The Golden Triangle Rider

[nikster]

Found this browsing the Kawa web page in the USA - the D-Tracker is called KLX 250SF in the USA, as you can see below.
http://www.kawasaki.com/Products/product-specifications.aspx?id=370

Surprisingly, the MSRP for this bike in the USA is USD $5,300, or 186,000 Baht. So this bike is cheaper new in Thailand than elsewhere... I never thought I'd see the day...

[oneton]

Absolutely agree. I can buy a dirt roader in Thailand for 150000 K and spend another 30K to make it stomp a bit without feeling I got ripped off!
(Still trying to find the parts in Thailand to make it stomp!)

[rich1968]

Saw A new D-tracker today that had a slight slip .... all my thoughts came true the bike was not in good shape .... every plastic panel was f****d and the frame did not look much better...thats what happens when you add 20kg to the weight of a bike with cheap parts. I have a Jap D-tacker that disappeared under a Baht bus and came out needing a new rear tyre... this Thai D-tacker had a slip and was *****D.
_________________
Richard -0892380383 Pattaya

[Ian Bungy]

I may be Wrong but i Doubt the Thai Made Kawasaki's are any Inferior to the ones sold in Other Countries? In Most cases they are probably Made here anyway The Reason for Low Prices is they are Made here so No Import Tax. And as the Tax is on a Sliding Decrease schedule for Bikes every Year Should see more Models and Bigger CC Bikes for Better Prices
_________________
Cheers Ian
www.chiangmai-xcentre.com

[rich1968]

I go back to my first point .... why is the Thai tracker so much heavier...? The logical conclusion is cheaper heavier raw materials and components.
_________________
Richard -0892380383 Pattaya

[KZ]

Hmmm... the Thai Tracker is 30% heavier than the Jap Version because of cheaper heavier raw materials and components, you say? Wouldn't cheaper materials be lighter? Have you actually weighed the two bikes?
I agree with Ian, they're probably the same!
_________________
It's a dog-eat-dog world - and I'm a vegetarian!

[rich1968]

I don't think you need to weigh them just check out the spec sheets it's there in print, so I can only assume that there must be a difference between the 2 bikes..apart from a carb gaining so much weight. Everyone knows that hard wearing lighter alloys cost more to produce than basic heavier steel equivelents.
_________________
Richard -0892380383 Pattaya

[KZ]

I simply don't believe the spec sheet. Of course alloy is more expensive and lighter than steel, but obviously both models have steel frames, and I don't see how the Thai version could be 30% more heavy.
Maybe it's the same confusion like with the horsepower numbers which vary from 22 to 32hp . . .
_________________
It's a dog-eat-dog world - and I'm a vegetarian!

[rich1968]

O.K. it's a D-tracker I agree that they carry the same names. We must presume that all the figures on the spec sheets are rubbish (Thai spec contradicts U.S.A. & Jap spec )...for example the weight, power output, torque, ground clearence, fuel capacity, overall length, seat hight, width, brake discs which all differ from the Japanese/American D-tacker when compared to the Thai D-tracker(s). This tends to convince me that the Thai D-tracker(s) spec sheet is correct for the Thai D-tracker and thus not the same spec bike as the original D-tacker model sold in Japan/U.S.A.
_________________
Richard -0892380383 Pattaya

[muzza]

the specs for thai D tracker appears to match the spec on the USA website unless I cannot covert inches to mm and lbs to kgs.

USA website says 302 lbs divide by 2.2 is 137kg

thai website says 139kg


etc etc,

so what difference are you talking about,

if the jap one is 30% lighter then it weighs 95 kgs which is bollocks.

