Welcome To Bikes And Travels...
...It's about bikes... and travels... mostly on bikes!
What's New?
Finally To The Gite
It's a much less stressful day's ride today. Good weather, a sensible mileage to cover, and no reason to rush. Fear not Ren will find a few things to gripe about.
Struggling Into France
It's time to go to France, alas there's far too much time to go to France. Ren is early, the trains are late, it's hot, and it's disorganised. Oh and Sharon's life flashes before her eyes - or was it a Transit van?
Honda GB350S Test Ride Review
Ren stumbles into a test ride of the Honda GB350S. Can he get his head around a new way of riding? It's all very different in the world of low revs and heavy flywheels.
A Dodgy Hip, A Mesh Seat Cover, And Pants
In trying to reduce leakage in the rain our brave and heroic half-wit Ren has got himself a cunning and devious plan. However this idea is causing him issues because he's getting old now and the newness has worn off.
Bedfordshire Is Not In France
And they're off to France! Well Bedfordshire today, but they will get to France eventually... hopefully... maybe?
The Last Day Of A Big Ride
It's Andy's last day of an epic trip. Save for some wind (no not that kind of wind) it seems all rather mundane somehow. Anyhow he's home and safe after over 4,500 miles.
Home And Epilogue
Just a brief summary of the return leg from Much Wenlock and Ren's thoughts of the lovely little town.
A Holiday In Normandy - Prologue
France! Well northern France because our soft arsed lazy writers can't be bothered to go any further. It's time for excuses and explanations as to why The Dynamic Muppets are off on holiday and not an exciting expedition.
A Holiday In Normandy
Title page for A Holiday In Normandy
Rain In Northern France
Yep - the rain has returned, the temperature is colder, and the accommodation is below par. Andy must be getting closer to Blighty now, obviously.
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Latest Posts
Honda GB350S Test Ride Review
Phil said :-
Martin…. Keep us updated on your Honda CB125F experience. I’m at that point I’m contemplating either another CB125F(I owned an almost new 2021 model about 4 years ago) or the Honda GB350s.
But the GB requires servicing every 6 months regardless of mileage covered in order to keep the warranty. Confirmed this with Honda UK as well as the Honda dealer nearest me…cough…40 miles away.
Ludicrous that a new bike (although it’s been out in India for a few years now) needs servicing every 6 months, but that’s where Honda rake in their money. If you don’t main dealer service you lose the potential to get an extended warranty up to 6 years. Service it out of the Honda network you only get the 2 or 3 years maximum on warranty. Or service it yourself and I guess lose any warranty!
And the fact that REN mentioned the lack of excitement riding this GB350 I think that’ll be a pitfall of purchasing one based on the looks and sounds.
TBH, the Honda CB125F really does seem to be the better choice for your money, plus cheaper tax and you’ll be getting close to 160mpg(I averaged 158mpg riding my cb125f.
So yeah Martin, pop back and let us know your thoughts on the little 125. Might make me decide to get one again! I’ll be trading in my Honda NC750S for it. ?
16/08/2026 23:13:02 UTC
Honda CB 125 F Test Ride Review
Martin said :-
Hi nab,
I believe the post '21 Cb125F is optimised for fuel economy with reduced weight and the offset bore. No idea what conditions Honda achieved 189 mpg with but it is certainly encouraging. I am still hoping to better the 130 mpg I am currently returning once the engine loosens up a little though of course that is still a very good rate of consumption. Like you I am no lightweight, 90kg plus riding gear so similar I imagine. Some unkind person (a colleague) once likened me riding an LS125R as like a circus bear riding a pushbike! Interesting what you said about consumption increasing in the winter, I would expect the engine to produce more power in cooler weather as the oxygen per cubic metre of air will be greater. As the fuel injected is adjusted automatically to match the available oxygen then the power should increase?
16/08/2026 21:16:36 UTC
Honda SH125 Mode Test Ride Review
Phil said :-
I love how these comments have span across years and years with owners telling their own stories.
I tried a 2018 Honda SH300i for about 6 months but I missed the connection you get with nodding to other bikers, and the general motorbike involvement that a scooter doesn’t really itch. So I sold it and fast forward a year I’ve got a Honda nc750s.
Amazingly frugal bike. Heavy at 218kg, but averaging 94mpg in 1,500 miles it has been great. But….tax is a killer. Being 750cc it’s in the highest bracket costing £129 a year. And going up every year nowadays.
When I ride it’s mostly a tootle along country roads for coffee and cake somewhere. My speed doesn’t really go higher than 50mph, I’m a very casual rider nowadays. And that’s my issue I’m realising.
Big heavy bike, expensive tax. Not very exciting to ride, but very capable and dependable machine being an Honda. Insurance is okay, lots of years no claims helps.
