...if Im already at sixth or not.

 

Especially in the city, when you're force constantly shift gears Im totally lost. For some reasson Im unable to count them in my head or remember it.

 

Thats why I like the idea of gear indicator.

Edited May 8, 2017 by howard ashoul

[Richard-BKK]

I like this tread, I only have one question does anybody here know what makes a good adventure bike? Reading all the CB500X comments I doubt it, the Honda CB500X looks like an adventure bike but is as far from it as it could possible be…

 

More performance make a better adventure bike? That’s something you would think if you read this forum tread, while off-road on dirt roads you can find the bigger adventure bikes in deep trouble… With the exception of a few BMW and KTM bikes Thai dirt roads request a good amount from a adventure rider… The Kawasaki Versys 650 and 1000 (with some modifications) are often good enough for an adventure rider…

 

The Honda CB500X in an off-road situation is completely hilarious, sure you can do some hard surface off-road… maybe a few centimeters deep sand… but anything more the Kawasaki Versys-X 300 will dance around the CB500X if it was in its natural habitat...

 

I have a friend who bought a Honda CB500X for doing some adventure riding, off-road he was not capable to keep up with anybody on real adventure bikes or dual-sport bikes… So he started to modify his CB500X, he now spend more than if he would have bough a real adventure bike...

[mark131v]

23 minutes ago, Richard-BKK said:

I like this tread, I only have one question does anybody here know what makes a good adventure bike? Reading all the CB500X comments I doubt it, the Honda CB500X looks like an adventure bike but is as far from it as it could possible be…

 

More performance make a better adventure bike? That’s something you would think if you read this forum tread, while off-road on dirt roads you can find the bigger adventure bikes in deep trouble… With the exception of a few BMW and KTM bikes Thai dirt roads request a good amount from a adventure rider… The Kawasaki Versys 650 and 1000 (with some modifications) are often good enough for an adventure rider…

 

The Honda CB500X in an off-road situation is completely hilarious, sure you can do some hard surface off-road… maybe a few centimeters deep sand… but anything more the Kawasaki Versys-X 300 will dance around the CB500X if it was in its natural habitat...

 

I have a friend who bought a Honda CB500X for doing some adventure riding, off-road he was not capable to keep up with anybody on real adventure bikes or dual-sport bikes… So he started to modify his CB500X, he now spend more than if he would have bough a real adventure bike...

It is possible to do and has there are kits from rally raid products that change the bike to a very capable off roader

 

If you where to marry a good 2nd hand bike to Rally Raid kit you would have an extremely capable bike at a pretty low price

 

Bit of information for you: 

 

https://www.cb500x.com/index.php?topic=5239.0

 

http://www.rally-raidproducts.co.uk/

[mark131v]

Interesting review of the rally raid cbx, think it put's to rest the 'can a cb500x be good off road' question....

 

http://www.advpulse.com/adv-bikes/rally-raid-cb500x-review/

Edited May 8, 2017 by mark131v
spelling

[mark131v]

A cracking video of the 500x and what it can do with a good rider....

 

 

[Richard-BKK]

The Rally Raid CB500X Level 3 Adventure Kit cost around 2500 English Pound, which is in Thai THB probably aroad 106,000 THB... (without import duty) No need to say that this is a lot of money for a motorcycle that cost 220,000 THB new...  With the overall cost of getting a Honda CB500X to be a real adventure bike, maybe people should look at the Suzuki V-Strom 650XT (which everybody seems to love as adventure bike) which cost out of the showroom only 369,000 THB and is MADE in JAPAN....

Edited May 8, 2017 by Richard-BKK

[mark131v]

4 minutes ago, Richard-BKK said:

The Rally Raid CB500X Level 3 Adventure Kit cost around 2500 English Pound, which is in Thai THB probably aroad 106,000 THB... (without import duty) No need to say that this is a lot of money for a motorcycle that cost 220,000 THB new...  With the overall cost of getting a Honda CB500X to be a real adventure bike, maybe people should look at the Suzuki V-Strom 650XT (which everybody seems to love as adventure bike) which cost out of the showroom only 369,000 THB and is MADE in JAPAN....

No argument here Richard there are lots of good options out there but the question of if the 500x can be good off road is well and truly laid to rest.....

 

Marry a 2nd hand bike with a level 3 kit and you will have a really good value for money go anywhere bike that the Vstrom and versys will not be able to live with off road or at least that appears to be the consensus from people far more knowledgeable than me

[Richard-BKK]

4 minutes ago, mark131v said:

No argument here Richard there are lots of good options out there but the question of if the 500x can be good off road is well and truly laid to rest.....

