Best Learner Bike in Taiwan?

Life Cars & Motorcycles
1

I’ve pretty much decided that the Honda Hornet 250cc is my ideal bike in Taiwan for the moment. That being said, I have only ridden a dirt bike a few times in the desert back in the U.S. and have little motorcycle experience. Of course, I have ridden a scooter around with no problem for over a year, but that doesn’t involve shifting, etc.

Which bike would be ideal for someone learning how to ride a motorcycle in Taiwan? This bike won’t be a keeper, but simply something to use for a few months prior to buying the real bike.

I like the look of the KTR, but obviously, for the money, it’s way to expensive if my intent is to sell it off in 4-6 months.

A couple bikes come to mind.

  1. Yamaha SR 150
  2. Yamaha FZ/FZR

I see SR 150’s everywhere. Only twice have a seen a foreigner on them. I hear they are super cheap 6,000-10,000 ish, but I have no idea where I could even find one. Suggestions?
Pros - Big Seat (good for a passenger?), appears comfortable, cheap
Cons - Hard to find someone selling

FZ / FZR - I don’t see them as often, and like the SR 150, rarely am I aware of one for sale. I’m not sure about the price, but I’ve heard of them selling dirt cheap.
Pros - Actually looks cool, riding style more similar to the Honda’s, Possibly faster and more fun than the SR 150 ?
Cons - Maintenance issues?, Hard to find someone selling

I know some will likely throw in the Kymco Zing to this discussion. I know they are cheap and every other foreigner has one, but I really don’t like the whole cruiser thing, even for a learner, just not my taste.

Are there any bikes that should be in the consideration?
Which would you suggest as the most ideal to learn how to ride with the intent to sell later?
Where can I even find the bikes? I check Tealit / Tainan Bulletin daily. Yes, I check Ruten too.

2

Rennes, I have been following your progress on getting a bike here in Taiwan since you started asking questions back in June. No offense, but why are you still asking questions? It is not like you are purchasing a “big bike” that is going to cost you your wallet? Get yourself a bike!! Didn’t you say you might be leaving the country in the next 4-6 months? If that is the case, then don’t get yourself a bike. I have been dealing with motorcycles and scooters in the country since I got here over 7 years ago and bikes are not that easy to sell. All the bikes here that are 150cc will be just fine for you. You keep asking the same questions over and over that so many people have answered for you.

Great bike, fucking awesome! But this bike is probably the worst bike for you because you have never ridden a bike before. The power band that bike offers is very unique for a new rider and when you have so many 150cc bikes around that would make such a better first bike, why would you want a Hornet!!! I don’t get it!! Have you even ridden one yet?? Plus they are pretty expensive and I still think it is going to be hard to sell in 6 months. Why get a bike like that only to sell it 6 months later. Why get a bike at all?

The KTR isn’t expensive at all. You can find a great one for $30-40,000nt. I think these bikes are the best no sport 150cc bikes for Taiwan. My best friend here just got one too and he loves it. Man they are fast too. Way faster than any Quannon, SYM T1, or even a stick FZR. They are super light and easy to ride. They are easy to sell too. You can always sell that back to a shop and get most of your money back. My friends KTR almost keeps up with my CPI 250cc, no joke!

Great learning bike, cheap, but no performance value from a complete stock one. Shit brakes (I don’t care what anyone says, they have shit brakes because they are drum brakes. Fuck, buy one of these for 10,000nt and when you are done with it I will buy it from you for about the same price!

Great bike, hard to find a nice one though. Even the shit ones are priced too high so you have to becareful . You can still find parts, but a lot of them around are beat to shit. They usually need some TLC once you buy one, like new fork seals, carb adjustment, ect. I would stay away from this bike, unless you are staying here for a long time so you have time to get it to where you want it.

Yahoo auction, bike shops around town, ect! I have bought plenty of nice bikes from the shops here. The KTR my friend bought is from a shop. Before I picked out a nice SMY Wolf from a shop. The Wolf is also another great learner bike and they are super cheap. I think we paid 20,000nt for that Wolf and it was nice! Stop thinking too much about it, you are wasting your time to enjoy the beautiful mountainous roads on this island.

