Not literally, of course, unless you happen to be unlucky.
As a new owner of an SUV-sized bike (BMW R1150GS with bags) in Bangkok, however, I'm somewhat mindful of the down sides. (Those don't include pains in the butt, actually...).
I don't mind the fuel consumption, and I don't mind driving in BKK traffic, other than the fact that I'm generally unable to derive the advantages of being on a bike because I take up as much space as the average econocar. That's OK, I like a lot of room around me, and one thing a huge black BMW does is command respect from other motorists. (It seems to command some from the police as well, but that's a different story...).
While I cannot imagine a better bike than the GS out on the open road in Thailand, there are two issues that a prospective big bike buyer in BKK should consider, with thanks to Franz for bringing this up:
1. Getting OUT of, or INTO BKK is a nightmare. You are forced to fight scooters, tuk-tuks, buses, trucks, hand carts, bicyclists, pedestrians, and animals over in the slow lanes. Now that is true of ALL motorcycles, but it is especially galling on a big bike because it is less nimble, and because it can actually run faster than all the rest of the traffic mixing it up in the high-speed lanes. I've been near tears (no, I'm not an emo kind of guy) trying to get legally out of Bangkok, and I still haven't figured out how to get to Chonburi effectively.
2. Parking is another nightmare. I am very willing and ready to pay automobile rates to park this behemoth in the usual mall/shopping centre auto park zones. No dice. I've had so many exchanges on that topic--all futile--that it's not even funny. Sometimes I leave, because it is just about impossible to get the beast between the pillars, around the randomly parked scooters, up on the stand...and then out again.
Of course the end result of all this is that if you buy a big bike for use in Bangkok....in pretty short order you are going to have to buy a second (smaller) one for use in town. (Not that having multiple bikes is inherently a bad thing...).
So when you are doing your calculations for your big bike, make sure there's enough left over for little sister...
As a new owner of an SUV-sized bike (BMW R1150GS with bags) in Bangkok, however, I'm somewhat mindful of the down sides. (Those don't include pains in the butt, actually...).
I don't mind the fuel consumption, and I don't mind driving in BKK traffic, other than the fact that I'm generally unable to derive the advantages of being on a bike because I take up as much space as the average econocar. That's OK, I like a lot of room around me, and one thing a huge black BMW does is command respect from other motorists. (It seems to command some from the police as well, but that's a different story...).
While I cannot imagine a better bike than the GS out on the open road in Thailand, there are two issues that a prospective big bike buyer in BKK should consider, with thanks to Franz for bringing this up:
1. Getting OUT of, or INTO BKK is a nightmare. You are forced to fight scooters, tuk-tuks, buses, trucks, hand carts, bicyclists, pedestrians, and animals over in the slow lanes. Now that is true of ALL motorcycles, but it is especially galling on a big bike because it is less nimble, and because it can actually run faster than all the rest of the traffic mixing it up in the high-speed lanes. I've been near tears (no, I'm not an emo kind of guy) trying to get legally out of Bangkok, and I still haven't figured out how to get to Chonburi effectively.
2. Parking is another nightmare. I am very willing and ready to pay automobile rates to park this behemoth in the usual mall/shopping centre auto park zones. No dice. I've had so many exchanges on that topic--all futile--that it's not even funny. Sometimes I leave, because it is just about impossible to get the beast between the pillars, around the randomly parked scooters, up on the stand...and then out again.
Of course the end result of all this is that if you buy a big bike for use in Bangkok....in pretty short order you are going to have to buy a second (smaller) one for use in town. (Not that having multiple bikes is inherently a bad thing...).
So when you are doing your calculations for your big bike, make sure there's enough left over for little sister...
The Tiger is Fantastic for Fast Blasts over Distance but a Complete Pain to use around Town when you have to put all the Gear on. Hot work in Traffic stuck at lights. The 250 is the best size for Zapping around i found and you don't have to Wear all the Gear because it is Less Likely to Chuck you off :roll: Big Bikes might be good for Posers but you can't Beat a Small one for local use 
