Hi all,

I'm in the midst of planning an adventure, from Hanoi Vietnam (where I currently live) to Edinburgh, UK.

The planning side of it is going quite well, and indeed will be presented in glorious levels of meticulous detail on the HUBB in due course, but there is just one stumbling block, which leads me to here - which bike?

Ideally I would like to ride a nice, powerful, reliable bike that has been touted around these forums, but the reality of having to pay a 400% deposit on the value of the bike to get a Carnet valid for Pakistan has put stop to that. As such, I am thinking lower... much much lower.

I am fully considering doing this trip on a 125cc Honda Wave. My primary reasons for this are:

* price
* they are everywhere (at least in Vietnam)
* I can buy (and sell) as many as I like over here between now and my leaving date, and get to know how the little bastard works, so that maintenance on the road should be a lot easier.

I have already driven to Sapa from Hanoi (gorgeous) on and off some terrible roads on a 110cc Wave so I know what I'm getting in for with the bike. 15kmph up an 11% incline in 10m visibility was a personal highlight.

So I really have three questions:
1. Are Waves (or their various other names) as prolific outside of SE Asia?
2. Will they withstand the conditions in the Himalayas, India, Iran, Pakistan, and still have enough left in him to make it through Europe?
3. Is this a terrible idea?

Tell it to me straight, doc...