Best Motorbike for a Fat Newbie

[Shilo 371]

OK... first off, I have been coming to Pattaya for more then a dozen years and living here for the past 6 so I am well aware of the dangers of riding a motorbike. But frankly I'm just getting really tired of sharing the baht buses with over weight Russian women. I want to start my research now and then either rent or buy a bike around the beginning of June to use during the low season... I don't plan to be riding a lot (at least in the beginning) at night, while drinking, or out on the open road to Ban Chang.

 

So I really don't need pages of warnings... what I need is a little advice of what bikes to look at. I'm old and fat. I know that I have no business trying to learn how to ride a bike at my age. But putting that to the side, what I'd like to know is what would be the best option for a starter bike.

 

I could use some help with brands, size and features like braking options.

 

Thanks in advance

[keyman 1,325]

When I ride out there I rent a Honda PCX 150cc. If you're a big lad it might suit you better than some of the lighter bikes. I would suggest renting different ones for a week at a time until you find the one you feel most comfortable with. They're cheap enough. The PCX also has a bit more space under the seat than some and I believe some models you can get uprated suspension, but try different ones for a while before you consider buying.

 

Good luck!

 

 

KM

[Shilo 371]

Thanks

 

I think that I had heard that I'd be better off with a 150 vs a 125. I think I also read somewhere that there were different braking systems (something that is very high on my list of features)... does the Honda PCX brake from the front or rear wheel... and does it matter?

[keyman 1,325]

All bikes brake front and rear, but some have linked brakes so that both sets are operated at the same time, whether you use front or rear brake levers.

and yes it matters! If you brake hard on just the front brake you could end up going over the handlebars!

 

 

KM

[jacko 8,578]

I think I would go with the PCX too.

Not only the larger engine but a physically bigger bike too...

The dual braking system would be good for a beginner ....says someone who has gone ass-over-tit on a bike that is independent braking!

 

Slightly bigger than the standard Nuovos and Clicks etc so perhaps more difficult to worm through traffic to get to the front.

Renting a few different models to see which you like is a good approach before buying.

Edited March 7, 2014 by jacko

[short 215]

I would advise you to get an opinion from Winston.

[atlas2 4,329]

Ask Tom. He's looked into this.

[CheshireTom 1,377]

Ask Tom. He's looked into this.

 

My shopping list .... PCX 150, 30 ltr Givi box, helmet, sunglasses, uprated rear shocks, customised seat for a fat farang ass, stabilisers and farang-size rainsuit. Cheaper than the cost of a return flight to the UK.

 

Seriously, I'd rent from the Pool Hustler guy who advertises on the forum ... see which bike suits you best. The Honda SH150 might be better suited to Pattaya if the cost isn't an issue.

Edited March 8, 2014 by CheshireTom

[nkped 1,207]

It worries me that I should even open this thread but I can understand Shilo's thinking. Am I correct that it is the front brake which does most of the stopping? I certainly grasp that if you don't apply the rear brake as well, you won't like the results. Seems like dual breaking would be the thing for a newbie. Finally, is their anyplace around Pattaya to get some instruction in a relatively safe environment? Working it all out for the first time on Thapprya would not seem conducive to a long happy retirement.

[jacko 8,578]

It worries me that I should even open this thread but I can understand Shilo's thinking. Am I correct that it is the front brake which does most of the stopping? I certainly grasp that if you don't apply the rear brake as well, you won't like the results. Seems like dual breaking would be the thing for a newbie. Finally, is their anyplace around Pattaya to get some instruction in a relatively safe environment? Working it all out for the first time on Thapprya would not seem conducive to a long happy retirement.

Yes most of the stopping power is the front brake, and why you find many put a disc at the front and drum at the rear.

You have to be very aware of the surface below your wheels and strong application of the front brake on sandy, wet, slippery surface or while turning can take the handlebars off you. Can't think of somewhere to go practice... is it quiet enough on the South end of Jomtiem 2nd Rd?

[short 215]

You can rent bikes at Ko Larn and there is almost no traffic on the roads.

[Odense 482]

Have a chat with Mark at http://kessayamotorbikerentals.com/

Ha can give you advice and also a good deal on renting one.

[Trvlr 50]

When I ride out there I rent a Honda PCX 150cc. If you're a big lad it might suit you better than some of the lighter bikes. I would suggest renting different ones for a week at a time until you find the one you feel most comfortable with. They're cheap enough. The PCX also has a bit more space under the seat than some and I believe some models you can get uprated suspension, but try different ones for a while before you consider buying.

 

 

There is little question that the PCX 150 is the best bike amongst the ones most commonly used in Pattaya. It is also some 20,000 baht, or 40 percent, more expensive than most of the other bikes. So there is really no comparison there.

