RTW on a Honda C90???
 

I have been thinking of doing a RTW, or at least a “blooming long way” trip, for several years. Now I am being made redundant I have finally decided to do it! I have been riding big bikes for 13 years now and have had everything from a Honda 350 to a ZX10, Currently I have a GPZ500, and I have never done less than 15000 miles per annum for the past ten years. Having mentioned my trip idea to the cronies down the pub the conversation turned to the choice of machine and one joker quipped about doing it on a C90! I had a C90 ten years ago and it was a super little machine and so despite massive P*$s taking I have concluded that it my be viable to do this on a C90.

I though I would throw myself to the lions and put a post on. I have detailed what I consider to be the pros and cons, what do you lot think???

PROS

Fuel Economy 120+ MPG enough said!

General Economy Tax and insurance dirt cheap, Spares very very cheap.

Familiarity Honda sold 21 million of these babies so they are a common sight worldwide even loaded up, viewed with less suspicion by locals, officials and nasty people.

Low seat height I am a bit of a dwarf!

Repairs Simple engine and cycle parts should ensure that if mechanical work is needed then any mechanic could tackle the job with spares available locally (or certainly within that country) C90 still produced under licence in 11 countries and has sold more units than any other internal combustion engine vehicle in history! I would wager that most mechanics have worked on one in the past (cannot say that about a KTM!)

Efficiency of combustion Honda designed the C90 to run on the lowest fuel grades as it was primarily designed for non first world economies. Low or no maintenance design spec as standard (fully enclosed chain etc)

Lightweight can be picked up and lifted easily.

Reliability Absolute bullet proof motor capable of withstanding massive mileages and abuse.

CONS

Slow 55 MPH is about top speed.

Not very cool looking (but less appealing to thieves)

Luggage capacity by this I mean sheer space not the machines capability to cope with being under load (you ever taken your granny, 2 kids, a pig and half a dozen chickens to market on a BMW?)

Misc Weedy lights, indicators & horn.

Fuel range only 90 miles between “fill-ups”

Pulling Power It is not going to get the local lasses all excited (unless I have brought them a chicken!)

Motorways Not able to go on motorways (but who wants to anyway)

What do you think??
:scooter:

go for it. You've been riding enough to have no illusions. You know it will be slow. 55mph might be rather optomistic uphill into the wind fully loaded....
Reliability, ease of maintainence and cheapness, it can't be beaten IMHO

You'll have to travel light. you should be able to mod the fuel tank to be a bit bigger. at least only 1 extra gallon will give you 100 miles.

And for the cost of 1 touratech'd gs, you should be able to buy about 15 of them (in mint condition!). thats before you hit running costs.

Personally... too slow for me.

(all this from someone who's not actually gone yet! (4 weeks and counting every day) BUT i have been riding and working on bikes for teh past 15 years!)

I once did the elephant rally in Germany on a c50. 30mph was a good top speed and some of the longer uphill mountain bits were 10 - 15 mph. ok the c90 is a fair bit faster (!) but it was way too slow for me.

Found it a bit fragile as well when loaded up - spokes broke, suspension couldn't cope (it weaved badly flat out downhill) and brakes were not up to some hilly bits.
I just borrowed it from my mum, loaded it up and went. If you put in some preparation time the 90 might be a lot better - but for me something like a CG125 would be a better bet.

Hi,
People cycle round the world on push bikes so it's got to be possible.
Getting spares, like you say, would be easy and not something to be underestimated. When my original chain got irreperably damaged I couldn't get a chain suitable for a bike bigger than about 125cc while in Eastern Turkey recently. My Xt600 snapped the damn thing after about 400km causing me a 13km push to the nearest village, of a fully loaded bike in blistering heat with virtually no water! Not fun!
I guess if you have lots of time on your hands it might be doable. However, if you really fancy doing it on a wee bike, personally I'd go with one of the slightly larger agri-bikes or 125 town commuters by Yamaha or Honda that you see everywhere. The extra little bit of oomph might be useful!
matt

Apropos of not much this brings back pleasant memories of my very first true motorcycle voyage during the summer of 1964 which happened to involve a Honda 90. This was the "touring model" which did resemble a genuine motorcycle and my route took me up into the Laurentian mountains of Quebec. I recall a great feeling of freedom and adventure and that sense of possibility that comes with hitting the road, something I've been striving to recapture for over 40 years. The mere mention of the number 90 gets the juices flowing.

