Motorcycling in Isan

[Ossy]

After four years of motorcycling heaven, here in Isan, where just about any 'B' road turn, off the main drag, puts you on smooth tarmac, in little traffic and amidst stunning scenery, I still can't get my head round the fact that my favourite make of bike, Yamaha, has only an estimated 5% share of the 'small/medium-sized sports' market; most of the other 95% going, of course, to Honda.

 

Can anyone, out there, tell me why Yamaha seemingly can't or won't bring the prices of their R3 and R15 models down to a level that, at least, tries to compete with Honda's CBR300 and 150 machines, respectively? Price differentials currently stand at a staggering 34% and 11% above their rivals.

[pgrahmm]

Are they made in Thailand?

 

Hard to believe they'd try and market something  the Tricity and ignore the other, more robust segments that would offer/yield a huge reward.....

 

Either their local in place management team sucks; or they don't consider the Thai market important....

 

Our local dealer appears bigger, nicer, newer than the Honda dealer next door.....But, for our daughter, we bought a Honda....

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, DavidHenryPilkington said:

Can anyone, out there, tell me why Yamaha seemingly can't or won't bring the prices of their R3 and R15 models down to a level

 

Well VR is an expensive employee they have to get his pay packet from many places.

 

My UK son has an R1 and basic level one is close Honda's CBR1000 price.

[Generalchaos]

R15 - I have no experience of, but the R3, it is a totally different machine to the single cylinder Honda 300. You cannot begin to compare those two bikes.

The R3 is a twin cylinder machine to start with and is better quality bike altogether than the Honda 300.

[JacChang]

Honda has never failed me with any problems before. Then I decided to give the Yamaha MT-07 and fell in love with it. Quality-wise and reliability not up to par with Honda for my personal experience. Weird engine cut off issues from a stop and go.

[zyphodb]

Not many places to get parts & maintenance in the N/NE unlike Honda,

  the prices as well of course... 

[maddox41]

I have a Yamaha R15 well made yes for a cheap bike but a  good bike ??They do have  a few issues with them .

It's my first Yamaha would I buy another one  probably  not ??

If you spend money on it  it can be a great bike !!

I bought the R15 as the bike I wanted to buy isn't available here the 2016 Honda  CBR150r  Indonesian  version only the crappy Thai one us available. 

You get what you pay for ? 

 

[NoshowJones]

2 hours ago, JacChang said:

Honda has never failed me with any problems before. Then I decided to give the Yamaha MT-07 and fell in love with it. Quality-wise and reliability not up to par with Honda for my personal experience. Weird engine cut off issues from a stop and go.

I once bought a new Yamaha Fino, a reliable bike, but the fuel consumption was dreadful. 

[Generalchaos]

3 hours ago, JacChang said:

Honda has never failed me with any problems before. Then I decided to give the Yamaha MT-07 and fell in love with it. Quality-wise and reliability not up to par with Honda for my personal experience. Weird engine cut off issues from a stop and go.

Good to hear your experience (Not good for you regarding issues) but it is handy to know though as I am thinking of buying the R3, however, if reliability is an issue then it is a non starter and I will stick with Honda.

Cheers.

[eisfeld]

On 22/01/2017 at 5:21 AM, DavidHenryPilkington said:

After four years of motorcycling heaven, here in Isan, where just about any 'B' road turn, off the main drag, puts you on smooth tarmac

Are we talking about the same Isaan? The Isaan with more potholes than tarmac, the Isaan with incredibly dangerous overloaded trucks that lose their freight driving everywhere, the Isaan where pickups will happily push you off the road, the Isaan were people take insane overtaking maneuvers? THAT Isaan? :)

 

Most small towns in Isaan don't have Yamaha dealers. And many that do, don't sell the R3 or don't have it in the showroom. Honda has dealers on every corner. That's why they have 95% market share. People here need reliable scooters. 95% of customers don't care about sports bikes.

[Rhys]

I think with the  CBR 150 and 300  it is the service and shops, which are plentiful.

[performance]

The CBR 300 R runs the CRF 250 engine with longer stroke and a advanced clutch. The engine is poorly made and defective crankshaft. A pig of a bike. The lower breather releases engine oil onto internal fairing. 

The R3 is race pedigree from design. A silky engine and gearbox with outstanding performance and excellent build quality. The CBR is a commuter in wolf's clothing.

[LammyTS1]

How do they compare price wise with Vespa?

 

150 = 140,000

300 = 320,000

 

Isnt Yamaha/Honda half the price but Honda have much more dealers?

