Scoops Vietnam Posted September 2, 2011 Posted September 2, 2011 Hi. My name's Mark, but I'm known as Scoops by my M8s. Living and working in Vietnam for two years and hoping to settle here. Bought myself a ybr 125g a year ago, and it's been a great bike; fun on the busy streets here, suitable for longer journeys with a knobbly back tyre, a tank bag, a back givi box and hard side cases. Most of the bikes here are scooters, the bike looks bigger than a 125 at first glance, and it's the only ybr I've seen in my time here in Vietnam, so it turns few heads. The downside obviously is getting work done on it, as parts are non existent and I have to have a lot of stuff custom-made. It would be nice to see if there are any other Yamaha owners in Vietnam, to share tips and locations for good quality mechanics./parts I'm located in Ho Chi Minh City. Nice to meet you :-)
Scoops Vietnam Posted September 2, 2011 Author Posted September 2, 2011 Thanks for the welcome. If a moderator could point my in the directiion of how to post pictures in my reply please. I'm using an IPhone. . The bike has been through Cambodia and Laos as a rental Bike for tourists before I managed to buy it. Bikes are ridiculously expensive here. This one (2007) had accident damage, 21,000km on the clock, and no luggage system, and cost $1,700, but it's one of the few few bikes big enough for me here (1.95), in a country full of very small people. Here's a link to a picture of my bike http://www.flickr.co...@N06/6105777226 My Bike by Scoopsdk, on Flickr
Scoops Vietnam Posted September 3, 2011 Author Posted September 3, 2011 Anyway, My reason for joining this forum is to get to know a few of the members here with well founded mechanical knowledge to try to learn a bit from them. I'm stuck with a 125/150 bored bike right now, but in the future want to move to something a lot bigger if I can get the money together. Can you suggest a bike for a 6.5 guy with wife that is suitable for touring and a bit of semi- offroad travel? The road networks here are crap. There are Yamaha dealers here, but the most popular bike is the Nouvo, an automatic 135cc scooter with tiny wheels :-/ I'm much more comfortable on big bikes, but most of those here are custom choppers more suited to small vietnamese.
weimieman Posted September 6, 2011 Posted September 6, 2011 Hi Scoops What sort of budget are you looking at?
Scoops Vietnam Posted September 6, 2011 Author Posted September 6, 2011 About $4000. For that price, I could buy this. An FZR1 ( what ever that is) ( I cant get to the ful size image on my iPhone. ) I'm nearly 6,5 (1.95m) I like long distances, traveling with the girlfriend, but i also go out on tripz into rural villages where there are no roads, exploring with mates I probably wouldn't use it in the city for traveling to work everyday, but I might want to show off on it once in a while. I prefer an upright position whilst driving long distances. Maybe there isn't a bike that will do those things, but that's the kind of bike I need.
Moderator Airhead Posted September 6, 2011 Moderator Posted September 6, 2011 Scoops copy and paste the BBCode on flikr for your pics...I did it for you
NEV Posted September 6, 2011 Posted September 6, 2011 Tell ya what scoops, either a Yamaha tt600, or a Yamaha xt600, was made for those roads over there in Vietnam, mate, not bad on prices either if you get one a few years old, I'm also a gnats cock off, 6'5", and weigh 20 stone, and my xt600 can take my bulk, no problem, have a google for them, see what ya reckon.
Scoops Vietnam Posted September 6, 2011 Author Posted September 6, 2011 Tell ya what scoops, either a Yamaha tt600, or a Yamaha xt600, was made for those roads over there in Vietnam, mate, not bad on prices either if you get one a few years old, I'm also a gnats cock off, 6'5", and weigh 20 stone, and my xt600 can take my bulk, no problem, have a google for them, see what ya reckon. Wow! Nev. Thanks for the advice. The tt600 looks too much dirt bike, but the xt looks far more flexible. Are they very top heavy? There's no way I'm gonna get hold of either of these bikes in Vietnam. There might be one currently owned in the country. They would be impossible to ride by the locals here, too tall, and there's a a technical engine size limit of 175cc here unless you are a member of a motorcycle club. The only big engine bikes you see here are shiny low slung classic chopper styles, but there might be a way I could get it over the border from Cambodia. Dirt bikes are ten to the dozen there. I found this which I might look into 3) Buying... Thailand, bureaucratis and time consuming but possible. Suggest you buy off an ex-pat and get him to get the ball rolling before you arrive (GT-Rider good start) Handful of BMW, DR650 etc... about. Cambodia: XL 650 $6,000, XT600 $4,000, DRZ400 $5-5,,500, XR-TTR-DR 250 $2,200. Papers sorted in a day. contact a guy called Tony at "Two Wheels Only" and pay him $100 to handle it for you or buy one of his bikes, he may buy the bike back or sell it on ur behalf when u leave. He's a trustworthy Pom with too big of plans to rip u off after u leave. The other shops are Khmer and one German DON'T TRUST THEM, Tony showed me bikes with car piston rings in them, cardboard gaskets, u name it... Ther are few Ex-Pat bikes available on an ongoing basis, buy one of these.
Scoops Vietnam Posted September 6, 2011 Author Posted September 6, 2011 Scoops copy and paste the BBCode on flikr for your pics...I did it for you Cheers Old Git :-)
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