G'day from Thailand.

G'day everyone,

I've been a member for a short while but hadn't posted anything previously as I haven't got a GSX yet.

At present I am living in Thailand,  been here two years and there are no Bandit/GSX1250's here.  Until recently there weren't too many big bikes from any of the manufacturers,  but that situation is changing in the big cities like Chiang Mai where I am.  But in the backwater provinces you don't get anything bigger than a Honda PCX150 (and even those are rare).

I have been riding a Kawasaki Versys for two years and I also have a Yamaha TDM900 which I've had since last xmas. 

I'm intending on moving back to Oz soon and when I do I'll be getting a GSX1250FA.

Anyway,  that's it.  Bye for now.

G'day and welcome.
Whats the fuel situation like there? I guess part of the shortage of big bikes is the fuel economy and its probably also like using a sledgehammer to crack a walnut?

Move back now and buy my GSF1250S

The fuel situation is good here.  Gasohol91 which is what I use is about 36 baht per litre ($1.23).  You can also get Gasohol95 which is 37.8 baht (under $1.30).  Bensine95 is also available for about 40 baht ($1.37).

The best thing is that diesel is only 30 baht ($1.03)  for my pick-up.

Actually,  the main reason for the lack of big bikes is that there is a huge tax on any big bike which is imported into the country.  The Versys is built in Thailand so it doesn't attract any extra tax.  I bought mine for 289,000 baht (about $9,000 at the time) but if you bought an imported bike then you pay big dollars.  Yesterday I went into the Kawasaki dealer and the Z1000 is 599,000 baht ($20,500) and the Ninja 1000 is 629,000 baht ($21,5000).  The price of a big Honda is just ridiculous.

I don't know why,  but you hardly ever see any Suzuki's in Thailand,  big or small.  In most provinces you can only buy scooter type bikes, but in about eight of the biggest cities they have 'big bike' dealers where you can get something bigger than a stepthru.  In Chiang Mai we have big bike dealers for Kawasaki, Yamaha, Honda, Ducati, Benelli and BMW.

welcome to the forum pale4x

Good to have you on board, Palexxxx
Thailand is a beautiful part of the world.

Welcome to the Forum Palexxxx

So what your saying there is a tariff on imported goods? there's a novel concept, maybe Aus should adopt something similar

Welcome aboard Palexxx. Cheers.

madmax wrote:Welcome to the Forum Palexxxx

So what your saying there is a tariff on imported goods? there's a novel concept, maybe Aus should adopt something similar

Yes,  that's right,  a tariff.  Australia already does have tariffs on their car industry,  our imported cars are much dearer than in the country of origin.  My Mazda BT50 was the equivalent of $23,000 (four door,  ute body).  Of course,  it doesn't have some items that come standard in Aust.  like ABS,  traction control etc.  Or maybe you were being sarcastic and I missed it.

In regards to bikes,  Australia doesn't need a tariff as we don't have any motorbike manufacturing industry.  And in a couple of years we probably won't have any car manufacturing industry either.  But I bet they won't remove any tariffs on the imports then.

http://janison.cyriljackson.wa.edu.au/Janison/Society_and_Environment/ECO3A3B/ECO3A/protection/History_%20tariffs_%20Australia_Summary.pdf
In addition to this , any suggestion of raising tariffs has been met with a suggestion from the other manufacturing country we are importing from that produce from us to them may suffer as a  result .
Most other countries have higher tariffs than Aust to protect their industries & don't get the threat of blackmail put on the sale of their produce or goods to their trading partners.
I guess it's easier to lower & harder to raise tariffs .A very wise man I worked with  said to me when this was announced back in the 70s .....we would be lucky if we still had a car manufacturing industry in 30 years ..........he wasn't far out .

palexxxx wrote:

madmax wrote:Welcome to the Forum Palexxxx

So what your saying there is a tariff on imported goods? there's a novel concept, maybe Aus should adopt something similar

Yes,  that's right,  a tariff.  Australia already does have tariffs on their car industry,  our imported cars are much dearer than in the country of origin.  My Mazda BT50 was the equivalent of $23,000 (four door,  ute body).  Of course,  it doesn't have some items that come standard in Aust.  like ABS,  traction control etc.  Or maybe you were being sarcastic and I missed it.

In regards to bikes,  Australia doesn't need a tariff as we don't have any motorbike manufacturing industry.  And in a couple of years we probably won't have any car manufacturing industry either.  But I bet they won't remove any tariffs on the imports then.

I was being sarcastic

At 5% its a claytons tariff. one of the lowest in the world. Its because Australia lowered its tariff to 2/3s of f**kall that we have had a flood of cheap Asian cars on our roads. Reflected in the dwindling sales of local cars that once were the main stream. It not just the car industry either, tariffs on most imported manufactured goods are either so low or non existent. No wonder manufacturing is screwed in Australia
link
I believe the main reasons your BT50 is dearer in Aus is, the price Aussies are prepared to pay, the price of the competitors equivalent, and of course stamp duty and other taxes.
Also Imagine if Mazda decided to import your BT50 into Australia at $24.150  $23k +5% what would that do to all the previous models resale value?

sorry a bit of a thread hijack there

palexxxx?
 you sound lika a QLDer??
A Big Sunny Nth QLD Welcome to You if You are . . . or are'nt.

No,  actually I'm a Victorian but when I return my intention is to live in either Qld or Northern NSW.  Thanks for the welcome.

palexxxx wrote:No,  actually I'm a Victorian but when I return my intention is to live in either Qld or Northern NSW.  Thanks for the welcome.

G'day & welcome along pale 4x.
Northern NSW is a good spot to live, but then again, I may be just a little bit biased

palexxxx wrote:No,  actually I'm a Victorian but when I return my intention is to live in either Qld or Northern NSW.  Thanks for the welcome.

You might as well, there's barely anyone left in Victoria.

madmax wrote:

palexxxx wrote:No,  actually I'm a Victorian but when I return my intention is to live in either Qld or Northern NSW.  Thanks for the welcome.

You might as well, there's barely anyone left in Victoria.

Last one to leave, please turn the lights out