3

I really appreciate your comment, and I think your “call to action” is certainly important. I think I will be in Taiwan 1-2 more years, at least.

I was thinking the Honda 250 will be strong and a lot of fun, but yes, I don’t have riding experience.

My concern about getting a KTR is that it is just 150cc, and my old Yamaha scooter is a 125cc, so I guess that means it will only slightly outperform my scooter.

I want to actually have fun, ride fast, explore mountains, etc.

Is the KTR really faster than the Quannon? What is the top speed you can get on a KTR?

“The Wolf is also another great learner bike and they are super cheap. I think we paid 20,000nt for that Wolf and it was nice! Stop thinking too much about it, you are wasting your time to enjoy the beautiful mountainous roads on this island.”

I agree, I need to actually get a bike… You’re right…

OK, so, I think a KTR or Wolf is the answer, and I can use it as a “learner”. If I get bored, I can always get the Honda later…

This being said, can we discuss the Wolf vs. KTR?

4

[quote=“Rennes”]I really appreciate your comment, and I think your “call to action” is certainly important. I think I will be in Taiwan 1-2 more years, at least.

I was thinking the Honda 250 will be strong and a lot of fun, but yes, I don’t have riding experience.

My concern about getting a KTR is that it is just 150cc, and my old Yamaha scooter is a 125cc, so I guess that means it will only slightly outperform my scooter.[/quote]

Even thought a KTR is only a 150cc believe me it will outperform your scooter by a lot more than slightly. Remember you are talking about a scooter vs a motorcycle.

[quote=“Rennes”]I want to actually have fun, ride fast, explore mountains, etc.

Is the KTR really faster than the Quannon? What is the top speed you can get on a KTR?[/quote]

The KTR uses the same engine as the Quannon and the KTR is way lighter. It is faster than the Quannon trust me. You could probably get the KTR up to around 120 kph, maybe 130, but that would be pushing it. Anyway, you don’t want to be going much faster than 100kph in Taiwan. The roads are just too dangerous. Even if you got a Hornet, you wouldn’t even be going faster than 130 on it. My good friend here just bought a KTR and we have been riding around together. I ride my modded CPI 250cc and he has no problem keeping up with me. I have ridden his KTR and I love it too. I almost want to get sell my CPI for around 70K and buy a KTR for 35K and have some left over cash. He did buy a better brake caliper, nicer tires and a nice exhaust, but that is it. He is a very experienced rider too, and even though it is only a 150cc he still loves it. I have to admit, I think it is the best bike for Taiwan if all you want to do is ride around and explore this beautiful island. If you were interested in racing and learning how to lean a bike, then the KTR wouldn’t be the right bike. But for what I think you want a bike for, I think it would be a great first bike. Remember they are cheap and it would be easy to sell to someone or even back to a shop if you got bored with it. I doubt you would get bored with it though. I think you would enjoy that bike a lot more than a Honda Hornet or even a Wolf. Trust me! Plus you can park that bike anywhere and if you drop it nothing much will break on it. I think you should go to any shop that sells KTR’s and test ride a few.

5

Ok, you’ve definitely convinced me on the KTR. This was the bike I originally wanted, before I thought about 250’s, like the Suzuki and then later, the Honda.

Do you have any suggestions on what year to pick up? Keep in mind, this will be my first motorcycle. I don’t even think I can “test ride”. Like I said, I’ve ridden a dirt bike in the desert, but that was a few years ago, and only a day. I still need to actually learn how to ride.

What do you think is better, getting one off ruten or a dealer? 35,000 seems a bit cheap. When I went to the dealer last year, most were quoting me high 40’s to 50’s for various KTRs.

Now that I’ve decided on the bike (with your help of course), what’s the best route to go about purchasing, getting a good bike at a fair price?

I do have a strong preference for those grey KTR’s. I really like that color scheme on them.

By the way, is there any year to avoid? Like, maybe in 2006 they had a bad gear box or something, for example?

6

[quote=“Rennes”]Ok, you’ve definitely convinced me on the KTR. This was the bike I originally wanted, before I thought about 250’s, like the Suzuki and then later, the Honda.

Do you have any suggestions on what year to pick up? Keep in mind, this will be my first motorcycle. I don’t even think I can “test ride”. Like I said, I’ve ridden a dirt bike in the desert, but that was a few years ago, and only a day. I still need to actually learn how to ride.

