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Need advice on first road trip
Hi all,
This is my first post on this site since I discovered it a couple of weeks ago. I am scheduled about 6 weeks of holiday during the summer months this year, and I want to go to Ireland (personal reasons). I passed my A2 about a year ago, and was planning on buying a bike at some point once I graduate, but I've got it into my head that I really need to motorbike across Ireland (I heard of a route called the Wild Atlantic tour around the coast). Its been a while since I've ridden, so I was thinking a Honda CB125F would be a good starting for myself. I've read on here that its pretty decent to go touring on (I don't expect to go off road, and I don't really need the 70MPH). So here are the questions going through my head; 1. I've only got a half plan in my head so far about the details, but the general jist is, leave London for Holyhead, Wales, take a ferry to Ireland, travel the coast by day and sleep at cheap BnBs by night. Is this the done thing or do you guys have any better ideas (I'm afraid I don't have much experience with camping, and I don't know how safe it'd be since I'm travelling alone)? 2. Is the Honda CB125F suitable for this kind of tour? I didn't want to buy a larger bike precisely because of my inexperience; I thought it might be better to buy a small, relatively safe bike for this trip. 3. Am I suitable for this kind of tour...? I basically just passed my exam a year ago, and dropped biking since I didn't have much time to take up riding until now. If this plan goes ahead, I intend on buying the bike a couple of months in advance, and riding in the UK a bit beforehand to get a good feel for it. I'm aware I need to make preparations, but I'll deal with that after I can confirm from more experienced riders like yourselves that I'm not deluding myself and can actually manage this sort of trip :) Any advice would be much appreciated Sid |
You've got as much of a plan as you need! There is not much of a language problem and the road system is familiar, although road signs and speed limits differ. Accommodation is your choice. When it rains in Ireland, it RAINS - there are all sorts of apps to find places to stay rather than camp - do some random internet searches to see what sort of prices to expect. Carry a small tent and sleeping kit just in case if you want, but it's not vital.
Any bike will do the job as long as you are comfortable on it and it can carry what luggage you want. Back roads are fun on anything. Are you suitable? How can we tell you that??? The fact you are here and contemplating a trip is a good start. If you like being alone that's fine, alternatively you'll never be short of someone to talk to if there is a bar or cafe in sight! If it's roadcraft you are worried about, getting from London to Holyhead will be busier with traffic than anywhere in Ireland except probably Dublin itself. You're not crossing the Congo here (you can do that next year!) Preparations should include a full tank of gas, some money in your pocket and a paper map to look at on the ferry. Go for it :-) |
Welcome to the HUBB.
There is a gentleman who bought a Suzuki 125 in the Congo and so far he has ridden it down to South Africa and is now working his way up to Tanzania. The bike has been pretty reliable from reading his blog and whilst it has been a little slow at times he isn’t in a rush - also it means that he sees a lot more. Speed is not necessarily an advantage when travelling. If you want to read his blog - it is really good and some of the photos are brilliant - then it is on https://ukgser.com/forums/showthread...of-Father-Jack Above all, have fun. |
Hi Sid:
Welcome to the forum community. I don't think you should have any worries about your planned trip - you appear to have thought it out carefully, you'll not be too far from home (it's not like you are going to China or Ukraine or Zimbabwe on your first tour), and you have lots of time - your travel plans are not overly ambitious. Personally, I think a fractionally larger motorcycle, perhaps 250cc, might be a better choice. 125s are generally considered to be "city bikes" and I think you might feel a bit uncomfortable on highways, where the 125 would be wrung right out trying to keep up with 60 MPH traffic. That is my biggest concern - having done a cross-Canada trip on a Honda 360 cc bike many years ago when I was much younger, I still clearly recall riding along at wide open throttle, with no reserve left, trying to keep up with the 70 MPH traffic. It was not a reassuring ride. Don't forget that you will be carrying some luggage, and chances are the total weight of all your luggage, riding gear, etc. will come in somewhere around 50 pounds. That extra 50 pounds will have a significant effect on the acceleration & sustainable cruising speed of a 125cc bike. There's not much weight or size difference between a 125 and a 250, so you don't need to worry about a 250 being more "difficult to handle". There's not much of a price difference either. What is important to you is that you ensure that the motorcycle is fully inspected and serviced before you set out. This means having tires on it that will take you through your full trip, getting any and all "little gremlins" fixed, and having the engine, drive train (chain) and suspension fully serviced before you go. This is not a big concern if you buy a new bike, but it is critical if you buy a used bike. Michael |
Go
Hi,
just do it. Use what is OK for you. Try it and change if/when needed. Enjoy Vaya Con Dios |
Go for it. Too much worrying can kill any plan. Practice driving your bike, never been to Ireland so I don't know the roads, but others here say they are good. Get a good(not great) rain suit, at least good enough to get you to shelter. I've ridden in rain with a suit and it really makes me happier.
