UK to Cape Town
 

Hey people. Hannah and I have completed our trek from UK to Cape Town, and thought I would give you a quick write up and some pics. The text is copied from our Honda press release, so is a bit wanky and formal, but I am feeling lazy so haven't written anything better since we got home. Enjoy.

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We started our epic journey in Boston UK in April of this year, and arrived in Johannesburg on the 13th of September. We will continue on to Cape Town in the next week or two. Our route was: England, Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa. Two wheels, 20 countries, 22 000 kilometres and two complete idiots.
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The Honda CG125 was the only choice for us. I quit the British Army last year, but still needed some excitement in my life - so rode to Senegal on a C90. When I came back, my girlfriend had caught the bug and wanted to come along on the next one. I would have used a C90 again, but needed something 'big' - relatively speaking. It also had to be tough, cheap, foolproof, and easy to find spares for, and (Hannah's stipulation,) pretty. A no brainer - The CG125.

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After a trawl of a certain internet auction site, we bought a clean-looking 1982 model. It was essentially sound, but needed some TLC to bring it back to its former glory. So we gave it none and took it to Africa instead. Grand plans and good intentions of modifications and services added up to no more than some chain lube and an extended tank. We left England on the original tyres, sprockets and plug.

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Almost 6 months later, we arrived in South Africa, after a single change of tyres and sprockets (the original plug still sparks). We didn't encounter a single major mechanical problem. A chain tensioner snapped, and the head and rear wheel bearings have both been replaced, for pennies by locals at the roadside. Twice we lost our sump plug as a result of bouncing rocks battering the sump. Both times we were completely unaware that our oil had drained out until the bike seized. Both times we were sorted out by locals providing a makeshift bung and a fill of diesel oil. And both times we were back on the road within 15 minutes. The bike ran fine on diesel oil, as it has done on synthetic, semi-synthetic, and mineral - sometimes all at once! Not a single murmur of dissent from the engine, which still starts first kick, and purrs, with just a touch of twenty-a-day throatiness.

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In between those two end points, the little Honda faced things a geriatric pizza bike should never have to be put through: sun washed and dust packed deserts, equatorial downpours, talcum fine sand, washboard corrugations, cracked up crazy paving concrete like broken ice on a puddle, rocks the shape and size of razor edged rugby balls, rubble roads to nowhere far more rubble than road, stream crossings deep enough to flood the engine, and fiery wastes hot enough to boil the oil. -5 degrees in England, to 55 degrees in Sudan, 600km autobahn days to 60km hub deep sand days, and everything in between. The CG has taken it all in its stride, succeeded and survived where many modern and expensive bikes have failed.

It deserves to be put in a museum after all it has been through.

Instead, we want to take her from Alaska to Argentina.


Time and time again on the road, we have met people, locals and foreigners, who have been amazed that a 27 year old commuter can 'do' Africa. More photos have been taken of us than Posh Spice; we have been celebrities everywhere we have been. We have arrived at places we had never heard of, and been greeted on first name terms by people who know us simply through gob smacked word of mouth. Without any initial intention to, we have inadvertently been a hugely positive advert for Honda, and the reliability of the marques. My forthcoming book, tentatively titled 'Bandits and Bad Roads,' can only reinforce this. - Joel and Hannah Burdall

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Hi Joel

An inspiring story - have you got a website or blog for further reading?
Although we never met I bought your XT from you about 18 months ago. Its now doing sterling service taking me around the world.

All the best

David

Hi Joel
Congratulation. I meet you in Addis, I was ridding the white 200cc Suzuki. Glad you made it safe and sound.

let us know how the Alaska to Argentina trip goes.:thumbup1:

I was beginning to wonder what had happened to you two as there'd been no blog updates since Sudan? Glad to hear you're safe, well and in one piece. How did you get the Honda back by the way?

Hey David, it's awesome to hear that 'my' XT is doing exactly what it was intended for. We had a blog up until Sudan, then it sort of faded out due to a combination of expensive/unreliable internet, and a lazy writer. I am in the process of writing everything up, but it is a laborious process! I might stick a chapter or two on here to see if anyone likes it.

Hey Antony, how did your trip go? You back home now? I think when we met you we were on our way to Australia, but things changed and we decided to go straight down Africa. Did the little Suzi survive?

Thanks for your concern Alex, we're alive, we are just really bad at staying in contact with anyone! The little bike is currently in the Honda showroom in Cape Town. The manager there was pretty impressed with what the bike had done, so it is staying there until we go back in January. Not sure what happens to it then. Either we import it to SA, or might have to send it home to get ensure getting our carnet deposit back, even though we aren't returning ourselves.

Thanks

Birdy

Hey Birdy great to see you made it - your obviously still madder than the march hare. Great Shame you gave the game away - in your photos showing your massive support infrastructure in the London to Cape town logo truck - you had us all fooled for a moment though.

Its great to know your safe and well hope the next leg goes well.

How does Hannah manage with the Tarp camping - Ideal for southern Argentina and northern Alaska no doubt ! - Is it comfy for two ?.

Hey Jake, good to hear from you.

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Haha, yes we are big old Ewan and Charlies, pretending we had a massive unsupported adventure, when we actually had an entourage of support crews! The 'London to Cape Town' sticker belonged to a lovely couple we met in Sudan and travelled with intermittently all the way down. we did actually end up calling them our support crew, as they helped us out so much.


I am afraid we didn't take the tarp, we took a tent:thumbdown:. A twenty quid ebay bargain that lasted all the way to Uganda (even if it was shagged since Turkey, when an amourous goat took a shine to it.)

Birdy

Well Done Sir!!!

I doff my tatty hat to you, This is proper adventure riding. This is proof, you can do big trips without touratech and BMW.

Glad you are alive and well, even if you have gone for the higher performance machinery.:scooter:

You meet the nicest people on a Honda.
 

WOW!

Just amazing... Please give us a chapter if you can. If not, I eagerly await the book.
I'm not surprised as to the reliability/resilience of the little Honda motor, as a spotty youth I ragged one through the gravel pits, streams and wastelands of Northamptonshire and could never break it. The sump plug loss happened to me too but the beast cooled and still got me home...eventually!

I love your stories. It goes to show how far a dream can go with simple machinery, a modest budget and lots of passion.

Well done guys.

Pete

Wow just shows what can be done with a bit of determination. I followed your blog after Alexlebrit sent me a link ad was wondering if you were ok after not seeing it updated for a while. You should definately put a chapter on here after reading your blog plus i need something to read to get me through the next twelve months in the army till im hopefully on the road too :thumbup1: