Hello

We are planning a bike trip along Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. First we were considering taking a chopper like Platinum monaco 250 (it is an analogue to Honda phantom, but much cheaper: a new one costs 80,000 thb), but in the end we decided to take enduro as we are really interested in offroad travelling.

So we are now choosing between 250 cc bikes that cost less than 80,000 thb:
Platinum px250 (75,000 thb)


Gpx zf250 enduro


Lifan Lf250gy-7 aka Lifan Satan 250


Shineray XY250GY-4 Enduro (38,000 thb)
but currently it's not possible to get this motorcycles registered, may be later it will become possible


One of the main challenge is for the bike to carry two people with the baggage (the total weight would be not more than 150 kg)
It is important that the bike would be maintained in Thailand, Cambodia and Laos
The amount of HP is important as well, considering the budget constrints (400 would be ideal, but they are too expensive)

After buying a bike, we are planning to upgrade it a little:
We would like to change the seat, to make it more comfortable for the driver and the passanger ( to built in the backrest and armrests)

Install wide steps for both a driver and a passanger,
Install a protective frame,
Boxes on the sides and behind,
May be we should make a back suspension stronger,
Built in a panel for GPS navigator, ipad, camera with 12 v output
Build in a windshield
If the bike is on offroad wheels, we would prefer to change tires

We are not considering buing a bike that cannot be officially registered (like Peak Thunder 250)

Also we are not considering bikes like Honda crf250 or Kawasaki klx250 either new or used as they are too expensive.

Could younplease help us with the following questions:
Which bike to buy?
Where would it be possible to weld the protective frame and have other additional features installed? Obviously we would like it to be cheap and of high quality. Please advise if you know of any workshops or specialistswho would be able to dothis?

Thank you in advance

Quote by: news

Hello, first welcome to our forum...

Hello, thanks

200 cc is very small for trvelling two people, i realize that 250 cc small too, but 400 cc is very expensive.
And for crossing Laos border a bike must be not less than 250 cc.

Platinum PX250 i saw at motorshow in PTT two weeks ago and now this bike is in a dealer shop in PTT for 75,000 thb. with registration.

I found no dealers for GPX ZF250 Enduro in Pattaya, may be I can find one in Bangkok and they can register the bike for me? Do you know anything about it?

About Lifan. Why is it assembled in Thailand and not sold here?! But I woold prefer this bike (price, size, many parts). Are there any chances i can buy it here?

Shineray XY250GY-4 very low price and really i want to begin traveling in january, but i must buy a bike earlier (I need time for changing red plates to white, do all the upgrades, try first 3000 km. not far from home and dealer shop) and have no time to wait half year

So in the end i should buy Platinum and have no other choice...

Quote by: news

For the passenger seat/frame I see no problems, you can find enough shophouse companies that do stainless-steel welding. If you cannot find any we can recommend one who does some work for us in the past.

Thanks, I will contact you if I find nobody in Pattaya.

I'm a bit confused, because based on an official notification of the Laos Ministry of Transport, Post and Construction No 1552/MTPC dated 8 July 1996 all kinds of motorcycle over 250cc are prohibited from being imported into Lao PDR.

Of course they probably have different regulations for temporary imported motorcycles. But I cannot find anything that says that motorcycles below 250cc are not allowed to enter the country.

I have been to Laos a few times and seen several Thai motorcycles, which where 110 or 125cc Honda Wave style motorcycles... So best you contact the Lao embassy to get the real facts about entering the country by motorcycle....

The best advice is if you go to a countries on a motorcycle, use a motorcycle which is around the same technological level. Second good advice is select a motorcycle they also sell in the country you're traveling to, so that spare parts are available.

The ASEAN region has a free trade agreement but sending parts from Thailand to Laos or Cambodia can be a bureaucratical nightmare and can take with transport and customs quickly more than a week before you have the spare part in your hand.

Honda Laos, and Honda Cambodia not sell the Honda CBR250R, CRF250L or and basically the biggest fully supported motorcycle is a Dream 125 (with carburetor).

The Kawasaki KLX250, or the D-Tracker 250 is also not available in Laos or Cambodia, some rental shops rent them out and probably have some spare parts on stock. But you have not guarantee that they sell this parts if you need them and if they sell them you would probably be shocked about the price they asked.

So the best choice is buy a nice Honda XR250 Baja, fix it and refurbish it so it doesn't let you down. In both Cambodia and Laos the XR250 is well known, it is basically a low-tech motorcycle and lots of shops in both countries have experience with this Honda.

If you want something new, buy a Lifan, Lifan sells motorcycles in Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand, and if you would go for a LF200GY-5 you will be able to buy spare parts in all countries bordering Thailand.

Today we saw two kinds of Lifan 200: cross lf200gy-5 and x-plorer lf200gy-5a

Cross:
Rear tyres 18" and have 2 kinds - hard offroad and middle offroad (different high knobbies)
Front tyres 21" also with different knobbies
Gear box: 1-st up, other down (inversion compared to other bikes)
Clutch is hard
Has a trunk
Bad muffler
Footsteps for passenger are in low position
Has plastic protection against dirt around rear vehicle
Hard suspension

X-plorer:
Rear and front tyres are 17" and road style
Gear box: 1-st down, others up (similar to other bikes)
Clutch is soft
has no trunk
Muffler is better
Footsteps for passenger are in high position and have a hole for other construction (for example - trunk on both sides)
has no protection around rear vehicle
Soft suspension
Electronic odometer
Modern headlight, round mirrors, and other plastik accesorieses
Saler says that the engine is more modern but with similar power

Strong sides of the cross model for me:
Tyres, trunk, hard suspension, plastik dirt protection.

Strong sides of the x-plorer model for me:
Normal gear box, soft clutch, muffler.

Price difference is 1000 thb (cross - 45000, x-plorer - 46000).

Now i'm puzzeld