Would you take a 125cc bike on an adventure like this?

125cc bikes are amazing. they just need to be ridden within their limits, and they won't go far wrong. I've seen a Honda CG125cc with 201,000 miles on the clock, so it's not impossible. To all the nagtive commentors, the 125cc engine is one of the most reliable motorcycle playforms on the planet. It can literally do anything and go anywhere. Some are better than others. I've found Honda to be the best.

When driving in Africa I often saw people on massive BMW bikes struggling. Far too heavy, too top heavy, no easy repairs, tiring at low speed. Meanwhile everyone else zapped along on 125s. Good luck on your adventure! I'd do it the same way!

Thise 125’s are strong little engines, but you are also fully loaded. The tendency, particularly on long days, is to push it towards the end. Avoid that. Cruise at 50mph. Use the gearbox to avoid over stressing the engine. Change the oil more frequently than the recommended service interval and choose quality. Check the oil every morning and look for drips when you stop. Check the air filter regularly, particularly when you get to the real dusty/sandy/red soil stuff. keep your cables clean. A great adventure you are on: it will change your life view for ever. Expect problems and delays at borders and make sure you have the correct visas, particularly once you cross into Africa. I speak from experience. Go!

Just found your channel and trip, turn the bass down on the music and you voise up please

Sorry to hear of Lauren's bike problem. Maybe the lesson to learn is that with a small engine like that you need to be checking the oil often. The sump capacity is small, the engines are working hard. Just a little bit of oil consumption and you are low on oil. I recomend checking the dipstick every fill up to start with. Then once you have an idea of how long before you need a top up, you can adjust the checking intervals accordingly. Don't be put off the project. Little bikes can do amazingly long journeys. You just need to learn how to care for their needs.

“Dull roads in France “ something no ever said before 😂

I just got a TW200. This will be the first season here in New England USA. I have finished the adventure build except to build the mounting the release for the top bag. You guys are so lucky to have each other to share this trip. I won't have room for side bags with the Mrs riding on the back. So as long as she is with me it won't be long trips. Enjoy the trip and each other! I will be watching. You are inspiring me to go way farther than I thought. Long live the small bikes!!!!!!!!!!!

Little Hondas are brilliant for long distinces .You gotta reember that on a 1000 , 750 ,500 cc bike you normaly cruise at about half the maxium speed of the bike and a 125 needs to be ridden in a simular way if it has a chance of surviving . I wish you both well ,ride safe

I like your raw approach to this expedition. Its exactly how I as a youngster would have done it, any problem is solvable but it just takes a little longer at the roadside. You are fantastic couple, now get on with it and don't listen to the moaners.

NOW THIS IS A MOTORCYCLE ADVENTURE toured a Vespa px 2 up & luggage nothing like what your doing though, looking forward to future episodes ….. Pete 🇫🇷

Great job guys! Looking forward to the next one. Keep up the good work!

Awesome Trip! Im wishing you a very fun and Safe Trip! I Hope they dont Break down Badly and i Hope you Ride Safe! I love it when people do Journeys Like you do now! ❤ I am Looking forward to the next Episodes!

Looking good - nicely edited. Subscribed, looking forward to part 2 :)

Whoa guys, best of luck for Africa, hope you're prepared, it's very very tough out there, will be following you, best of luck

I love these adventure on budget bike trips - it shows you don’t need the big 500+ cc’s to have an adventure, well done

I'm sure you will both find a way to get the engine fixed. Great little bikes. Looking forward to the next instalment.

Wow, this series has turned out to be so good. I cant wait to see how this plays out.

Great vid!! Cant wait to watch the next stage. Inspirational stuff.

Look forward to the next one! Beatrice loved watching this one ❤

Good luck on your adventure. A leap of faith using small capacity bikes. It’ll be fine. I will keep a watch on your progress.

Good mix of motorcycle content, travelogue and personal reflections. Enjoyed this and will try to follow the series 👍

A Fantastic adventure awaits you both I predict, safe journey to you both. Massive respect from jimmy in Scarborough 🙌

I just came across your channel tonight by chance and I really liked this vid. nice content between the journey, the war site, the driving, the narration and the music used. I don't know how far you both are through your journey but i'm looking forward to binge watching it

Wow! Look at how far you've come since leaving! Great video Tom, cant wait to watch the series. Poor Lauren looks defeated in that last part 😅

Great content, looking forward to seeing more

Excited for you guys. Respect!

Wow, i am jealous. What a fun trip that'd be.

Fantastic. Can't wait!

Enjoyed watching and have been following via the Facebook page, so was aware of the impending engine issue. I'm sure there will be plenty of 'smart' advice regarding maintenance and prep. At least you two are actually doing it and making it happen. Looks like it's going to be a proper adventure. Hope you're both enjoying the trip.

Good luck with the repair, and I am looking forward to following your trip. I visited that village a few years ago on a hot sunny day. As soon as we walked into the walled village, the temperature dropped massively, but the sun was still out 😢 I will never forget that village 🙄🙄 good luck both and stay safe 👍

I've been to Oradour Sur Glane twice. Once in the 90s on my Honda CX500 on the way to Spain, and last time a cople of years ago, this time by car. A very moving experience. Recommended. Another wartime location worth a visit is Auschwitz in Poland. Also very moving. I think it is true to say, you will never forget either location.

