Honda Zoomer X 110 PGM FI

Honda Zoomer X 110.
A very rugged bike. Specification looks great. 110 cc PGM FI. Up side down fork. 3 pots disc brakes. The list goes on. Rented 1 for 2 days in Aonang, Krabi. As it's not the peak season, manage to negotiate from 300 down to 250 Baths.

I went to the gasoline station at Aonang but missed it due to development. Had to turn back & fort to locate it. Not used to filling point at the floor board. It's kind of awkward.

The Zoomer was a great bike. Did  number of trips from Aonang to Krabi. Handling was easy. Bike was smooth & gentle. Race the throttle and the bike pick up speed with an urgency but no jerks. The CVT transmission is perfectly matched to the engine. The front & rear brakes are good and gives a confident feel. Does a great job stopping from 90 km/h. Do not need much orientation for this bike. Vibration was minimal at 90 km/h. It's a great bike. Seat were wider and have more support even for longer trips. My wife even gave a thumbs up riding pillion for this bike. It's definitely a fun bike, which makes me relook into scooter. Was all in on the styling & concept. It's a beauty from any angle.

The only set back was that with 2 up, the rear suspension bottoms up and gave a bump sound.

Will definitely check this out if it's launched in Malaysia.
Other interesting bikes in Krabi.

Yamaha TTX 115i Ride.

Yamaha TTX 115i.
This bike is available in Thailand, but not Malaysia. Had an opportunity to ride it for 3 days in Koh Lanta. Bike was rented for 750 Baths for 3 days.

Kantiang Bay.

Specification is attractive for a scooter.
114 cm3 with fuel injection, giving 5.70KW@8500r/min and a torque of 8.70Nm@5000r/min. This should be adequate for a  leisure ride with 2 up on a small island.

First thing first, fuel up. Since am using for a couple of days, it's much cheaper to fuel up at a proper station, rather than those selling by the bottles. 130 Baths as there were some fuel in the tank.

Pic taken from Tigersachclub.

I choose the TTX based on it's styling. It looks Macho / adventurousness. Also ease of riding / handling.

The Houben.

As were staying at the southern part of Koh Lanta, The Houben, we started with a ride to the southern tip. Road was windy as it's village roads. First stop was Kantian Bay.

Cliff by Kantian Bay.

Kantian Beach.

We then proceed further south. Came across lots of monkeys and wild fig trees near the Mo Koh Lanta National Park.

Wild Figs

First day ride was a slow one as am not similar with the bike & road. Was a bit doubtful going off road to the beach on a very steep incline, still we made it with a bit of keeping the momentum and with 2 up. I would guess it has a gradient of more the 20%. Going down this slope was also a bit problem as there is no engine breaking (CV gearbox). The rear drum brake, cable operated was extremely stiff & hard, not much breaking power. Front disc brake is good, but then can over break on down slope (off road, cement road). Others were pushing up (no rider, Mat Salleh) the slope.

Afternoon we traveled north, then east to cross the width of the island, to Old Town on the Eastern side. As we were going down the cliff of the Eastern shore, the bike felt rather funny on uneven roads and corner. Was thinking maybe we don't have enough air pressure as I didn't check the tires. We missed Old Lanta Town, over shot and ended up in Koh Keh.

Handsome cat at Saladan.

We did see a sign, Old Town 6, then Old town 5, which I got confuse, thinking it was 6 KM till Old town, then 5 km to old town. In fact it was it was Old Town Road 6 & 5.

Meter gauge of Yamaha TTX. The frog was hitching a ride.

We stopped at Kok Keh for lunch, as it's the last village. Check on the rear tire, it was almost flat. Skipped lunch, check with the locals with sign language where to get it fix. Most of them pointed to where we come from. Manage to speak to a lady (young lady) and explianed to me that we have to go back to Old Town for the nearest fix. We rode with our weight close to the front. We reached the Kon Lanta Hospital and there is no more air in the tire. Had to leave my wify there and proceed
ed alone. 7 km down the road, which is a very long ride, with 3 stop to asked for direction, I reached Old town. Got the flat fixed for 40 bath. There are also a couple of bikes having flats. I am very impressed the the rim & tire is still good even running flat. Just a patch took care of it. Filled up the pressure, hit it with a spanner to gauge the pressure and declared it's good to go.

Rode back to the Hospital to look for my wife. OMG, could not find her there. Decided to ride back to Old Town. Finally saw her flagging me down a few kilometers down the road. She was trying to hitch a ride but no one stopped for her. She did flag me on my way up, but I didn't noticed.

