[Qeiafib]

Paul has a good point here which is that "A small bike is enough."

There are plenty of 200lb. males riding 125cc bikes in BKK. Motorcycles are not allowed on toll ways, but that would be the only place a bigger than 200cc bike would be useful. In a previous thread, Richard pointed out the anything big would be downright dangerous in traffic and couldn't squeeze between cars. You will not see cars giving a motorcycle a full spot in a lane on a road in Bangkok. People ride between lanes and curve around stopped cars.

If you are worried about power, think about when you would use it. Very unlikely to need to accelerate faster than the 5 people next to you, and even then you wouldn't need to go faster than 60km/hr! 230lbs is fine.

[Broker15015]

230 lbs. is nothing 50CC. little Honda can carries family of six, or near a ton buffalo to slaughter house. Here is the proof.
http://www.dotphoto.com/go.asp?l=Chi...2937073&Pres=P

[u2ZQGC6b]

remember in Thailand, whole families can fit on a motorcycle, father, mother and 2 kids is the most I have seen, but I have herd of more,

Not in Thailand but a few years back in Vietnam I saw a small motorbike carrying two adults, two children and two PIGS! The pigs were in barrels/ buckets strapped either side of the rear wheels. I also saw one adult with three pigs on a motorcycle.

Talking of traffic in Pattaya, for the next week watch out for a crazy guy in a wheelchair dodging the traffic in the vicinity of North Pattaya Road Lotus and the Carrefour Mall areas and places in between. Yes it's yours truly.

But dodging the traffic here seems tame after being towed behind a motorcycle along the main highways of Nha Trang in Vietnam a few years back, that was fun especially when we were passed by three traffic cops on a motorcyle (with the one at the back facing rearwards!). They didn't know what to charge us with so just laughed and left us on our way.

David

[TainuibeFaimb]

More farang die in motorbike accidents in Thailand than from any other known cause. I suggest either a personal car or paying taxi drivers. The so-called "baht busses" run regularly in Jomtein Beach and Pattaya. Once you learn how to use them, they are reliable and cheap. Plus, you get to meet lots of interesting people that way.

[dittygari]

When in "Rome" I mean Thailand the smaller bikes are the best, unless you want to look like a mug lair. Large bikes with 1000 cc plus are in the very small minority in Thailand, I say stick with the larger Thai made bikes of up to 200 cc and you won't stand out in the crowd, there quit capable of maintaining a decent speed on a toll way with a large man, although if you intend having a pillion rider on board with your 230 pounds you will have the accelerator wide open with the extra wait at high speeds, remember in Thailand, whole families can fit on a motorcycle, father, mother and 2 kids is the most I have seen, but I have herd of more, just forget about having exuberant acceleration of a real big bike, as there are to many mad drivers in pick up trucks ducking in and out of traffic.

[AntonioMQ]

I cannot help you with exact places offhand. However, I do remember seeing a number of rental places around town which had the big bikes. I do believe some of them sell them too. You might like to rent first before you decide on what kind of bike you want. A word of warning, the big bikes are all imported (you will hardly see any on the roads) and there is a very large import tax - some people have told me as much as 200%. If your head is larger than average (mine is so no insult intended) you might want to consider bringing a helmet with you. It is the law to wear one though not everyone does yet. However, policemen stop motorcycles a lot so it might be better to be on the correct side of the law.

[ChrisGoldstein]

I went down to Pattaya for the first time since 1974, and what a change,,
You will want to be an experienced rider if you ride a bike there now, and they are strict on helmets, even for passengers on bikes that is not enforced elsewhere in Thailand.
The 125/150 cc step thrus will carry you very well and cost about 45,000 baht or you can get a Honda Phantom 200 cc that is a very nice bike for about 85,000, and is the largest one built here, I bought one and sold a Honda steed 400 cc and am very happy with it and the gas mileage and power is very good.