Your kinda bike....

[CMKiwi]

Ive ridden many types/kinds of bike but I was just wondering what do you think is best for Thailand.   This is my kinda bike that I love to see/ride here but unfortunately they are hard to find (Plus maint is quite high from what I read)

 

Aprilia SVX 550 for those that are wondering.

 

 

[canthai55]

No one bike can do it all without compromise.

CRF250 no good for ride to Singapore.

HD Dyna not well suited to tight hairpin roads - think Nan.

But if I could only have one - the new Husky 700 Super Motard would come close - or as close as is available new.

Build yourself - the possibilities are endless.

[Kwasaki]

There many bikes available in Thailand it's not what's best for Thailand ( sealing lips ) it's what's best for you in Thailand IMHO. 

Depends on what you want to do and how much you want to pay.

For me personally it's a scoot for knocking about and a Versys for trips more 15 kilos. 

[guzzi850m2]

I also thinks the Versys type is one of the best bikes for Thailand.

 

Upright sitting position but the small faring gives good wind protection up to app 150km/h.  Sitting high is another advantage, especially for a long legged guy like me and you can see over the roof top of the sedan cars.

 

My PCX is now so old that it had to go for inspection when my wife renewed the insurance last week (I am overseas working), but it off-course passed that easily, good for down town and a 40lit top box making shopping easy.

[CMKiwi]

Ive heard a lot of comments about the Versys. It seems that its the top bike here for touring the country. Whereas the ER6N isnt that well liked although there are a lot of them about, maybe its just the poor cousin.

 

Agreed that many styles have different jobs/purposes.  Scooters are great for around town and small trips, whereas something a bit bigger and solid are needed for touring.

 

Not sure as to what Ill settle with, probably a motard of some sort (Will look a bit stupid with a top box on though!)

[thaiguzzi]

2 hours ago, CMKiwi said:

Ive heard a lot of comments about the Versys. It seems that its the top bike here for touring the country. Whereas the ER6N isnt that well liked although there are a lot of them about, maybe its just the poor cousin.

 

Agreed that many styles have different jobs/purposes.  Scooters are great for around town and small trips, whereas something a bit bigger and solid are needed for touring.

 

Not sure as to what Ill settle with, probably a motard of some sort (Will look a bit stupid with a top box on though!)

Anything looks stoopid with a top box on.

[Kwasaki]

2 hours ago, CMKiwi said:

Versys. It seems that its the top bike here for touring the country.

Whereas the ER6N isn't that well liked although there are a lot of them about, maybe its just the poor cousin.

Compared to other capable tourer's at the time of release,  the Versys were a cheap package at 285 k and a higher spec.

The Er6n was available in Thailand a good few years before l believe and could still make a good tour bike.

[guzzi850m2]

I paid 320k baht for my V mk3 and I think it worth it.

 

You are getting a very good budget all-round bike for that money.

 

However a Malaysian friend of mine that owns same bike model just got a Z900 as he wants more punch (he been riding track for many years). He will keep his V as touring bike and he is thinking about riding to Scotland on it, yes North UK! The Z900 is for small 1 days blasts out of KL.

 

So as mentioned, no bike will do everything super good, a 250cc is just much better off-road but a nightmare on the highways.

 

But again; 90% depends on the rider, some riders are very good at off-roading because of many years of practice and some can do wonders with a Honda 1000cc AT off-road that I can only dream about (getting old and that).

[CMKiwi]

Yes I too do like the Honda AT a lot. It's had very good reviews by all accounts.

 

I haven't really done any touring here...probably cause I don't have a suitable bike at the moment.

 

I did have the CRF250M and it was ok but after 6 months I found it was to small or underpowered for me.  Still it was a great bike as I kept it for 2 years before departing with it.

 

Now I want something in the 500cc range. 90% on road with an upright seating position.

 

The CB500X may do the job but I've gone off the look of them.

 

I'll keep looking....

[Familyonthemove]

The Versys 300X could be ideal for people who live in Bangkok?   Same upright stance as the 650 Versys, but much less weight, and the lightest clutch ever.  Had abs too.

 

Had a quick ride on one at the weekend,  amazingly smooth little motor, quite nippy, good suspension for knackered Bangkok roads.  If you could only have one bike, it's like a tall scooter in traffic, and a mini Versys out of town.

 

Only problem is the price, which is too close to the CB500X. 

[Ruffian Dick]

That Aprilia SVX 550 looks like what we'd call a dirt bike. Pretty good for off-road and rough country. Probably great if you're the sort of BKK biker that uses the sidewalk as an alternative lane.

[CMKiwi]

The SVX 550 has a 2 cylinder motor and loves the revs. It's a super motard type bike. Purely for on road or track riding.

