buying a tuk tuk in Udon Thani - Samlor

[KHONDAHM]

I imagine Tuk-tuks are also quite enjoyable, but I suppose I just haven't caught the bug for them. The large engine seems a bit overkill for exploring newly discovered villages and dirt roads - something I really enjoy. Many a time, the high clearance of my samlor has been a great asset during such outings - especially during rainy season. I also like the anonymity of blending in while slow-riding through villages as I oogle folks.

[lakshmiVisnu]

Has anyone experience drive Atipong tuk samlor?which engine is the best...125 cc or 130 cc or 150 cc?

[ting_tong]

850cc

I tried my friends daihatsu 850cc one, felt tall and high off the ground

I think you cant get past 40 or 50kmh with the little engines? that would pi-ss me off

[JR]

Has anyone experience drive Atipong tuk samlor?which engine is the best...125 cc or 130 cc or 150 cc?

The more power you can get, the better it is. There is also a 200cc engine if you want that.

[JR]

i Have bought a sum lor or tuk tuk There!! Im Very Disappointed in the Chrome they applied!! They said you have a 3 moth Garantee but after 2 months is stated to rest out!! Plus the battery had to be replace in 6 months also i have a shaft driven tuk tuk the drive shaft had to be repaier 4 times at my expense!! then the carb **** the bed!! i had to replace that at the cost and shipping to me all these parts i had to replace my self!! Even shifted the Engine back to them at my cost!! They dont back up there product!!

From what shop did you buy your vehicle and what engine do you have?

[lakshmiVisnu]

How to choose a best buy(money for value) samlor tuk in Udon? What brand ? Which shop is reliable with full guarantee ?Please give good advise to me before I will be cheated by Thai in Udon.Thousand thanks to u all.

[KHONDAHM]

Has anyone experience drive Atipong tuk samlor?which engine is the best...125 cc or 130 cc or 150 cc?

I bought my samlor from Aek Pan Nit near the clock roundabout. 54k in 2010. Which engine size you get boils down to what you plan to do with it. If you plan to just enjoy it and occasionally haul things, then 125cc is just fine. If you plan to use it as a workhorse, then 150cc would be the way to go. I have the 125cc. I 'think' the 130cc and 150cc come with a reverse gear. Nice, but IMHO, unnecessary.

Bigger is NOT better when it comes to samlors. I can't speak to Tuk Tuks. I doubt you would ever want to exceed 60 km/hr on a samlor. My 125cc can get up to almost 80 km/hr with a light tail-wind, but I usually cruise Ring Road at no more than 50-60 km/hr. 40 km/hr through the back roads is plenty fast to be able to still enjoy the scenery. A samlor is NOT built for speed. You won't often feel the urge to go fast on a tricycle. It is not a hyper-bike. I used to cruise with the pack at 200 km/hr on my Kawasaki 750cc Ninja years ago. My samlor is no Ninja. That's for sure. Anyone needing to go from A to B quickly is better off not trying to do that on a samlor.

Samlors are for young, handsome, sexy manly men only.

[maxperience]

We picked up our new TukTuk in Na Kae yesterday, rode the motorbike there from NongKhai then put it in the back of the TukTuk for the trip back. The TukTuk was actually faster than the motorbike.(Honda Wave 100)

The TukTukwas exactly as RichardRenu's Pictures show, as far as the power train goes even though it says "1400cc 5 speed" on a big sticker on the side the engine is a Daihatsu three cylinder 660cc coupled to a five speed transmission. It holds 70 kph easily, I didn't have enough guts to run it up as far as it would go but did hit 90 a couple of times.

As Richard had said the clutch and brake pedals are not exactly foreigner friendly, the trick is to get the clutch and brake adjustment at the point that you can operate them with the heels of your feet, leaving your toes up on the foot rest on the "highway bars". ( and eat a lot of bananas to avoid muscle cramps) I am still trying to figure out whether or not to move the pedals and highway bars forward or to move the seat backwards, or just live with it.

The final price was 84,000 just as Richard said also, by the way they did say that the TukTuk I bought was actually built by a shop in Nakhon Phanom...maybe the same one Richard had originally put a deposit down at?

Here are the downsides so far compared to the "enclosed front" tuktuk I also have:

Cramped clutch & brake pedal positions
No luggage rack
Manual brakes...not power assisted
a bit of agility required to climb up onto the drivers seat

But when compared to the price difference of 36,000b these things can be dealt with either by just getting used to them or living with them!

Hi I want to buy a tuk tuk or a samlor like you for travelling purposes. Could you maybe please hand me the contact details of your shop, where you bought your salmor?
I need something that can easy go a up hills and where i can maybe put a bed in the back. Almost like a campervan. My vision is to have 2 rows of seat in the back and one in the front for the driver. Now you van fold back the first row of seats to form a bed with the last row of seats.

Thank you

[747man]

There is a Tuk-Tuk Shop on Prajak Road in Nong Khai, Sells NEW & 2nd hand Tuk-Tuks......