Since we were there and I already now where old town is, we went there to so some shopping. Old town were set up by mostly Chao Lay (sea gypsies), Muslim communities from the south and the came the arrival of Chinese.

The Pirate's Den.

Chinese Shrine in the town center.

The Old Town now is predominantly occupied by Thai Chinese families. Bought some bags and cloths. Prices were very much cheaper here. Bought 3 pieces of mango (medium/large) for 270 baths. It was the sweetest mango I ever tasted, fiber-less and almost no seeds.

Lotus in Old Town. Most of the population love planting in Old Town.

Day 2, check out both the tires before we ride. Fuel gauge was a bit low. Filled up again at the gasoline station. Oophs no air pump. Rode further down. Did some off road to the the International Mediatation Center which has to pass through a palm oil estate. The roads was gravel with lots of small stones. Scooter being on a small wheels, I just keep the momentum, no sudden start / stop or change of direction. It was rather difficult as the throttle wasn't responsive. I just can't get it right. It was either too much or too little. Too much cause it to jerk. Too little cause it to stop almost immediately (rolling). After w got back on road, I tried to play with the throttle and find that it's with the bike (either no maintained properly). Made another stop at Klong Khong Beach, The Lanta Animal Welfare Center. Went to the Cat House to play with the cats. Erh still couldn't find a gasoline station with an air pump. Check on the front tire, it's still holding, just a bit low on pressure. Rode all the way to Saladan. Stopped for some shopping & massage. Finally I stopped by a motorbike repair shop and request them to fill up the front tire.

Sandy @ Old Town. Foxy is at lower left cornier catching flies.

Day 3, a long ride. Morning we rode all the way to Saladan. Had a massage at Serenity. It was great, better then the 1 we had yesterday. Serenity has a relaxing area at the rear of their shop. It's a must visit. Had tea & fruits there. Afternoon we rode all the way to Old Town. Stopped at Sandy @ Old town. Sandy has 2 very unique dogs. Foxy whom is always busy catching flies. Smiley has a punky fur.

After having the bike for 3 days, my view is that this bike is a great short / leisure commuter. Good for heading out to the market or sundry shop or do some take-away. On longer distance, the vibration kicks in. Even when I kept it at 60 ~ 70 km/h. On the rear, the foot rest is too small. Seat is not made for comfort (longer distance). Being a scooter, it's easy to ride & park.

Shipping Benelli Keeway TX200 From Kuala Lumpur To Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

As my intention was to ship the newly acquired bike to Sabah. I try searching for a cheap shipper. Air freight should be quite costly and most probably not within my budget. hence  sea freight it shall be.

Trying to ship Benelli TX200 to Sabah.

Contacted MDM Shipping Agency Sdn. Bhd. Got a quote.
1) Transportation - pickup by lorry - within KL/Selangor - RM 300.00

2) Shipping by container - 1 unit Keeway Tx200 - RM 1,300.00
including customs clearance, forwarding, documentation, handling and ocean freight to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

3) Transportation - delivery by lorry - within Kota Kinabalu - RM 300.00 

This adds up to $2,200 not including insurance. I feel this is too much (for me) and is totally out of my budget. I was figuring that it's within $600 ~ $800. I inquired if there is a cheaper means. Shipping a superbike, they are charging $1,800.

I search further, then finally found  Amber Freight Management Sdn Bhd. They asked for the dimension, which was in the brochure.
Dry weight 135 Kg
Overall Length 2090 mm
Overall Wight 830 mm
Overall Height 1140 mm (I forgot about the box).
I was quoted approximately $650. 
This include crating and insurance is approximately $25.00
Condition is that I have to deliver the bike to their warehouse in 3 1/2 mile Jalan Kapar, Klang. Their shipment is on batch. The bike shall be left at their warehouse until they have 5 units of motorcycle then they shall ship. Could not estimate the time frame.
  Documents required:
1) Copy of owner's IC
2) Copy of Registration Card / Original if no loan.
3) Release/Consent Letter from Bank/Shop (if under loan).

I was initial planning that if I could get the bike over before December, then I shall use it to tour Sabah. On December I do not have any scheduled traveling. With no time frame, maybe I shall have to put this off for the time being until after March 2014. I shall most probably use the bike in Peninsular for the time being. I may have some time during Feb ~ March 2014.

In the meantime, joined the Keeway TX200 club and hope to enjoy the bike with fellow riders. 

