Vintage Bikes in Chiang Mai

[boomshaka]

Hey guys, I'm trudging through classifieds looking for a bike, and while I wouldn't mind something modern, I'd prefer something vintage. Not only that, but it seems like you can get vintage enduros for a really good price compared to what they would go for back in the States.

What I'm curious about though, is how hard, or easy, is it to get work done on a 40 year old bike? I am pretty mechanically inclined, I've rebuilt two cb350's from the ground up... split the cases and all, but I don't have my tools here. So I'd probably be farming out a lot of the work. Also how much expensive is it to get a bike worked on? One of the bikes says the clutch is going and that a local shop quoted them at 1k baht, this seems incredibly cheap.

So what do you guys think? Are vintage bikes a bad idea, or is it a good way to save some coin and put around on something a bit different from the rest?

 

[boomshaka]

oh and since pics always make a post better, here are some of my bikes back home (sold the DT400 before relocating )

 

[LivinLOS]

I have had a couple of older bikes.. Tho not going back that far but still old enough.. In fact by streetfightered blade project is a salvage job really.

If you can find one that hasnt been cracked open, then great, but the problem is they get opened up and bodged.. My fireblade turned out to have mazda 323 big ends in it with the crank case cut and modified.. My bandit I let some fool who assured me he knew what he was doing open it up and effective ruin it.. Etc etc etc. Stuff never gets new bearings or seals or gaskets, just too many shortcuts.

Thats not to say you couldnt find a retro thats come in from Japan.. And with a grey book.

I saw a CB175 twin that I thought would make a neat mini tracker, but the same fear of what you will find inside the engine just turned me off.

 

[richchiangmai]

There is a shop in Chiang Mai that usually has a stock of vintage bikes, imported presumably from Japan.
The shop is located on the right a few hundred metres after crossing over Kieow Narrawat bridge. Last time I looked they had a nice late 60s I think CL300 or 450 Honda and a few other interesting bikes.

 

[Cruising]

also the trash and treasure type market near the train station has the odd old retro bike from time to time but i find it hard to get interested in them as they are so old and may have had so many bodgy thai mechanics gone through them over the years that i couldn`t really enjoy ownership unless i started from the bottom of the engine and rebuilt it right up and then parts will become an issue?