Long distance touring on a 2012 CBF125
 

Basically, I have a 2012 CBF 125 brand new sitting here, and I want to start touring. I've extensive camping and hiking experience etc, and I've done many multi day trips abroad like that, but never riding. My basic question is will my CBF 125 be able to hold a couple of panniers, a top box, and myself with a pack? I'm not heavy (11 stone) and not particularly tall.

I love 125's and I've rode many bigger bikes but nothing feels as good as these little 125's to me, I can never explain what it is. But the CBF125 is my final choice for doing this. I might stretch to the Vandero if this is really out of it's ability.

My goal for this summer is to ride from London to mount Olympus, Greece, and back again. Camping the whole time. Any advice/recommendations are more than welcome, but my main question/concern, is mounting a couple of panniers, a top box, and myself on the bike, and wether this is even feasible?

Thanks in advance guys, and my apologies if this is the wrong section, english is not my first language.

Welcome to HUBB.
 

Your first post, so welcome to HUBB.

It's a coincidence that yesterday I wrote in other post: "the CBF was a pleasure to ride (I loved it, much more than a CBF 600, a paradox)", regarding a 2011 model. It really invited to twist it and release the handlebars on straight roads. I see we share the opinion.

What about a duffle on the pillion seat? You may add a pacsafe for peace of mind.

Esteban

Try to take less stuff with you. The bike will ride a lot better with less weight. Try packing.g just what you need for a overnight hike plus some extra clothes and go for a few day practice trip. Anything you didn't use leave behind next time.

:welcome: to the HUBB, I have used a YBR125 for trips and really enjoyed!The panniers I have on the bike are pushbike plastic ones, when taking camping gear I remove the topbox and just strap it to the rack.

Thank you so much guys.

estebangc, yes the 125's are just so much fun, plus they are so light and agile, and I am happy to take my time and ride around the smaller roads of Europe at 40-50mph all day, its what I prefer, I've no time constraints in my life. Strapping a duffle bag or backpack to the back seat would be good, but I feel I will need more kit than that. I was thinking two side panniers, and a pack strapped to the pillion seat.

norfolkjack, yes I will definitely be taking some test trips beforehand, probably to Wales. And I definitely need to cut my "necessities" list.

palace15, thank you for the advice. Do you have any idea where you brought those from, and how are they mounted exactly? Thank you all,

Instead of panniers try a pair of throw over bags, these rest their weight on the seat so the load is actually sprung and is much less of a shock load on the bike over bumps.

take the pretty route s and enjoy the scenery. my Enfield is plenty fast enough to go anywhere. Oddly enough although the MPH may be a little down On what I could achieve with my BMW my MPDay is not.

As an alternative suggestion, we looked at panniers for our RTW trip on 100cc SYM Symbas and instead decided to go with a top case and a waterproof duffle on top. We used a Pelican Storm Case that is waterproof and dustproof as a topcase (30L) and an Ortleib waterproof (50L) duffle on top. The Ortleib is kept inside a Pac-Safe bag to keep it safer on the road.

http://colinandre.smugmug.com/Other/...P1020546-M.jpg

(my wife and riding partner in Chobe National Park on a US plated Symba)

This set up gives us each around 80L of space and we are both carrying about 25kg of stuff. Some object to our set up as being top heavy but it hasn't been an issue for us (25kg is way less than just about any passenger you'd have on) and it keeps us narrow down low, which has been a bonus when loading onto small boats and cutting through other obstacles.

http://colinandre.smugmug.com/Other/...P1020473-M.jpg

The other bonus is that it was cheap. The Pelican case was 105 USD, the Duffle was 80 USD and the Pac-Safe was 50 USD. Everything is waterproof and it has held up for 15 countries and 37000 km so far. The top case is bolted to the bike, so only the duffle comes inside with us when we stay at hotels.

[QUOTE=
palace15, thank you for the advice. Do you have any idea where you brought those from, and how are they mounted exactly? Thank you all,[/QUOTE]

Got them from 'bikebins' pretty cheap as well. The right hand pannier had to be cut down and a metal base rivetted in to avoid the exhaust, fitting depends on which bike they are being put onto, somewhere, either on the hubb or another site I was asked for photos on how they were atttached, if I can find them I will repost.


Bikebins - British Born British Made

Hola,
I have got the feeling that more and more people discover the minimalistic way of traveling.:funmeteryes:(

Does it qualify for the category "a tourist office map in a plastic bag taped to the tank and your school days sports bag with bungees on a 125cc"? :funmeteryes:

So, I found a pic for you to see the size of the XR (remember, 1,76m Spaniard resting its overweight 2nd degree on it :D). Isn't it a "sweet petit lady"?

PS: Underboning and Palace, loved your examples!

http://i.imgur.com/n22QD.jpg

Hola Estabangc!
Thats sure minimalistic...hahahaha......:thumbup1:
Thanks for anwering my question here in this post!

I am about 1.90 so that will be fun on a xr125.
Have to put my "rox"handlebar risers on it so i fit beter.
(and the bike looks a bit bigger)

Thanks !

Hola,

i'm currently in Santiago. Starting my big adventure on a little bike. I'm going to try to travel from here to Bogota in the next 4-5 mounths.
I'm looking into buying a Honda NXR and really looking foraward to it. The only problem I have is that I don't speak spanish so contacting people to buy second hand is turning out to be a big problem.
But still once that problem will be tackled (i'm currently trying to contact the santiago community and beg for :helpsmilie:) I'm pretty sure it will be a blast all the way up.
I've traveled this way before in Indonesia on a 125cc Suzuki thunder and I must say it was the best trip in my life. Just don't expect to go fast. But then again maybe being able to go fast isn't always a good thing. I'm the type of person that if I can go fast I will go fast, and probably miss out on a lot.
Just one thing. It's just an opinion but NEVER EVER EVER buy chinese. I couldn't find a Japanese bike last year when traveling Laos so I bought one if the Ying Sing thingies and it was horrible. After 3000km it just fell apart and on the way it was pretty terifyng.

http://images.waarbenjij.nu/user2/n/...jpg?1336519980
This is a picture of my set up in Indonesia. I know the weight distribution was completely off but still the 'Low rider' rack looked pretty cool.
I'm also 1,90m and what I did was buy some metal pieces to extend the back-springs(+-6cm). This made it a lot more comfortable for me to ride. But I must say when driving in the wet it also made the water spray right up the back of my legs :)

:oops2:Suzuki thunder also assembled by Chinese using parts made there.
Chinese bike had many grades, if MUST buy one, the carb fitted may tells what the quality is. Reputable maker uses Keihin related (Deni http://www.dekni.com/ | http://www.keihin-knj.com/ ) products ONLY, "others" use Keihin clone.

:thumbup1:Hola
Nouwynck86 ,i am sure you pulled a few wheely's :mchappy:

Not so much wheely's. But trying to brake in the wet was an issue. It was stopping more by using 'the force' then by pulling the brake lever.