35 year old road bike vs small dirt bike???
 

Hi guys,
6 years ago I attended a HUBB event in Victoria, Australia and finally am at a place where I can put the inspiration from those travellers I met to use!
I am planning on riding from the UK back to Australia via the ‘usual’ route of Europe, Turkey, Iran, the ‘Stans (of some description), probably have to go through China, India, fly bike from Nepal to Bangkok, travel through Thailand, Laos, Cambodia before down through Malaysia and the Indonesian islands before heading south through Australia. The route is obviously still very vague at this stage but hopefully gives you a rough idea.

I currently have a 1981 Honda GL500 (pretty much a CX500) and since it came out of a shed where it had been for 10 years and fired as soon as it had fresh petrol and a new battery, I’ve had the idea of riding it back to Sydney. I know that people have done big trips on similar bikes and I’m sure it could do it.
The other option that I have been toying with though is to get a small dual sport/trail (XR250 or 400 type) I rode an XR250 for 8000 miles in Australia, mainly on tarmac and found it to be fine; relatively comfortable and capable of sitting at highway speeds as well as doing the off road stuff.
I don’t like the idea of a bigger trail bike as I think with my ability at off road riding, I’d be pretty much as limited as with the GL500 due to the extra weight.

I am leaning towards the trail bike option as I want to be free to explore side paths and tracks and take little trips off the main routes. From what I’ve seen, for example of some forest tracks in SE asia, I wouldn’t have the confidence with the GL500 at the moment to just set off down them.
I suppose the crux of the question is, on my proposed route, how much opportunity would there be to make these exploratory side trips where I would need a trail bike?
If the vast majority of the riding I would be doing would be fine for the GL (tarmac, gravel, hard pack dirt) it would be cheaper and easier as I already have the bike (and the idea of taking a 35 year old bike amuses me!). I just don’t want to risk spoiling the trip by making it overly difficult for myself by taking a bike that will limit me.
Thanks for any opinions!

Nothing wrong with the CX if it is in good condition but the trail bikes you mention are possibly some of the best bikes for the trip out there. Light weight and small size mean savings on shipping and petrol costs and go anywhere a bike can go ability, I would say take the trailie.

For the first part of your trip I might favor the GL500 unless it's a crapper. Certainly the better road bike: faster, smoother, more comfort and much better for carrying your gear. Should make EU to China no problem. Probably a no go getting your bike into China.

As you know, the GL/CX motor is legendary. If the rest of the bike is up to snuff .. then hard to kill. Make sure of the electrics, Carbs, bearings before departure. Redo suspension. Check for rust/corrosion in key areas. A bike that old may just snap in half if rotten. doh

Once to China or India, sell off the Honda (worth a lot in certain places!), fly to Bangkok and buy a nice 250 trail bike (used and cheap). It's mostly 125's in Thailand but bigger bikes are around for MORE MONEY. I would sell it off in Asia, not import to Oz, way too much trouble. Buy another bike once in Oz.

Run What 'Cha Brung! bier

Thanks for the advice!
The GL's motor is fine but the bike has been left without being covered or garaged for a couple of years, and hasn't had a lot of use. I'd not actually thought about the rust and snapping in half issue!!
It'll need to be sorted either way though as if I choose to go the trail bike route, it'll be sold to help fund it.
Do you think the GL would cope with most of the 'roads' I'd come across, and allow for some exploration? Maybe I need to take it out on some green lanes and see how I get on?!
Thanks again!

As an old time CX owner (84 model) I'd take a close look at a few things on the GL before deciding - firstly the alternator. I had the stator on mine short out twice and they were well known for it. It took an aftermarket rewind to sort it out. I'd guess the cam chain issue that plagued the early ones would have been sorted by the time of the GL. I never had a problem with mine.

Second thing would be the suspension - particularly the rear. It is pretty average late 70's stuff and by modern standards is below what most people would accept. Fine for tarmac but not when the roads get lumpy and bumpy. Unless you're dealing with serious rust I don't think you'll have a problem with the frame - I never had concerns and overloaded mine regularly. It did however blow a head gasket when it overheated in the mountains but that may just have been a one off.

Lots of good things about CXs - the easy feel from the v twin engine for one, but the main thing I disliked was how top heavy they felt and particularly how sensitive to side winds they were. Is your GL the one with the half fairing - if it is that's not going to help.

Hi,
The GL is the non-faired version, not the Interstate. It is definitely smooth and comfortable. I used to happily do 300 mile runs from the south coast and never felt sore or tired from it.
I think the key may be to have a play on some rough ish stuff and see how it feels. I'm also tempted to pick up an older 250cc trail (either XR or TTR) which will allow me to get out on play on some green lanes and improve my off road skills. If I really like it, I could always keep it and use that!