 

Aprilia also released an off road /dirt bike version. (The RXV)

 

The SVX has around 70hp and a dry weight of  97kg.   Quite a bit of power on such a light bike. Top speed around 180kmph.....way too fast for roads around Chiang Mai!

 

I like the dirt bike type style....upright seating, wide handlebars.  Naturally these bike always come with a plank/board for a seat/saddle. Which is a pain when  long distance riding is involved.

 

Luckily that is easy fixed in Thailand. Seat reforming/remoulding is also inexpensive here.

 

I'm wishing Honda will release a road going CRF 450 here in Thailand. Easy enough to swap out the wheels to 17" and put some road slicks onto it.  Yes dreams are free!

 

[thaiguzzi]

2 hours ago, CMKiwi said:

The SVX 550 has a 2 cylinder motor and loves the revs. It's a super motard type bike. Purely for on road or track riding.

 

Aprilia also released an off road /dirt bike version. (The RXV)

 

The SVX has around 70hp and a dry weight of  97kg.   Quite a bit of power on such a light bike. Top speed around 180kmph.....way too fast for roads around Chiang Mai!

 

I like the dirt bike type style....upright seating, wide handlebars.  Naturally these bike always come with a plank/board for a seat/saddle. Which is a pain when  long distance riding is involved.

 

Luckily that is easy fixed in Thailand. Seat reforming/remoulding is also inexpensive here.

 

I'm wishing Honda will release a road going CRF 450 here in Thailand. Easy enough to swap out the wheels to 17" and put some road slicks onto it.  Yes dreams are free!

 

97 kgs ?

[CMKiwi]

Yes 97kgs or 214lbs for the SVX550...thats the dry weight. Add fuel and oil and its likely to be around 107 kg I would expect.  Some nice write ups/reviews but the biggest negative was ongoing regular maintainence. 60 hours and then youre looking at a lot of work...not just oil changes

 

I just read on a different site that it weight 120kg.....so Im not sure which to believe. Both stated dry weight whereas the second website didnt state if its the SVX or RVX. Id presume the RVX (Off road bike) may weigh more

[johng]

97Kgs excellent , why is it that
most bikes bigger than 125cc engine size all weigh so much
E.g. CBR 500 about 200kgs !!

Kawasaki Ninja 300 174 kgs !

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, CMKiwi said:

Yes 97kgs or 214lbs for the SVX550...thats the dry weight. Add fuel and oil and its likely to be around 107 kg I would expect.  Some nice write ups/reviews but the biggest negative was ongoing regular maintainence. 60 hours and then youre looking at a lot of work...not just oil changes

 

I just read on a different site that it weight 120kg.....so Im not sure which to believe. Both stated dry weight whereas the second website didnt state if its the SVX or RVX. Id presume the RVX (Off road bike) may weigh more

I think many reviews can be confusing wiki usually get updated so not always but sometimes a good source of info,  l reckon you need to add another 30+ bags of sugar.  

[CMKiwi]

I just saw the latest Versys 300x down at the local Makro (Parked up...not for sale).

 

Very nice looking bike.  Didn't see who owned it but it has already been dropped....luckily they had crash bars installed.

 

I'm on mobile data connection at the mo so speed isn't the greatest to allow me to attach a photo.

 

Loved the guys top box.  Will post a picture/photo when I get home if it doesn't work now.

 

 

[Jdiddy]

Around town: Yamaha TZM 150cc 2 stroke with no mirrors, lane filtering monster

Road trips: R1 or S1kRR

[thaiguzzi]

10 hours ago, CMKiwi said:

Yes 97kgs or 214lbs for the SVX550...thats the dry weight. Add fuel and oil and its likely to be around 107 kg I would expect.  Some nice write ups/reviews but the biggest negative was ongoing regular maintainence. 60 hours and then youre looking at a lot of work...not just oil changes

 

I just read on a different site that it weight 120kg.....so Im not sure which to believe. Both stated dry weight whereas the second website didnt state if its the SVX or RVX. Id presume the RVX (Off road bike) may weigh more

Don't believe the 97 kgs version that's for sure...

Even 120 kgs seems ridiculous for a 550 water cooled road going 4 stroke twin.

[CMKiwi]

2 minutes ago, thaiguzzi said:

Don't believe the 97 kgs version that's for sure...

Even 120 kgs seems ridiculous for a 550 water cooled road going 4 stroke twin.

Check out some of the reviews.... its one of the lightest 550 twins due in part to its 'V' and lack of counterbalance shaft.  Quiet an amazing design and oh so light.

