Nathen and the Technicoloured Tyre Shop
Another week and another mechanical monster that needs attention. This time it was the turn of my big scooter that needed a new tyre on the back. I decided that slicks have their place on racing bikes on dry tracks but on the rain sodden streets of Bangkok, perhaps a little grip might come in handy to stop me ending up under the wheels of a bus!
Tyre wear has been pretty good to be honest, I've covered almost 30000km on these tyres, mostly with with the wife on the back and so I couldn't begrudge the old girl some new rubber; the bike, not the wife, so this time, it was a visit to our local motorbike fixing shop who we knew would have the best prices and could do the work while we waited.
No free ice cream, lunch or fancy coffee this time, but we did manage a tiny bottle of water.
Bike shops like this are on every small street in Thailand so no matter you live there is always one on your doorstep. If you need recovery services, there are always motorcycle taxi drivers who can give you a push by riding their bikes close to you and pushing you along by sticking a leg out and pushing your passenger footpeg. A bit of a hairy experience but its never far. Its also embarassing if you need the push due to you running out of petrol as I once did and had a whole gang motor cy mafia taxi boys taking the piss out of the red-faced ferang!
Why shops like this embody 'Thainess' is the make do and mend culture here. Very rarely do things get thrown away, there is someone here who can fix anything, and if things are no longer fit for their original purpose, they get upcycled into something else. See the picture of the wonderful stool fashioned from old brake discs. They'd also made a bigger one from old rims and rebar but forgot to get the picture.
The other way this place embodies 'Thainess' is in the colours. Thailand loves colour. There is a colour for each day of the week and the royal family have their own individual colours. People paint houses in shocking colours for various reasons such as bringing good luck, or frightening ghosts away and here too, you could buy any spare part you liked, as long as it wasn't black!
The 'sarbs and scoy' (youth biker hooligans and their molls) spend all their drug dealing money on buying these neon, shiny, fancy aftermarket parts for their old street racers. Might as well look like a twat as well as acting like one I suppose!
I however, just wanted a new tyre. Funny thing is on these scooters, the back wheel is an inch smaller (140/70 14) than the front (120/70 15) but I'm not sure why it would be so but what's more understandable I guess, is that the back tyre is a little wider.
The original Pirelli or a Michellin, which I'd have bought was twice the price of a Chinese imported non OEM so having the wife with me, wasting my time arguing over the mileage, safety and handling advantages of the French brands was going to fall on deaf ears so IRC Tire Company of Nangchong it was! Forty quid compared to Eighty quid for the Pirelli and she still nearly had a heart attack. The tyres on the little scooter cost under a tenner each.
It took him just twenty minutes before the tyre was on and all balanced up, a quick scan of the QR code to pay and it was job done. It will be a few days before we ride it again as the wife is now in full-on save rubber mode but I can live with that, as I have a wonderful, 1200 mile round-trip to Samui to do at the end of the week. SOLO!!! :-)
These little stools made from old brake discs were brilliant and the perfect height for working on bikes. As you'll see from the next pic, they also had another hidden benefit...
...which was due to the height of the stool, there wasn't a arse crack in sight!
For the knob head bikers, rims in all colours. The kids who race on the street usually put smaller diameter wheels and tyres on to get better acceleration.
Replacement instrument covers...
When you get your pink rims on, you'll need matching springs, shocks and brake calipers.
The place might have been a messy, oily wonderland, but they certainly knew how to organise their screws! This really appeals to my OCD and is definitely my favourite photo!
Adjustable shock are very necessary depending on the amount of pot holes on the regular roads you ride on!
Until my next riveting post, thanks for reading and best wishes.
All pictures were taken by me and it's added to the ever wonderful @pinmapple in case you're in Bangkok and need your bike sorting!
[//]:# (!pinmapple 13.88445 lat 100.60703 long In Bangkok and need your bike fixing? Go HERE! Tell 'em @nathen007 sent you. d3scr)
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You have one of those big scooter! lately I've been into them just because I use grab XL and they are pretty convenient to ride. Although some models are too big for me. Which model do you have and what's popular in Thailand?
This is a Honda Forza 300 (the slightly later model is the 350. Same physical size but just slightly larger engine). The wife complains its a little too big for her to ride too but it isnt heavy. These are quite popular in this size group but the mainly older folks ride them. The youngsters seem to prefer the Yamaha x max which I didn't buy because
Im' oldI didnt like the way it looked and when I tried one, didn;t think it was as good for long distances as the Forza.Slightly smaller is the Honda PCX and Yamaha N max, both very similar bikes.
