Hondaman1957
New member
Hi to you all. Since this is the bar I think it's OK to say a few things about how it is to like and drive motorcycles in Thailand. First I want to say, I am and have been a member on several MC forums, but not very active on them all since my time is limited. However, I am trying to follow with what is happening in the world of Honda motorcycles as this has always been my favorite brand. I have been driving Hondas from 1973 so I know bits and pieces about some bikes.
Well, how is it to be a foreign guy driving bikes in Thailand? One thing is, it's not so easy to get spare parts over here. Mostly you get second hand parts and the price is not cheap as the sellers simply look up the price on E-Bay for the stuff they want to sell and then that's the price. Many of these guys have been in the used motorcycle importing business from Japan to Thailand. The bikes are imported in parts, different crates and so on, as used spare parts. Then the bikes are reassembled and sold without a registration. The registration part has been a pain as it is quite costly, can cost as much as 30 percent or more of the cost of the bike. Importing bikes in this manner is hardly legal since no taxes or tariffs are paid on them, except as used spare parts.
I am aware from past experiences that motorcycle drivers are not as a rule interested in anything except what is happening in their own countries. Likewise, they are not as a rule interested in older bikes. I can understand this view but want to stress that motorcycle drivers and owners are of all sorts and all kinds. I have stuck with the bikes from 1973, for example, but most of the guys I knew back then have not touched a motorbike for decades. They have gone over to cars and car related motor sports mostly.
Thailand is a country positively jammed with motorcycles but they are smaller bikes, mostly 100 to 200 cc, and scooters. This is understandable as cars are expensive and the climate is nice so you can drive your bike all year round wearing minimal clothing. There is no difference between the number of men and women who drive motorbikes, for all I know even more women and girls may be driving some kind of motorbike or scooter over here. The difference is when it comes to big bikes as not many girls seem to want to drive them. The men definitely outnumber them in that category. Bikes bikes are not that common over here, but they are on the increase.
Then why did I join this forum when I don't own a DN01? The answer is I am interested in these bikes, and I am also a member of a community that tries to provide technical information to other Honda motorcycle owners. This is especially true of people who want to do basic maintenance of the bikes themselves. So this forum provides me with much useful stuff. Also, I would like to get a DN01 but want to study it a bit before I jump to buying one. OK, that was my rant. I want to thank the admin and other people who run this forum for their good effort and congratulations with starting it.
Well, how is it to be a foreign guy driving bikes in Thailand? One thing is, it's not so easy to get spare parts over here. Mostly you get second hand parts and the price is not cheap as the sellers simply look up the price on E-Bay for the stuff they want to sell and then that's the price. Many of these guys have been in the used motorcycle importing business from Japan to Thailand. The bikes are imported in parts, different crates and so on, as used spare parts. Then the bikes are reassembled and sold without a registration. The registration part has been a pain as it is quite costly, can cost as much as 30 percent or more of the cost of the bike. Importing bikes in this manner is hardly legal since no taxes or tariffs are paid on them, except as used spare parts.
I am aware from past experiences that motorcycle drivers are not as a rule interested in anything except what is happening in their own countries. Likewise, they are not as a rule interested in older bikes. I can understand this view but want to stress that motorcycle drivers and owners are of all sorts and all kinds. I have stuck with the bikes from 1973, for example, but most of the guys I knew back then have not touched a motorbike for decades. They have gone over to cars and car related motor sports mostly.
Thailand is a country positively jammed with motorcycles but they are smaller bikes, mostly 100 to 200 cc, and scooters. This is understandable as cars are expensive and the climate is nice so you can drive your bike all year round wearing minimal clothing. There is no difference between the number of men and women who drive motorbikes, for all I know even more women and girls may be driving some kind of motorbike or scooter over here. The difference is when it comes to big bikes as not many girls seem to want to drive them. The men definitely outnumber them in that category. Bikes bikes are not that common over here, but they are on the increase.
Then why did I join this forum when I don't own a DN01? The answer is I am interested in these bikes, and I am also a member of a community that tries to provide technical information to other Honda motorcycle owners. This is especially true of people who want to do basic maintenance of the bikes themselves. So this forum provides me with much useful stuff. Also, I would like to get a DN01 but want to study it a bit before I jump to buying one. OK, that was my rant. I want to thank the admin and other people who run this forum for their good effort and congratulations with starting it.