[ktm jeff]

As you say CMKiwi , there is the SVX 550 and the RVX 550. Did you also know there were two 450 models , SVX / RVX. The 450,s were both designed for the 450cc racing classes , and so was more "peaky" than the torque monster 550. Dry weights are 120 / 122KG. Very nearly bought the gentler 550 for green laning ( in England ) to replace my kickstart only liquid cooled Honda XR 650 R , that was too heavy , carbed and had very basic susspension.

[CMKiwi]

Yes I also read about the 450s.  I saw one about 18 months ago in a bike repair shop up here in Chiang Mai.

 

At the time I had no idea what it was apart from it being an Aprilia.  I can't remember what price the guy was asking for it but it didn't have a green book anyways. This same guy seems to have a lot of 'nice' bikes thru his shop. And very few (If any ) ever have green books...  which worries me somewhat.

 

I remember  him saying the wheels were an additional 30k baht.  Marchesini from memory and there was no way he was throwing those in even at his asking price.

 

I would have loved to have taken it for a spin....fat chance of doing that sort of thing up here these days.

 

BiB are becoming quite anal re green books or anything out of the ordinary.

[ktm jeff]

No green book - - track bike ONLY. The BIB will soon "confiscate" an expensive bike such as that. Import taxes will have meant it may have came in under the radar so to speak. May i ask what shop . i know of Burning and a few others. Dont know what has happened to the shop next to Riders Corner , who had some nice non - GB bikes. 

[CMKiwi]

That shop next to riders corner was mainly for off road...and yes he had some nice bikes. After market parts were a bit more expensive than other shops possibly why he shut. Riders corner took over the vacant space.

 

The shop where I saw the Aprilia was in the Chiang Puak area. Hard to describe its location.

 

It's virtually on the Sanam Kela Road roundabout.  Just a small place. Sometimes he has bikes park outside on the footpath. And he does strange hours....can never guarantee when he's open.

 

Hope that helps.

 

I nearly brought a DRZ400SM off a Brit guy in the South over a year ago. He was only asking 55k but unfortunately no GB either. I sometimes kick myself for not taking the risk .... it was possibly the cheapest DRZ I've come across in Thailand.  He'd driven all around Thailand and never had any problems with the cops.

 

His tax Invoice and all relevant papers were together and he laminated each of them to keep them new looking. He obviously took pride in his bike and paperwork.  DRZ is getting a bit old now although they are still made.  Fuel injection is preferable to me now.

[Kwasaki]

15 hours ago, thaiguzzi said:

Don't believe the 97 kgs version that's for sure...

Even 120 kgs seems ridiculous for a 550 water cooled road going 4 stroke twin.

Yeah find it hard to believe too more like 130kg even that's light maybe it's the air-cooled 450 spec being mixed with 550.

Anyway where's an Aprilia dealer with some weighing scales.

[CMKiwi]

Yes its hard to sy what the actual weight is.  I found 97,118,122 and 128 kgs mentioned on different sites.

 

That aside they all stated that its a bit of a rocket in the power department...but it is a controlable.  In fact they said it was quite smooth compared to the RVX which had a few problems with the throttle. With the RVx it was either full noise or no on at all.   Maybe he was riding with a stuck throttle and just using the kill switch!

 

I rode on old farm bike many years ago now, and that had a munted throttle cable.  You had to have your wits about you if/when it jammed open.  Kill switches were/are a saviour although it still takes a bit of experience to ride a bike if its you only way to control speed (Combined with brakes of course).

 

Oh the innocence of youth (Or stupidity)

[ktm jeff]

Thank you CMKiwi , i will seek out that shop sometime.  Dont want to cause you further upset , but that DRZ SM did sound good , but , as you know , sooner or later you will have to produce the GB , either at a police stop or an accident. Your fault or not .  Then what happens ?. You wont come out smiling , or with the bike. If you live near a kart / motard track it would make sense.  None in Chiang Mai that i know of.  Im in England now , and off to a top level "Pit Bike" race this weekend with some professional BSB and Superstock racers , over Daventry way. I used to race Mini Motos ( Had a DRZ SM version ) so Pit Bikes are considered sensible.

[Damrongsak]

That Aprilia SVX 550 is really neat, though maybe a bit high for us smaller riders.  And the price ... ???

 

I'm afraid I have to stick with more conventional and affordable performance bikes.

 

[Kwasaki]

8 hours ago, Damrongsak said:

That Aprilia SVX 550 is really neat, though maybe a bit high for us smaller riders.  And the price ... ???

 

I'm afraid I have to stick with more conventional and affordable performance bikes.

 

[CMKiwi]

10 hours ago, Damrongsak said:

That Aprilia SVX 550 is really neat, though maybe a bit high for us smaller riders.  And the price ... ???

 

I'm afraid I have to stick with more conventional and affordable performance bikes.

 

 

Wow those boys are getting some air....