What bike(s) are you actually riding?

**gobs** · 2nd August 2009, 12:00 AM

Hi friends,

Just because I recently discover the wonderful Big&Tall's KTM, I was thinking: "what all the other GT-Riders are they exactly and actually riding?".
Many times (at least for my part, and I guess for others) we know through words what bike is used, or we know some of GT-Riders bikes through meetings or wavings...
But maybe a GT-Riders "bike-review" would be interesting to better know everyone's "character" or "preference"...
Nothing here to compete: "I have a bigger than yours" or "I have a stronger than yours"... No, just to know "everyone" a bit better through biking.

For sure, some pics would be appreciated

So, GT-Riders, what bike(s) are you actually riding?
And why do you choose this (these) one (ones)?

Thanks in advance for some fellow, here, to begin...

Cheers,
Gobs

**Marco** · 2nd August 2009, 12:55 AM

Hi Gobs

Well my ride of choice is this with huge "tank" as many GTRiders calling it.
As i'm big lad and i got this little fellow in just a ok price, been happy about it even it has it's bad part's (clutch) and it's darn heavy, but so far been happy

2004 BMW K 1200 LT, got it when there was 15K in the dash, now it has abt 35K

**Captain_Slash** · 2nd August 2009, 03:26 AM

In Thailand I am riding a Honda Phantom, it does everything that I want from it plus there is no problems with servicing or the instant availability of spares

For the UK I ride a well tweaked 1200 Harley Sportster, again for me its a great bike, it goes well and sounds awesome

**Ally** · 2nd August 2009, 05:54 PM

Hey Gob's, anyone who reads my posts, knows that I never miss a bike posing photo,

so here are a couple from me !

The summer ride - DTracker - Does cow shyte roads & hard dirt too

The winter ride - Yamaha Dragstar 1100 - Comfy arm chair and wicked to ride and hear.

The market ride (well except there are no markets on the peak of Doi Inthanon!) Wave 125 i !! Goes anywhere, does anything, slowly with room for the shopping.

Ally

**BignTall** · 3rd August 2009, 12:57 PM

Love the differences in the scooters from the different posters. From Marco's tank (two more wheels and it's a Toyota eh? I would gladly put my KTM in trade for any straight tarmac section in a heartbeat) to Colins Phantom, shows the diveristy thats on the board.

Since I enjoy bikes more than a wife, figured I'd better have a few of 'em.

First aquisition was the Honda NSR150SP. Complete with Mick Doohans 500cc GP paint job. Long live the two strokes. Camping somehwere behind Mae Wan.

Next up, old reliable, the Kawasaki KLX 250 w/Pumper carb, 330cc big bore, and Hotcams cam. Dirt trim:

and motard

Then its to dirt biking fun with the YZF 250F. Me and the YZF wishing I would have used that yearly membership to "Fitness Thailand" more than twice.

Then on to the latest "pool of my affections" My KTM 525exc with too many goodies thrown at it and having a laugh on it nowadays.

But then no matter what bikes, the old "only two days in the gym over the last six months" still rears its ugly head.

Love to see the other rides people on the board are wobbling around on, post em up.

**Pikey** · 3rd August 2009, 02:28 PM

Here's mine:

Yamaha Nuovo Elegance.

Pros: twist & go, good underseat storage, bugger all power to get yourself into trouble after a few Leos

Cons: Thirsty, poncey name, bugger all power to get yourself out of trouble after a few Leos.

Suzuki DRz400 (+ tweaks).

Pros: Plenty of power, great suspension

Cons: Plenty of power, bloody uncomfortable seat on the road

Triumph Bonneville

Pros: great looker, torquey engine, low C of G means easy handling, comfortable, "solid" feeling.

Cons: Bloody expensive in Thailand, tyres and suspension of questionable quality.

Cheers,

Pikey.

**Davidfl** · 3rd August 2009, 10:57 PM

Gobs
Nice thought to start this thread.

Here's mine & me

The AT: God's gift to RTW bikers.

Solid reliable everlasting, cheap to run.
Getting old, heavy & underpowered compared to the latest adventure / dual purpose models.

Can we have a pic of you & your bike too please.

**monsterman** · 4th August 2009, 05:27 PM

When In Thailand i ride This

When In UK I ride these beasts

**Blake** · 4th August 2009, 08:31 PM

I am looking after my old mans old XR250 while he is away. Never good to park something too long so I am keeping it in shape for him! I am in the market for another big bike for myself but funds are tight right now. Ideally I'd like to trade in the Wave 125R and some cash for something bigger and older!

Doi Phukha Loop

Mae Hong Son Loop

The wife's new Wave 110i for around town with my Wava125R in the background:

Not sure if this counts but here she is:

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**lotuseater** · 4th August 2009, 10:14 PM

These are my babies. The grasstracker makes for a great around town bike though it does seem to draw a lot of attention from the wrong people due to the lack of a licence. Technically it is my wifes bike but since she rarely rides it I have taken defacto possession of it.