I’ve got the idea of changing to a 125cc for the cheaper tax and better mpg’s. My 2021 Honda CB125F I owned averaged 158mpg over 800 miles riding.
I don’t think a scooter will achieve this unless it was the Honda Supercub. Scooters seem to be around 110-130mpg.
Or there’s the newish Honda GB 350s at £59 tax a year and way cheaper insurance than the NC750s. Close to £100 cheaper!
21bhp would be more useable than a 125, and owners get between 105 and 117mpg riding carefully. Tho for a 350cc it’s mega slow, but compared to a 125 it’ll be similar but with a slightly higher top speed.
Tbh this bike ticks a lot of boxes, cheaper tax, cheaper insurance, much more comfy seat lol, lighter by 40kg compared to my NC750s.
Wonder what people think of contemplating this downsizing?
I do have another bike, a 2002 Kawasaki GPZ500s. Owned over 7 years. Quick little thing! 0-60 3.6seconds. Amazing character. 60bhp. Brilliant motorbike. Handles like…..a 2002 bike!? So I do have something faster. So my other bike is to be a relaxing one to ride, easy along country roads and cheap overall to own and run.
16/08/2026 21:12:32 UTC
Honda CB 125 F Test Ride Review
Martin said :-
Hi Rod,
Yes, that makes sense. As I recall when I bought the bike it was not charging the battery enough so the battery was running down. I cured that by having the alternator stator rewound then as I said always having lights on when riding. If the third phase of the alternator was not in circuit when the lights were not in use then it could burn out. I actually quite liked the GS250T though I preferred the style of the GSX250 which had the same engine. I had a GSX250 which I bought as a non runner concurrently with the GS250T. Nice bikes to ride.
16/08/2026 18:36:28 UTC
Honda CB 125 F Test Ride Review
nab301 said :-
@ Martin, interesting on the MPG, as you say your bike is the later "offset low friction engine, " I've mentioned on here before that my 2019 CB125F has rarely exceeded 130mpg in summer (warm weather) and in winter (cold weather ) as is the case with most FI engines the MPG decreases in this case to approx 110mpg, in general on this bike I rarely use more than half throttle once I get up to "speed". This is more to preserve the engine than an economy run. I'm sure also I've mentioned before that I'm over 6ft and well over 100kg ( sorry not sure what that is in imperial) with my bike gear on which may well be detrimental to the MPG figures...
Nigel
16/08/2026 16:41:44 UTC
Honda CB 125 F Test Ride Review
ROD¹ said :-
It's been many years since I owned a Suzuki gs250t but I seem to recall that the alternator feed was two phases to the charging system and the third phase only cut in when the lights were in use. As I say, it was many years ago and I can't recall the detail.
15/08/2026 13:55:05 UTC
Honda CB 125 F Test Ride Review
Martin said :-
Hi Ian, you may well be correct. Possibly Suzuki did not fit well designed regulator/rectifiers with the result that the alternator stators cooked, I think it was a common problem at the time. Since then I have always ridden with lights on to ensure there is some load on the alternator, now of course there is no option.
15/08/2026 11:29:37 UTC
Honda CB 125 F Test Ride Review
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Hi Martin.
I'm interested in your comments re ballast resistors. As far as I know, these were only used on coil ignition systems to provide a higher voltage to the coil when starting as they were bypassed when the starter solenoid was actuated. Are you suggesting that there should be one in the charging system? If so, not sure where it should be. A well designed regulator / rectifier with a decent heatsink should have no problem dealing with excess chargiong voltage.
For what it's worth, my Norton Commando with "primitive" full wave rectifier and Zener diode never had a charging problem over decades apart from one instance when an intermittent short in the stator windings caused a surge that fried the rectifier. A £5 replacement from Maplins sorted that out.
15/08/2026 09:54:59 UTC
Honda CB 125 F Test Ride Review
Martin said :-
Hi Rod,
Thanks for your comments on fuel consumption, I agree the only way to get a true mpg is by brimming the tank though 1% error is pretty good. Being now rather aged I find I do not feel the need to proceed everywhere at max revs. While I was riding the 250 kawa I often thought I could do most of what I did with a 125 so now I have the cb125f I will see whether that is true. Probably the acid test is as you suggest hills, I will have to see whether I find it just too gutless once it is run in.
14/08/2026 22:04:20 UTC
Honda CB 125 F Test Ride Review
Martin said :-
Hi Ren,
That is interesting about your cbf125, certainly got your monies worth there! I had a similar problem to your alternator on my GS250T which I rode to work regularly for about three years. When I bought the bike the alternator coils were burnt out because there was no ballast resistor in the design. Having fitted rewound coils I always rode with the headlight on thus providing a load and never had a problem thereafter. Bit crazy building a bike with no ballast resistor unless as with new bikes the lights are on full time. My Suzuki GS125 which I used regularly for seven years until the original chain and sprockets wore out was never the same once I started fitting pattern "heavy duty" chains and sprockets, these lasted less than a year which is pretty poor, this despite regular chain oiling and adjustment. I see the Australian version of the current cb125f has an enclosed chain which appears to be plastic. I am thinking of trying to source one if possible, not bothered if it looks sissy, I just want the chain to last!