 

I think the real answer I would like to know is which of the 125 cc bikes people will recommend, and for what reason. I am interested in a bike with good shocks so road bumps are smoothed out.

The OP had his own set of questions.

[Trvlr 50]

I think I would go with the PCX too.

Not only the larger engine but a physically bigger bike too...

The dual braking system would be good for a beginner ....says someone who has gone ass-over-tit on a bike that is independent braking!

 

Slightly bigger than the standard Nuovos and Clicks etc so perhaps more difficult to worm through traffic to get to the front.

Renting a few different models to see which you like is a good approach before buying.

 

About 75 percent of a bike's braking power is in the front brake. But it is not such a good idea to scare beginners into not using the front, or using it hesitantly. It is not that easy to "upend" a bike in normal driving.

The most common cause of spills is actually the rear brake - though it is more likely with foot operated brakes than the hand operated ones on scooters.

When people brake hard with the rear brake it locks the wheel and the bike slides with a screech. The most commong reaction is to let go of the rear brake - and that is the problem. When that happens the rear wheel skids sideways, and if there is enough momentum it throws the rider, with the bike often landing on him/her. The experts' advice is to keep the rear wheel locked if you happen to have locked it.

I have taken motorcycle safety classes, and one of the exercises they make you go through is to purposely lock the rear wheel, and then keep it locked until the bike slows down. The bike may wobble a little, but it doesn't throw the rider.

 

To sum it up, always use both brakes, and do not be afraid to use the front brake hard.

[MM 6,562]

Shilo, if you can, spend the money and get a PCX 150..I just bought one used, 3000 km, 2012 model, and it is just wonderful to ride. It's smooth, has ample power to get your fat ass moving, and the brakes are efficent and strong, to stop yourself in a hurry.

 

I paid 66K baht for the used PCX 150 with low mileage...I don't know if that could have been beaten, but it was a decent upgrade from my Yamaha Nuovo Elegance...which I don't bother to ride at all.

 

Two nice features (for me) of the PCX are wide rearview mirrors that go outside a fat farang body and allow you to see behind you (very important on a bike), and idle shutoff, which stops the engine when you come to a stop for more than a few seconds...saves lots of gas. I've been riding for over a week here and there, and still have over a half tank left...it does seem to really save gas, since In Pattaya, you spend a lot of time waiting for interminable red light changes.

 

PCX 150 is my recommendation.

[Shilo 371]

I went out for a walk today (been trying to do more of that lately) and made a point of looking for PCX 150's but didn't see a single one on my walk... that is until I got back to the condo complex. Then I saw about 6 side by side out in front of the building. Had a chat with a neighbor who laughed when I mention this to him and he said "look out back and you'll see another 25 parked back there..."

 

He had a few other things to say about the PCX 150. He felt they were over priced at 75-100K decked out, he felt that they used more gas then the smaller 125's, and he mentioned that the idle shutoff was a keen idea but that he had seen several cases where it didn't start back up right away and the rider had to start the process over with the key...

 

My gut feeling is that the PCX 150 is the kind of bike I would want once I had made up my mind that I was going to join the "bike riding community" but I'm also aware that I'm no where near that point yet. First I just need to get on a bike... pretty much any bike... learn the basics... and most importantly, achieve a reasonable degree of comfort. Then I can start looking for "The Bike" for the long haul.

 

So maybe I should modify my title with "What is the Best Motorbike for a Fat Newbie... Looking to Learn how to Ride?"

 

I'm pretty sure that it's wiser to start off by renting a bike. But should a learn on a 125 Click or Wave... or because of my size am I safer on a 150?

 

I guess I'm just looking for some advice on what bike to pop my cherry on that won't result in me popping my nuts in the process...

[keyman 1,325]

They are all pretty much of a muchness, in other words any bike realistically will do to start on. They are are all relatively cheap to hire/run so just choose one you like the look of, give it a week as a runabout, then try another. Once you've got the hang of riding one, then start looking for the differences like brakes, seat, suspension, underseat storage, price, security, etc.

As for somewhere to practice, Tescos car park on Pattaya Nua might be ok?

 

Hope that helps

 

 

KM

[jacko 8,578]

Rent the follolwing..

A Nuovo.

A Nuovo Elegance

A Honda Click.

A Honda Airblade.

A PCX150.

 

All automatic easy to ride and of the bigger size (ie not Mio or Fino ladies size).

I personally do not like a single rear suspension spring, (per Click) a common, cheaper bike approach. It may work but it inherently looks imbalanced unless you are missing a leg. Perhaps MM will lend you his idle Elegance and you can have a go around a car park!

