Modern Vespa

A little light reading.

https://www.revzilla.com/common-tread/2021-honda-trail-125-first-ride-motorcycle-review?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=11/21/2020_CT&utm_term=Common%20Tread%20%7C%20Combined

Hoping we get this in the UK. It's a great bike and very tough. My Australian family have two of the CT110's same as the Australian postal service uses. They go off road all the time with them. The motors last a very very long time and are so easy to look after. The great thing about the CT125 is that it has a bigger gas tank than the C125 cub. That makes it a much better proposition for all day outings.

I wonder if someone will sell a conversion kit to allow magneto ignition, and a carb instead of the FI. Won't meet emissions standards then, but would make the device battery-independant, and easily repaired, two qualities of the original that are lacking in the new model.

Given that their new CB350 is alleged to be around $2K, seems like this and the Cub are overpriced, by comparison.

What I like about the CT125 Jim is that it is a near perfect apocalypse bike. It has a kick start as well as an electric push start. It'll go with a kick even if the battery won't even attempt to turn the motor over. An Australian guy rode his CT110 (bought second hand from the postal service) fully loaded on an intercontinental trip to the UK. No trouble encountered from the bike. The 125 version is even better. Want one!

I do also want one - but I've realised I don't need one.

I had Suzuki VanVan 'big block' i.e. 200cc.
Perfect trail bike and even more, can genuily climb up the worst hills and go almost everywhere. Yet, still a true Japan build bike, quality and reliability impeccable. Very quiet too, don't arouse agression from hikers and such.

I spend many happy moments roaming in the local forests and fire/log roads.
Did even some beach riding (... cough, tends to be illegal here..), nice, but hard for the chain & sprockets.

Until, quite soon, I realised that there are not that many paths or small roads to explore. And it's a pain to ride very far, the small single being too busy to enjoy the ride.

So..this Trail 125 falls into the same category for me. Very desirable. Equally no interest in buying one. Place me to a different location though and I could easily change my mind...

I think too much electronics to be a good apocalypse bike. EFI, ABS, electronic ignition. Great while they work, unrepairable (without spare parts) when they don't. Kinda doubt it'll start with a dead battery.

And if they kick off the apocalypse with a massive EMP, this thing is toast.

I understand the demands of emissions and modern safety specs. They didn't really have a choice.

But if I bought one for a bang-around dirt bike, I'd prefer the carb and the magneto. I can fix those.