The GB 400 is in my opinion a thing of beauty, this bike is heaps of fun once you get out of town and can open it up a bit. It is a neo classic but it has never failed me even though it is a pretty low tech solution I would not trade this bike for anything.

**Blake** · 4th August 2009, 10:35 PM

Nice bikes, especially that GB! I think I saw your Grass Tracker for sale but I need to get something plated.

**lotuseater** · 4th August 2009, 11:10 PM

Ya the grass tracker was/is for sale. Like I said it is my wifes bike and she does not ride it very much so we just figured we would put it out there and see what we could get. Not much interest so far and I don't really want to sell it anyway so nothing lost nothing gained.

The GB is a great bike. I just love this machine, I can't believe there are not more people on them. The Sr 400 seems to be the more popular machine here and I guess that is because it is more highly customizable. I can't really think of anything that needs to be done to the GB. Though I have put on new pipes but am going to need to switch back, it is deceptively loud for a 400cc. Maybe just a tad too loud now.
It is also reliable to a fault. I keep looking for things to go wrong with it so I can justify putting some money into it but so far it is absolutely bullet proof and I have not been able to find much in the way of negative feedback anywhere on the GBs.

**Azoulay** · 5th August 2009, 01:03 AM

Hi Friends, Hi Gobs,

Thanks to have initiate this interesting post which reveal the "personality" of GT-Riders through their bikes...

As you might know bikes and cars are my passion, thus I cumulate it... I allways had in my life something to mechanic with, with a descent engine.

My prefered one, a Ducati Monster S2R 1000 2006, I imported this bike myself and got the biggest headhacke you ever imagine (never again...).
Anyway, that's my prefered one, it's tuned by myself and believe that's something... Termignoni exhaust line with appropriate ECU + the Rapid Bike fuel injection map computer loadable system , full Rizoma equipment (belt covers, handbar, mirors...), 15 teeth sprocket, stainless steel clutch plate springs, Ducati Performance clutch plate, Fiamm horn, Xenon HID front light....
However, looking back, this bike is no more for me (57), the riding position is highly unconfortable, I can't be bent anymore for more than a hour long. On top, this kind of bike is not adapted to Thailand with all dangers you can imagine wild dogs and holes of more than 30 cm depth.... A toy to play with in Bira but not more. Apart from the beauty of the Beast, nothing for LOS.

The "mia noi", a Suzuki 400 DRZ 2005 from Japan, bought for a very honnest price to our friends from RED BARON. A good purchase, a bit light and powerless but from stock what could you expect more, reliable the Suzi brang me everywhere in LOS without any problem. A touch of Acerbis, Renthal bar and Dunlop tires...

The latest one, directly from the famous Bangkokian BMW dealer at the horrible local price, a BMW 1200 GS Adventure US Export model with full options, aluminium cases, fog lights, ZUMO 550 GPS (a bit useless for riders), Xenon lights, extra DC plugs, inboard air compressor and Akrapovic free exhaust muffler.
A very confortable bike, just enough powered according to the weight, as some said you feel as King of the Road, after the first aprehension of a huge bike, you ride it as a bicycle. I can't comment on reliability as I have it since 6 weeks but I like this bike which seems to be idle in Thailand.

All bikes are plated with a Green Book and equiped with an Optimate charger plug in order to maintain the battery during the time I don't drive them.

As you could see as well in my signature, the Ducati and the Suzuki have been blessed by Monks in a tamboon ceremony, it is of high importance and signification for me.

Here, I would miss my Harley Fat Boy and the Buell Lightning as I have in Paris, as well as the scooters (Vespa Piaggio and Gilera Nexus) but OK... I still have the cars to play with (a Toyota Tiger 4WD 3.0 l.D4D 2003 and a Toyota Fortuner 3.0 l. D4D 2008 -my wife's car-).
Anyway, I wait that LOS would be more adapted to Big Bikes riding than it is at present. Apart from the deep country side I think LOS is really not the country for bikers with all its climate conditions, people consideration, tabous and dangers. Hope David could "lobby" a bit more to Local Authorities.

**ianyonok** · 5th August 2009, 01:22 AM

Hi people,

I'm stuck in a time warp. This machinery takes a bit of TLC. I spend as much time in the workshop as out on the road, but I enjoy both.

with mia noi #1. '59 Thunderbird (it's even got a tyre pump, bicycle style, fits under the seat... works too!)

Not looking this good right now (neither am I though). Needs a front end rebuild following a close encounter with a storm drain. Just scored a replacement nacelle top on Ebay, so hope to get on with it later this year, when time allows.

and mia noi #2. '71 Tiger, undergoing a slow conversion to a cafe racer.

Running pretty well, but will fit some new clutch parts soon to stop a bit of slip and drag.

Ian

www.viangyonok.com

**tonykiwi** · 5th August 2009, 03:55 AM

The first one is a Honda 250 'Baja' which I bought to get me through my test prior to the Thailand tour. I was meant to sell it but like it for riding through our local forestry and it is also fun to ride anyway so maybe I'll just keep it a while yet.