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Safe travels :mchappy: |
Agreed on the slightly larger bike (250 is what is usually used by riding schools here in the US in their beginner classes), and also on the importance of comfort if riding in the rain.
You are doing basically what many of us do--a tentative, gradual self-introduction to riding. In my experience it's daunting at first--just heading down to the corner market seemed fretful and exhausting--but rapidly gets easier if you stick with it. I remember my first "long distance" ride, 90 miles into Seattle and back, and my first genuinely long distance ride, ~1500 miles into a corner of Alaska and back. Within a year of getting my license I was scooting around comfortably all over Europe for months at a time, and have continued accident-free for 100k+ miles on five continents in the years since. On that ride up to Alaska I discovered the key importance of preparation for rainy weather. It's surprisingly easy to get wet thru, then cold, then slightly hypothermic on a bike, a combination which is neither safe nor enjoyable. After that trip I invested in redundant rainwear, i.e., a "waterproof" layer of riding clothes plus a "waterproof" layer on top of that when it was actually raining. Don't forget to include boots, gloves, and neck/head protection when doubling up, and bring along a couple of visor-squeegees for clearing your vision while riding--the ones which fit over the thumb on a pair of gloves have been awkward but indispensable for me. Hope that's helpful. Mark |
Need advice on first road trip
Where are you based Sid? Suspect a coffee or beer with someone local with a few touring miles under their belt would be a good idea.
You’ll have no problems in Ireland - an easy start. As others have said, go a bit bigger (250-600), not a 125. You’ll outgrow it in no time otherwise and its not the right tourer for most people. Not sure of your budget or likes but i’d have a look at something like a Transalp or similar. If your not a camper i’d check out YHA or backpacker places. B&B is ok but if you are travelling alone might be a bit lonely - think of where other single travellers would go in a location. Probably a bit cheaper too. Agree on the right gear - doesn’t need to be expensive. An all in one waterproof suit (£40) deals with rain and cold/windchill, and get decent gloves and boots (if it ain’t goretex it ain’t waterproof in my experience). Use your phone as a sat nav - build your route in google maps and export it to maps.me so you can use without data. A good roll bag is a good start for luggage (got mine for £10 from Lidl and 20,000 touring miles later it is still dry and going strong). Don’t overpack - less is more! And enjoy - it’ll be a breeze. Setting off for the first time is the hardest bit. |
You *can* tour on anything. I know of one guy who's ridden a Grom from Sweden to SE Asia. And many people choose to travel on 250 trail bikes, because they're at home on or off road. But realistically going on a 125 for a road trip is going to be hard work, especially with luggage. You'll be caning it on every hill and out of your depth on major roads. A 250 would certainly make a better machine for the journey you're looking at, and I'd go further and say consider something maybe up to 400 for a more relaxed experience on the road.
Touring UK and Ireland is very straightforward if you're from one of those islands. The roads are all good (a few potholes don't count) and the rules of the road are pretty much identical. As a low key introduction to touring for a Brit I'd say it's ideal. Plan a route, work out where you'll be stopping and *definitely* plan for all weathers. The Wild Atlantic Way is certainly a good starting point, and covers most of the west coast of Ireland, but be sure to visit Dublin, Cork, Bunratty and Belfast :) https://www.wildatlanticwayonline.co...oute-map-1.png |
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TemporaryEscape makes a very good point - although a 125cc bike might look attractive to you now, if you are a full size adult, you will outgrow it very fast - most likely by the end of your Ireland tour. Like I said before, a 250 cc bike is probably the size you should be considering. If you find something with a larger engine that is still lightweight enough that you feel comfortable with it, you could consider it as well. Michael |
My first bike was a 650. The class I took (here in Washington State you can pay ~US$120 to take a weekend class which, if you pass the tests, includes an unlimited motorcycle endorsement) was conducted on 250s. The 650 single I bought new for about US$5000 was a lot for me to manage for the first 1000 miles or so, but quite comfortable by the time I hit 5000 miles several months later. That seems like a reasonable expectation.