[Phuketboy]

Going back 7 years ago when I bought my first bike in Thailand, I talked to many Thai about the best brand of bike here.  The only reason for asking was due to different countries having different quality products.  What good in one country might not be so good in another.  At that time, almost everyone said buy Honda.  Many believe that Honda is a better quality bike.  I quite like both the R1 and the CBR etc and absolutely miss my Harley, but happy to cruise around on my PCX around Patong.  It's like like we can really open them up here.  If I lived in Isaan I would definitely be buying something bigger, 600cc up.  

Edited January 24, 2017 by Phuketboy

[GarryP]

14 hours ago, eisfeld said:

Are we talking about the same Isaan? The Isaan with more potholes than tarmac, the Isaan with incredibly dangerous overloaded trucks that lose their freight driving everywhere, the Isaan where pickups will happily push you off the road, the Isaan were people take insane overtaking maneuvers? THAT Isaan? :)

 

Most small towns in Isaan don't have Yamaha dealers. And many that do, don't sell the R3 or don't have it in the showroom. Honda has dealers on every corner. That's why they have 95% market share. People here need reliable scooters. 95% of customers don't care about sports bikes.

Yup, that Isaan. Was just up in Kalasin and some of the roads were pretty bad, but then I was tootling along on a Honda Wave so plenty of time to avoid the holes. What was scarey was exactly what you mention, pick up truck drivers. I was  horrified by their speed going through villages and their overtaking manoeuvers, which were unbelievable. Absolutely, bloody nuts. Actually I feel much safer riding in Bangkok than out in the sticks.  But I really did enjoy the scenery and I would do it again - more fool me.

[Kwasaki]

2 hours ago, Phuketboy said:

Going back 7 years ago when I bought my first bike in Thailand, I talked to many Thai about the best brand of bike here.    At that time, almost everyone said buy Honda.  Many believe that Honda is a better quality bike.  I quite like both the R1 and the CBR etc and absolutely miss my Harley,

The OP is on about Yams motorcycles l think not mopeds and scoots,  Thais would say Honda seven years ago but not so much the case now.

Also l understand OP about some nice roads in Issan it's a big place ya know.

R1,  CBR1000,  GSX-R 1000  &  ZX10  different ball park even compared to Harley's IMHO.

[johnno2]

On ‎1‎/‎24‎/‎2017 at 4:15 AM, LammyTS1 said:

How do they compare price wise with Vespa?

 

150 = 140,000

300 = 320,000

 

Isnt Yamaha/Honda half the price but Honda have much more dealers?

Vespa's are imports so you have to pay the rip off import tax. my car costs approx. 500,000 baht more here than the same model in Australia, both cars made in the same country, Malaysia. hurry up ASEAN pricing.

[akirasan]

R15 I can't remember, I think I paid around 80 something thousand.  
They're ok bikes, could do with a bit more top speed. 
Told the wife I was going to change the exhaust which horrified her.. but might leave it stock and trade up to an R3 later..dunno..

R15s are pretty popular around this part of Issan, I see them more than any other bike

[LammyTS1]

Saw a CBR300(86k), a R15(73k) & a CBR250(£64k) today at a 2nd hand dealer.

The R15 was clearly the better looking bike even though it was the smallest engined bike & the CBR300 had Repsol paint job.
The Yamaha design is far superior to Honda. Just look at the PCX & then look at the Nmax.


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[Ossy]

On ‎22‎/‎01‎/‎2017 at 1:22 PM, Kwasaki said:

 

Well VR is an expensive employee they have to get his pay packet from many places.

 

 

I liked your VR quip! Re your UK son's R1, I thought you'd been hot-wired to my life story for a moment or two. 5yrs ago, about a year before I came to Thailand, I sold - or, rather, damn near gave - my R1 to my biker son. I bought it, a blue beauty, in 1990 and, once its 3 recalls were sorted, it didn't let me down once. Went through tyres at an alarming rate but, riding the Settle to Hawes road (N Yorks) most fine evenings, that's hardly surprising! What a bike and what a perfect bit of swervery to ride it on. I had to fit a steering damper, though, despite magazine reviews to the contrary. There was that slight bend, right on the crest of a hump and the effect of landing with a slight lock on at anything over 80mph was pretty exciting.

 

But, back to Isan (I’m sticking with the Wikipedia spelling) – and thanks a ton for the great response, guys! – I am amazed at Eisfeld’s view that the riding/driving situation, here, is worse than other parts of the country. Yes, I have to agree with everything on the dangerous driving front – suicidal is a word that springs to mind – but I thought that was the Thai norm. Re E's pothole vs tarmac remarks, it must only mean that I’m lucky that my bit of Isan has been tarmacked. I have a 35 km ride to Phu Pha Lek Mountain National Park, near Song Dao, and it is all smooth and almost traffic free tarmac. Boy, would the R1 like it here but I can’t grumble; my Duke Panigale 899 has its own distinctive character to paint the road with.