I also recall that the seat was hard as a rock. Hopefully, they've improved since then.

RTW has been done before on a C90, so you certainly could do it too.

Personally I would be worried about it being too slow. With a max cruising speed of 85 KPH, you're not going to be able to use motorways - and while you may want to avoid motorways, in some places you'll have no choice.

I like small bikes - but a 90 is a little too small for me!

Thanks for he posts guys I appreciate the time you have taken. I am a great believer in collective wisdom and all comments are very welcome, I believe that this trip is very do-able, I note the comments about the fragility of the wheels, this has also crossed my mind and I think that the first modification would be to get the wheels rebuilt using beefier spokes, not sure how to go about upgrading the suspension though as they are those funny leading link forks (if anyone knows a firm, or some general hints, that can help with this issue please let me know) maybe just getting a new pair of forks would be the best option as they are pretty cheap. Anyone who has toured on small machines and has experience of what modifications would be worthwhile doing I would appreciate their comments.

A CG125 would certainly have more oomph but one of the driving forces behind the choice of a C90 is spares availability and the fact that this machine is so easy to work on and reliable. I have no idea if the CG was a global seller or just a European market machine anyone know?

I think the general consensus is that the C90 is a little bit too slow for the job, this is true, however all choices of machine come down to a compromise somewhere down the line, it is a pretty big compromise I must admit but do the pros outweigh the cons?

Motorways are a necessary evil in this day and age however I think with careful preparation they can be avoided entirely, I am not working to any timescale and can take as long as I like (money permitting of course)

Once again thanks for the posts, some food for thought…more comments appreciated please.

Cheers
:scooter:

I suppose it depends where you are going but on a recent trip through Eastern Europe, Turkey and Iran the most common bikes by miles, that I saw, were 125cc Yamaha commuter bikes with cast wheels. In Iran, these were replaced by 125 Hondas. I'm sorry, I don't know the model names.
In India, apart from the ubiquitous Bullets, Hero/Honda 125s did again seem to be the most common mount. I don't think parts availability would ever be a problem!
I actually have a long term plan to go out to Iran again some time (flying this time!) and hire one of these little 125s to ride around the country at the locals pace. I reckon it would be great fun!
Check out this dude!-
http://flickr.com/photos/11005896@N00/153060116/

Matt

What about a CT110
 

Password

The other alternative is the Honda CT110...a farm bike in some countries, a postie bike here in Oz (the Post Office uses them for urban mail deliveries, and I use a 2nd hand one for morning newspaper deliveries).

I have heard stories of people doing around Oz and Oz to Europe on them (although I don;t have any names or dates). In Oz there is an annual charity bike ride where they do approx 3000 km in 10 days through the outback (e.g. Brisbane to Adelaide via back tracks) on them. Do a google search on "postie bike challenge" for the web site. The site includes details of the minor modifications they do before the ride.

Spare parts would be relatively easy to come by as they are the standard Honda 110 engine. Top speed would be more than adequate for Third World traffic and roads, albeit a bit slow on main developed countries roads and too slow for freeways. They are almost bullet-proof (you should see some of the loads I put on the bike, in addition to my own 110 kg).

Whatever you choose, remember to keep the rubber-side down.

John

Honda 90 RTW
 

Just to let you know, here in outer montana USA you can find honda 90 parts and service. We have the CT90 CT110 version and even tho they haven't been sold new since 1986 there are still a lot of them around. I could send you a set of telescopic forks and wheels off a CT90 free but I'm afraid the postage would be a bit much. Keep oil in them and they run and run and run.

You meet the nicest people on a Honda
 

Last year me and a mate rode from Anchorage, Alaska to Ushuaia on Honda 90´s (www.honda50.cc). It was excellent!

Check the webpage for pictures and. There are some pictures of the preparation of our bikes too.

The only thing I can say about the C90 is: buy a good one, don´t mess around with it, eg. add extra stuff that is not original like lights, horns etc., change the oil regularly, adjust the valves every now and again and they will go anywhere. Honda didn´t call them the 'go anywhere bike' for nothing when they came out ;)

Don´t worry about the strenght of the spokes, the brightness of the headlight, the maximum speed. Those are all things that people on 'real' bikes have to worry about. Just don´t take too much crap and the bike will be fine. Our C90´s didn´t have any major breakdowns during the 8 month 22.000 mile trip, why would yours?