Benelli Keeway TX200 1st Ride

Had time to test out the bike today. Took out my old riding gear. A jacket, glove and a full face helmet.

Took out the glove & jacket from the closet.

As I got no where to go, just make a trip to Kampung Jawa, Klang, to meet up with a friend, whom had got a superbike a few months back. Put on my gear and started off, full of enthusiasm. Maybe I was a little bit over excited. Was traveling about 110 Km/h, most outer lane at the MRR2 near the Bandar Tasik Selatan under pass, suddenly all the front vehicles made an emergency stop, I immediately slammed on the brake rear and pressed the front brake. The Keeway TX200 when into a rear end wobble and I don't think I can stop in time. I then realized the it went into a wobble as the rear is too light and I had apply too much braking pressure on the rear. Thank goodness that the wobble was controllable by releasing the rear brake and re-applying again at a lower pressure. I manage to slow down slightly but still can not stop in time. I then made a slip through the space between the front car and the side barricade. Thank goodness again that there was sufficient space. Quite a number of vehicles stopped completely. It was a near miss for me. I was so grateful that I no mishap happened.

I immediately went to the left most lane and lowered my speed. I rode at 80 Km/h after that. After the toll plaza at Shah Alam Highway, I turned into the motorcycle lane. It was narrow and twisty. Met a couple of bikes that I passed. I can see quite a number of motorcyclist using the highway, and not turning into the motorcycle lane. I then realized that there wasn't much road signs on the motorcycle lane. Some under pass tunnels were really narrow and low. A sudden change in lighting condition also made it dangerous. Lots of speed breaker bums. I then saw the speed limit is like 40 Km/h and when it approach twisty turns or tunnel, speed limit is suppose to be 20 Km/h. No wonder, I was doing 80 ~ 90 Km/h. Now I know why those motorist are not using the motorcyclist lane. There were a couple of detours on the lane too that was a bit bad.

Keeway TX200, R&R Shah Alam.

I find the TX200 is a light bike (on the move) and easy to handle. Riding height is good for front viewing. I'm 168 cm and just manage to plant my feet on the ground. It comes with disc brakes, front & back. It's shroud with Pirelli tires. Riding position is straight up, being a motard styled bike. All the control switches are in the normal position.

Basic specification
Keeway TX200G Dual Purpose (engineered by Benelli)
Engine: 200cc single cylinder, 4-stroke, 2-valve, carburetor, OHV oil-cooled
Bore and stroke: 63.5 x 63.2 mm
Compression ratio: 8.3:1
Max power: 9.5 kW @ 7,500 rpm
Max torque: 13.5 Nm @ 6,500 rpm
Transmission: 5-speed wet clutch
Tyres: Pirelli
Lubricant: Petronas Syntium Moto

Traveling at 110 ~ 120 Km/h the engine noise is high (for my liking). With the Leo Vince Cobra exhaust, it mask the engine sound which I feel is pretty nice. I find that cruising at 80 ~ 100 Km/h is more relax and can be done all day long with the oil cooler cooling the engine. Vibration is minimum at this speed both from the engine and handle bar. Stopping power is good, as per my miss. For the price range I feel this is value for money. This bike is adequate for suburb and city riding. It's not about speed, but the convenience of a two wheeler in avoiding traffic jams. Power wise is a bit sedated. Just drop a gear or so to bring up the power. Gear changing is smooth on the go. Once stopped, it take some time to locate the Neutral.

The mod done by Andy, the previous owner. Leo Vince Cobra, I love it. It add style to the already handsome bike. The exhaust sound is terrific. Not too loud, and solid. I love it best when I kick down a gear, going down slope, with the throttle closed. I shall try to make a sound recording when I find the time. Check out the horn, very solid bass, twin horn. Used it a couple of times. I even horn it a couple of times when the lane was empty, just for fun. The hand guard, well it's nice and solid but I saw some with L.E.D. lights which maybe nicer. Finally I had use for the rear luggage box. eep my glove and jacket while we had tea. I tried but it can't fit my full face helmet. Am still have trouble learning to lock / un-lock the box. The netted seat cover, keeps my pants from getting wet and cool.

Things that I find lacking are
1) Fuel gauge
2) Small fuel tank
3) Tachometer
4) Head lamp not bright enough for my liking.

My other wise list for this bike (which I don't think can be done being a budget bike)
1) ABS
2) Keyless
3) H.I.D. head lamp
4) Hydraulic clutch
5) Wider tires
6) Liquid cooled
Dreaming on...