For you, depending on your height I'd try and sit on them all and see how it feels to hold them up when stopped. You would be in your element because all four model I mentioned are automatic, very cheap to run and fantastic cruising bikes whilst not being too difficult in traffic.
I had a friend with a little Honda PCX who put a box on it, similar to mine and toured Thailand and Cambodia covering 150 000 km in less than 2 years without any issues. I've been all over Thailand (including on ferries to the islands) on my Forza and its just so comfortable, I never get tired, a perfect cruiser and fast enough to be fun! They are also very economical. Mine averages about 30km per litre with two of us on, and I'm heavy!
Ask the Grab drivers to let you sit on their bikes or pop down to your local Honda and Yamaha dealers to try some out. Common sense and gentle riding and they are no more dangerous than anything else on the road.
I would love to see your posts, Mac as you cruise the length and breadth of Indonesia with a tent by bike!
PS You can easily add a cup holder for your Starbucks ;-)
You see the drivers seat height compared to the my little scooter is very similar and the balance of the bigger bike is better because its a little heavier.
I've been considering to live off van/ bike because it's more cheaper to travel full time and always on the road, just the way I like it. Soooo apparently, they like the same thing as Indonesian. My brother has PCX and I was pretty amazed but If I were to have one, that's probably Nmax. Although, if I were being my true self, it's gonna be Suzuki GSX-R150 or CB150 Verza, more sporty and tough 😂 but my mom would yell at me hahaha. Touring through Thailand with bike, that's pretty awesome! Lately, I am bitten by travel bug 😂😂 and suddenly I have more confidence to see outside. So, we'll seeeee where I'll end up this year. Cheers! hope you and your wife have a great week.
Thank you. She always has a great week, she's married to me ;-)
A good shop where you can find everything you need for motorcycles.
The gold and green wrapping on the tyres could be stacked up to make a lovely Christmas tree
Well, I can kind of see the Christmas tree but I am wondering if you've been secretly sampling your poor husband's rare whisky collection!
I hope he marks the bottles lol
I really like the disc stool but would've appreciated a decent burn out or maybe a wheelie with wife on the back flying a peace sign.
Peace signs I can do, wheelie might have to wait...taken this evening after a heavy night with visitors, just for you!
I am a biker and I wear out a lot of wheels at the end of the year. A store like this is a paradise for me, also I always like to see bikers from other countries
I wouldnt embarrass myself and call myself a 'real' biker but being out on the scooter is such a liberating feeling I wonder why I never got on two wheels until I almost hit 50! Not sure I'd enjoy it as much on an icy November morning in the UK though.
No doubt a real biker could tell by the tyre wear that I don't it over on the edges too often!
I thought this was only a thing around here. I haven’t done this myself before, or had someone else push me this way though. I wonder if I have a strong enough leg to manage it.
I imagine the color for frightening ghosts away would be blood red haha.
Worse than blood red. Kermit the frog lime green , pink or sky blue lol...often they paint them this colour when they want to sell and then wonder why no one want a to buy lol
I love the coloured tyres they look cool. It's a shame we don't have a make do and mend mentality in the west. My parents and grandparents did, but these days it's easier to just throw things away.
I absolutely agree. I'm in my 50s so I was taught to fix stuff and do DIY but rarely do sadly. Thailand isn't exactly poor but they are stuck in the middle of being a developing nation, and trapped between their traditions and culture and moving towards more Western ways. It's actually a nice mix.
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"Oh, yeay!"
Out loud and everything 😁
Great story and wonderfully written as always. And interesting!
I think I may have been born in the wrong culture and country. Thailand sounds far more creative and sensible at the same time.
Many people living well here, cheaply just making a living using their laptops, including many South Africans. Just saying ;-)
Thank you. So glad you seem to have found a comfortable place here to call home. Hive is 100% better for having you here .
Have a beautiful week @nickydee :-)
Yeah... I wish...
No way I'm going or gettin' anywhere for a while sadly. Perhaps one day...
It's on the cards. 👍
Keep grinding here, quality always rises and with it comes rewards :-)
I can't not. I'm officially hooked :D
Thanks, N. Have a great day and good to read you!
And connect. As always 🌻