The fact that you are considering the C90 makes me think that you are a down to earth guy, with a down to earth itinerary. Of course a C90 will not off road like a DR350, but it works fine on gravel and sand. Of course you can´t do 1000 miles a day on a C90, but seeing things along the way is the whole point of taking the trip anyway isn´t it? Plus you will not stick out like a sore toe when you ride into town on your beat up C90 in a faraway place where the biggest bike around is an ancient XL 250, as you would on your fully Touratech-d GS with flashy alu paniers and GPS.

Send me a PM if you want to know more about my C90, the setup of the bike (mine carries 3 gallons of fuel, giving it a range of more then 350 miles) and long distance travelling with a C90 in general.

Cheers,
Dirk

A couple of parts prices, just for fun:

- Chain and sprocket set US 10,- (Argentina, not original HONDA)
- Chain and sprocket set US 40,- (USA, original HONDA, lasted 18.000 miles!)
- Brake shoes set US 3,80 (Ecuador, from a XL 185 fit perfectly)
- Knobly rear tire US 10,- (Vancouver, Canada)
- Front wheel bearings set US 5,- (Ecuador)
- Rear wheel rim and spokes US 30,- + 6 pack of beer (Costa Rica, after pothole in rain)

Oh yeah and I forgot about the shipping! Shipped mine to the Netherlands from Buenos Aires for US 300,- all in. Could have been cheaper if I had bothered to take it apart (takes 3 hours) and shipped it as parts!

That's a nice post. I can't see your site though?

http://www.honda50.cc

Hope this helps. (address supplied needed bracket removing).

Thanks for the new posts to this thread, Had a look at the CT110 and to my eye it’s practically the same as the C90 (a bit beefier) and it looks up to the job however they are not a common sight in the UK (if they were I might be tempted) thanks Bill for the offer of the forks, what a nice chap you are, maybe I can pick them up in person when doing the states! I agree that the costs for postage would be expensive. Getting a set of Ebay may be an option, but still very kind of you.

Great post and super website Dirk, What a trip! I would be very interested to get a bit more detail about the prep work done to the bikes and what you consider to be the most important aspects of touring in this manner. I would be especially interested in the expansion of the fuel tank to give increased range, unfortunately I cannot sent a private message as I do not have the required amount of posts (only been using this site for a couple of days!) when I do I will message you.

Keep the comments coming.:cool4:

when are u planning on taking off? sounds like i'm doing the same sort of trip as u. but i have decided on the postie bike (CT 110). started off as a joke one day with my mum and now i'm going through with it. i'm leaving OZ in jan 07 riding to london (IOM for the TT races end of may) through southeast asia, india, eastern europe etc. then if that goes well, who knows. its Me vs The World! probably head down through africa. would love some company if ur up 4 it!

C90 prep
 

The most important aspect of long distance travelling on a C90 is definetly: take it easy! Enjoy the ride and don´t worry about going slow. You´ll find it a very refreshing experience to really become part of your surroundings, not just ride through them.

We went all out on the prep of our bikes: imported like new 1992 C50´s from Japan (the 'in between' model), imported brand spanking new engines from Thailand (Honda Wave 97cc), sandblasted and powdercoated all metal parts, imported and licensed the bikes in the Netherlands, fitted loud ass exhausts and hey presto! I admit, this was kind of over the top preparation as you couldn´t beat a C90 to death with a stick anyway, but it was a great bike-rider bonding experience.

The most important thing to look for is a bike with a solid frame. Especially the rear part rots faster than you can say 'Sake', so get a solid one. Finding an ´old style´ 90 (or 50 or 70, they are almost all the same) with a solid frame can be a challenge. If looks are not important to you, you could go for a second generation Cub from the late `80s, early ´90s, the so called 'square headlight model'. Quite a few good ones around. You could also go for a new bike and buy a Honda Biz. Check out www.cub90.co.uk for an excellent BB and more info on new bikes.

Some pointers when looking for a Cub:
12 volt is better than 6 volt. Electronic ignition is better than points. A C90 with electronic ignition is virtually indestructible. NEVER buy the C90 with the big engine with the points on the cilinder head. This was the only C90 of which the engine is not compatible with any other Cub model. The sump is different, so it only fits a specific type of C90 and is NOT interchangeable with all the other types. I believe the CT uses engine with the points on the head, making it a lot less easy to find and interchange parts for this engine than for a regular C90. I am not 100% sure about this however, so I will check this for you. Oh yeah, the single seat that our Japanese bikes came with is awesome, very comfortable for me and I am 1,95 m.