In the process of getting used to the bike and to riding in general, I basically parked my car and went everywhere by motorbike--around the corner, to neighboring cities, out on dates. I offered rides to neighbors, took the long way home whenever I had the chance, and thought of excuses to ride up into the mountains or across the border to Canada. This helped compensate for the ease of licensing here in the US, which basically allows you to operate whatever bike you can find after only a couple of days of practice. What I neglected to practice during that phase was riding the bike carrying a lot of baggage, which turned out to be quite different from carrying a passenger. I had a few awkward moments before I figured the proper weight distribution on a freeway after dark during my first big trip. The other thing I should have done more of was riding around in bad weather--light rains on oily road surfaces, heavy rains, fog, side-winds, that sort of thing. If I'd paid more attention to this aspect early on, I'd have saved myself the aforementioned hypothermia on my way to Alaska. Hope that's helpful. Mark |
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Well I'm an enthusiast for smaller bikes and with your level of experience I'd suggest you'd get on better with the weight and size of a 125. The only time you'll feel you need more power is on a motorway and there won't be many of those on the Atlantic Way. With up to six weeks for the trip it's not as if you'll be doing huge daily mileages.
When I compare my 125 and 250, yes the 250 is substantially faster but it requires a lot more respect. In essence it's a small big bike, it has 'presence'. The 125 in contrast feels like you can take liberties on it and is fun to ride in a way you don't get with the bigger stuff (and I currently have just about every size up to 1800cc). In your situation the 125 is the one I'd be pulling out of the garage. If you've not been to the west coast of Ireland before there's a reason it's known as the wettest place outside of your bath tub - even in summer. Whatever you save on buying a smaller bike, spend on decent clothing. Don't worry whether you're "suitable for this kind of tour". If you want to do it, do it. Break the whole trip down into small managable steps in your head and tackle each of them separately. If you're going on your own the whole thing can seem daunting but it's meant to be fun so look at it positively. Camping can be enjoyable (and cheap) but it requires a whole new level of organisation, not only to buy the stuff but to load it onto the bike. For Ireland I'd stick with prebooking somewhere online each day. At least you'll be able to dry out :rofl: A flooded winter in the middle of France on my 125: https://i.postimg.cc/sgcmqfsB/Image.jpg |
Another vote for taking your 125, I have travelled quite a lot on one and as long as you avoid motorways it should not be a problem. From what I can remember Ireland was a place for slow travel but that was 30 years ago but I am sure there are still plenty of small roads where your bike can keep up.
Have a good trip. |
Get as many miles as you can under your belt before you come over to Ireland. Lots of the WWA are narrow twisty roads where it will not be uncommon to meet drivers partially or fully on your side of the road so the more experience you get the better. I would even suggest you INVEST in some further training, its the best form of insurance you can buy.
And I'd recommend travelling though Rosslare instead of Dublin, unless you really want to see Dublin. |
Holy Crow, could that little 125 even get out of its own way with all that baggage piled up on it?
As much as I respect your opinion and your experience with your own 125, I sincerely believe that Sid would be better off with a 250. It's possible to twist the throttle less aggressively on a 250 and it will behave exactly like a 125. It's not possible to twist the throttle on a 125 twice as hard and have it behave like a 250. :) I think the gross weight difference and physical size difference between the average 125 and average 250 is negligible. Michael Quote:
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Need advice on first road trip
Got to say the whole 125 thing bemuses me. We are all wired differently and I respect everyone’s choices.
Genuine question for the 125 advocates - did you find you just never needed more so have only ridden 125s all your lives, or have you come back to 125s having got bigger bikes out your system and see 125 as sort of niche hobby/nice way to swim against the tide? How many of you only have a 125? In terms of advice to the OP, let’s be honest, a 250 for most people is still a small modestly powered bike. Having test ridden the CRF250 Rally recently (OP - why not test ride one, lots of demonstrators around and a good option to explore) I can report that its attempts to rip my arms off with its overwhelming power was not such that i needed to resort to the physio [emoji6] |
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I have since travelled extensively in Pakistan, India and Nepal on a 150cc, some of the time with a passenger and would not want anything bigger there but have also made a couple of tours in North America on the BMW where the 125 would have been too slow. In conclusion I would say for me it depends on where you are headed and from my limited experience of the country a 125cc bike will be fine in Ireland as it would be in many parts of the world. |
I won’t give advice on bike size but I have been going over to Ireland, from the UK, on motorcycles since the mid 1980s.