It seems that a lot of the 'success' of off road riding comes down to the abilities of the rider, rather than the bike?? Is that a fair comment??
Obviously, a smaller lighter bike will be better, regardless of the ability, but could a skilled rider get pretty much anything through the dirt confidently and successfully? (Thinking of Nick Sanders on his R1)

Is it better to get more practice off road on the GL, and then get its on road benefits as well rather than take the 'easier' option of small and light?? Or should it be more about :funmeteryes:? I realise this ultimately comes down to what I want from the trip but I'm really appreciating the views of you more experienced guys!

Not that it matters much, but when I see yet another XRDRKL ride report on here or ADV, I skip past it. Doing the trip on something completely different, I'm in.

It would be so cool to read about a ride like that on a 35 year old bike, now actually being on it when something breaks might be less cool.

There is something about taking the road less traveled

:thumbup1:
That is why I ride a 37 year old Honda CB400T and a 29 year old Honda GoldWing. It is much more fun then a modern "fly by wire, cambus, electronic fuel injected" bike. I did ride some more modern bikes like a BMW R1100GS but sold it to get an old GoldWing again.

Thanks guys. I like that way of looking at things. I suppose when using something like the GL, everything becomes a bit more 'adventurous'! As long as it doesn't get too 'adventurous', to the point of not wanting to take it down little tracks etc because it's too much hassle.
How have you guys found the CB400 and the Goldwing in the rougher stuff?

A GoldWing is not an off-road bike but good dirt-roads are no problem. The CB400T is much smaller and lighter so I used that one on some not so good dirtroads.
I would absolutely NOT try to ride the GoldWing in dry soft sand :oops2:

Maybe you should read the adventures of Peter and Kay Forwood, who travelled the world on a Harley Davidson Electra Glide: Peter and Kay Forwood on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. World's Most Travelled Motorcycle or Sjaak Lucassen who travelled around the world on a Yamaha R1:
Sjaak Lucassen

You have to have confidence in what you're riding. Just because something's old doesn't automatically make it unreliable (although my wife might disagree :rofl:). Babying the thing along smooth tarmac at slow speeds just in case something goes wrong or gets overstressed doesn't make for a relaxing time on a long trip. Do enough miles on it to get a feel for what its like first and trust your judgement. The CX / GL had its weak points but they were well known and not show stoppers.

If you're looking for rough(ish) stuff, a road less travelled and an old, totally unsuitable, bike you'll "luuurve" my Stella Alpina write up coming shortly in the ride tales section. Just got to get round to finding the pics to go with it.

Keep in mind that the bike will need a carnet to get to India, and several other countries in that direction as well. And the very purpose of the carnet is to prevent you from selling/keeping that bike in that country for longer than permitted without paying considerable import taxes and duties. And to get the carnet, you will have had to place a bond, that you naturally will not get back, if you leave the vehicle in a carnet country.

So this nice idea of selling the bike may not work so well in this particular direction.

And then - if buying another bike in for example Thailand, this new bike will also need a Carnet to get into and through Malaysia and Indonesia. And where to get a Carnet for a thai registreted bike?

Mollydogs idea is good in theory but practically it wont work very well...

Carnets are an issue for sure ... and I did not mean to suggest the OP should import his bike into India or China. Sell it off BEFORE entering. Then buy a local bike for the India trip, re-sell before leaving.

As far as Asia goes I've "heard" (and read reports here on HUBB) that small bikes from certain countries can pass through borders without a Carnet ... some sort of inter -Asia cooperation deal. IT HAS BEEN DONE.
Several here on HUBB have managed this ... I don't recall details ... it may be possible. Dunno, just a thought. :innocent:

I´ve travelled enough around Asia to know, that absolutely anything could be possible, if it happens to be your lucky day.

That said, I would definitely NOT make travel plans on a motorcycle based on the assumption, that I would be able to get the bike into India, Pakistan, or Indonesia without a carnet. Even though I do know someone, who once did Indonesia without a carnet (..but it was a loong time ago.. and it WAS his lucky day, when he was dealing with the customs - 2-3 lucky days actually, it was a huge mess and it took him that long :rofl: !!!)

Bikes bought within the ASEAN customs union COULD be the exception, and could possibly move more freely within its boundaries - but then again, there seem to be very few documented trips of this kind, so this is just guessing.

In short: If your bike is not regoed in an ASEAN country, you will most certainly need a carnet to get it to India, Pakistan or Indonesia. All the other countries in that region are more negotiable, or may not require a carnet at all, but those three do.