About the fuel: check the pictures on the website and you will see two white plastic Acerbis 5 liter fuel tanks mounted on either side of the rear of the bikes. We used a motorboat primer and, a fuel filter and two 75cm ends of fuel line to pump fuel from the Acerbis tanks into the main tank underneath the seat. Takes about 2 minutes to fill the tank that way and provides a welcome break after hours of happy scootering (120 mpg, 1 gallon of fuel, 50 mph...you do the math!).

You can mail me on dirk -insert@here- honda50.cc for more info.

We did use stronger rear shocks and the front suspension (swing arm) sucks. But no matter what you do to it it doesn´t break, so it is just a matter of getting used to I guess. I have seen Cubs with Innova front forks with disc brakes (the Honda Biz setup), but it just seems like less fun to me. Takes away a lot of the charm of the bike.

Cuppa500: thnx for the free plug of the site.

Jade: Got a website? Would love to follow your trip.

Cheers,
Dirk

Once again guys thanks for the posts, Cheers Dirk, all very useful advice. I think the square headlamp model is the one to go for, it’s not as pretty but looks are not important, I will take reliable and ugly any day (my ex-girlfriend would say something like that!)

Defiantly need to extend the fuel capacity, I will check out the Acerbis site to see what options are available.. I notice that neither of you used a screen why was this, do they effect front end stability. You also mentioned that you shipped your bike for 300 USD can I have the name or details of the firm that provided this service.

Thanks Jade for your post, that’s some trip, shame we are starting out from opposite sides of the planet!, you will love the TT though , I will send you a PM if that’s OK and we can chat, it may be possible to meet up, who knows, my plans are still very sketchy at the moment.

Thanks again to the people who have contributed to this thread. The more the merrier!

:scooter:

Greg

C90zz
 

Greg,

The C90 with the 'regular' engine is called the C90zz. Parts of the zz are interchangeable with ANY other Cub, 50, 70 or 90 (including the square headlight one). And with a whole bunch of Wave´s, Dreams and generic brand C90 ripoffs.

We mounted the Acerbis tanks on a stainles steel frame. This worked wel, but was a bit heavy. For my next trip I will use the same setup, but with a lighter frame. Maybe aluminium.

One last tip, but please don´t spread the word on this one, I am trying to keep this one for myself ;) : the Yamaha Townmate T80. Basically a C90 with shaft drive! Talk about indestructible!

Happy trails,
Dirk

sorry didn't PM (havn't got my numbers up yet), give me 5mins. u could always fly over here to OZ! LOL if with be nice and warm!!! Summer!!!! they do cheap 99 pound one way flights from heathrow around xmas time (standby).

sorry dirk, don't have a website yet. gotta work out how to make one. just learnt how to put some pics on the net.

me and some mates on a overnite ride last saturday. 10pm till 9am! had an absolute ball. 150+ bikes. we got lost sooo many times. but found some awesome roads in the process. oh, it was in victoria, Australia, organised by the BMW club, an annual event called the icicle ride. i have a yamaha R6 '03 at the mo which i absolutely love(only for another 2 weeks, as it almost sold). then i can buy my postie

Jade

Please keep us posted on your preparations and trip. I have heard OF people doing the trip by postie bike but not FROM someone doing the trip. It appeals to my warped sense of humour.

John

Or fly to Mexico and buy one new!
 

You may be interested to learn that the C90 Cub is still sold NEW in Mexico...
http://www.honda.com.mx/honda2006/
Look at the section on "Motonetas Urbanas"
The price for a new one is about 20,000 MX$, or about $2000 US.

You can buy one of the more 'modern' C100 Waves for only 15,000 MX$; they're cheaper because they're made in China, where the labour costs are lower.

I know that Honda stopped making the Trailbike CT70, CT90, etc. a few years ago, but it lives on in very cheap, Chinese replica form. I have seen one company's DAX 125cc even offered. I wouldn't consider going RTW on the C90 or the CT90 Trailbike, however, but might ride RTTown...

Not so.
 