What do you think is better, getting one off ruten or a dealer? 35,000 seems a bit cheap. When I went to the dealer last year, most were quoting me high 40’s to 50’s for various KTRs.

Now that I’ve decided on the bike (with your help of course), what’s the best route to go about purchasing, getting a good bike at a fair price?

I do have a strong preference for those grey KTR’s. I really like that color scheme on them.

By the way, is there any year to avoid? Like, maybe in 2006 they had a bad gear box or something, for example?[/quote]

I can’t think of any problems the KTR has had. I do know that is was voted best 150cc bike in Taiwan a few years ago. I am not a big fan of spoke wheels and the older KTR models are have those. I think until 2005-06ish, so you might want to think about getting a model with cast ally wheels. The spoke wheels can break, they are probably lighter though, but I would still go with a cast ally wheel.

You don’t really need to test ride one. The KTR is an extremely easy motorcycle to ride and learn on. Some people don’t like the cyclic shifter, but you will get used to it. You are not racing it, so the cyclic shifter shouldn’t be a bother.

I would probably buy one at the dealer unless you know someone who has one for sale. In the next 2 weeks stop at every single bike shop around your town and check out the KTR’s they have. I would find a few that you are interested in and compare prices. If you get a KTR for around 40K, then I am sure it will be a nice bike. Usually a shop will offer a 6 month-1 year warranty on the engine. I have bought bikes from shops before and I have never been ripped off. Those mechanics want you to eventually come back and service the bike there too, so they most likely won’t be ripping you off. Plus you can negotiate the price at the shops too. Sometimes you can get the price quite a few blue bills, and the boss usually throws in the price of exchanging the papers in the price.

I think you will be happy with the KTR. I would recommend buying a better brake caliper and better tires too, but that is just me. Brakes and tires are your best mod. Keep us posted!

7

Somewhat off-topic: How modifiable is the KTR? Can you mod the engines of that and the Wolf like you would a scooter engine, or does the transmission being part of the engine negate that? Just something I’ve wondered about for a while…

8

It is amazing Bokonon, there are so many performance parts for the KTR. Anything you want to mod on the KTR there is a part you can buy. The great thing about it is that almost all the performance parts for the KTR are not too expensive and made in Taiwan. I think you can mod every single part on it. Since Beast619 bought one, we have been checking out all the parts and it really blew out minds.

9

Thanks. I’ll have to keep that in mind. The first mod would be a 6" taller seat :smiley:

10

I’m starting to get really excited about the KTR now. After doing some more research and wiki, it looks like the KTR is actually faster than the Suzuki TU 250. That’s awesome. Kymco Quannon claims to have a top speed of 130 kph (wikipedia). So does this mean the KTR will be around the same or maybe even a bit more, since it is about 20 kg lighter?

If I don’t have a garage at my apartment, do you suggest I try to rent a spot somewhere, due to weather (I’m in the South though, so significantly less rain) and theft?

I’m 6’2’’, so, I guess seat height may be an issue.

I’m curious, do you think it’s worth it to go for an Fi. I think 2009 and newer have that option. I don’t know how dramatic that will be for fuel efficiency or performance though, but I definitely would enjoy riding in the mountains. Thoughts?

Should the Quannon or Naked Quannon be in this discussion, or it is universally accepted as an inferior machine to the KTR?

11

I believe it because that KTR keeps up with my CPI 250cc. It isn’t faster than my CPI but it hangs on normal roads. The KTR isn’t going to go faster than 130kph, and remember it uses the same engine as the Quannon. So yeah it probably will get to 130 faster than the Quannon. It should be faster because it is lighter. I am not sure how they are geared and might be geared differently. You don’t want to go faster than 130 anyway, especially on a 150cc.

I don’t have a garage either and I have 4 motorcycles :slight_smile: I just have a spot to park them and I just bought covers at my local parts shop for all my bikes. That keeps them clean and dry. I also bought disk locks for them. So, if you have a spot for it then just buy a cover and a disk lock. If you are worried about theft you could always get a U-lock on the rear too.

I don’t think it will, but like I said you need to sit on one and feel it out.