The majority of roads on the Wild Atlantic Way (WAW) are small and the views/photo stops are aplenty - a decent road cyclist would be nearly as quick as a slow 1200gs rider :mchappy: In the early days I camped but it is wet so I don’t bother now. Having said that, camping has improved greatly over the last 10 years with lots of well run sites. The Irish are well used to wet tourists and deal with them extremely well - but take good wet weather gear. It’s a great place to tour alone as you’ll never be lonely. Just walk into any pub, restaurant or shop and people will talk to you. In the evening you’ll never be far from a pub with live music. In my experience June and September are the driest months. Last year I went in August and again in September - September was lovely, August sunshine and showers. If you like everything planned and booked before you go then that’s fine but even in August you won’t have to book - 2 places an exception, Killarney and Doolin - both worth going to - otherwise everyone knows everyone and someone will find you a bed, especially if you’re on your own. Even with 2 we never book. We paid €30-70 a night for 2 last August - once you know roughly where you’ll be that evening look on air b&b and booking.com or just walk into a pub and ask beer Food and drink are London prices in the tourist spots, a little cheaper elsewhere but the portions are big and the quality is generally excellent. Seafood chowder and a pint of Guinness overlooking the Atlantic :thumbup1: PS. Once you’re on it, the WAW is well signposted. |
Chill out folks. The point is made: Some of you can't cope with the idea of small bikes. So Ed March and Nathan Milward (to name but 2) had a miserable time travelling across the globe on their tiny underpowered Hondas?
Some people travel on bicycles, with no engine at all. Imagine?! |
Need advice on first road trip
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Think you are maybe missing the point. Suspect those of us advising ‘go a bit bigger’ have no issues with 125 bikes at all. I have cycle toured too and also ridden for a few days with a pal touring on a 125 in Uganda. I also rode a 50cc and then 100cc bike for 15 months at the start of my biking life as a learner. I get/respect the active ‘i prefer to travel more slowly’ thing. But the aim of this thread is the help a newbie to think about which bike to buy (as a student I am assuming it will be his only bike). From the advice to date i think we could conclude that a 125 would be just fine for the west of ireland minor roads as traffic speeds are very low, but not so appropriate for the road to Fishguard to get the ferry. If he is buying the bike for this trip only, happy days. If he is buying a first bike after passing his test that he wants to use more widely and this is just his first trip, something a bit bigger would give him more of an all rounder, with little downside. In the long distance trials i ride a trend has developed to ride Honda C90s. If looks a laugh and i respect people who travel their own path. But it is still not what i would recommend as a first trail bike. I am sure it is not their first trail bike either, or their only bike I suspect. Nathan Millward did his RTW with a 105cc bike. Good on him. No one is suggesting a 125cc would not work, just whether it is right as a first post-test do it all bike for the OP. As i understand it, Nathan currently rides a 401cc Royal Enfield. |
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These are also in the garage at the moment - https://i.postimg.cc/02tDmKQD/GoldWing.jpg https://i.postimg.cc/FszBd8bw/Africa0095c.jpg https://i.postimg.cc/9fGPmz6r/CCM-Hubb17.jpg https://i.postimg.cc/Wb9bSM0p/CBX.jpg Plus four or five others from 250 to 800cc that I can't find pictures of. |
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I have been touring on a Honda CB125. It is possible but on longer trips with the bike loaded with luggage you don't have any extra horsepower left.
I know that you don't plan to ride motorways but if you do ride on a motorway someday, it feels very unsafe because you can not keep up with the other traffic. A 250 cc bike is very easy to ride too, and it rides much safer on motorways. In my opinion, it will be easier to ride a 250 cc bike loaded with luggage then riding a 125 cc bike with the same load. |
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No, it's not that at all. What we have here is a person new to motorcycles, and new to motorcycle touring, asking for opinions about both his choice of motorcycle to purchase and the viability of doing a tour around Ireland. Certainly, the tour could be accomplished on a 125cc bike, same as it could be accomplished on a bicycle or on a Gold Wing. Those of us who are advocating that the original poster consider getting a 250cc bike are not making that recommendation based solely on his plans for this particular Ireland trip. In my case, I'm concerned that this new motorcycle rider might find that after doing the trip, he will find that he has "outgrown" the 125, and wants something with a little bit more get up and go. If that comes to pass, then it's going to cost him a whole whack of money and time and trouble to sell the 125 he just bought and get a larger bike. Hence, I think it would be in his all-around best interest to purchase a 250 cc bike as his first bike. Another concern I have is that the 125 cc class of bikes are primarily city bikes. I've been riding Honda PanEuropeans for 20 years, and I would feel competent (though perhaps not happy) to ride a 125 cc bike around Ireland - but I'm not so sure that a new rider on his very first bike would be well-served by using such a small bike for a long tour. Michael |
No, some of you are making the same point over and over again, which is not only boring, but suggests a certain "singlemindedness". Make the point and move on.
