A silly question about motorbikes
A silly question about motorbikes
I have driven a 125cc bike in England a few times and it is 1st gear down, then up the gears with neutral being "between" 1st and 2nd. Someone told me that the bigger bikes (in Cambodia) would be different from the standard small 125cc bikes of toes down when you go up the gears and "heel" down when you change down. You know what I mean? Well, someone told me that the controls of bigger bikes are different so I wonder if the gear change is something like in English bikes and if there are any other differences that might confuse me at first? Still going to ride mostly to work so I'm not looking anything really big.
Another unrelated and idle question: I saw a Grom (by Honda) for sale. It looks like a child's toy but is a proper 125cc bike. I'm wondering how come there aren't any , or more, of those bikes in Cambodia, considering that there are so many small framed people? Is there something wrong with those bikes?
Another unrelated and idle question: I saw a Grom (by Honda) for sale. It looks like a child's toy but is a proper 125cc bike. I'm wondering how come there aren't any , or more, of those bikes in Cambodia, considering that there are so many small framed people? Is there something wrong with those bikes?
- ផោមក្លិនស្អុយ
- Daylight, I need Daylight !?!
- Reactions: 685
- Posts: 4715
- Joined: Sun Feb 05, 2017 4:42 pm
Yes gears are different between the scooter type bikes and the bigger bikes.
Scooters generally use the heel-toe change and bigger bikes are as you explain.
Use YouTube to understand fully before riding.
Scooters generally use the heel-toe change and bigger bikes are as you explain.
Use YouTube to understand fully before riding.
I had Suzuki viva in Cambo, it is a proper manual bike, albeit only 11 kw. That is the highest legal limit you can legally drive in UK without instructor before you pass your test. I have never seen a geared scooter, not at least lightweight ones. Or don't I just know what to look for?
It seems that at least in UK all scooters are automatic: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/mot ... art-2.html
Anyway, I think you answered my question. It would certainly be easier to change between bikes in UK and Cambodia, if the gear change is the same.
It seems that at least in UK all scooters are automatic: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/mot ... art-2.html
Anyway, I think you answered my question. It would certainly be easier to change between bikes in UK and Cambodia, if the gear change is the same.
Aren't they the Honda Today?
Anyway. The Viva isn't a "proper geared bike" it's a semi auto, heal and to up and down gears etc.
If you want a small fully geared bike (with a clutch lever) then you're limited to Honda MSX, Aspero Win (Like a Honda CD90 but only in looks), , Yamaha Exciter and a few others.
Honestly. Riding here is nothing like it is in the UK. Do you remember those riots in London? People running around, burning cars, cops, cop dogs chasing baddies in the streets, burning wheelie bins being pushed into the street, projectiles being thrown etc?
Well that's what's it's like riding here.
If you must ride get a fully auto scooter. Please.
Anyway. The Viva isn't a "proper geared bike" it's a semi auto, heal and to up and down gears etc.
If you want a small fully geared bike (with a clutch lever) then you're limited to Honda MSX, Aspero Win (Like a Honda CD90 but only in looks), , Yamaha Exciter and a few others.
Honestly. Riding here is nothing like it is in the UK. Do you remember those riots in London? People running around, burning cars, cops, cop dogs chasing baddies in the streets, burning wheelie bins being pushed into the street, projectiles being thrown etc?
Well that's what's it's like riding here.
If you must ride get a fully auto scooter. Please.
pew, pew, pew, pew!
Rattling around on an old Bajaj 135 - geared bike, not auto. It's a decent size for a 6ft bloke, yet small enough to mix it with the Dreams/Waves/Scoopys through traffic & not overheat - along with a tiny output that limits you from killing yourself should you get the urge to 'open up' whilst still having some grunt when needed. It also sits a little higher than a scooter, so you've got just a little bit more clearance on the exhaust when you need to take your bike for a swim ... which you will. Decent starter bike for the geared kind I have to say.
Agree with YTP though, if you only ever rode a scooter, start with that here and the full auto type for a year or so whilst you get used to the delights of the Khmer & their bizarre sense of how to abide to the road traffic laws.
Agree with YTP though, if you only ever rode a scooter, start with that here and the full auto type for a year or so whilst you get used to the delights of the Khmer & their bizarre sense of how to abide to the road traffic laws.
Meum est propositum in taberna mori,
ut sint Guinness proxima morientis ori.
tunc cantabunt letius angelorum chori:
"Sit Deus propitius huic potatori."
ut sint Guinness proxima morientis ori.
tunc cantabunt letius angelorum chori:
"Sit Deus propitius huic potatori."
It's not the exhaust under water you have to worry about, until the engine stops that is but then it's too late, as the exiting exhaust stops the water entering.
It's the air intake you have to watch which is why off-roaders have roof mounted air intakes.
My old Step would wade through water that no Dream could manage. Always got thumbs up from the locals whilst water was well over the front wheel and mud guard.
As an aside. Had to step in to some young hippy twat trying to flog his Chinese Espero as a genuine Honda Win to a young couple from the UK. He then said it was a Vietnamese copy. Wrong! That's the Sufat, an actually pretty good bike.
He sulked off.
(I only did it because he was trying to rip them off $800! And she was smoking (and I mean smoking) hot. )
It's the air intake you have to watch which is why off-roaders have roof mounted air intakes.
My old Step would wade through water that no Dream could manage. Always got thumbs up from the locals whilst water was well over the front wheel and mud guard.
As an aside. Had to step in to some young hippy twat trying to flog his Chinese Espero as a genuine Honda Win to a young couple from the UK. He then said it was a Vietnamese copy. Wrong! That's the Sufat, an actually pretty good bike.