The Fi is too new for me, so I don’t know enough enough about it. I’m more of a racer guy and I want to get as much power out of an engine as possible and Fi that doesn’t work for that. I am sure it will be nice and very reliable. Carbs can have lots of problems, so for you I would say it would be a nice touch. Less problems I would imagine.

Mmmm, well they are in theory the same machine. Same engine and tranny. Just a different look and ride positioning. I would stick with the KTR, but that is my opinion.

Sorry I am the only person helping you out here. I wish other people would throw in some of their personal knowledge too. Oh well!

12

I appreciate all the info and advice. You’ve got me pretty excited about the KTR. I’ve gone through a full evolution of thoughts on motorcycle ownership in Taiwan.
It started with the KTR, then grew to Suzuki, then Honda, now coming back home to the KTR. What really amazes me though, is just a quick wiki comparison of the KTR and Suzuki TU 250. I still don’t understand how the KTR, being a 150cc is actually faster than the Suzuki, and its HP is only a bit less than the Suzuki’s. That being said, I now see no reason for someone to buy the Suzuki TU 250, when he could get a KTR. You could get a newer, cheaper KTR that actually, on paper, outperforms the Suzuki…

Anyways… Here’s a another question…
Should I keep my old 1999 Yamaha scooter or sell it and use that money to offset the KTR price, or even add to my purchasing power to buy a nicer KTR or upgrade features? The nice thing about the scooter is being able to do Costco runs and putting a decent amount of goods at my feet. I’ve never had to rely strictly on a motorcycle for shopping and what not. What’s your advice on this? Keep the old scooter, which has a few issues, or sell it and use the money in the KTR fund?

Also, how does the KTR fair on mountain roads? I once road my scooter from Tainan City to Alishan. In going up the mountain, I got stuck behind slow buses and didn’t have the power to go around them, so I rode up for an hour sucking bus exhaust and riding at a snail’s pace. Would the KTR be able to keep an honest speed on steeper roads?

13

A scooter is very practical for everyday stuff here on our densely populated island. I would keep it if it was mine. It’s much easier to get around in traffic on that than on a ‘real’ bike (my opinion). It’s probably not worth a whole lot anyway, at 13 years old. You could always modify it like I did mine. NT15,000 and it’s able to pass nearly anything nearly anywhere. But in stock form, a scooter is reliable and, as far as I’m concerned, indispensable in Taiwan. And it’s probably worth more to you to keep it than what you’d get selling it.

14

rk, this is obviously an opportunity! :slight_smile: Without fail, a properly mapped Fi will ALWAYS out power a carb setup, by simple means of removing the venturi restrictio and having more adjustability. It’s typically a 10x10 or finer map with interpolation rather than 2 or 3 jets, and because you can adjust the ignition map to work with the fuel map and engine capabilities, it will ALWAYS net more power under the curve. Then there’s tuning the drivability.

If you’re racing, standalone Fi kits these days have plummeted in price and have taken huge leaps in ease of installation and use. A good friend of mine from back in Seattle sells a real programmable Fi called the MegaJolt and has worked his ass off to get the price down to $170 USD! Yeah, not missing a zero. One hundred and seventy bucks!

You might want to check that out. We’re seriously talking a decent opp here for more power and drivability. The only real issue here in Taiwan is finding a proper dyno with a decent wideband O2, but they are around.

autosportlabs.com/megajolte-p-41.html

15

rk, this is obviously an opportunity! :slight_smile: Without fail, a properly mapped Fi will ALWAYS out power a carb setup, by simple means of removing the venturi restrictio and having more adjustability. It’s typically a 10x10 or finer map with interpolation rather than 2 or 3 jets, and because you can adjust the ignition map to work with the fuel map and engine capabilities, it will ALWAYS net more power under the curve. Then there’s tuning the drivability.

If you’re racing, standalone Fi kits these days have plummeted in price and have taken huge leaps in ease of installation and use. A good friend of mine from back in Seattle sells a real programmable Fi called the MegaJolt and has worked his ass off to get the price down to $170 USD! Yeah, not missing a zero. One hundred and seventy bucks!