14/08/2026 21:53:20 UTC
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Latest Repair-Chat
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nab301 said :-
Ian , I never had an AVO but I remember a biking neighbour back in the 70's had one , or rather his father had which was useful for fault finding on his electric start Yamaha 200 (combined alternator / dynamo electric start)
BTW , I recently purchased a cheap digital meter from Lidl which has a capacitance check feature that works as you describe.
Nigel
08/08/2026 18:08:12 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
I thought there may be some people who remembered AVOs here given the demographics. Sadly mine didn't come with the leather case although does have the original heavy cardboard box together with instruction manual. I've sorted out the overload button which just needed a hard press to reseat it and it now measures voltages correctly. I'll pick up a D battery later today and will order the 15 volt one - there's a seller on ebay.
It's so beautifully made inside and as you say Jeff the rolls-royce of meters and I look forward to using it in earnest.
I too have forsworn kickstarts given my knee issues - saw a physio yesterday who said I was progressing well. Three months with ongoing - although lessening - doesn't feel like good progress to me but heigh-ho.
06/08/2026 14:03:31 UTC
kiwiJeff said :-
Ian your mention of AVO8 certainly bought back memories. Like Glyn I used one through the 70s and early 80s as a radio technician working on communications valve radios. They were the Rolls Royce of multimeters. Using one balanced at the top of an equipment rack was a challenge though, they were heavy! Did the meter come in a stitched leather carry bag with a carry strap? Riding through our winter on the Bandit although while you are overheating in Europe we are having an unusually cold winter? Turned around on one of my favorite roads when I reached a sign that said next 12 kms is ice and grit! We use grit instead of salt on icy roads here which while our vehicles don't rust like yours due to the salt causing rust the grit doesn't melt so becomes a hazard on the bike for some time after the ice is gone! Ren you have my sympathies with your aching hip, my titanium hip aches in the cold my theory is the metal gets cold and affects the surrounding tissue so causing pain. The hip and the arthritic ankle mean I'll never use a kick starter on a bike again! I have to get the missus to help me roll the Bandit onto the centre stand these days! Getting old is a privilege but comes with it's challenges! Ride safe everyone through your summer, we are off to China for a month to have a look at where everything we use these days is made! Regards Jeff
06/08/2026 11:14:26 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
I had to google U2 Battery, apparently it's what I would know as a D Cell? If I recall that's the big 'uns that were in the Ever Ready bicycle lights when I were a lad. Several weeks worth of pocket money for a pack of 2 D cells into the bicycle light that would be bright for 20 minutes, then dim for maybe half an hour, then dead. Today you fit a AAA into an LED light that'll blind drivers for several weeks. Kids these days, don't know how lucky they are(n't).
06/08/2026 08:27:11 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Nostalgia's not what it was.... As Glyn says, the 10A current measuring is a bonus - my digital meter has this but it's a bit of a faff. The AVO is a beautifully made bit of kit. I've found out why it doesn't work - the overload button has been activated and won't stay down It should be a simple repair or if necessary bypass it. When I hold it down it works for voltage (and I assume current). The batteries for measuring resistance have of course disintegrated. One is just an ordinary U2 - the other is special but replacements are available.
One use of an analogue ohm-meter is to check capacitors. Connect one way and the needle should make a slight kick and drop back to zero. Connect the other way and the kick should be repeated. This won't work on a digital meter.
I do have an old analogue job but it won't zero any more so when I get the AVO fixed that will be retired.
05/08/2026 13:08:16 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
I would be Glyn but have a look at Chit-Chat. Due to "unforseen circumstances" I've had to remove the ability to upload images :(
Why do you want the old mulitimeter Ian? Nostalgia I presume.
05/08/2026 12:03:12 UTC
Glyn said :-
I used an Avo8 daily for at least 5 years back in the early 70’s. It was forcibly removed from me and replaced with a Fluke digital which I hated for a while. One of the plus’s of the Avo was the current measurement, even a 10Amp setting if I remember correctly. This was very useful then and would be so today.
The surgeon that repaired my finger may not have done me a favour, it’s been that painful since, I’ve often thought it would have been better to have removed the top. Are you ready for that picture of it now Ed?
903306...
05/08/2026 11:13:01 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Idly browsing my local auction house's offerings I came across a "vintage" Avo Mk 8 multimeter. I rmember using these nearly 60 years ago as an apprentice. A low bid secured it for just over £12. It doesn't work but I'm sure I can fix that. Or can I?
