after i wrote all this yesterday and clicked on preview, everything was gone... hard to write it again now since i spend about 40min with my poor English doing it yesterday night :/

I am going to buy a new motorcycle and wanted to share some thoughts with you about it.
I like Adventure driving, and need a bike capable of doing offroad when needed to but mostly on dirtroads up north. I am also planning a trip from Phuket to Bali and another one if this one was successfull, from Thailand to Europe...thats an old dream I am having here but its growing.

I have been in HONDA BigWing and learned that the Phuket branch will not do some changes on the bike...ok, except for some handguards wich are way to expensive there and some side-protections. I was asking for changing the regular rims and tires to some more offroad capable ones. HONDA is producing the tires to and must have them in stock, so why is it so difficult for
them to change somethig? The CB500X is a nice bike, perfect for doing some offroad riding too but with the regular tires it will be no fun at all.

I was also asking for the new AFRICA TWIN coming in May 2016. You have to order the bike 3month in advance btw to get it. I asked for installments since the Africa Twin is 580.000.- with DCT and learned that Thaipeople paying 15% intrest and Farang 30%
damn sometimes I wish we could do the same in Germany but I guess they would call us Nazis if we do that

ok, may be some of you guys having some tips for me, knowing shops where I can get the 18 or 19 inch tires and suspension etc, Phuket has no other than HONDA BigWing shop for Big Bikes and they will not see me again there anymore. Before I am going to buy anything there, i am flying to Bangkok.... Sry but I dont like the service. I am a biker and I look like one, when I am going to buy a bike, i expect a competent guy giving me some infos, not a mid 20s y.o. girl may be riding herself a Honda Click having no idea but
speaking English... I am not a macho but there are certain things i like to talk with men who ride bikes by themselfs maybe

ok, i am having 3 bikes in mind and will list my pro and contras, may be you can help me with a tip on something regarding the bike or the technic

CB500X nice and an absolutely lightweigt, good for adventure and offroad riding, price around 230.000.-Baht plus some extras,
contra HONDA will not change anything and i dont like having brand new rims and tires in my garage forever

Africa Twin great bike after all driving test i watched and read, a bit heavy for offroad riding in washed out streets in the mountains.
price is 530.000.-Baht or 580.000.-Baht with DCT a ready to go bike, no changes needed

Kawasaki VERSYS 650ccm price a bit higher as for the CB500X around 320.000,-Baht but at least Kawasaki is changing to the tires you like she is a bit heavy for hardcore offroad but a superb travelling machine after what i have heard.

looking forward reading some infos and thought you guys have... and will say here also THANK YOU TO NEWS who is always very helpfull and providing a lot of work to keep this place here a good one worth reading and checking before buying a bike ...THANKS...

I messed up my first and my second post. always getting messages saying ... Error, your message has identified as SPAM ... no idea why, may be because I copied and paste it for not loosing it again...

pls check the attached pictures out for getting an idea what i am talking about

THANKS at ALL

wish there was an EDIT function or i am to blind to find it

there are kits for upgrading the CB500X into an real adventure bike but mostly from USA, England or Australia... there must be something on the Asian market too but its not easy to find :/

Personally i would go the easy choice and grab the Kawi versys,it aces alot of rewievs and despite being heavy is not bat offroad,check youtube and the big adventure bike shootout etc... but again i am kawi biased off late,getting my ER6N in 10 days.

Alternately Aliexpress may have some parts,if order and aquire,some shops will gladly mount it while you get a coffee etc.

Versys is pretty heavy and i am kind of an offroad freak, loving my Honda CRF250-L and riding Enduros all my life .

I had a bit of a bad experience with Kawasakis, thats why Kawa Thailand is a no go for my anymore.
I am still thinkng about buying the new AfricaTwin wich is available from May 2016 at HONDA dealers....delivery time is
3 month. but the CB500-X is still an option... i just love dirtroads

wish you all the best with your new Kawasaki bike and let us know how it works

ride safe

Respect to all who ride
moskito

btw, i ordered a lot of parts at Aliexpress.. take some time but always good
Ebay is most of the time too expensive since the postal service costs ofen more as the parts itself

Not so long ago I saw a Honda CB500X with dual sport tires and a few more modification to make it look more like a dual-sport / enduro motorcycle. I have to say it looked pretty good, and I bet that the 471cc engine is more than enough to do some off-road riding…

Also the Honda CB500X weighs 195 kilograms while the Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin hangs in a 228 kilograms.