Long time no see...

[cretin box]

Well, after a long period of thinking about it, which included a period of reading and posting on here, I've gone and done it.

I won't bore you with the details, but my girlfriend and I have done something we should have done two years ago: sold my stupid big sports saloon and her stupid tiny toy car and bought one sensible diesel estate car and one motorcycle.

There is a caveat: I've bought a stupid tiny toy motorcycle.

The idea was for me to get a new 125 on finance, an idea we were mulling over for ages (monthly expenditure being tight - although finance+fuel+tax+insurance on a 125 is roughly equivalent to the fuel bill on a Volvo S40 2.0 Turbo) until my mate from work, who was one of the people working on persuading me to switch to two wheels, told me that his gran was selling her old moped - and that she only wanted a hundred quid. That's a different proposition from signing over three years of payments.

Things suddenly moved very quickly. This time of year the sales are on so I got myself to J&S in Waterlooville and kitted myself out - boots, trousers, jacket, gloves and helmet all cost £200. The staff were really helpful, too.

Next: CBT. I went to Ridesure at Dunsfold Park and I can't recommend them highly enough. The training was top-notch, but leavened with banter so not too serious.

Next, I had to get the 'ped home. Enter a friend from work who owns a Discovery - the little 'ped slotted right in.

Finally, get it roadworthy.

A Honda Vision, registered new in 1985 by my friend's grandma with just over 3000 miles on it. It was recommissioned in 2005 then again in 2009 but only covered 4 miles between then and now.

It passed its MoT with no advisories and with a fresh tank of petrol (costing £2.50) I've been commuting to work on it.

It's very different from the Yamaha YBR125 I took my CBT on: inherently less stable with the lower centre of gravity but somehow hilarious: I love the fact that I spend my whole journey at full throttle (take that, sportsbike folks!) with a tiny torch poking out the front.

It's the right tool for the job of getting me three miles on suburban roads: I already want a bigger bike for longer journeys but I have a feeling I'll be keeping the baby Honda for work.

My girlfriend says I look ridiculous but she's already started referring to the Honda as "she." All my colleagues have lined up to have a look - even when we're in a rush to leave for home - and most importantly I've loved every minute. The little Vision is a riot to ride: I don't even care when I get overtaken by flatbed Transits.

[Benjums]

Sounds like somebody's got the bug for biking in a big way, glad your enjoying it. I'm new to it as well (passed my das last sept, got a bike in dec)
Have only clocked up about 300 miles so far but the weather down in cornwall isn't that great at the min, will be clocking up more soon hopefully.
Ride safe.

[Rogerborg]

So... when are you getting a motorcycle?

Semi-seriously, no way would I get on a ped. 125 (or 110 for the new Vision) is about the bare minimum I'd consider in UK traffic.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[map]

[Ribenapigeon]

[Rogerborg]

The 1985 Vision is 50cc, i.e. actually a "moped".

I'd rather walk.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[MC]

The old vision's (I think) 50cc, so a ped, the new one's a scooter and that thing Rogerborg has is a maxi scooter.

Gotta say after being beaten by a Honda Lead the other day (it was an even match on power but not having to change gear gave him the edge), I have a new found respect for scooters. I saw another one nearly beat a Yamaha... XT or WR125 (not sure which), the rider kept looking round expecting the scooter to be gone but he stayed with him
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Yamaha MT-03 '08 (crashed)
Honda XR-125L '04

[map]

[garth]

[Rogerborg]

[MC]

I thought pedals went out with the sixteener specials, when the government decided being a 30mph mobile chicane was safer than keeping up with traffic.
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Yamaha MT-03 '08 (crashed)
Honda XR-125L '04

[cretin box]

It is legally a moped (49cc, 30mph) and physically a scooter (flat floor, no pedals).

I tend to agree about the safety aspect, not to mention the sheer oddness of intentionally restricting a road vehicle - case in point, only yesterday a Facebook friend had a good old whinge about being held up behind one on a 60mph A-road.

I don't intend to take mine anywhere but local roads where it's not holding anyone up, unless they want to break the speed limit, and I will be upgrading my licence and getting something bigger within the next two years! In the meantime it's a total hoot.

[cretin box]

My intention always was to graduate to a bigger bike within the two years allowed on the CBT but I'm already butting up against the limits of a moped...

Went over to a mate's house today, 9 miles away, mostly on 40mph roads. I really enjoyed the ride there: it's much easier riding in daylight and I wasn't holding anything up but I did get to filter past a couple of queues at junctions which felt good.

Riding home was fecking horrible though... I was holding more people up (which I don't want to do, plus it's a bit scary knowing there's a ton of car sitting just off your rear tyre) and the headlamp is so pointless that I was effectively blind all the time that there was a car coming towards me.

I do love the little Vision and it is the right tool to get me to work every day but it's such a shame that there are so many limitations on my riding within a week of starting: I'd accepted the 40mph road limit but now I know I can't leave town outside the hours of daylight.

Considering a Suzi 250 Inazuma for my first real bike... any thoughts?
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1985 Honda Vision