Shall be having some fun time with this bike. Most probably go on a longer trip when time permits. I read that the Thai model has fuel gauge. Maybe I can ride over and have it mod there. In the mean time I shall have to brush up my rusty riding skill and have it suited to riding motard style. I shall write more as I use the bike because I find that there are far too few review for this particular bike in Malaysia.

 

Have Bike Shall Travel.

My interest in motorcycle had been with me since my younger days. Maybe I was watching too much movies and subscribed to the American dream of ridding off to the sunset.

My dream bike.

During my younger days, I had owned bikes like Suzuki TS 100 and that was during my schooling days.

Pic source from BikePics.com. This is the exact model that I had owned.

My next bike was a Yamaha RXK 135. This was during my college days.

Pic source from ChaosAds. This is the exact model that I had owned.

I then graduated to a bigger bike a Suzuki GS500. My bike was a red color one. I bought this bike as there was a promotion going on and it was within my budget. That was when I got my B Full license.

After this Suzuki GS 500, there was a very long lapse as I had graduated to cars. It was back in 2010 that I had time to ride again. Went on a trip to Sabah with a friend and we rented 2 bikes from Go go Sabah

These were the Kawasaki KLX 150. We spent close to a week on these bikes and tour the northern part of Sabah. After this trip the bug really got to me and I went to Thailand to ride. I flew in and rented bikes in places like Chiang Mai, Krabi & Phuket. As those are rented bikes, I got to test quite a number of bikes. There was one time in Chiang Mai that I change a bike every two days. It was fun. Roads in Northern Thailand were fantastic. 

Some of the smaller bikes that I had rented.

Had tested scooters, kapchai, sport bikes and motards.
I had always like naked bikes, I prefer these as the engine can be view easily, which is the heart of the bike. As I had the ambition of going touring, I plan to acquire a bike that is durable and affordable and most probably not more than 750 cc. I started to look into bikes like Kawasaki Versys 650, Kawasaki ER650-N and Aprilia Shiver. I then hope to start saving for a bike. Then reality check in, I can't afford any of these yet, even on a used unit. I then down graded to look into lower end models and still it's not within my present budget.

I then worked the other way, work from my budget. I am only willing to spend about 6K at the moment. With a limited budget I can only go for a used unit. In order to maximize my budget and I prefer higher cc bikes over kachais. I shortlisted the 200 cc range. I then decided on the motard version as my intermediate plan is to use this bike here in Peninsular then ship this bike over to Sabah, to complete my tour of Sabah. I think I can also put on off road tires and travel the whole of Sabah even on the un-paved roads. I may then do a trip to Brunei & Sarawak.

Was searching via Mudah.com, one of my favorite website and found a Keeway Benelli TX 200. Was contemplating over the Keeway Benelli TX 200 and the Keeway Benelli RKV 200. It's a used unit, 6 months old. The owner Andy had done up the bike. I then found the blog of the owner as I was searching for review of this model in Malaysia and there was really little. Since the owner is a biker & a blogger I immediately decided to get this bike. I like most of the mod done by Andy. The mod liked most is The LeoVince Cobra. The mod the I like least is the rear box. I shall most probably do more mods to it. I would like to install LED spot light, brighter for night & foggy traveling in Sabah, hydraulic clutch set, to replace the cable type, improve the suspension, a set of off road rims & tires. 

What I've Bought.
Keeway Benelli TX 200.
Download TX 200 digital brochure.

We met up at the Wangsa Maju JPJ and the transfer went on smoothly. Cost was $6 K for the bike,$349 for a year of insurance (insured for 6K) and $3 for the transfer. Total $6, 352.00. We then went over to collect the bike.

The Bike before collection.

Bike is parked in a covered car park. We did a quick check over the bike. The Pirrelli tires are still pretty new.

Heavy rain at Jalan Cheras.

Decided to park at the covered walk way as the initial stop under the overhead bridge is rather dangerous.

On the way home, it started to rain, I pressed on but unfortunately I couldn't make it home. I reached Jalan Cheras, Badminton Court and couldn't carry on. Stopped at the overhead bridge. After which I feel that it was too dangerous. I moved further up to the covered walk way and waited. Aftet more than 20 minutes and the rain got lighter, I moved on as it's just about 3 Km more. I reach home totally wet. I only realized that with a high front mud guard, water splash is tremendous over the lower part.

As I'm leaving to my farm in a couple of days, shall leave it here until my next visit end November. Already looking forward to it. Once my wife's health had been restored, I shall start on a short trip. So excited over this. It's like receiving an early birthday present.