The Thailand expat forum for Travel, Lifestyle and Fun.

Marmite the Dog

It works great in their cars. Until it goes wrong

mtone9317

Although I've never owned a Kawa, I've owned Suzuki, Yamaha, and Hondas. I've really never had a problem with any of them, esp. my Honda CX 500's. They are incredibly dependable. The British bikes I've owned were just the opposite. I had a BSA--I pushed it more than I rode it and I spent a whole day on Sat fixing it before I could go for a Sun ride. My Triumph Bonne was a piece of sh''t. My CX500 not only could outrun it, but handled better.
BTW: In a previous post, I said the new 150cc Honda Scooter was shaft driven, my mistake. I meant to say it was water cooled, fuel injected.

withnallstoke

New basket (black only), 99bht.

Mad Hatter

"The Honda PCX 125i is pretty close to the best two-wheeler Honda has ever made. The price is not exactly known, but some people with knowledge are saying it would not be much more then the Honda AirBlade-i, for that you get a nippy low emission 125cc state-of-the-art 4-stroke engine with the latest on electronic fuel-injection, which means little running costs and a very convenient transport package, the Honda PCX under-seat storage is relatively large, its larger wheel and the front brake, and with the Combined Brake System, brakes are remarkable stronger and better than on anything Honda had on offer in Thailand."

http://www.motorcycle.in.th/article....r-the-Powerful

"... is pretty close to the best two-wheeler Honda has ever made". Pardon me while I just puke up. Who writes this garbage? [That's a rhetorical question by the way].

"... with the latest on electronic fuel-injection" - you're really fvcked if this goes up the spout.

"... state-of-the-art 4-stroke engine" - Oh, so they've just reinvented the Otto four stroke engine - that really is state of the art.

OK, it looks pretty - it's for the kids market I reckon. I wonder what colours they will do it in?

Finally, yes a front basket is very important - how else are you going to grab a can of Chang if its stuck under your seat? MH.

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Honi soit qui mal y pense

Mad Hatter

Thank you - my point exactly!

Mad Hatter

But I want a pink basket, one to match my shirt and jeans.

Bung

Couple of things to bear in mind here:

Even the most hard core bikers will admit - when you look at it critically - that these types of scooters are the best bikes in the world and this latest iteration is the best of the best so yes, this may well be the best two wheeler Honda has ever made.

I'm amazed that people still fear electronics in vehicles. "Oh, if it packs up your in the shit" Vehicles pre modern electronics were waaay less reliable and so had much more chance of being stuck somewhere.

Seeing how this is the latest model then yes, it is a state of the art 4 stroke. Have you seen the specs? They don't just sit there pumping out the same engines year after year, they constantly refine them making the latest state of the art.

Not so outrageous as you claim.

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Fahn Cahn's

Mad Hatter

First of all Bung I'll agree with you that Hondas are pretty damn fine machines. Their reputation for reliability is outstanding.

However, that wasn't really the point - it was the introduction of what seems to me to be an inordinately complicated transmission system that bugged me - and yet this is being hailed as a great feature.

From a marketing point of view it is - any fule can ride one of these contraptions, no need to understand about gears or clutch control. But I really do question the long term reliability of what is an exceedingly complex transmission system. If it does pack up can your local workshop guys fix it? Or does it require the bike to go to a Honda dealer and all the expense that that entails?

The other thing that stuck in my gullet was the marketing hype - Honda haven't reinvented the 4 stroke engine, they have refined it a little bit more. And with every refinement additional complexity is built in. Hmm... I would prefer something bog simple when I'm out in the sticks - something the local blacksmith could fix.

As a final note when I visit Thailand again I am seriously considering a run around - and guess what - it's going to be a Honda because of their reliability - but I'll still pass on this latest creation for the moment. MH.

Bung

^ The auto belt drive system is actually a lot less complex than a engine case full of gears, centrifugal clutch and final drive....

If it does pack up it will be the belt has worn out (after many thousands of K's) and most somchais will have a spare hanging up on the wall. Most certainly for the current range at least.

Honda never claimed to have reinvented the 4 stroke engine, merely made one that is state of the art - which it is.

Marmite the Dog

If you're talking about the VFR, then I agree, but not the scoot's engine. Unless you're comparing it with a pushrod V-twin of course.

Bung

It is state of the art when comparing it to previous scooter engines. I doubt they are comparing it to larger bikes, that would be out of context. These manufacturers are constantly refining their products primarily for economy and reliability. You may be surprised to see what they do, often completely changing them from one year to the next. State of the art.

Bung

Just looking at the seat, that hump will make it interesting to carry a whole family but might be fun to wedge a horny lady in there...

Bit like my old mates trick of putting half a tennis ball under the lining of his Triumphs seat just where his old lady sat to facilitate the fun once home.

withnallstoke

I used to ride a Kwak that had a very strange vibration "problem" at 4,700 revs. The occasional lady lucky enough to ride pillion for more than twenty minutes used to disembark with wobbly legs.