Is it complicated to buy a motorcycle? How does it work?

[SNAFU]

1 hour ago, jpbago said:

This was from an earlier post in case you never saw it. I saw one here in army green with metal saddle tanks and raised bars that looked quite nice and comfortable. At 500 cc, single cylinder, and I think 24 hp, it should have plenty of torque. They have a 750 twin as well. It caught my eye as I had 2 Triumph Bonnevilles years ago.

http://indianautosblog.com/2016/07/royal-enfiled-opens-dealership-philippines-237777

Nice, kind of like this, JP?

https://royalenfield.com/usa/motorcycles/classic-battle-green

Made in India, have not located any pricing yet. That Himalayan looks bulletproof, doesn't it? Man, this thread is giving me the bike itch again...  ;)

[SNAFU]

Royal Enfield update: their MSRPs were almost impossible to locate, but a 2016 Forbes review listed the Classic 500 at $5,499 and the Continental GT 500 (café-style) at $5,999 USD. Be interested to know how they are/will be priced in the Philippines market. Note also the reviewer's comments about the Yamaha SR400 and Triumph, ha! Here's the full article:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonfogelson/2016/07/21/2016-royal-enfield-classic-motorcycle-test-ride-and-review-back-in-time/#23a35f58616b

[jpbago]

11 minutes ago, SNAFU said:

Royal Enfield update: their MSRPs were almost impossible to locate, but a 2016 Forbes review listed the Classic 500 at $5,499 and the Continental GT 500 (café-style) at $5,999 USD. Be interested to know how they are/will be priced in the Philippines market. Note also the reviewer's comments about the Yamaha SR400 and Triumph, ha! Here's the full article:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonfogelson/2016/07/21/2016-royal-enfield-classic-motorcycle-test-ride-and-review-back-in-time/#23a35f58616b

Here is one in Cebu at around $7,000 (Php 353,000) for the 500 cc. Google in PI has some used ones for Php 175,000 to 320,00.

https://www.autodeal.com.ph/motorcycle-promos/royal-enfield-rumbler-500-0-interest-promo

[Happyhorn52]

Here is info on their Makati location. Before doing research on the Philippines, I have never heard of Royal Enfield, but looking at the companies history it is definitely something I need to check out.  Hopefully their prices are competative.

 

https://royalenfield.com/ph/manila/

[momo034]

I can say from experience that Royal Enfields are really cool bikes and fun to ride but they are not very reliable (I drove one from India to Spain).  But check it out.  I love them, reliable or not.

Now as it happens I am just finishing my tour of the Philippines by bike and looking to sell mine (I'm the guy who started this thread).  So short version is I DID find a bike, and had a great time with it.  (Highly recommend anyone to do it).

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Note from forum manager. If you wish to sell anything on this forum you must post in the appropriate forum and pay the fee. Content removed. 

Edited February 27, 2017 by Jollygoodfellow
you must pay for selling on this forum

[Happyhorn52]

6 hours ago, momo034 said:

I can say from experience that Royal Enfields are really cool bikes and fun to ride but they are not very reliable (I drove one from India to Spain).  But check it out.  I love them, reliable or not.

Now as it happens I am just finishing my tour of the Philippines by bike and looking to sell mine (I'm the guy who started this thread).  So short version is I DID find a bike, and had a great time with it.  (Highly recommend anyone to do it).

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Note from forum manager. If you wish to sell anything on this forum you must post in the appropriate forum and pay the fee. Content removed. 

What is you time frame? My move is scheduled for the end of March and my first purchase will be a small bike.

[AlwaysRt]

5 hours ago, Happyhorn52 said:

What is you time frame? My move is scheduled for the end of March and my first purchase will be a small bike.

Too bad you aren't coming to Dumaguete, I have the perfect setup for you.

