SE Asia which bike to buy?

[robinprins]

Hi guys,

I'm planning a 6+ months trip starting in Saigon through Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Malaysia. After a bit of research I'm still not 100% sure what bike to buy. It should be a manual 100-150 cc. I know the crappy Win's can be fixed easily in every shop however they are not very reliable. To be honest I would rather buy a Suzuki GN 125. Much more reliable and comfortable but parts are harder to find and from what I heard I will run into problems in small towns if it would break down cause those shops can't fix it.
I'm looking to buy a brand new Lifan Win 125cc now for $750. That should be more reliable than the average Win. Still I prefer to ride the Suzuki or something similar.
What do you guys think, will I be alright on a Suzuki?
Thanks!

 

[hs0zfe]

Hi,

I would definitely buy the bike in Vietnam. ** Stay away from Chinese copies, especially the Win and Dream.  ** Soreness of the buttocks has been my #1 problem riding. Perhaps you can invest in a better seat? Gel seats for a Wave - anyone?

A new Honda would cost about 21 M with all the documents and a plate ($ 150 extra).

Enjoy your trip and make sure to post a trip report here!

 

[rcm273]

Is it possible to bring a bike from VN to Thailand ? I was under the impression that the Thai authorities reciprocated the ban on Thai bikes. Thats unless you are like GTR member, Viethorse and his group, who got permission before their trips.

There is a good chance you can ride freely between VN > Cambodia / Laos. There were reports this week that someone had troubles moving from Thailand > Cambodia.

Is it ok to ride a bike less than 150cc into Laos ? There was a time when the answer was no. You are free to ride whatever you want between Thailand and Malaysia, but you need to have permission or your name on the title.

(PS using safari on mac in visual mode )

 

[hs0zfe]

Saw a lot of them for $ 250. Many shops also rent them out. This is disappointing and comes with additional risks. A Vietnamese friend might help?

BTW, now and then Win 100s find their way from Vietnam to Laos. (Seems the border is open in the other direction). I wouldn't want one if I could get it for $ 99. (One second hand dealer wanted 150,000 D per day. But you would need a translator, I'm afraid). Am mentioning this in case you can put your bikes in storage near the border, cross into Vietnam and get used bikes for your trip which you could drop off before you leave Vietnam again? But then you might not want to double back...

 

[hs0zfe]

What have you decided?