I'm in a foul mood, which is the only reason I've even bothered to comment further. I'm not suggesting the OP might want a bigger bike, or not. Merely that it can be done on a 125 so don't sweat it. Buy a 125. Don't like it, buy a 250. Don't like it, buy a Pan European. PS Mr Milward has numerous bikes, as has been pointed out, but he had a blast on his little Postie which was my point. Very rarely do I have a Tremens moment on this forum, but Jeeze... |
Make it in steps
My advice is following (Take it if you want to. Leave the rest)
Do not make a huge trip the first thing you do. 1. Start with riding the bike without luggage until you feel it natural 2. Put on luggage. Ride and learn the difference. 3. Make a weekend trip. 2 Knights. Sleep in the same place. On day riding to that place. Next day. Leave all the luggage in the room. Drive around. Day 3: Load up and drive home again. 4. Make a one week trip. So you get some use of "living on the road". Learn what to bring and not. And about luggage, food and accommodation. Good riding gear is a must. Rest can be compensated with a credit card with good balance. Sleeping in hotels. Eating and drinking in the hotel's restaurant. Does not require luggage. And you where not camper. And if you are travelling i Ireland, you can buy things that you realize that you need but did not bring. = Many of us started with bad riding gear, cheap tent, cheap sleeping bag and thin foam as madras. Using a Trangia to prepare food. But when we get old and the bodies are not so strong any more, several of us has gone to Airbnb and restaurants = |
When I was 13-14 I used to cycle all over the UK using Youth Hostels and had a dream of cycling solo to the alps in the school holidays. I mentioned it to a few people and nobody said, "Well why not do it," so I didn't. I've always regretted it.
You'll do just fine in Ireland with a 125cc. Google for 'Independent Hostels' to find less expensive type accommodation. Please let us know how you get on. I've been to many exotic places but never Ireland!! |
I wonder what happened to Sid, the original poster. Do you think we scared him away? :(
Michael |
Probably decided to take a 4x4 instead because of the possibility of rain - the next post will be should it be a Land Cruiser of a Land Rover ;-)
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Neither - clearly a Range Rover is called for - the 'Autobiography' edition should be sufficient.
But, if it's his first SUV, he might want to consider getting a Cullinan right off the bat, to reduce the risk that he might find the Range Rover wanting once the ashtray gets full and the gas tank gets empty. Michael |
Thanks all, I'm still here :)
Just been absorbing all the information you've been giving me. From the general consensus, I'm thinking my logistical plans are reasonably sane. As for the bike, I'll have a think about it over the next few weeks and decide on a 125cc or a 500 (there's a Honda cb500f available nearby that I can have a look at to see if I'd be comfortable with); I have ridden on a restricted cb600F (for my test), so I maybe I'll feel OK with a 500 :confused:? especially if I put in some mileage on it before the big trip. As for the trip itself, I'll definitely post again after I've come back, letting you all know how it went! Thanks again, Sid |
Hi Sid:
Welcome back, great to hear from you! Your trip plans are certainly very reasonable and very sane - nothing to worry about in that respect. As for motorcycle size - we don't know your age, your driving record, what kind of insurance market you live in, so before you go and buy any motorcycle, speak to your insurance agent to find out what it will cost you to insure the bike. Insurance premiums will vary based on many factors, and about the only ones you can control are the purchase price of the motorcycle and the size of motorcycle you buy. So ask your agent what the insurance price difference is between (for example) a 125 cc, 250 cc, and 500cc, and also ask what the insurance price difference is between a bike that you buy for £500 vs a bike you buy for £2,500. If you are considering a 500 cc bike, be sure you are comfortable with the "deadweight" of the motorcycle. 125 and 250 cc bikes are pretty light, anyone can pick them up if they fall over, and anyone can maneuver them around with the engine off. If you are an "average size" adult, you probably won't have a problem pushing a 500 cc bike around, but before you buy it, compare it to pushing a 125 or 250 around and make sure you are happy with the result. Once the motorcycle is moving under engine power, it doesn't really matter what the deadweight is, they pretty much all handle the same. Michael |
In light of recent events, might be a bit wiser to table the plans for a little while haha
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With half of Ireland over here for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, I doubt a lone traveller is going to make much difference to the statistics either way ;-)
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Explore your home country, there's sure to be plenty of good places and epic rides, even if they don't come with the same bragging rights :) |
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