[momo034]

Ahh end of March, that's too bad.  I have to fly out of Manila the 14th of March so need to have it sold before then.  This was a great little bike though.  I would reccomend something like this if you want something small and easy and reliable but not a scooter.  The only thing to know is they are geared SUPER low...to be workhorses.  So if you buy something like thing you need to put on a much smaller sprocket and remove some links from the chain (the sproket and labor will set you back a whopping $6.).  I did that with this bike and it was much better after.  

[ITGeek]

While I have yet to make a road trip up to Baguio, I've found 15hp is enough around here.  Most the time I spend winding through traffic around 20-30 kph.  Occasionally, I get enough open road on the Maharlika Highway to open it up.  It is surprisingly quick from 0 - 80 kph as I race through 1st-4th gears.  Anything above 80 kph is when the lack of hp becomes noticeable.  It takes some work shifting between 5th (redlining @ 10k rpm)/6th gears to top out at 110 kph.  Add a passenger or 40 kg's of extra weight (to my 85 kg) and it really starts struggling at 5th gear speeds.

Funny to hear myself talk about shifting into 5th gear at 80 kph (50 mph), most of my previous racing and street bikes start hitting their powerband in 1st gear at that speed.  Not to mention having the front wheel lifting up in 3rd/4th gears under hard acceleration with all that torque (50 ft/lbs) and 100+ hp at the throttle.

Now, I'm just thankful to have made it to 52 years after all the stupid stuff I did when I was young.  

[Domino22]

On 2/25/2017 at 7:04 AM, ITGeek said:

Word of advice for foreigners buying any big ticket item.  Have a local family member or friend you trust go negotiate the price first.  My bunso went to the dealer, negotiated cash price.  Then we went to dealership together with cash and bought the motorcycle, in my case a Honda 2016 CB150R. Set me back 104k PHP.  I also had registration put in my asawa's name.  The fun part has been waiting for the LTO plate.  Now going on 5 mo's and still no plate.  I also found out LTO recently changed requirements for converting foreign licenses.  They said I had to prove I will be in PI's for at least a year, despite me showing them my ACR-I card.  Anyone else run into this recently?

I'll share a bit of my experience of riding a motorcycle here in PI's.

First, I used to race Honda RC-1 (500cc) and CBR600's about 25 years ago at Sears Point and Laguna Seca (speeds up to 180 MPH or 300 KPH) and street bikes for 20+ years.  I've had to use all that experience here and found it's best to drive aggressively.  Although my CB150R only has about 15 HP, I use all of it to accelerating hard and pass quickly.  Passing buses or jeepney's on right is a dangerous move, but sometimes a better option than on passing on left with oncoming traffic.  It's really the tricycles drivers that are the most dangerous.  They are unpredictable, pulling out from side streets (barangay's), blocking, making unexpected wide turns or U turns across the entire road.  

Learn to use a 'pick', a racing move, where one uses using a slower (bigger) vehicle to block for you when turning or crossing intersection.  Also don't be afraid to use any part of the road or even shoulder as needed to either get around a hazard, slow traffic or to give yourself a way out.  In some cases you just have to force your way in, just watch the flow of traffic and blend in.  Most important, like in racing, always hold your line.  Oh yeah, use your horn often to let other traffic know you're there and always keep two finger on that front brake lever ;)   

Good post great advise and totally agree. My thoughts on the perfect bike for the PI, It would be the KTM 690 but for me it would kill me because I can not touch the ground! The Yamaha Serow 250 I can flat foot and that makes me feel safe. The Honda 250L is a good bike but I tip toe on it. KTM I like but India built I am not there yet. BMW 310R maybe? The problem here for me is no bike can due the two things I want to do. Going up into the mountains I need power and a nimble bike to get the best out of the ride. But if you look at the maps of the roads in the PI 80% are jungle roads that need to be explored. So this needs a bike with power and off-road ability. I am going to need two separate bikes and a multi cab 4WD for when it rains. Palawan for 3 weeks in April then full time July 2018. I have fallen in love with the PI.