They are still making the CT110. In NZ it is still a big seller, in two versions, the Postie version with 4 speeds, and the Farm version with the 4x2 gearbox. Still would be in my line-up, along with the more modern farm bikes like the Suzuki DF200 Trojan, and CT200 Honda, or Kawasaki KLX 250 Stockman, for a nobel RTW bike

Regards

Nigel in NZ

Nigel, do you have links to the "modern" CT's?

Try this link
 

http://www.honda-motorcycles.co.nz/b...elID=126&type=

price new is NZ$4295, and secondhand price about half that for a 3-4 yr old model.

And the Honda 200cc Farm bike is:
http://www.honda-motorcycles.co.nz/b...delID=99&type=
Regards

Nigel in NZ

I remember there was a discussion about the 200 not too long ago. The CT is like the old mopeds from the 70's and 80's in the US. I was thinking about the mini-trail bikes. As a kid, I lusted after them, and owned one briefly in my teens. I think Honda stopped manufacturing them in 2000, and many Chinese companies produce replicas now, some with great quality.

http://www.atv-dirtbike.com/eec/dax50(110).html

My wife and I just got back from our African classic scooter adventure, you can read the blog here : http://www.gjolberg.com/capetown2nairobyblog.htm

First of all I see no problems riding on a 90 if you've got some kinky fetish for the bike. In my opinion you go with the bike you love and stick with her even if she is far from perfect.

If a BMW Dakar is the equivalent of a luxury hooker, then your Honda 90 is the equivalent of a high maintnance wife. If you choose to take the first one along on a vacation she will sure as hell show you a really good time, but you will never truely become a part of her life as she will never truely be yours. The second one you will have to love and cheerish or she will leave you stranded by the side of the road. Give her enough TLC and put up with all her flaws and ill temper, and she will not only take you to the moon and back, but you will get to be appart of her life. She will be yours as you have earned her, and you will cherish your moments with her far more than with the first option, promise! Choose your bike out of love! (Too bad we fall in love with trolls like Vespas and Honda 90's instead of bimmers and KTMs).

Financially the difference riding your Honda over a larger bike will only be negligble, even if you don't take into consideration the costs of traveling slower. If you want a bike with better performance, then put in some overtime a couple of weeks and buy it. There is no financial sound argument that favours the Honda...

As for a top speed of 55 mph, forget it. Fully loaded, some head wind, and some hills, can slow you down big time, especially if you want to preserve the engine by not pushing it to the limit... A top speed of 40-45 mph under average riding conditions is more like it (maybe even slower). The real killer in terms of making good time is your range, especially if you need to refill from jerry cans. Even if you hustle at fuel stops etc., don't expect an average of more than 25-35 mph in a days worth of riding, honest... So don't think you've got anything to gain by tuning your bike as your increased speed will be consumed by time wasted in refuling.

Sometimes it is nice to go slow through the scenery, but some times you can get a bit blasé. And, believe it or not, there will be lots of times where you will want to pass even slower trucks, etc. Personally I enjoyed the 75km/h cruising speeds of my Vespa (about 65 kmh im head wind, and even slower if combined with uphill). But there were times I wished for more power.

As for parts availability. Do you ever brake down next to a dealer? In todays day and age, with world wide courier coverage and web shops, you can get parts sendt anywhere if you have the time to wait for them (you might have to hitch a ride to the closest city to pick them up though). If you travel fast like me, with no time to waste, then you need to anticipate all probable bike problems and bring the tools, spares and knowledge to deal with them (I brought a total of 20 kg in spares/tools). In this case local availability doesn't matter. Whatever you do, try to source a great parts dealer or enthusiast willing to source and ship any part you need. Another option is to leave parts with a friend back home and have him send the part you will need... I brought spare shocks for instance, real bulky and heavy. Although they only have a small probability of braking, it does happen. Storing something like this at home and risk it not braking, could be a wise idea.

As for theft, your honda is still great for joy riding and is also easier to throw onto the back of a flat bed than a big touring bike for instance. I wouldn't choose a 90 in fear of theft.

As for trouble with officials etc, they harass pretty much everyone, rich or poor. But you may get friendly positive attention for your choice of vehicle, especially when you tell them how far you've gone and how far you are going. We got lots and lots of positive feedback I'm sure I never would have gotten from riding a bigger bike. So in this sence, it might help. But don't think you won't have to pay up because people don't think you have lots of money. You've got enough money for your own ride, no matter the type, you can pay what they are asking... as easy as that.

