billd766

I live in Thailand and I have a 1994 XV 535. Yesterday I clocked 136 kph on my gps and 140 on the speedo which equates to 83 mph and there was a bit more left to come. Mine also starts first time and now I am retired I can ride pretty much where and when I want. My normal cruising speed is around 115 kph or 70 mph. I have only had the bike a month and I am very impressed with it.

That tallies with what the guy told me about the year but 3BTV doesn't show up in either the Haynes or Clymer manual as they only list UK and US models. Actually if you are fully legal Thailand is a great place for motorcycling though most Thai drivers work on the bigger wheel theory. If it has bigger wheels than me I will keep out of its way. For motorcyclists you have to assume that every other driver on the road is a drunken homicidal maniac who cannot see you as you are invisible. Dusk is the worst time to ride as people are going home from the fields, at least where I live and half have no lights or different coloured lights and the dogs take to lying in the roads presumably to keep warm or become mobile speed humps. Cheers Bill

Last month I bought a Yamaha Virago XV 535 in Thailand. The Vin number is 2YL 128271 for both the frame and the engine. The front brake hose has 12/93 stamped on it. It also has an undated German sticker on it giving the same details and made in Japan. The previous owner (an Italian diplomat here in Thailand) told me he bought it in Germany and it has been with him since new? but other than the owners handbook being in German I have no other paperwork. He imported it and paid the tax on it during November 2008 and it was registered with a diplomatic numberplate and a legal registration logbook which is very important in Thailand. It allows you to register the bike and freely buy and sell it. Without the book you are at the mercy of the police and if the bike is not registered then even if you have insurance you may also have no rego plate or a "recycled" book. Should you have an accident you may end up in jail and have to pay large sums of money to the victim/police/lawyers etc. There are some beautiful 400 Virago's here but many have no book and if the cops stop you and take a liking to your "illegal" bike it may be taken to the police station to be "ransomed" or it may even get "lost" and you may see it around later with a cop riding it. You can of course buy an imported bike or get one bought for you in parts and re-assembled in Thailand (the import duty on a bike is 250% of the value that customs put on it plus 7% vat)and to get it legal you must have all the paperwork and from a couple of years ago it also has to go to one of 2 testing centres in Thailand for exhaust emission checks to California standards. That will cost you another 1 to 2,000 GBP. It is the same if you want to import your own bike that you have had for years except that they charge what they think is a price plus carriage, insurance and freight and THEN slap the 250% plus another 7% VAT on top.

Thanks

I only used to live a mile from school back in the fifties and after I was 8 or so I used to walk to the junior school. After my 11 plus (failed) I would either use my bike that my big brother rebuilt for me or walk the mile and a half to senior school. My son here in Thailand goes to school in a minibus but as the only school near us that has an English language, Science, Maths, Computer Studies and PE in English is about 65 km away he has to use the bus. However we also have to take him 6 km each way to the pick up point it gets to be a PITA at times.

Well I hope to have maybe 10 more years biking and by then my son will be 17 and he can have the bike. Kids over in Thailand especially in the rural areas quite often ride bikes as young as 8 or 9 as there is no public transport and no other way to get to school. Some of them are bright enough to wear helmets and only ride a max of 2 up on on old 2 stroker but i have seen up to a family of 5 before. The problem is that when you are 5 or 6km from the school or anything else how do you get somewhere?

Morning all I was 67 last month and I bought a Yamaha Virago 535 here in Thailand for my birthday. At my age it will probably be my last bike and to buy it I sold my Honda Phantom to a mate who lives in Germany. He leaves it here for when he comes across for his monthly holiday every year. When I got the Yamaha he told me that when I finally give up biking I can keep the Honda and he will take on the Yamaha. I get the best of both worlds that way. Cheers