New Kawasaki Models

[2wheels]

Just walked a few kms around the Motor Expo in Bangkok and there's a couple of interesting new Kawasaki models on display; the Vulcan 650 and the Z300.

When I've recovered I'll submit a full report about the expo in the 'Events' section.

 

[Forest]

U should complain about the KLR650! It' s horrible how mr Kawasaki treat dual sport riders here,Have a word for me too!

 

[2wheels]

I was actually half expecting to see it there but the Kawa people claimed they know nothing about it ever coming to Thailand.
It's as if the bike doesn't exist.
I've lost interest in it anyway.

 

[Forest]

Ye joking but anyway must be selling a few Versys 2015.re-looking at it is a nice machine!definetly a more aggressive design then b4, and gained a few hp too

 

[WarProfiteer]

Any word on the pricepoint of the Z300?

 

[2wheels]

170,000 baht with ABS apparently.

 

[Changnoi1]

Z300 on the show? (they are already sold in Europe an Japan).

That might trigger the sale of my Z250 from Feb'2014 with 2300km for 130.000 Thai baht (incl. Leo Vince muffler and ER6N handle bar).

 

[WarProfiteer]

Seems lots of folks already selling their Z250's to get the Z300... prices range from 110K on the low end to 130K on the upper end. I've had a look over the last 2 days on Baht/Sold and the various FB groups for selling bikes.

I think the Z250SL is also pushing down on prices as it's selling for just 118K new and is only 5 HP short (12%) of the Z250, but also 12% lighter.

For me, I'm still undecided. Not sure the extra money for the Z300 is worth it. Esp considering the price of the Z250SL is so much less.

 

[Changnoi1]

You are right WarProfiteer, if I could sell my Z250 for 129k I would do it, otherwise the price I have to pay more is not worth the 7hp extra hp and ABS (well and better clutch).

If I keep my Z250 (and I probably will) I am considering to have ABS installed. A rough price guess of Kawa was 25k-30k for installing ABS. Maybe someone has a secondhand ABS system from a crashed Ninja 300?

The Z250SL is the engine from the Dtracker and the bike is again a bit for fragile build as the normal Z250.

 

[WarProfiteer]

Is the Dtracker and KLX 250's the same motor? I always read the Z250 SL comes with the KLX motor.

Either way, seems a bit steep of a cost for you Changnoi just for ABS & 7HP. I mean, 170K is a bit steep when you can easily find 2yr old ER6N's for 170k-180K. That said, there's always an attraction to what's newer and nicer, so if ya have the money, why not enjoy it and get the new & cool thing?

I'm trying to hold off on pulling the trigger on anything until I've returned to CM (14 days and counting down!) and settled in a little, then I'll go out looking.

 

[Changnoi1]

As far as I know the Dtracker 250 & KLX 250 share the same engine (restricted).
I was told the Z250SL has the same engine but is not restricted. The nice thing of course is that the bike is cheaper and there are a lot of after-market things for sale for the engine ... like a big bore kit.

 

[2wheels]

triplicated!

 

[2wheels]

duplicated

 

[2wheels]

Just checked and discovered that the Vulcan 650S with ABS costs $7,399 in the USA.
That's about 243,000 baht.

I believe there are no import duties for new bikes into the USA, but there is of course freight costs.

So I'm wondering how Kawasaki Thailand can justify their asking price of 285,000 baht for a bike that's made right here.
Maybe it's just what they consider the local market will accept.

 

[Forest]

Just checked and discovered that the Vulcan 650S with ABS costs $7,399 in the USA.
That's about 243,000 baht.

I believe there are no import duties for new bikes into the USA, but there is of course freight costs.

So I'm wondering how Kawasaki Thailand can justify their asking price of 285,000 baht for a bike that's made right here.
Maybe it's just what they consider the local market will accept.

so is for the Versys! in EU is around 300000..here priced 323000,and it should be cheaper since assembled here isn't it?? strangling

 

[brake034]

Apart from 80% import duty (not applicable for domestic made cars/motorcycles) Thailand raises:
Excise tax = 30 %
Interior tax = 10 % of excise tax
VAT = 7 %

 

[2wheels]

Thanks Marcel.
So it's a 'bonded warehouse' arrangement?

 

[brake034]

Ron, a bonded warehouse is an area where no tax is raised unless products out of that warehouse are brought on the domestic market, for a further read on it: link>Bonded warehouse - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Thailand raises several tax layers (on motorcycles and cars for example) of which the import duty is one.
Import duty is not raised for the bikes made/assembled in Thailand, the other tax layers are still applicable.

 

[2wheels]

Kawasaki Chiang Mai told me today that one of these Vulcan 650S's has arrived and has already been snapped up.
More coming soon.

 

[Thump]

Surprise at the Kawasaki dealer yesterday, I didn't even know that the Vulcan 650 existed!
I like the idea of using a proven engine in different models for cost savings.
The frame and rear suspension set-up look familiar!
They had a black model which looked great but why a white one? Any other color but white!! Green with white rim tape would have looked better.
Now a supermoto with the 300 twin would be a winner in my book... nothing Honda could put against it; the 500 would be too heavy.

 

[monsterman]

when are they going to sell the w800 here ???

 

[2wheels]

Green with white rim tape would have looked better

They have it but not for Thailand.