As I said, you will get lots of positive attention, but it is no chick magnet! One benefit I get from riding a Vespa is that there are clubs all over the world with people taking care of any need you might have. Vespa fans help eachother out, and as these must have been sold ten times over your honda 90, and virtually unchanged for 60 years (new parts fit old bikes and vice versa), parts and knowledge is readily available in all but a few places (like most of Africa). I have no idea if there is such a clan for your honda, but I would certainly check it out. It is not only great in time of technical need, but also for socialising. Come here with a Vespa and I will let you crash here for free few days...

Good luck

Interesting
 

Wheelie,

A very thought-provoking post. I like it.

But you dont actually say if you've tried the Honda 90. So is this simply speculation or are your views based on fact/experience?

Good roads
Denis

Never tried that Honda, purely speculation. But I think that most of us would'nt conscider it a very "practical" choice for RTW in any sence of the term what so ever... well maybe for shipping.

Postie Bike Challenge
 

This is what mad Aussie's get up to. http://www.postiebikechallenge.org/ Here the standard fare for postal delivery is the Honda CT110. When the national postal service is finished with them, they are auctioned off and this is one of the uses we have found for them. Lots of good info here as to setup and how to make them last longer for extended travel, in excess of 3000km in one trip over dirt roads etc. I seem to remember that gearing is changed and a max. speed limit recommended. I must join them one year, it looks like a lot of fun and it supports charities!
With a wide arse seat like that you can't go wrong.

Just do it

Glen

Hi Guys, this thread is still getting posts and I appreciate everyone’s opinion. Having been sent some good information and links to various peoples sites who have undertaken long distance scooter trips it is certainly achievable.

Thanks for the post Wheelie, I checked out your Africa trip which looked excellent. I would like to comment on a point in your post. I appreciate your argument that slowness of travel counteracts any benefit from good MPG figures however I have as much time in the world (no kids, wife, mortgage, debts, and soon no job!) and plan on doing as much "Free" camping as possible to keep costs down , hopefully I will then reap the benefit of the High MPG figure.

I am currently looking for a trusty steed having decided to get either a Honda C90 cub or Yamaha Townmate (basically a C90 with a shaft drive) If postie bikes were available in the UK I would seriously consider one of these as well but you just cannot get hold of them (come on Honda, import a few!), if anyone can help me out with a machine then please get in touch I live in the UK on the east coast (Lincolnshire)

Cheers

Password

Scootering RTW
 

Sorry Wheelie, but your wrong: the C90 will be like the wife everybody is looking for: low maintenance, reliable and up for it every time, all the time ;)

The C90 is the most sold motorbike in the world. Spares ARE everywhere. Oh and it is a 4 stroke, so it drinks everything, even if it is from a barrel or a jerrycan in the back of some dudes hut.

Password, if you go for the C90 get a good chaincase. The best 18 quid you can spend on your bike, your chain and sprockets will last for ever!

Realistic cruising speed fully loaded is 45 mph (97cc Wave engine, will be lower on the 87cc C90), top speed in the 50 - 55 mph range, but you have all the time in the world, so don´t worry about that. At these speeds there is a lot of time to think, you´ll come back a changed man, guaranteed!

Good luck and happy scootering!

right on man!!!!
 

I'm with you there Dirk. You only have to change the way you think a little. Sure, there is the impulse to get from here <---- all the way over to there ------> but is between there are often a hundred things worth seeing and experiencing. Stopping and experiencing is sooo much easier at 75km/h than 100 km/h. The effort and concentration levels needed at slower speeds drops off exponetially (sp!). It depends a lot on what's important, the experience or the distance to boast about. Given time, you can have your cake and eat it too.

Regards

Nigel in NZ

Its not a question of whether it can be done, nor wether the trip will be an enjoyable one. The question is wether a cub90 will give you the most bang for the buck. And for however much a cub costs in purchase, mileage and maintenance, you could likely get a more "practical" bike with greater performance and reliability without having to fork up much more dough, even if you might have to settle for an older more shabby bike.

Any bike which is put under long and enduring strain for which it was not designed, will suffer in terms of wear and tare, reliability, fuel consumption, etc. ultimately translating into increased hassles and increased costs. It might be nice that it is slow, but with a cheap beat up 350cc, atleast you have a choice. And, the extra attention might also be great, but after a while it becomes mostly a nuisance answering questions such as "does it run on diesel", for the millionth time (no kidding).