 

Marry a 2nd hand bike with a level 3 kit and you will have a really good value for money go anywhere bike that the Vstrom and versys will not be able to live with off road or at least that appears to be the consensus from people far more knowledgeable than me

With enough money and will you can make any motorcycle do what it was not made for, I have seen Harley's on dirt tracks and pretty good even... but the cost to do that is enormous... By the way the Suzuki V-Strom 650XT is the special version that is more off-road orientated, and even with the Rally-Raid Level 3 kit I doubt that a Honda CB500X would be similar in capabilities....

[mark131v]

Well most people reckon the KTM 690 is pretty special off road and this bloke with both reckons the Rally Raid 500x is able to go anywhere it can and is actually a better choice for most scenario's

 

 

Nice 2nd hand model in classifieds:

http://classifieds.thaivisa.com/ad/6D3JBK5F/2014-honda-cb500x

 

So if your numbers are right 140,000 for bike 110,000  for Rally raid level 3 kit seems pretty affordable to me and is a really good option 

 

Don't want to get into a pissing contest with you but personally I think you are wrong, the cb500x can be very, very good off road and in the grand scheme it is not that expensive

 

You can also take off the level 3 kit when you sell it and return the bike to stock and sell both on there own, I really don't reckon you would have too many problems getting most of your money back if that was your intention

 

[howard ashoul]

1 hour ago, Richard-BKK said:

I like this tread, I only have one question does anybody here know what makes a good adventure bike? Reading all the CB500X comments I doubt it, the Honda CB500X looks like an adventure bike but is as far from it as it could possible be…

 

More performance make a better adventure bike? That’s something you would think if you read this forum tread, while off-road on dirt roads you can find the bigger adventure bikes in deep trouble… With the exception of a few BMW and KTM bikes Thai dirt roads request a good amount from a adventure rider… The Kawasaki Versys 650 and 1000 (with some modifications) are often good enough for an adventure rider…

 

The Honda CB500X in an off-road situation is completely hilarious, sure you can do some hard surface off-road… maybe a few centimeters deep sand… but anything more the Kawasaki Versys-X 300 will dance around the CB500X if it was in its natural habitat...

 

I have a friend who bought a Honda CB500X for doing some adventure riding, off-road he was not capable to keep up with anybody on real adventure bikes or dual-sport bikes… So he started to modify his CB500X, he now spend more than if he would have bough a real adventure bike...

 

Well question also is, if there's any use for an 'adventure bike' in this country? Where you want to ride it?

 

I live in north Thailand and I spend 5 years riding around. I also spend a lot of time on motocycle in Laos (18 days from now I'm going on holiday on motocycle to Laos again). And I really never saw a terrain, that would require a adventure motocycle. You will spend 99% of the time on a solid roads. And only like last 1 Km of every trip is offroad, when you're reaching some watterfalls or some place in national park. And even this terrain is solid enought to be rode with street sport bike.

 

Talking about dirt tyres/motocross is total overkill.

 

Is really in Thailand/SA use for this kind of bike? It would be totally unpractical. I can't even think of any place in Thailand or Laos where I've been and where would be oportunity to go offoroad for a longer period of time. It's road, rice field or jungle here. It's not like North Africa, where you can take 10 000 Km trip on a desert.

 

Educate me please if I'm wrong. 

[papa al]

3 hours ago, howard ashoul said:

(18 days from now I'm going on holiday on motocycle to Laos again).

And I really never saw a terrain, that would require a adventure motocycle.

Educate me please if I'm wrong. 

1. (It is very hot and smokey there now.)

2. How about rt.18? 

[Richard-BKK]

In Thailand you have enough roads in the East and North and between to have hours of adventure riding fun. In the upper North of Thailand and the Eastern provinces they have enough unpaved roads that connect villages and temples… some of this roads are almost impossible to travel after some rain….

 

Adventure bike not for Thailand, tell me one sort of terrain we not have? Honestly an adventure bike is arguably the best bike for Thailand...