You might want to check that out. We’re seriously talking a decent opp here for more power and drivability. The only real issue here in Taiwan is finding a proper dyno with a decent wideband O2, but they are around.

autosportlabs.com/megajolte-p-41.html

[/quote]

Malbalis, thanks for the info! I do know this about Fi, but Taiwan isn’t there yet! I’m also a little old school, not saying I’m old (33) but I have always used carbs, so that is what I know! So for me getting power out of a carb is a lot easier than Fi at the moment. You know, I wish there was a place with a proper dyno around with someone who could actually tune it. I have never even seen a car dyno shop here, but I’m sure they might exist. I doubt many people here know how to properly tune a car once it is even on a dyno. About 3 years ago I was at the race track and there was a Taiwanese dude that was charging a few hundred bucks to run your bike on his portable dyno unit. The problem was that the guy didn’t really know what he was doing and it took forever for him to show any result. Plus he wasn’t doing any kind of tuning…shit he could barely work his laptop computer! Many of the bikes were overheating too. It was just a mess! The dude didn’t know what he was doing, and since then I have never seen him again.

Sorry to be off topic!! Can’t wait to see a pic of that KTR!

16

I’m now really excited to get one. I will probably have to wait until March though, because I’ve had 3 weeks of no income due to the semester break, then will be leaving the country for two weeks in Feb.

I totally dig those grey KTRs you see on the roads. I’m less of a fan of the glossy black. Hopefully, I’ll be able to find a good one out there.

I’m curious about other people’s opinions on the Fi. Should I insist on getting a bike with this? I think the oldest KTR with Fi is 2009, I could be wrong though.

I’m a little confused based on some posts. Will Fi actually improve power? If someone could simply state the benefits of Fi simply, for me, who doesn’t yet know a lot about bikes, it would be great.

Also, Dealer vs. Ruten? In Tainan, it seems like any given used bike shop has a million scooters, and maybe 1 or 2 KTR’s at max.
They tend to run in the high 40,000’s or more. The selection is really not that big. I’m concerned that if I just stick with the dealer, I pretty much just have to take whatever I can get, without being picky about color or Fi. Advice?

Any other advice or info about the KTR will be appreciated.
How do you guys think they do driving up the mountain roads. Riding up Alishan on a scooter, being stuck behind a bus was not the most pleasurable experience I’ve had in Taiwan. Does the KTR have enough strength to pass slower vehicles on steep roads?

17

Can someone tell me some used bike shops in Taipei so I can check out the KTRs they might have?
I don’t live in Taipei, but I travel up here sometimes. I am here now, so if someone could respond soon with the places, that’d be great.

Also, just out of curiosity, does anyone know the top speed a Yamaha SR 150 could get? I only ask because there is a student selling one for about 12,000 NT. Just wondering a bit about that bike, but I still want a KTR.

18

Today I checked out some KTRs at some used dealers in Taipei. I am starting to refine my preferences.

I did get to test ride a 2011 KTR. Even though I haven’t ridden motorcycles much, I definitely noticed more power compared to scooters.

Let’s talk price.

What I prefer, is a KTR 150 2009 or newer with Fi. I think Fi was introduced in 2009, but if a 2008 has Fi, that’s fine too.

The shop had a dull grey one (exact color I want) for 48,000. After a bit of talking, he said 46,000 and said he’d ship have it shipped to southern Taiwan, where I’m at.

I did a quick compare/contrast with the bikes on ruten. The Fi KTR’s seem to run in the mid 50,000’s range and even higher.

  1. Which is better, dealer or private seller (ruten, tealit, etc.)
  2. What would a fair price be for a used KTR with Fi ?
  3. Tips on interacting with the dealer to get the price reduced?

I think the 2008 KTR’s have the thicker tires, so that’s another little preference of 08/09 over earlier bikes.

I’m now getting really excited about buying a bike. I think it will be fun to do road trips down to Kenting and such, we well as riding up the local mountains.

In buying a bike, should I try to get the dealer to throw in other perks, or upgrades for the bike?

I look forward to everyone’s insight. I probably won’t actually buy a bike until March/April, since I will be out of the country for the last 2 weeks of February.

19

i wanna sell my fixie bike! if u interest u can text me 0974224043…asap ：）

20


I wanna wanna wanna!