Once qualified I wanted something a bit larger and more comfortable and bought the Honda 650cc Transalp which is a joy to ride. The only change since this photo was taken is the addition of a top box.

**lotuseater** · 5th August 2009, 07:51 AM

Ian, very nice bikes those are things of beauty. If you don't mind my asking where did you manage to find a couple of classic Triumphs in Thailand and how much would something like that set one back. I have been saving my Satang for a new bike and was thinking of a Triumph but I would much rather have a classic than a new one.

**trevbart** · 5th August 2009, 09:13 AM

My Triumph Tiger 1050

love it...now has Ohlins shock and front springs. Standard shock a bit soft and under-damped (for me anyway!)

**ivan the terrable** · 5th August 2009, 02:20 PM

**Fishenough** · 5th August 2009, 05:01 PM

There are some sweet, sweet bikes – got a love the variety cause as I don’t have to tell anyone here that on a regular basis you don’t see much more than the 'regulars'.

Speaking of the common scoots, thought I’d post also as we don’t want the new model Kawasaki crowd to hang back neither. The Tracker has been great for me; though it’s slower than a couple of cars I’ve had, ain’t had a vehicle with such excellent gas mileage. Planned mods; maybe a beeper for the turn signals and a nice wire basket out front.

Looking forward to greater Dual sport choices in the coming years.

Keep this post going! Looove that 525!

**ianyonok** · 5th August 2009, 11:32 PM

Hi Lotuseater,

Yes, the classics are beautiful machines and I hope I never have to sell them. There are however, many issues with finding and running machines like these. I would advise you to buy a new Triumph unless you have; a good workshop, a patient temperament, understanding missus, plenty of time, money and mechanical skills. The good thing about running classics in Thailand is that when they break down, it’s usually not too hard to find a pickup and willing helpers to bring the bike home. I’ve actually only done this three times in many years though. Surprisingly, you can get all the spares you need, including uprated parts, either new or on Ebay.
There are quite a few classic Triumphs in Thailand still, as many were imported in the ‘50s and used by the Post Office and other government agencies as well as sold privately. I believe there are less ‘60s and even less ‘70s models here. They are hard to find though and even harder to get with registration.
I bought the ’59 pre-unit Thunderbird in Pattaya in 1993 for 115,000 Baht from a friend, Colin, an English ex-racer who used to run Pattaya Custom Classics in the late ‘80s, early ‘90s. Colin used to do restorations and did several Triumphs as well as Matchlesses, AJSs, Nortons, a Nimbus and others. Colin also ran a modern Honda bike race team competing at Bira and other regional circuits.
I rode the bike for three years, then did a full 3 ½ year restoration to almost original spec. I did all the assembly and paintwork (which took longest) myself in Pattaya, before moving north. This cost a lot of muns and caused much grief with wife. The bike was imported to Thailand in the Seventies by a Thai air force officer. It was utterly worn out internally with much bodging having been done throughout. I took the crankshaft to England to get Hughie Hancox (ex-Triumph factory man) to do grinding and balancing. I rebuilt the bike with new main bearings, big ends, pistons, rings, barrel, bushes, etc etc., then put a replacement gear cluster in the re-bushed gearbox. I made up a wiring loom, fitted electronic ignition, cartridge oil filter, uprated clutch, alternator and many, many, more things. There followed a year or so of fettling, as I had never done a restoration before. The bike is a great joy to ride, with it’s low compression easy starting, throaty sound, relaxed feel and comfort. The frame is a bit rubbery and the front brake is poor but the engine is wonderful. This is the same engine Johnny Allen used in his Bonneville record breaker in the ‘50s. I’ve been up Doi Tung a couple of times on it, no problem. I doubt you would find another Triumph of this era in such useable condition in Thailand.
While doing the Thunderbird up I needed a bike, so I bought the Tiger for 120,000 Baht in 1998, from Khun Sujin in Bangkok whose father ran the Triumph shop near the National Stadium. I’ve done less work on this one, but had oversize valve guides and stainless valve seats put in the head. That was a 500 pound job on it’s own. Sweptback exhausts, rearsets and clip-ons take it towards the café racer look. Paint job and suede seat with bumstop will complete the look later. I’ve also fitted an uprated alternator and clutch and just about to replace the clutch springs and install an alloy pressure plate, together with new pushrod tubes to hopefully fix a niggly oil leak.

If you contact “pikey” on this forum, he recently sold a Norton Commando. The buyer may be bored with it by now? Some of the GT-Riders may know of other classics around. There is a Triumph 500 Speedtwin in Chiang Mai, that used to be in Fang. I know of two unit Triumphs in Pattaya and Khun Sujin has a couple of pre-units at the back of his restaurant in BKK, but they are customers (who haven’t returned) bikes, been there 15 years or more and in very rough condition. Quite a few BSA M21s around though. Some classics may appear at the Chiang Mai bike week (hopefully one of mine one of these years).

Sorry, if I’ve bored all the modern bike riders. You better pm me if you’d like further info Lotuseater.

Ian