Never rode a bike, Mom's was terrified of me on one. Outta respect I kept my hijinks to cars and the like. Don't really need one much for in town but was thinking it might be nice to just tool around exploring. I'd want cheap and durable, or easy to fix. The engineering tips you gave about the horror of an oil filter change on a Honda, and how nicely Suzuki (I think it was) was just what I'm about. Would it be possible to rebuild a Daelim to be a much better bike while still looking like a POS? Theft is always a factor in choosing stuff for me. I'd be interested in an article about the best all around bike for Cambodia. The DUST problem is why I liked your piece about oil change and filter cleaning. Parts availability would be #1 (as sometimes I might want to use some local mech and lotta parts means more common knowledge about your bike I would suspect...plus not having to wait for the fix of course).

If it was possible for me, I think I'd like the old classic Honda 350 for there. Good on longer jaunts for sure.

This is a GREAT IDEA btw. Very much needed. Oughta be a bike club with a garage clubhouse, various projects goin on and beverages. I'd rather hang out there than any bar.

Samouth wrote:

AE86 wrote:I bought a newer model and one that was just imported. Never used in Cambodia before and it was also in very good condition. That's why I paid $2,350 which is very expensive for an SL230. You can get a used one already used here for a little more than $1,200 but usually they are in very bad shape and honestly, a bit scary. $1,500-2,000 is about what you would pay for an average one.

Thanks for the info. That is not really far beyond what i can afford. By the way it is not a targeted theft bike right ?

I don't think the SL is a very targeted bike much anymore, but I am not 100% sure.

Mr Curious wrote:Would it be possible to rebuild a Daelim to be a much better bike while still looking like a POS? Theft is always a factor in choosing stuff for me.

I'd be interested in an article about the best all around bike for Cambodia.

My personal opinion is going to differ, but I believe the Super Cub 50 is the best bike for Cambodia for a number of reasons, but mainly it's because of reliability and lowest theft potential (no one likes the 50 but me...). It is also one of the lightest bikes to ride, and easiest as well so a novice will have a hard time getting into trouble with it. That's a good thing as I saw a white lady yesterday on a 125 Suzuki plow into the side of a tuk tuk. Seemed she didn't know how to handle her bike and was new here...

Anyway, the 50 only has 3.5 horsepower but it uses the same gearbox as the 90/110 engine (which has 7-8 horsepower) and the same bearings as well, so it's extremely over engineered. Their electronics are completely accessible as well with the turn of one screw and everyone here "knows" how to fix them. Yes the oil filter is frankly a stupid design, and yes there a lot of idiocies I hate about Hondas in general, but giving them a break, they were designed in the early 80's and most are still running to this day so...

But, if the 50 is not fast enough for you (I've taken my 50 on 200 km jaunts before and promise it's quite entertaining and they do hold up fine at 50-60 kph), then the 90 is almost just as reliable and easy to fix. If you want more speed, the Super Cub 100 (a little rare here) or the Daelim Citi is a good bet too. If you want a more "modern" bike, the Wave Alpha is available new here and based on the same basic bike as the Super Cub 100, just with plastic shielding and such.

All of the above are relatively untargeted by thieves.

Good idea, under Maintenance intervals and explanations, include when plugs, filters and chain etc should be replaced, also add checking tappets to basic maintenance, starting with what panels etc. need to be removed to get at them. The ohc engines appear a little tricky. Talking underbone style bikes here.

^^They're all OHC bikes (last push rod Cub was almost 40 years ago ), but I'll add that to the guides as well.

One concern I have though is that there are a lot of people that don't know what things like tappets, ignition coils, and valve covers are in the first place, so I don't want to talk over people's heads though. I am considering maybe composing a more mechanically intensive guide vs. novice, but maybe not? Just thinking out loud...

AE86 wrote:^^They're all OHC bikes (last push rod Cub was almost 40 years ago ), but I'll add that to the guides as well.

One concern I have though is that there are a lot of people that don't know what things like tappets, ignition coils, and valve covers are in the first place, so I don't want to talk over people's heads though. I am considering maybe composing a more mechanically intensive guide vs. novice, but maybe not? Just thinking out loud...

Maybe just give a technical rating on each section? Or a graphic, like number of spanners.

AE86 wrote:

Samouth wrote:

AE86 wrote:I bought a newer model and one that was just imported. Never used in Cambodia before and it was also in very good condition. That's why I paid $2,350 which is very expensive for an SL230. You can get a used one already used here for a little more than $1,200 but usually they are in very bad shape and honestly, a bit scary. $1,500-2,000 is about what you would pay for an average one.

Thanks for the info. That is not really far beyond what i can afford. By the way it is not a targeted theft bike right ?

I don't think the SL is a very targeted bike much anymore, but I am not 100% sure.

I think it should be okay to ride SL late night as there is not report of SL being robbed during the middle of the night.

AE86 wrote:

Mr Curious wrote:Would it be possible to rebuild a Daelim to be a much better bike while still looking like a POS? Theft is always a factor in choosing stuff for me.

I'd be interested in an article about the best all around bike for Cambodia.

My personal opinion is going to differ, but I believe the Super Cub 50 is the best bike for Cambodia for a number of reasons, but mainly it's because of reliability and lowest theft potential (no one likes the 50 but me...). It is also one of the lightest bikes to ride, and easiest as well so a novice will have a hard time getting into trouble with it. That's a good thing as I saw a white lady yesterday on a 125 Suzuki plow into the side of a tuk tuk. Seemed she didn't know how to handle her bike and was new here...

Anyway, the 50 only has 3.5 horsepower but it uses the same gearbox as the 90/110 engine (which has 7-8 horsepower) and the same bearings as well, so it's extremely over engineered. Their electronics are completely accessible as well with the turn of one screw and everyone here "knows" how to fix them. Yes the oil filter is frankly a stupid design, and yes there a lot of idiocies I hate about Hondas in general, but giving them a break, they were designed in the early 80's and most are still running to this day so...

But, if the 50 is not fast enough for you (I've taken my 50 on 200 km jaunts before and promise it's quite entertaining and they do hold up fine at 50-60 kph), then the 90 is almost just as reliable and easy to fix. If you want more speed, the Super Cub 100 (a little rare here) or the Daelim Citi is a good bet too. If you want a more "modern" bike, the Wave Alpha is available new here and based on the same basic bike as the Super Cub 100, just with plastic shielding and such.

All of the above are relatively untargeted by thieves.

My current motorbike is Cub 50. I like it, however it is really weak, so i couldn't drive fast enough. I have been riding it since i moved to pp . Back home, i had been riding Honda Dream 125, however as you know it is a targeted theft motorbike. So, i decided not to ride it. It is really risky to drive Honda Dream here in Phnom Phnom like other motorbike, Scoopy, Duke, and MSX.

AE86 wrote:^^They're all OHC bikes (last push rod Cub was almost 40 years ago ), but I'll add that to the guides as well.

Gee, doesn't time fly. The last cub I owned was a Tiger Cub!

Kuroneko wrote:

AE86 wrote:^^They're all OHC bikes (last push rod Cub was almost 40 years ago ), but I'll add that to the guides as well.

Gee, doesn't time fly. The last cub I owned was a Tiger Cub!

Now that's cool.