There is only one way the c90 can give you more bang for the buck, and that is if you have some particular love for the whole aspect of doing an rtw on that particular type of bike, so much in fact that it puts all the nuisances of riding it in the shadows.

I'm a scooterfanatic and wouldn't reccomend anyone adventuring on one if one doesn't have a huge fascination for them... and have some idea of what it entails touring on one. Even for a fanatic like me, getting a ways into my own adventure, the scooter itself and all the reasons I chose it in the first place, became less and less important every day, until I in the very end had become utterly blasé about the bike alltogether, caring only for the journey. The novelty of riding a scooter wares off after a while, allowing the under-performing aspects of the bike to slowly creep up on you, annoying you more and more every day. For instance, after a while, the previously satisfactions of overcoming slightly difficult terrain becomes only a repetetive and antagonising feat, with the wish to only be able to move along comfortably, or to be able to take on much harder challenges, to places further off the beaten track. Also, in places where the terrain is endless and monotonous, terrain deserted of people, and terrain you have seen the equivalent of a million times before, you would greatly appreciate the extra 30 km/h against the slowing head wind.

Ask yourself what this trip is about and how the relative importance of it being a c90 (or other sewing machine), and hopefully you are still left with the same answer... I surely would cheer you on.

So, will I take the scooter on my next trip? Probably!:biggrin:

http://www.gjolberg.com/mekkeblogg_album/toughroad2.jpg

My scooter in action.

There is a local (To me) guy doing a RTW charity ride on C90. His bike is being strengthened/upgraded by a pupils in a school engineering dept in Keighley, West Yorkshire. If I recall correctly the bike was bought for a pittance, £50 or something, the local rag had a list of the upgrades, I'll try and dig out a link for you.:smartass:

I have got admit that a C90 RTW really fires my imagination as oppose to a "sensible" RTW!

I have to say, a guy doing this sort of stuff on a Vespa picking on a C90 makes me laugh (in a good way, I hope).

I'm on a 40 year old Italian 250cc bike with a top speed of 60mph. Less when it's loaded. I enjoy going slow. I envy the people on bicycles, but I'm far too lazy to try this on a push bike.

--Dave

I still need a way to figure out how to get from Melbourne to Italy in 6 weeks. Perth to India? I won't be leaving until April.

Pannier problems on m´scooter
 

Wheelie, great website. I think I´ll nick part of the route you took for my next trip ;)

Just a quick question about the way you have attached your box (pannier) to the rack on your Vespa. I put mine on top of a metal support plate with four bolts. Put innertube in between to reduce vibration, but that didn´t help much. Did you have any problems with the bottom of your box ripping out over time?

Cheers,
Dirk

I made the rack/frame a tight fit, securily hugging the case tightly in place, also making it easy to take on/off. The weight of the case was supported by its edges only, with the rest of the bottom suspended in air. Even though it was loaded with some 35kg, I didn't experience the bottom tearing.

I don't want to take this thread off topic, so if you want more info, just e-mail or PM me and I will give you what I have. In two weeks time though I'll have the scooters here with me... if you will need detailed photos, measurements, etc.

RTW on a C90
 

Feasable definately.


Your post bought back many a happy memory of un-hurredly puttering round East Anglian country roads in the summer on my first ever bike...the indestructable Cub90. Oh the grin on my face at the filling station... when having to part with little over a pound a tank (late '80's I think). I literrally grimace when I fill up the Volvo Estate these days!

In the intervening years I toured a fair bit of the world under my own steam on a bicycle, round Oz, Uk to Hong Kong but always wondered what viable motorised alternative I could use apart from my own legs... Somthing that would offer economy, low speed as so to safely enjoy the quiet back roads whilst still covering a couple of hundred miles a day... and I always come back to that first bike, the C90 Cub.

Varients on the Cub I noted in many countries, as well as the CG125 a worthy alternative- several in Turkey Iran Pakistan.. which means alot fewer spare parts to carry.

On my second trip to Oz I toured big bike style on a heavy cumbersome CX500(eek!) covered about 5000Km's but some how the speed led me to use faster roads and the trip just became a drive Thru experience... Not my cup of tea.

