The Golden Triangle Rider

[tropicaljohno]

[ray23]

Thanks I will watch for it

[mikerust]

Post deleted as it turned out to be superfluous. Ray, I was going to suugest that you contact TJ.
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[Franz - Eastern Seaboard]

Guys, please stop it (not the last postings), years ago we didn't even get one legal big bike here in LOS, just now there are HD's, Ducati's, Beemers, Triumph's, Yamaha's and even a Kawasaki available. Honda-Suzuki-KTM are still dragging their feet, they will be duly punished in time by dragging their feet. We were subject to illegal-non-registerd bikes. Things improved a lot, bikes are on offer but will/cannot be served on a silver plate to your liking. Time will bring solutions & a variety of bikes. If I would be a sales guy, I would consider first the clientele I have, naturally Thai people would be my first bet (64 Mio, even if 95% cannot afford such a bike but 5% are still more in numbers than us farang), what do they want, cruisers, sportsbikes........so I would import them. Please, please give the locals time to recognize our purchasing power and have them import bikes to our liking but.......we are still far off in big numbers, just keep this in mind........just honour the efforts some companies are doing already in our favour.......and stop whining like small schoolkids who miss their only and favourite toy.....just look at David's vintage pictures which are not too old, what was he driving not too long ago, a simple Honda 125.........

[Davidfl]

From Kawasaki today

[johngooding]

For Ray,
To add to Franz's information, I also bought my 777,000 Baht Yam using the BAF finance co, introduced by Yamaha. I do not have a work permit and did not want to use a guarantor, so same as Franz, paid 40% deposit.
I had the same scenario with Tisco Bank when I bought my Fortuna, there it was 30% deposit requested with no guarantor. So finance is avaible to normal mortals, but beware the interest rate is not an APR.
The percent quoted eg 5% is added for each year of the loan the day it starts, so if you borrow 500,000 over 3 years they will add 75,000 day one and divide total by 36 to give you the repayment, eg 15,972 Baht per month So its not interest on the reducing balance, like most European loans. Still worthwile for me while money in UK bringing 6.8%, and exchange rates for £ bad.

[ray23]

If I go that route I will probably just use the wifes name her credit is established here and a perfect pay record. Thanks I appreciate the info. good to know.

[shanes]

my mates brand new 2008 ZX10R was dropped off at his office on thursday , not 1km on the clock battery still had not been connected .
they will only bring 2 bikes in at a time he had to wait 3 weeks
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[Rhodie]

Following on from Moto-Rex's visit, Kwackers lined up on the Rama 9 Showroom steps.



Spoke to Channarong Nimboon, Showroom Sales Manager
ph 02 247 7935-8 Ext 113

He says to expect delivery in the first week of September.
The delay apparently is due to parts coming from Japan which was delaying delivery.

"Duh - but don't they make them here??"

Didn't make sense to me, nor to the Ambassador, who was chuckling away
on speaker phone!
K Channorong asked me to fill out a request card asking for earlier delivery,
which I'm sure went straight into File 13.
At prompting from HE in CNX, we asked him if an aftermarket pipe would require remapping - K Channarong said "No need". FWIW.
Perhaps a little checking on-line before accepting such as gospel.

Here's some phone pix of the 250s, for those who cannot get over to Rama 9


Evergreen KLX


Orange D-Tracker


Black D Tracker - note the larger front disc compared to the KLR
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[HIKO]

Rhodie

Probably the parts needed are parts for homologation. The delay in delivery is because they havn't got the Thai homologation yet and in order to get it some Japanese engineers must develop a new black box or something in order to pass the Thai (stupid) emission rules. Thailand wants to be in the front row in introducing tighter emission rules, even tighter than EU.

HIKO
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hiko

[Rhodie]

Hiko

You're probably right.

Tho Bungy and I specifically asked if they had passed homologation,
and the manager assured us that they already had the bikes passed.
However, having been down this route with Triumph - it was 8 months before I got a plate - I can well believe your explanation.

Though, with the Triumph I did get the bike as soon as it landed and some 6-7 months before homologation papers had been issued.
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[monsterman]

Thai Homologation is just a matter of giving the correct government official and his mates the correct amount of money, what that amount is is negotiable. oh and sod the technical and scientific aspects.
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[Rhodie]

Monsterman
That is a load of crock - speak to Yut @ Triumph about his experiences.
They would have dearly liked to have paid.
It was a long, agonising and tortuous progress,
where they were made to jump through all the the hoops, going by the book.
Similarly K Dom's attempts to homologate the Polaris Victory bikes have failed completely.
If that doesn't convince you, then speak to the Ambassador - he tried to do it every which way for his Chinese bikes.
Also, speak to K Tum @ Yamaha CNX.

If you are a legit Official Dealer, then you have no option.

Things, they are a changing....

FWIW the T&S has just spoken to the Kwacker manager in the local lingo,
and he now says that they are launching the 250 Ninja sport at the beginning of August
and as a consequence the manufacturing of the KLX/D-Tracker for the Thai market has been delayed.
I know, it don't make sense to me either.

But it looks like September at the earliest.
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The Dogs bark, but the Caravan moves on ...
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[tropicaljohno]

[AZOULAY]

Hi Friends,

Again nice to see the big bike business growing in LOS but what about progress on a better consideration, improved rights and others, a bikker could expect riding in the country.

Ridng in this country is stilll a very marginal activity for big biker, maybe should we lobby a bit more (access to highway, other lanes than only right one...)
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[ray23]

Thanks Tropr the do make it possible don't they. Spoke wth ( John form Khan Kean, we got to gte that man a handle ) He explained to me what I was running into with Yamaha in Chaing Mai he bought a really super bike there. He explained what I call the emision tests to me. That Apparently the bikes they bring in here are built for Canada, because the standards are similar. Might be why the guy to told maybe possible with a warrior but not the Road Star.