No pic (obviously) but here's the link.
https://www.lilybidsauctionhouse.com/catalogue/lot/482979564e1c213be831d1848eb58...
05/08/2026 09:53:30 UTC
nab301 said :-
Glyn , looking forward to seeing and hopefully hearing the fruits of your labours , will you be stripping the engine?
Nigel
26/06/2026 14:53:36 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Ooooh eeeee ouch! I'm glad you didn't post your gory sliced digit Glyn (Flyn). You can show us when it's healed a little and we can imagine the rest. As for the heat... Enough already but it won't be long until I'm griping about the rain/cold dagnammit. The nights are already drawing in.
26/06/2026 09:57:29 UTC
Latest Chit-Chat
Go To Chit-Chat
nab301 said :-
Although I'm in a different jurisdiction I'm envious of the home and motor quotes posted on here, my home insurance policy has increased by approx 40% in recent years. Rebuild costs have increased exponentially since 2020 and adverse weather claims seem to be feeding into the equation.
Nigel
16/08/2026 17:02:21 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Too hot for the shed.
Regarding insurance I probably wrote about this at the time. Anyway, I had 2 bikes stolen from my garage in March 2004. Fortunately no other damage and they left my Norton behind! I had (and still have) agreeed value insurance as the bikes were "classics". The insurance broker (Howden, then called RH) were excellent and I had a full payout (less excess) within a couple of weeks.
But then the issues started. The underwriter refused to renew my policy as I'd had "two theft events" in the year. In vain I protested that this was a single event but they were adamant. I eventually secured cover from Robin James at around £350 pa - my previous premium had been less than £100.
I stayed with Robin James for a couple of years but tried Howden again this year and was pleased to get a quote of £145 - still more than I used to pay but more acceptable. And when I got the little Herald they agreed to add it to the policy - for an extra £90 or so - despite it being a classic policy and the Herald a mere 10 years old.
I'm not sure what the moral of this tale is (other than that insurance companies in general are greedy money-grabbing vermin) but thought it might be of interest.
14/08/2026 14:11:04 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
I hate sorting insurance. The car is due soon. Urgh.
14/08/2026 08:21:47 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Ian, it is a big hoos for sure but not a mansion. Not by North Northumberland examples anyway.
I did the comparison thing last year and Admiral were the cheapest at around £300.00 for a decent policy so the £60 off is very nice indeed. Didn't even bother checking it this year.
I think the small claim from Storm Arwen in 2021(?) has done us no favours. Lesson learned, don't claim unless your house burns down. Can anybody smell burning?
Upt.
13/08/2026 14:18:30 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
If 20% is £60 the you must have been paying £300 or so. Our current combined buildings and contents is just over £220 for an average sort of house & contents..... It includes £50 or so for emergency assistance just in case we get flooded so the base premium is £170. Through Policy Expert.
Of course you probably live in a mansion with millions of pounds worth of jewellery.
13/08/2026 12:23:25 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Berghaus Storm Cloud - I must try to remember that although I think Snod's ex-army pants are worth a shot. They're a lot easier to get off-n-on aren't they Upt', even with ya boots and ya troosers still on.
As for insurance - just smile, take the saving and mutter to yourself "I'm a lucky sod.. I'm a lucky sod..."
13/08/2026 09:59:02 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Renewed the Home Contents and Building insurance with Admiral. They knocked 20% off last years figure without me asking. I'm confused.
Are Admiral really nice people?
Did they overcharge me last year?
Are they still overcharging me this year?
Should I really care, it's just paid for me pants?
Upt.
13/08/2026 09:34:09 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Ay up Ed, you provided details of the Berghaus overtroosers recently. We popped into GoOutdoors today at Berwick-upon-the-Tweed. Cut a long story short, I am now the proud owner of a pair of Berghaus Storm Cloud Pants, purchased at double discount for around £60.00. They zip all the way up and include poppers. I bought the long length, 33 inch leg I think. They weigh just around bugger all.
Ta me duck.
Upt.
12/08/2026 17:32:55 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
The grammar police nab301? We'll be fine here if we're visited by the grammar police - innit. Kos we is awl edumicated tipes an speek posh like. I dun av an GCSE level in Engleesh (is "D" a pass?) an I chex all da messejes two, I korect dem all see.
Perhaps I should set myself up as a professional writer? The only problem is what would I write about?
11/08/2026 07:59:25 UTC
nab301 said :-
Ren , I haven't been on here in a few days but that's a bummer with the copyright issues , as they say " a picture tells a thousand stories" hopefully you'll continue even if just with text while avoiding visits from the grammar police...
Nigel
08/08/2026 18:35:50 UTC
Random Link - A long Ride to Gien