[Richard-BKK]

10 hours ago, mark131v said:

Well most people reckon the KTM 690 is pretty special off road and this bloke with both reckons the Rally Raid 500x is able to go anywhere it can and is actually a better choice for most scenario's

 

 

Nice 2nd hand model in classifieds:

http://classifieds.thaivisa.com/ad/6D3JBK5F/2014-honda-cb500x

 

So if your numbers are right 140,000 for bike 110,000  for Rally raid level 3 kit seems pretty affordable to me and is a really good option 

 

Don't want to get into a pissing contest with you but personally I think you are wrong, the cb500x can be very, very good off road and in the grand scheme it is not that expensive

 

You can also take off the level 3 kit when you sell it and return the bike to stock and sell both on there own, I really don't reckon you would have too many problems getting most of your money back if that was your intention

 

Maybe if you can find a Honda CB500X in prime condition for a soft price it would make sense to get a Rally-Raid Level 3 Adventure Kit.

 

But for a new Honda CB500X the numbers just not make sense to me...

 

Honda CB500X               220,000 THB

Rally-Raid Level 3 Kit   138,000 THB

                                                 -------------------

                            total         358,000 THB

 

This while a new Suzuki V-Strom 650XT cost 369,000 THB ...

[mark131v]

7 hours ago, Richard-BKK said:

Maybe if you can find a Honda CB500X in prime condition for a soft price it would make sense to get a Rally-Raid Level 3 Adventure Kit.

 

But for a new Honda CB500X the numbers just not make sense to me...

 

Honda CB500X               220,000 THB

Rally-Raid Level 3 Kit   138,000 THB

                                                 -------------------

                            total         358,000 THB

 

This while a new Suzuki V-Strom 650XT cost 369,000 THB ...

Why does even getting a new model and putting a level 3 kit not make sense?

 

I have posted a shed load of information of which there is an absolute abundance stating that the uprated cbx is an excellent bike and arguably better than the opposition in this class

 

I have also shown by a quick search of the classifieds that good 2nd hand cbx's are available and make for a very cheap option to own a very capable go anywhere bike

 

Seems a bit pointless conversing on the subject as it seems you have a closed mind and are unwilling to accept that the point you initially posted is completely false:

 

'The Honda CB500X in an off-road situation is completely hilarious, sure you can do some hard surface off-road… maybe a few centimeters deep sand...'

[CLW]

Guys, relax!
You are talking about rally modifications.
Let's be honest, who needs that in Thailand and probably most parts of SEA.
You don't have the chance to drive cross-country neither you want to break a new speed record.
Or would you attempt to drive around Chiang Mai in a Mitsubishi Evo?
Absolutely over the top. Same with luxury cars or even pick up trucks though the latter might make sense because of higher clearance and you can transport something at the back.
Just look at the locals at the countryside, Honda wave with rough tires can take you anywhere...

[mark131v]

1 minute ago, CLW said:

Guys, relax!
You are talking about rally modifications.
Let's be honest, who needs that in Thailand and probably most parts of SEA.
You don't have the chance to drive cross-country neither you want to break a new speed record.
Or would you attempt to drive around Chiang Mai in a Mitsubishi Evo?
Absolutely over the top. Same with luxury cars or even pick up trucks though the latter might make sense because of higher clearance and you can transport something at the back.
Just look at the locals at the countryside, Honda wave with rough tires can take you anywhere...

I am very relaxed as I imagine Richard is too, essentially I am saying that you can have a cheap go anywhere bike that is reliable and easy to get fixed without having to spend massive bucks

 

I would imagine there is a bit of interest in this subject as there are AT and BMW GS as well as KTM's and the odd Tiger 800 out there so people are spending the money and buying them 

 

At the end of the day it is about choice and choice is good, would I uprate my CBX, no I wouldn't but then again I don't go offroad enough and my skill level don't justify the purchase but there are plenty that do and I thought passage of information was a good thing

 

Opinions are like <deleted> but just because we don't agree does not mean we are going to fall out...

[Richard-BKK]

2 hours ago, CLW said:

Guys, relax!
You are talking about rally modifications.
Let's be honest, who needs that in Thailand and probably most parts of SEA.
You don't have the chance to drive cross-country neither you want to break a new speed record.
Or would you attempt to drive around Chiang Mai in a Mitsubishi Evo?
Absolutely over the top. Same with luxury cars or even pick up trucks though the latter might make sense because of higher clearance and you can transport something at the back.
Just look at the locals at the countryside, Honda wave with rough tires can take you anywhere...

Dear CLW,

To be honest I can think of some fun things to do with a Mitsubishi Evo in hills or mountains of North Thailand...

[howard ashoul]

18 hours ago, papa al said:

1. (It is very hot and smokey there now.)

2. How about rt.18? 

What is rt 18?