He spoke highly of the Chaing Mia operation. Well I have lot more time then money so I want to be very careful to get the right bike for me this time.

Your right on the loans here the only one that I will see a discount on paying off early is my home, rh there is panlaty but it's miner. The truck no matter waht it will be the full amount early or not.

[ray23]

A little update.

Kun Pan is not hard to talk with if you get to her speak slowly, even better if you mix a bit of Thai into the conversation and ask her to repeat when you don't understand.

At thios poinyt that have the 900 Vulcan in tock and ready to sale it. The price qouted was 450K and somewhere around 1000 Baht for the plate and book.

The colors they have in stock at the moment are red and black. There is a factory blue. This would be confusing if I had been here for six years. Those are the colors approved by the government, so blue can be done but is going to problematic. Never forget TT ( Tis Thailand)

I live in Udon and I'm not riding in Bangkok, not a problem they will deliver it.

then came maintance, I doubt very seriously if there is anyone at least that I know set up to take care of a bike like this. They have set up an agreement with a the big Suzuki shop, to do repairs there and they will bring he mechanic to Udon to them. They also have similar agreement with a hop in Phucket.

Stand by when you talk to he she is an agreive sales person, but yuo can work with her.

Finacing is avialble just as John posted it, that w not a surprise he prety careful about what he says.

So the only thing remaining at this point is when i want to go to Bangkok and sit down on that critter and see how it feels with the back. Of course then there is also the money, so it won't be tomorrow Anyone want to buy a dragstar 400 with a book

One thing I'm not clear on is the HP rating I have seen both 49 and 54 anyone got a clue?

I did read a test ride up, he said it ahndles well. He took up 160 Klms, noticed a vibration, but said it would actually cruise at that speed. That w bit confusing to me. But no mention what the actual top end was. Bu, this is already a lot faster then I will be crusing at.

Apparently good low torque so good for Mae Hong Song.

So three things left a bit of money.

A trip to Bangkok, eye ball the critter and a sit down.

So far it is sounding like about the best deal I have seen in Thailand
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[ray23]

I did a comparison of the 900 to the Dragtar 1100 as I know its comfortable bike

Vulcan

Wheel base 65 inches

Dry wieght 549 Lbs

HP 54

1100 cc

Wheel base 64.5 inches

Dry wieght 744 Lbs

HP 57

So in comparison better wheel base on the Vulcan, by one half inch

Weigth Vulcan 195 Lbs lighter, I think you will end up with a better HP rating to weight ratio with the Vulcan, How much that will change the ride good question, don't know.

HP the 1100 has more but it wieghs more I will call that one even

Can't buy the Dragstar from Yamaha in Chaing Mai and no fuel injection. So that means 520K through locak shop for a new bike and a dodgy book. Beign reaseymbled and no warranty.

900 factory bike 451 K Baht good book and two year warranty.

a little input please,I 'm no expert am i seeing This correctly as to comfort on the bike, my back is a huge issue to take into consideration
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[Dougal]

Sounds right.

Benefits of a known new bike with legal book. 2 year guarantee. Fuel injection. Belt drive so no maintenance. The other interesting thing about it is that it has both air and liquid cooling.

But like you said Ray you got to go and sit on her; I'm sure you'll know how your back feels then.
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[ray23]

Got Lucky a friend has a 800 Vulcan will let me take a short ride. That should tell the story. If it's even close I can modify modify a norm for me and not really expensive since I have done it so many times.
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[Captain_Slash]

Ray I sat on a 900 Vulcan in the dealers a few weeks ago, it seemed comfortable enough but unfortunately no test ride
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[KZ]

Ray, when comparing Honda and Kawasaki don't forget the resale value... For some reason they don't like Kawa much over here...
Question: Is the price of the KLR250 and the D-Tracker the same?
What exactly is different on those models, apart from the obvious 17" rims and street tires? Gearing? Steering head angle? Suspension? Carburation? - I'll go and google "KLR vs D-Tracker" but would appreciate some insider knolledge!
Looks like I gonna break my piggy-bank and get me a brand new Kawasaki... - - - Hey, let the good times roll!!

[ray23]

Thanks Cpt. Dee has gracioulsy offered to let me test ride his 800 Vulcan should eb fairly similar.

KZ in all honesty had not thought at all about resale. I think Honda has some great bikes no doubt about it. But delaership for Big Bikes that I know of.

I like the Yamaha Dragstar, but it's not fuel injected, since I want at least four years out the Next one that might be important t with the gasohol issues. In speaking with the guy in Cahing Mai he said he "MAY" be able to get the Warrior not my style at all. But you know I'm sure they get lots of inquires that go no where. So cash on the table might change things a bit.

Part of the problem is the dealers only have certain bikes OK'd by Thailand. I beleive the Yamaha meet Canadian standards so I looked up those bikes. Came up with the Sliverado, it is fuel injected. PANG MACH

At the moment it's all research so no hurry. I'll be putting some Klms on the 400.
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I reserve the right to be wrong, mispell words type badly. leave words out of sentences because my mind works faster then my fingers. To be an OLD GIT I've earned it

[Moto-Rex]

[Captain_Slash]

Interesting that only fuel injection bikes are being imported yet virtually all the bikes built here are still carburrettor models, perhaps the Honda Phantom will be fuel injection soon
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If Typhoo Put The T In Britain Who Put The C_unt In Scunthorpe

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