'Go the C90, you good thing!'

I like that, with a moped you have to f**k the reasoning and go with undistilled enthusiasm. Simple, yet elegantly put.

As for the XT, I only put it in my sign off as a throwaway bit of nonsense, but if the right offer comes along I could be persuaded to part. It has had everything you could think of done to it.

Touratech boxes/rack
Bashguard
Acerbis tank
Brushguards
All bolts replaced with less cheesy ones
Springs replaced with stronger ones
Engine guards
18 inch rear tyre (both tyres almost new Michelin Deserts)
Hardcore tubes
Renthal bars
Scottoiler
Stainless pipes
Alu rims
Stainless spokes

11000 miles, two previous owners. Thud thud thud thud thud. Lovely.

If it were a car, and I were a chav, I would describe it as 'maxxed.'

And I am considering a C90....

Joel

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Yeah, you are right, because on the face of it, that's what you need for a moped. But there are some very good reasons to moped it too.

I learnt my biggest travelling lesson from a young 21 year old German guy who had spent 18 months riding to NZ overland through Asia. Oliver Cams stayed with me for about a week, and just said one morning "I think I'll move on today". That's the way he travelled. About 2 months later he was back, accepting the open invitation I had given him. I asked him where he stopped that first night after leaving my place.

His answer? "Loburn. I stayed there two days". I know that means nothing to you but it's about 30km from my house.

"But why did you only go 30km?" I asked in a puzzled voice.

"But it was a really nice place!" he answered in an equally puzzled voice.

And he was right. The river that runs through Loburn is very pretty and I have stopped there myself for a coffee under the willows many times since.

To me, travelling is about the experience, not the distance. In 100km of travel, you can go past 5 places worth stopping for. I know from experience that you are more likely to stop and smell the roses when you are riding a small bike, because:
1) You don't have to concentrate even a 1/3 as much at 70km/hr as you do at 110km/hr so you can afford the time to look about a bit.
2) At low speeds, everyone is more inclined to stop rather than say to themselves "Next time"
3) You can literally differentiate the smell of the roses from the other smells at slow speeds!

5 hours averaging 70km/hr is 350km per day.In many countries that's an ambitious target on ANY bike. Most long distance travellers would be lucky to average that over their trip. Sure, the guy on the 650 KTM have done that 350km in an hour less than you, but you will have a less stressful time, and so probably won't be any more tired.

And it goes without saying that the costs of buying and riding a small bike are much less so your savings go further, and dare I say it, your impact on the environment is less. This applies to your impact on the social environment too.

I'm the first to admit that riding a powerful bike is fun, and I keep several bikes just for that. I even race a couple of bike regularly and with some success (NZ South Island champ in one class two years ago), but for a travelling bike, mine's a little 'un.

Of course I'm not everyone.....but like I said, there ARE good reasons to ride a small bike too.


Regards

Nigel in NZ

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The mouth of a perfectly contented man is filled with . -- 2200 BC Egyptian inscription

Get any bike and take a ride. Bikes come and go. I'm up for about 50 at this point. If you don't like one, sell it off and get another.

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Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!