I recall, after the fact, someone once telling me that small capacity bikes eat oil at constant high speed (motorway riding).

Again, maybe it was just a damaged ring or whatever (the bike is only at 9000km) but this could prove the point that taking back roads where you vary your speed is better for the bike. These little bikes only take 1lt of oil so when something goes wrong all the oil vanishes very quickly.

We came up along the A43-A444-A5 on Friday and wanted to return the same way. We didn't want to take the motorway but were just sick of the rain and wanted to get home quickly...hey ho :(

Dress Well
 

I leave the UK on Wednesday 18th July to collect my Honda 125 in Ushuaia. I intend riding north to upstate NY. I made no preparations for my ride south from Mexico. Blog at home This time I am ready. Alpinestars sent me a pair of boots and thermal underwear, T-shirts and a cap. I survived all that guerillero and bandido shit on the road south. Now I have to deal with my own kids. They covet! I have to lock up my new gear - particularly the cap! Meanwhile I think of my butt and how it will survive 45,000 Ks. The bike? I have total confidence. A 125 is not fast. However I am 74 and a biker. I call Health Insurance and they laugh. So 125 will do me fine. Not too fast and not to heavy - and I have my new boots!! Wish me luck...
:scooter:

Indeed Simon, I do wish you all the best of good fortune on your next ride - sounds like you are all ready now that you have some collectable kit to wear!! :thumbup1:

Best wishes,

Dave


:funmeteryes: and not:-

:wheelchair:

My hats off to you Simon:thumbup1: Enjoy, and keep us informed, you are a inspiration:mchappy:



Trophymick

Slightly off topic
 

This problem of running out of oil is quite common with virtually all bikes with small sump capacities. It is well known amonst the diesel enfield brigade that it is wise to check the oil each time ( or more often if hammering on motorways) you refill with fuel. Most of them have about 1 litre oil capacity. Problem seems to be poodling along at 55 mph seems to consume none, so you get used to not checking and at full throttle 65mph about a liter every 200 miles.

Incidentally, anyone here have any experience of the new electras? One recurring theme seems to be it takes over 5k miles for the Nicasil barrels to bed in. But as many enfield riders are low mileage sunny weekend warriors information is slow in coming in.

Hello guys. Sorry for resuscitate this thread but I have some question and I hope someone here can help me. :)
I'm planning a trip to southern Argentina and I was thinking "what the hell, let me try to do this trip on my GN125" but I have some questions to the people who already knows how to handle small bikes on big trips.
I'm not a small guy (6'2" and 230 pounds more or less) but I was able to make small trips on my bike (with light luggage) near my hometown, easily maintaining about 40 mph average speed, but now I'm planning an 9,5k miles trip so I need to take extra care planning everything. Can you guys can help me figure it out what to do?

- How much do you guys consider as an reasonable daily mileage on a 125cc? 250 miles per day? I'm considering an 30 mph average speed. That's about right? I was thinking to drop highways all together and stick to the small back roads.

- Riding on roads just like Ruta 40 on those small standard motorcycles can be tricky, I already rode my bike on some dirt roads but the standard tires are pretty crappy on those conditions. Should I try to replace the standard tires with knobies as soon I reach the ripio roads?

- Mountain passes, should I avoid them or I can try to reach Chile?

I know that for a guy like me, an 125cc isn't the best choice but dual-purpose 250cc bikes up likes hondas & yamahas are quite expensive right now in Brazil and I could't I couldn't afford it now. I'd love to have the chance to ride on a second hand DR200 or something like this, but suzuki never sold those small DRs in Brazil, and the 200cc dual bikes made by Honda are pretty crappy (they are to old and sometimes the engine isn't very reliable).

I have not toured on a small motorcycle, yet, but have ridden in South America and think one of your biggest problems will be wind. Even big bikes get blown around a lot and struggle into headwinds so your progress might be slower than you expect, but don't let this stop you making your journey, just bear it in mind.
If you can find some I would fit knobbly tyres, better grip on gravel and more puncture resistant.

Small bike touring is fun! I've just come back from touring a 125 Honda Wave in Thailand. The GN is a good choice, it'll handle dirt roads quite well. Don't worry about the wind, small bikes are probably better. They have a smaller profile so there is less wind pressure, and being light, your body weight is more effective to recover from sudden gusts. I have toured New Zealand on a 50cc Suzuki and a C90 Honda. Everyone is different, but I find about 4-5 hours riding time per day is a good target in the long term. You should be able to average closer to 40mph. You can do more, but even in 4 hours you can ride past a lot of interesting things. And I'll tell you something that's a truism; you will see more and stop more and enjoy more on a small bike. Really, is there any other reason to travel?

Cheers bloke

Nigel in NZ

It can be done...
 

If you do a search through these forums you'll find there are plenty of people who have toured Central and South America on 125cc bikes (or even smaller). Lately I have been following this guy's web page: From Chile to Texas on a Small Motorcycle | Ondrej Jurik

He bought a new Honda CGL-125 in Santiago, Chile, and has spent the last year visiting every country in South and Central America. Yesterday he crossed the border into Guatemala with 33 thousand KM on the bike. Apparently other than just routine maintenance the bike has proven superb.

I think that the cruising speed on a 125 tends to be only about 80 KPH. I have a CBR125, and while it can certainly do 100-110 all day long, it's pretty buzzy. In areas with light traffic I prefer to drop the speed down to 80 or 90 KPH and take my time.

One of the biggest advantages of a small bike is that it is very cheap. I get about 95 MPG - that's less than 3 liters of fuel per 100 KM! And because the 125s are very common as basic transport in Latin America, parts and service are cheap and easy to come by.

The only problem I see is that at 230 pounds you are quite a bit heavier than most folks on a 125, and don't forget you will be packing along plenty of extra weight for clothes, tools, etc.

I think you could do it, but if you have the budget you may want to go to a little bit bigger bike, say a 200cc or 250cc.

I hope to do the same sort of trip, someday.... maybe if I win the lottery or something. :(

Good advice about wearing a high viz jacket. This should stop cars shunting you from behind on fast roads. Personally I'd prefer at least 250cc but a 125cc bike is a fun choice if you intend to kepp off the fast motorways. Stick to single carriageway roads and you will be just fine. :thumbup1:

Hello , since you have to watch your budget and you are a big guy,
i think you will like the "qingqi qm200" in Brasil they are called "sundown"
( i think).
I is basically a suzuki dr200 with different plastics,and they are very very
reliable.
They are chineese made ,but so is the suzuki gn125.
For someone above 100kilo with luggage and a small budget that is "the"
best choise, they are sold in every S.A. country.

Just my 2 cents.

Good luck.

Just wanted to ad this:
My wife's bike is a suzuki gn125,and we have toured Ecuador and Peru ,2up with luggage on that little bike, and it wase big fun,so i think its a great 125cc.
But with all that weight i will take/need more cc"s the next time.

Saludos.

In Brazil sundown doesn't exist anymore, the company went bankrupt and the 200cc DR clones have serious problems of reliability. Unfortunately Suzuki never sold the original DR200 or DR350 in Brazil, if they had, those would be my bikes of choice. The GN125 is slow (painfully slow sometimes) but is a very reliable bike. :thumbup1:

(QUOTE)"DR clones have serious problems of reliability."

I have only heard of some spokes loosening on the qingqi and plastics loosing color after a few years,
people with a small budget seem to like them over here.

But i assume that you got the suzuki gn125 ?
Also good choice!:thumbup1:

Saludos and good luck!

Go for it . You can tour on anything just make sure its reliable. I use a MZ 250 and would't swap it . GS .. waste of space !!:scooter: