Greetings. I've been riding for 35 years or so, and so "have opinions." What follows are those opinions driving my purchase of a Boxer 250RS. Your mileage may vary, and all that.

I cut my teeth on British Bikes way back when. A few Triumph 650s, but then one day I bought a Norton 750, and then another and another, and well, the Norton 750 remains one of my all time favorites. Another all time favorite is the Ducati. Preferably a crotch rocket, but not too picky. Nothing quite like them, and I'm sure I could pull a 747 with one.

My last bike in the USA was a Suzuki 1200 Bandit. "Nice enough bike." Great gobs of power and torque. Cheap enough. But somehow. "not quite right" for my way of thinking. I've owned several Japanese bikes now... Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki. Never a Kawasaki. I suppose they're all impressive for this reason or that, but all seem to me to have had no personality at all, or rather, maybe the personality of a well made toaster. Great, reliable, fast, extremely precise, and still somehow nothing to get excited about. Even the 1200 Bandit was somehow just boring.

I haven't been in Chiang Mai too long, but long enough to survey the available iron and make a decision. I really just don't want a Japanese bike. Sorry, but for me, just not that much difference between a Ninja 250 and a Wave 110. I might even prefer the Wave... And having owned a couple of Harleys, I would personally be a bit embarrassed to ride something that looks a bit like one, but has the heart of a mosquito. Nothing wrong with mosquitos, but they should look like what they are, and not try to look like a Harley. As for a real Harley? I see them here. They look somehow inappropriate to me, here in LOS. Chinese bikes: no offense, but I do not as yet have trust for very many Chinese products (reliability, parts & maintenance), so will pass those by as well. Sorry to say that it looks like the Enfield Indians still aren't being imported. In the north, anyway.

The cop bikes here seemed intriguing, so when I learned I could get a slightly larger version of what they ride for only 73,000 Baht, it was difficult for me to say no. I placed my order today. I'm looking forward to tinkering with the thing. Perhaps I can find a Two Brothers exhaust that will fit it, hog out the air chamber for more air, and re-jet. I'm wondering if I can get a piston yielding a higher compression ratio. Dunno, but I'm sure I'll be looking. Doubt I can do anything in the way of a different cam, tho, and mai bpen rai. Flat handlebars are probably something I want, and too, if I can lower the bike a few centimeters, I'm sure I'd like that. Spoke wheels would be nice, but probably an unnecessary expense. Whether or not I need to make rearsets remains to be seen. Perhaps not. If anyone's making performance mods on these things, I'd love to hear about it.

Regardless, I'm thinking it should have a bit of personality (even if not so dissimilar from a Japanese bike), and enough power for two up riding to Mae Hong Son, Chiang Rai, and around.

See you in the north.
Ken

Hello Ken,

Nothing wrong with your decision to buy a Tiger Boxer 250 RS, it's maybe not Thailand's fastest bike, but it is surely one of Thailand's best buys for the money it costs.

For some sportier engine accessories, sport camshafts are available. The exhaust system is already a sports pipe and not much performance to cain there. I once meet guy who told me that he had increased the performance of his Boxer 250 RS by increasing the compression ratio.

Others who have the Boxer 250 RS play with the sprockets to get more speed out of the machine, but as you are up north I would not change that much, you possibly loose power needed to ride safely in the mountains.

Thanks for the reply. I was thinking I might want to boost the compression.

While my bike did finally arrive in the north, I happen to be in BKK for the moment, so have yet to see it. Did visit a Tiger dealership in Chatuchak and thought it interesting. I was told first, that the bikes are still equipped with carburetors. I'd thought a law requiring fuel injection for this year existed, but am apparently wrong. Is fuel injection available for the bike?

Was also told the muffler has a catalytic converter inside. Will have to take it off and eyeball it for flow. Several straight through aftermarket mufflers might be fitted, I'm sure, after taking a hacksaw to the tailpipe, that is. Will have to eyeball the air intake box to make sure it can breathe as well.

Higher compression, EFI, and airflow. Think that's it for now.

Ken

Fuel-injection is not required for motorcycles, from April 2010 all newly sold motorcycles need to have less exhaust emission then the Euro 3 standard. Most motorcycle manufacturers reduce the exhaust emission with the introduction of fuel-injection engines. The fuel-injection option is considered the easy way to reduce exhaust emissions, but it's surely not the only solution.

A higher cylinder compression ratio can, if done correct, increase power – but it also modifies the combustion characteristics of the engine, which can result into a less efficient fuel-combustion.

I understand that Tiger and a few aftermarket accessory manufacturers have sporty replacement parts, for example unlimited-CDI's, sporty-camshafts, air-filters and other products which can surely improve the performance of the Tiger Boxer 250 RS.

But not forget every modification comes with an downside, for most modifications it means fuel-consumption will go up...