If you've the time and it sounds like you have definately give it a go, trust me as a cyclist those quiet back roads do exist, you certainly don't want to be going flat out 50 all the way... what you don't spend on petrol spend on detailed maps. Getting in and out of cities might be the only hair raising experience, I try and avoid them if possible.

Several times i've hired the Honda Wave (very similar to the Innova) in back country Thailand often covering several hundred KM's a day without fuss and on one occasion taking it up Thailands highest road at over 2500metres..

So when my legs eventually give out I might be doing the same thing!

Good Luck

Steve

"some how the speed led me to use faster roads and the trip just became a drive Thru experience"

That's a good quote for some of us. I know others like to just blow through things, but I like going slow. If I wasn't so lazy I'd do this on a bicycle.

--Dave

Hi Mate
I met to Brazilan guys travelling around South America on on fully loaded up C90`s. This was all they could aford, so they loaded up and off they went.There trip was for 5 months. Next year they hope to go to Alaska. They were riding there dream.
Go for it. Skip

Better late than never, here's a link below, not much info but some nice pics of the C90, the guy has just completed the trip, 9000 miles, proving the C90 is well up to the task!

http://www.londontomongolia.co.uk/

c90 trips
 

Hi, I live up the road in Skipton and have been trying to find info on these guys....

i tend to do c90 winter continental rally trips, They bikes are by far the best two wheeled transport in cold/snowy conditions.

Next trip, Jan 2007,
Across Norway and sweden, then into Finland to the Talvi rallly

See you at the Northern meet???

just had a look at the mongol rally!!! that's awesome stuff. well there is hope for me yet.

got my postie bike (CT110) last week and got it registered yesterday. past the roadworthy with a few minor probs but trying to sort them out. looking for insurance today then where to start???? me sooo excited. like a little kid in a candy shop. so many options, can't concentrate on any one thing!

the count down begins!!!! the world here i come!!!

jade

You meet the nicest people on a Honda!
 

Godspeed to you! Have a grand old time and please keep us posted on your trip.

If you decide to hit Northern Europe send me a PM and we can meet up for a ride and a beer somewhere.

Dirk

update
 

Well guys its been a while - i did the trip and i had some ups and downs! As it happens a C90 (for 8000 miles!) GPZ500, VW type 2 camper van, Lots of footware!!, some trains (and after being robbed of all possesions!!) a rusty twin prop plane were used to complete a 18000 mile trip! now i am back and have just started work again :( :( :( broke, bikeless, and feeling like i need a holiday! the C90 was faultless but a little frustrating sometimes, but it was a little gem that has more balls than many a "big bike" on the planet.

I didn't get RTW just half way RTW, but at 45 to 25 MPH it feels like you have :scooter:

Would i do it again on the trusty 90?

maybe? but my bones and arse probly wont thank me for it. a £80,000 hymer camping car with a bubble jacuzzi bath in the en suite has to be the way to go....... Bo$$oks!!!!

Till next time!

PS i will post some pics, and the guy that robbed me is currently serving 2 and a half years in a russian prison so thats karma for you!!!

Cheers

Password

Cool C90
 

Don't say C90's can't be cool - check this one out!

:scooter::funmeteryes::thumbup1:

I still have my stand-by townmate (c90 yamaha shaft drive copy) if anyone is up for a long distance run later this summer - i am in lincolnshire, send me a PM if you like.

Cheers

Greg

Well-bloody-done! But your a ferkin' tease too... nice summary but...
When is the book coming out? Was there a blog?

At the very least, how about some stories here.

Kind regards

Nigel in NZ

--"Ride Tall, Ride Small"--

Looking forward to the pics!!!!:scooter::thumbup1:

Hi guys. Just thought I'd let you know that I'm attempting an around the world ride on a Honda c90 right now. I'm from the UK and I'm currently in Ghana. I had my passport stolen though so I'm marooned here until I get a new one. It's taking a long time!

Here's my blog if anyone is interested,

Liam and c90 around the World

Hearhear, we're underway RTW on something like a C90 (yes! it's a postiebike!)

And here's why https://irisandniels.wordpress.com/w...10-postiebike/

:scooter:

Anyone know what the spares on the h100s (honda) are like in price and availability? Anyone done a longish ride on one? 2-stroke, so probably not a good bet for the Europe trip i'm hoping to complete with a mate next year, but might get one as my get-about with the hope that either that or my 68 minor will be running at anyone time ;)

Don't they last for ever then?