[rich1968]

I quoted a weight gain of 10kg against the original D-tracker, (check out my old posts on this subject in -more 250's on the way.) which was only available in Thailand as an import from Japan.
Checking the spec again it seems that the new smaller in size D-tracker version s, has gained at least 40lbs in weight (roughly 20kg) when put alongside the original D-tracker produced for the Japanese market and weighing 119kg or 262.4 lbs.
The new D-tracker(s) which is available in Thailand now, and in the U.S.A in 2009, is nothing like the original D-tracker but a tamed down version that Kawasaki have created aimed at capturing sales via lower pricing and have therefore manufactured the new D-tracker version (s) via this policy, which has led to a 16% increase in weight on the original D-tracker. Check it out via www:kawasaki-motors.com/model/d-tracker/spec.
The new Kawasaki D-tracker version 's' cannot be judged alongside the original D-tracker, as it seems to have been manufactured using different components/materials hence the weight gain/smaller sizing and other differing spec's to the original D-tracker.
_________________
Richard -0892380383 Pattaya

[KZ]

"Checking the spec again it seems that the new smaller in size D-tracker version s, has gained at least 40lbs in weight (roughly 20kg) when put alongside the original D-tracker produced for the Japanese market and weighing 119kg or 262.4 lbs."
rich, I think this is where the error lies - it's hard to believe that a watercooled 250cc Enduro with a steel frame can weigh only 119kg. The CBR150R with an aluminum frame weighs 115kg and is quite a bit smaller. Compare this to the weight of other 250cc Enduros and you'll see that they all weigh around 140 lbs.
_________________
It's a dog-eat-dog world - and I'm a vegetarian!

[KZ]

correction: 140kg, not pounds!!
_________________
It's a dog-eat-dog world - and I'm a vegetarian!

[cdrw]

Okay...this is off the topic of the bike's weight...

Today, I encountered a new D-Tracker and it's proud owner at a local store. I asked him the cost and what it cost him for licensing.
He showed me his sales receipts...150-K for the bike...and a separate receipt of _only_ 2500-Bt for licensing!! I was shocked!

Is that all it costs to reg/license a locally produced D-Tracker??

Note - the bike had a red (temp) plate...and this was in Pattaya.
_________________
Pattaya local

[rich1968]

KZ ...i don't think Kawasaki are incorrect about the quoted weight of the original D-tacker on their spec sheet, as a KTM 660 SMC Supermotard weighs 131kg and the Suzuki DRZ400 weighs 132kg thats a 654cc and a 400cc bike still at less than the new 250cc D-TACKER 'S'.
_________________
Richard -0892380383 Pattaya

[KZ]

Right, I did some research and was surprised to see that other, air-cooled 250cc weighed only 120kg dry. My information for the little CBR150R with an aluminum frame is 115kg, maybe that's a wrong number since it can't be that a steel-framed 250 with bigger rims, forks and brakes weighs only 5kg more.
Guess 119kg is a realistic number. Where did you get the information that the Thai version is heavier?
_________________
It's a dog-eat-dog world - and I'm a vegetarian!

[rich1968]

OK KZ, just pick up a leaflet on the new D-tracker version 's' or the Kawasakibigbikes site Thailand aslo gives the specs and so does the U.S.A site listed previous in this topic. At last we are getting there:lol: I am not saying that the new D-tracker is not a good value bike.
It is nowhere near the same bike as the original D-tracker as it's smaller in stature and somehow weight wise has an extra large 20kg bag of dog food hidden somewhere on board lol... and thus has to be judged alone.
_________________
Richard -0892380383 Pattaya

[2wheels]

Hi Leader of Pack,
I bought D-Tracker from moat Kawasaki Chiang Mai in November.
Cost 149,900. Insurance (by 'The Union Prospers Co Ltd'; great name!!)
645 baht. Number plates 925 baht arrived yesterday, one month after purchase.
Not able to wangle any special deal as they are selling so many KLX's and Trackers, so helmet and full fuel tank only.
Pleased with bike so far.
Called in to shop yesterday to collect plates and saw a rental Tracker which had fallen off the road to Pai. Bent frame under engine and superficial damage required engine removal. Poor chap owes 20,000+ baht for his short ride!

[2wheels]

Hi Leader of Pack,
I bought D-Tracker from moat Kawasaki Chiang Mai in November.
Cost 149,900. Insurance (by 'The Union Prospers Co Ltd'; great name!!)
645 baht. Number plates 925 baht arrived yesterday, one month after purchase.
Not able to wangle any special deal as they are selling so many KLX's and Trackers, so helmet and full fuel tank only.
Pleased with bike so far.
Called in to shop yesterday to collect plates and saw a rental Tracker which had fallen off the road to Pai. Bent frame under engine and superficial damage required engine removal. Poor chap owes 20,000+ baht for his short ride!

[nikster]