Long distance driving on a 125cc (and a CBT question)

[Benno]

Hi all, new to the forum and riding in general, got my CBT booked for wednesday and looking at buying a Yamaha YBR 125 soon after.

I lost my paper counterpart of my car licence years ago. CBT centre can call up the DVLA and allow me to ride though so that's OK, but rambling aside, is it necessary to re-order the paper licence? Will I need it in the future (say for the full bike test)?

Next question; I'm doing the mongol rally in a car this year, and planning on doing it on a bike next year. It will be a 125cc bike, probably a yamaha ybr125 since thats what I'm looking at getting. How do 125cc's fare on long journeys?

[Derivative]

[Ribenapigeon]

theres some guy who rode a 100cc bike from Oz to London who had a book out but i dont remember his name. I would think on the mongol rally a nice simple old air cooled 125 would be perfect as would be easy to fix en route.

I would love to do a long ride on my 125 the problem is i would have to ride all the way down from aberdeen and through england before getting anywhere interesting. Its a drag living up here some times.

Good luck on the Mongol though.

[neil.]

A couple of people rode YBR's around the world.
____________________
CBT February 2008 | A2 June 2008 | Yamaha YBR125 (written off) | Honda CBF125 (current)

[Derivative]

The Biking News section also had a bit from a guy who rode 1000 miles in just over a day on a C90.

It's more about comfort and (depending on how you view things) monotony.
My CG was good for cruising at about 50mph, at that speed things were a bit wobbly, gusts from trucks etc could be unnerving.

[Benno]

On the subject of monotony, I'd hopefully have a teammate, with radio intercoms in our helmets as well as an FM radio (and maybe one of those neat little radio transmitter things you can get for mp3 players)

[alex965]

Obviously it depends on the bike but the most I have ridden on a 125 in a day was a touch over 100 miles and it was fine. Obviously you'll need to keep an eye on oil/fluids and ensure the chain is kept lubed and properly tensioned. But as said before it's mainly about comfort and be prepared to keep a low cruising speed 50-55mph as I can't imagine a 125 taking very kindly to being thrashed for an extended period of time.

And depending on whether you feel comfortable with headphones in an mp3 player with a good playlist can sometimes be all that separates you from insanity when going long distance on a small bike.
____________________
Passed A2 licence 19th Dec '14.

[Kingstondavo]

You also need your paper counterpart if you are ever pulled and hit with a producer (even if you have done nothing to deserve it)

You have 14 days to produce, and there is no hope the DVLA can get one to you before then.

Get on direct.gov and order a replacement license, they send you both bits anyway - its about £20.
____________________
Current Ride - 2010 Hornet 600

[Benno]

[Teflon-Mike]

Hmmm. Well the CB125T is one of the more comodiouse 125's areound. Broad seat, smooth motor. Not so cramped riding position.
I'm an aging git, pampered by a couple of decades of bigger bikes; I found it 'tolerable' for ABOUT fifty miles, which was 25 miles from here to Leicester & back.

Curiousely, I have memories of riding 350miles in a day on my old AR125 when I was 19/20, with the thing stacked to my hat with kit and camping gear, on numerouse occassions, & commuting on it 60 miles each way, three times a week, to college, with NO reccolection of any pain, cramps of misery....

> Was the sportier AR a more comfortable bike?
> Was I more lithe, supple & resilient in my youth?
> Was I merely too stupid to know any 'better'?
> Has time washed away, the 'bad-bits' so my reminiscences are tinted by rose?
> Have I simply become 'soft' in my dotage?

So bottom line is, WE cant really tell you what to expect... well we CAN, but our experiences are not the most reliable.

Two Chilean Fellows went round the world on YBRS, and there have been many 'Tiddler' epics, of people riding across Russia on Mopeds, or heading across Africa on a C90, or Doing Sydney-London on a BSA Bantum.....

These kind of adventures are possible, and even have a certain perverse attraction.... but I have noticed that few of these Tiddler Hero's provide a sequel or even encore, to their original adventure........

Perhaps this would be the more illuminating part of the discussion.

Ted Simon, its worth noting, made HIS epic voyage of self discover, (Jupiters Travels) in 1973/4 on a 500cc Triumph Trophy, after deciding that if he was going to go round the world, it HAD to be on a motorcycle.... and THEN had the dilemah that he had never RIDDEN a motorcycle, and actually only passed his motorcycle test, a month before he was due to leave!

Which brings us back to the paper-counterpart..... and YUP, I think you will find it 'useful' to have!

As for overlanding? Hmm... I think I shall, in my dotage, leave such adventures to the younger, more resiliant, more foolhardy, and unfettered spirits amongst us!
____________________
My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'