 

Happy biking to all of you

[Kwasaki]

21 hours ago, DavidHenryPilkington said:

I liked your VR quip! Re your UK son's R1, I thought you'd been hot-wired to my life story for a moment or two. 5yrs ago, about a year before I came to Thailand, I sold - or, rather, damn near gave - my R1 to my biker son. I bought it, a blue beauty, in 1990

Boy, would the R1 like it here

Happy biking to all of you

Is that a typo R1's weren't about to compete with the Blade until 1998.

 

My 1992 Blade one of the first in UK just became a classic about 6 months before l had to sell it to retire here and got a good price nearly double than 6 months previous, my biker son was too young to leave it to.

My son always fancied Yams and first test rode an R6 & R1 in CM Thailand which they wouldn't allow him to do in UK.

He has the new 2016 R1 model now with so many OEM gizmo's on it to list.

 

My Blade my Luke's 916. 

Edited January 28, 2017 by Kwasaki

[Ossy]

Hi, K

Yes, just a careless typo! Glad you managed to part co. with your blade on such good terms. As for your son's R1 . . . lucky sod! Does he take it on the mountain road to Pie by any chance? - now, that would be a real test for both bike and rider.

Cheers, D

[Ossy]

Sorry, K . . . I guess I should have said 'DID he take, etc., etc.', not twigging til' later that Luke was only visiting - not residing - when he had the R1 test ride . . . some visit, eh?

[Kwasaki]

2 hours ago, DavidHenryPilkington said:

Sorry, K . . . I guess I should have said 'DID he take, etc., etc.', not twigging til' later that Luke was only visiting - not residing - when he had the R1 test ride . . . some visit, eh?

My son has a 2016 R1 in UK. trick up a bit and have vid from track day at Brands but dunno how to put it here on TV.  

 

10 hours ago, DavidHenryPilkington said:

Hi, K

Yes, just a careless typo! Glad you managed to part co. with your blade on such good terms. As for your son's R1 . . . lucky sod! Does he take it on the mountain road to Pie by any chance? - now, that would be a real test for both bike and rider.

Cheers, D

He would luv the road to Pie on his R1 he did it on my CB400 many moons ago.  

[01322521959]

On 1/23/2017 at 6:36 PM, possum1931 said:

I once bought a new Yamaha Fino, a reliable bike, but the fuel consumption was dreadful. 

What were you getting? My CBR 300 gets over 33kmpl. I've noticed most seem to ride the little automatics flat out from a stand still, probably why all the belts make an awful noise. Out of sight out of mind. 

[01322521959]

On 1/25/2017 at 6:30 PM, LammyTS1 said:

Saw a CBR300(86k), a R15(73k) & a CBR250(£64k) today at a 2nd hand dealer.

The R15 was clearly the better looking bike even though it was the smallest engined bike & the CBR300 had Repsol paint job.
The Yamaha design is far superior to Honda. Just look at the PCX & then look at the Nmax.


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Arr! Looks.Love the look of my Repsol 300.

[Kwasaki]

53 minutes ago, 01322521959 said:

Arr! Looks.Love the look of my Repsol 300.

Good looking bike the 250 too and no problems, heard 300's have had some issues engine wise always wondered why bother with another 36 cc.

That said not kept up with latest bikes available, I really very happy with my CRF250L for Thailand.

Edited December 18, 2017 by Kwasaki

[Ossy]

On ‎07‎/‎02‎/‎2017 at 7:03 PM, Kwasaki said:

My son has a 2016 R1 in UK. trick up a bit and have vid from track day at Brands but dunno how to put it here on TV.  

 

He would luv the road to Pie on his R1 he did it on my CB400 many moons ago.  

Sorry I can't help re the vid, K, but I can imagine the Brands track day scene well enough. I went to watch my lad race his Red Bull customised R1 a couple of times at the Croft circuit in Teesdale.

As for now, my Panigali thrills or no, I still harbour dreams to be reunited with the R1 marque and they look and sound even sweeter, now. I managed to visit the Intntl Motor Show, near Don Meuang airport, in March and got my arse aboard the new R6 as well as the R1 and it looked like they were busy taking orders . . . a spare million baht in my pocket would have seen another order, I'm sure. I was impressed with the 1000cc Aprilia, too. That is such a gorgeous piece of machinery.

[NoshowJones]

4 hours ago, 01322521959 said:

What were you getting? My CBR 300 gets over 33kmpl. I've noticed most seem to ride the little automatics flat out from a stand still, probably why all the belts make an awful noise. Out of sight out of mind. 

I now have a Forza 300, I get 41.6 kmpl.

[JaiLai]

I’ve driven from Khon Kaen to Ubon / Amnat / Buriram / Surin / Mukdahan / Yasathorn / Roi Et, amongst some of the most boring scenery I’ve seen in Thailand, flat rice and sugar cane fields or am I missing something?


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