[BigDUSA 71]

Weekends at dawn is a good time to learn on the road. Traffic is light and the drunk drivers are pretty much off the road. When you rent a bike, check the tire pressure and with the rear tire off the ground. Grab the rear tire and see if it moves from side to side. If it does the bushing is shot. Rent a different bike. Buy a good helmet. I always used a Snell approved helmet. These helmets are built to the highest safety standards. Your head is worth the expense. Amazon sells these.

[Trvlr 50]

Weekends at dawn is a good time to learn on the road. Traffic is light and the drunk drivers are pretty much off the road. When you rent a bike, check the tire pressure and with the rear tire off the ground. Grab the rear tire and see if it moves from side to side. If it does the bushing is shot. Rent a different bike. Buy a good helmet. I always used a Snell approved helmet. These helmets are built to the highest safety standards. Your head is worth the expense. Amazon sells these.

 

Helmets that meet the DOT (U.S. Department of Transportation) standard are also fine. Though the Snell Institute has somewhat more stringent parameters.

I wonder what to look for in Thailand? The helmets must have to meet some standard - what is a good one to look for?

[jacko 8,578]

I used to drive pre-dawn to fishing trips, the traffic was light but there were still quite a few drunks on the road.

 

The above check of shaking the back wheel probably applies better to a chain driven bike..... fully automatic they are not chain driven.

We are not in the USA here, helmets vary from near useless to crap and I regard a visor as more important to stop the walnut size bugs and stones thrown up by trucks taking your eye out.........

 

Forget pretty much everything you learned back home!!!!

[Fireman Sam 336]

Once you get your confidence up, then there is the very stringent motorcycle test to pass in Pattaya (no wonder there is carnage on the roads everyday), sorry I know I have posted it before, but thought it relevant for this thread. Ha ha.

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqoXlI5p8D8 She probably still passed !

 

 

Remember and take your umbrella to shield you from the sun/rain, also your phone so you can text whilst driving and chat to your two mates on the back at the same time.

 

 

Best one I have seen was in Nakhon Phanom outside Tesco Lotus, a Honda wave with husband driving with wife and a old fashion twin tub washing machine on the back. I thought surely Tesco deliver, unless there was a charge for delivery.

 

 

Good make branded motorcycle helmets and biking clothing is available from Red Barron in Bangkok, also many others I suppose.

 

 

Regards

Edited March 12, 2014 by Fireman Sam

[MM 6,562]

He had a few other things to say about the PCX 150. He felt they were over priced at 75-100K decked out, he felt that they used more gas then the smaller 125's, and he mentioned that the idle shutoff was a keen idea but that he had seen several cases where it didn't start back up right away and the rider had to start the process over with the key...

 

My gut feeling is that the PCX 150 is the kind of bike I would want once I had made up my mind that I was going to join the "bike riding community" but I'm also aware that I'm no where

I think I save lots of gas with the idle shutoff over the Nuovo. I've not checked it but really, worrying about gas prices on a motorcycle is rather silly unless you are driving cross-country.

Regarding the idle shutoff..if it doesn't work once, just turn it off with the switch and you're back to normal operation. It would probably be a good idea to schedule a service call to have the engine tuned at that point anyway.

 

The price "decked out 75-100k"...I don't know what "decked out" means, but a 25k difference from basic to "decked out" must be something you could have some control over.

 

I won't suggest you go out and buy a PCX 150 straight away, but you should still give it some serious consideration when you do decide to buy. It's just a dream to drive for what is basically a scooter.

[Trvlr 50]

I used to drive pre-dawn to fishing trips, the traffic was light but there were still quite a few drunks on the road.

 

The above check of shaking the back wheel probably applies better to a chain driven bike..... fully automatic they are not chain driven.

We are not in the USA here, helmets vary from near useless to crap and I regard a visor as more important to stop the walnut size bugs and stones thrown up by trucks taking your eye out.........

 

Forget pretty much everything you learned back home!!!!

 

I don't know why you are so contemptuous of Thai products. I have seen some good helmets in the general stores, and I am sure specialty stores will have even better ones.

Of course, if your budget is 400 or 500 baht then you will probably not get a great helmet. But a few more baht should get you an acceptable helmet. Some digging may even turn up a standard that some Thai helmet manufacturers follow.

 

The PCX 150, incidentally, is also imported into the U.S. One big difference here is that Honda cannot put in the feature that turns off the engine at prolonged stops. Safety reasons perhaps.

[CheshireTom 1,377]

 

I don't know why you are so contemptuous of Thai products. I have seen some good helmets in the general stores, and I am sure specialty stores will have even better ones.

 

Isn't the Shark factory just down the road from Pattaya?

 

Any decent independent bike shop should be able to get you a good helmet. If you want to see what's available in Thailand, check out helmet2home.com. Not all are near useless or crap.

Edited March 12, 2014 by CheshireTom