He sulked off.
(I only did it because he was trying to rip them off $800! And she was smoking (and I mean smoking) hot. )
pew, pew, pew, pew!
Baja 135 - yes I agree - good bike. If you are not naturally competent on gear changes do not try and learn in PP/Cambodia. You need to concentrate on the traffic, not your gears. Tip with the anything over 125 - get it badged as 125 or 110. Plenty of places will do this. Why? Police wont be quite so inclined to ask for a licence. I love riding here.
I currently experience life at 15 WTFs per hour...that is all.
-
- Damn, I just saw my Internet Bill !
- Reactions: 3
- Posts: 4420
- Joined: Sun Dec 09, 2012 3:04 pm
As mentioned, the Viva and most other bikes aren't manual, but semi-auto, while some other bikes are full auto. On the semi-auto ones, you go toe down for every shift up and heel down for every shift down. A fully manual bike is one that would have a clutch (some 125cc have them, but usually it's 135cc up). With such a bike, it's the typical toe down for first, then toe up for the other gears. No heel used (unless it's a shitty Win with an aftermarket lever).
I rode a "proper" bike after three years. Luckily it allowed me to bash the gears in without using the clutch and the gears are all opposite!
Much embarrassing.
Much embarrassing.
pew, pew, pew, pew!
-
- Damn, I just saw my Internet Bill !
- Reactions: 3
- Posts: 4420
- Joined: Sun Dec 09, 2012 3:04 pm
Ouch! You can usually shift up on a bike without clutching since most are synchro and it won't cause much damage, but definitely always clutch for the downshift!
That's the kind of second-hand bike I used in Cambodia, 2011 Suzuki Viva, it did have a clutch, but I actually thought it was rather nice until I totally ruined it. I sold it to my landlord when I came back and they had done fixed minor fixes to it. He insisted I drive it on my visit to Cambodia last month instead of getting a moto taxi. I must say, it is nice not having to rely on other people to get to places. and even if I can borrow my friend's van most of the time, I would still prefer to drive a bike I love driving snaking country lanes during summer and imagine it would be even more fun on a bike in summer. (I've only driven a bike in UK during autumn and winter.As mentioned, the Viva and most other bikes aren't manual, but semi-auto, while some other bikes are full auto. On the semi-auto ones, you go toe down for every shift up and heel down for every shift down. A fully manual bike is one that would have a clutch (some 125cc have them, but usually it's 135cc up). With such a bike, it's the typical toe down for first, then toe up for the other gears. No heel used (unless it's a shitty Win with an aftermarket lever).
Before that I cycled there for a year; I would do it again but I get migraines from the heat. Once I got that 125cc Viva, I gradually started making little day trips outside PP: that's when I got fed up with the speed: no way my bike did anywhere near 60 miles per hour, good if it did 30 mph on highway without hills! So I'm going to have a lesson in a car park on 500cc bike on Friday, but I'm really thinking of getting just 250cc bike, which shouldn't be too much of an overkill in town traffic. I say an overkill because I was never left behind with my little bike. I wouldn't even mind too much getting 125cc again if I had to, but then I would have a problem driving again in England with a different gear change: I'm old and my mind is not that flexible any more. So 250cc should definitely have a proper manual gears? I'm also thinking of doing the theory test while I'm in for the hell of it; I don't think even the hazard perception test is any good at preparing people for the traffic in Cambo. Anyway, the theory test is valid for 2 years so if I wanted to go for a full licence within that time... So that's another reason to get a bike big enough to have proper gears.
Last edited by claptrap1 on Wed Oct 11, 2017 10:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Really? The Grom I saw in shop window seemed smaller. I thought kids and short people drive Chaly's or other mini scooters. In reverse, I haven't seen anyone driving Chaly, Mini Scoop or other makes of that nature. Having said that, saw my first ever moped on Monday from since I was a kid.epidemiks wrote:How come there aren't more groms in Cambodia? Are you in Cambodia? It's probably the most popular bike on the street for Cambodians aged 14 to 24.
The grom is the msx. Same bike, different name for different markets.claptrap1 wrote:Really? The Grom I saw in shop window seemed smaller. I thought kids and short people drive Chaly's or other mini scooters. In reverse, I haven't seen anyone driving Chaly, Mini Scoop or other makes of that nature. Having said that, saw my first ever moped on Monday from since I was a kid.epidemiks wrote:How come there aren't more groms in Cambodia? Are you in Cambodia? It's probably the most popular bike on the street for Cambodians aged 14 to 24.
-
- Similar Topics
- Replies
- Views
- Last post
-
- 11 Replies
- 2864 Views
-
Last post by Lucky Lucan
Sat Apr 09, 2022 2:24 am
-
- 2 Replies
- 2438 Views
-
Last post by 086boxbox
Thu Nov 21, 2019 7:47 pm
-
-
To jab or not to jab, that is a question
by 7fh4kjd9 » Sun Feb 20, 2022 9:02 pm » in Health and fitness - 7 Replies
- 2090 Views
-
Last post by nerdlinger
Mon Apr 24, 2023 9:52 am
-
-
-
A DNS question when trying to use a .COM.KH address
by dv8inpp » Fri Feb 02, 2024 4:27 pm » in The IT and Techy Forum - 2 Replies
- 629 Views
-
Last post by dv8inpp
Tue Mar 05, 2024 11:26 am
-
-
- 15 Replies
- 4650 Views
-
Last post by spitthedog
Sun Aug 09, 2020 4:36 pm