[ting_tong]

@maxperience
I owned 2 tuktuks and built 1 from the ground up, they are great in town if you have the same power as a car, you will get everyone trying to overtake you, I used to never let a car overtake me, they lost face everytime.

I now own a small car and would not recommend attempting what you are thinking of doing, on the open highway, bigger cars, trucks and buses and 10 wheelers will try to kill you.
Your design idea could kill you, most big tuktuks have a roll bar and if you remove it you are asking for trouble.
One design flaw on a tuktuk is there is no seat belt, if you roll over, you are hamburger.
The other is if you lose the air in the front wheel at high speeds you are dead, my tuktuk could do 150kmh

1) there is a guy selling a real van in the car section of the classifieds
2) Archie is selling 1 to 3 tuktuks in the bike section of the classifieds

I have done some extensive travelling in my small car and there is nothing better than paying 400 baht for a hotel room with full bathroom, shower and aircon after a long day on the road. You are better off getting a motorbike or car that can do 120kmh and stay in a hotel. sorry to piss on your dream.

[Nigglyb]

Is there anywhere in Udon that sells what I would call a "Bangkok" style tuktuk?

[waanjai]

Is there anywhere in Udon that sells what I would call a "Bangkok" style tuktuk?

Both major producers of machine-based 3-wheelers (samlor krueang) offer such models:

Ake Panich http://www.akepanich.com/ sells the Skylab Cruiser 150cc Shaft Drive in this seats variant.

Atipong Motor http://www.atipongmotor.com/eng/about/ sells the Super Skylab http://www.atipongmotor.com/eng/product/superskylab/

Both offer almost anything in between made to order.

Please remember that the "Bangkok Style" tuktuk - for passenger transportation only was not invented in Esan, as there was always a need for mixed transportation of persons and/or cargo.

[Nigglyb]

Is there anywhere in Udon that sells what I would call a "Bangkok" style tuktuk?

Both major producers of machine-based 3-wheelers (samlor krueang) offer such models:

Ake Panich http://www.akepanich.com/ sells the Skylab Cruiser 150cc Shaft Drive in this seats variant.

Atipong Motor http://www.atipongmotor.com/eng/about/ sells the Super Skylab http://www.atipongmotor.com/eng/product/superskylab/

Both offer almost anything in between made to order.

Please remember that the "Bangkok Style" tuktuk - for passenger transportation only was not invented in Esan, as there was always a need for mixed transportation of persons and/or cargo.

Thanks for taking the time to reply Waanjai but unless I'm missing something neither of the links answer the question is there anywhere in Udon that sells a "Bangkok Style" tuktuk?

[waanjai]

Well, apparently we have to define the terms first.

From an Udon Thani perspective all samlor krueang/tuk tuk with a seat bank in driving direction are called Bangkok Style

All samlor krueang/tuk tuk with two rows of seats opposite to each other and not in the drivers direction =same as in the song-taeows (two banks) of the local short distance busses are called Skylabs. (Reflecting the lack of room).

From this you will clearly see the "bangkok style seat banks" in the local - so-called luxory, i.e. Bangkok Style models.

Hope this helps as shopping guide.

[Nigglyb]

Well, apparently we have to define the terms first.

From an Udon Thani perspective all samlor krueang/tuk tuk with a seat bank in driving direction are called Bangkok Style

All samlor krueang/tuk tuk with two rows of seats opposite to each other and not in the drivers direction =same as in the song-taeows (two banks) of the local short distance busses are called Skylabs. (Reflecting the lack of room).

From this you will clearly see the "bangkok style seat banks" in the local - so-called luxory, i.e. Bangkok Style models.

Hope this helps as shopping guide.

Is that a no then?

[socksy]

The Bangkok style one's have bigger engines and larger front tyres. I haven't seen anywhere that sells them in Udon. Seen many in Nong Khai but don't know if there's a business that sells them there. A few premises sell the slower Isaan style one's in Udon. There are several drivers parked outside the Rajabaht University with the larger engine type who may be able to advise.

[Stevo]

@Nigglyb,

The 'Tuk tuk', as you have correctly described it (so named because of the sound made by the 2 stroke motor.. usually a 360cc Subaru twin), is a native of Bangkok and rarely seen here in the north-east. They are becoming collectable now so fetch a ridiculous price.
Used ones are sometimes seen for sale, but you have to shop around to find something decent.

this one is up for sale at 260,000 Baht

A lot of them have had the engine replaced with 2 or 3 cylinder Daihatsu 4 stroke units, lowering the value to 80k - 150k.

[747man]

The Bangkok style one's have bigger engines and larger front tyres. I haven't seen anywhere that sells them in Udon. Seen many in Nong Khai but don't know if there's a business that sells them there. A few premises sell the slower Isaan style one's in Udon. There are several drivers parked outside the Rajabaht University with the larger engine type who may be able to advise.

Socks............I've already posted about the shop in NONG KHAI....Earlier in the thread !!!

[socksy]

Oops! Missed that one 747.

[Nigglyb]

Thanks all