Great video, looking forward to more content. This trip is going to be epic!

125cc is the most used bike in Thailand and I have many friends who have been buzzing around on their Honda's for years and thousands of miles on the clock, they just keep going.

That was just fantastic to watch! I throughly enjoyed it and obviously you did get it fixed! But nonetheless less it is nerve racking! I cannot wait for the next set of adventures! Good luck on all your adventures! Good luck both of you and I am sure you are having a great time too! 😊😉😄👍

You have courage. I wish you good luck and I just wait the new videos form your Adventures.

What a fantastic journey brilliant to do it on 125's too. Great footage. I had heard about the French village too.

I've been looking forward to these vids coming out. Excellent job on the editing!

1st thing that goes when short of oil is valve rocker assembly, as it’s furthest away from oil pump. Take of it will be stiff to work up and down. Just change that engine will probably be ok.

love what you guys are doing love my 125s lol ill be watching your journey good luck

I have a full license and still own 125 bikes and scooters, so many miles on them and love it,

Awesome stuff! I have a 125cc Vespa and a 125cc Honda which I use for month-long trips in Europe, usually over the Alps to Italy. I'm thinking about going to Morocco next year, but South Africa is something else! What a plan! Also great that you visited Oradour. I think it's important to get to know the history of a place you're travelking through, even the terrible parts, in hopes that we will learn from it. Oradour sadly has very importsnt lessons to teach for today...

Kind of hoping to do the same thing on my 125 Varadero. At least your engines will be super easy to get parts for everywhere. Good choice.

Wow - thats a trip worthy of a sub!

What a great adventure you're setting off on. Might I request you turn the audio up a little when you talk, for those of us hard of hearing 😆

Exciting so far. More drama than you need... I thought all road trips have a spare vehicle trailing behind the stars, or is that just on Grand Tour 😅 Good stuff. Looking forward to the next instalment.

LOVE what you're doing. Perfect bikes I reckon. But 500k's...bit over enthusiastic start I think. The bikes are the transport to your adventures, not the adventure itself. Have fun. from Melbourne ,Aust.

Wow hats off to you two

You should get amazing mpg my first bike way back in 1985 was a honda c90 me a d my mate went to whitby from huddersfield (120miles) my bime was full of fuel when i set off it didnt even take a gallon i did the trip road around whitby a week and rode home it still had fuel left when i got home the c90 is a legend that can do well over 200miles a gallon

Here for the adventure.

Belive it or not, my grandad used to walk this exact same route everyday going to school… Only it was before the war, so it was still uphill both ways! He said the worst part was walking the 30,000 miles in 8ft of snow😅

Great video looking forward to the next one

Oil change every 2000kms. Essential

Absolutely brilliant vid! Always wondered if my wee 125 get to morroco? You answered my long time question and more! Banging adventure! Hope you stopped in Anza? 🙏🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🙏👊👊👊👊

Hi Guys, great to stumble on this. Oradour Sur Glane is incredibly moving. We visited last summer on our UK/EU trip. Hope all works out with the bike. Following 👍 Steveandsuzzertw 👍🏍️🏍️ NZ

great video mate,car,nt wait for the next one

Having traversed africa, some 40,000 miles, it is more rewarding if you place the emphasis on the journey not the destination, it's not about reaching the top of the mountain if you don't learn, appreciate the view, and the majesty of the landscape. Much of the best of Africa you can never reach with those bikes. Of course, you can get to cape town but you should leave naivety behind, fully recognise the nature of all potential risks involved or luck may not be on your side, drive within limits. Keep safe, take care and try to understand the people and the countries you pass through then it will be a richer experience.

Some set backs but really you're going rather well! Imagine what extra distress there is for anyone with a expensive, giant "ADV" which can have some computer problem the owner can't diagnose, and isnt welcome to work on! Thanks for your sharing about that wartime atrocity; more thought provoking, than what we learn of war from mainstream media. Thanks for taking us along; it's a good adventure already; If you make right down through africa, you'll boost the sales of little all motorbikes around the world! Your photography is excellent!

Good luck on your adventure mate. All the best to you. Next. South east asia and Australia ya!

Good luck!

Lekka stuff guys, looking forward to seeing you here in Cape Town when you arrive 🙂

Looking forward to the next installment

I have been watching in awe a guy who has just done what you are planning to do (One Man One Bike) he is currently in Portugal as he is now on his way back. The fact you are attempting this on 125's is incredulous. OMOB did it on a V-Strom 1000. Looking forward to seeing how it unfolds, although your hideous choice of loud music means I'm watching it with the volume muted.

Honda pcx 125 scooter I've done 20k miles in just over 1 year and with little maintenance and a big maintenance here and there it runs perfectly only wish the tyres lasted i get around 5k at push on the rear and 10k front. Best scooter out there in the 125 range and price is good for what you get

Great first video

Good luck, when you get to South Africa come across to the best bit (KZN), the Drakensberg MOuntaisn where what I am.

Brilliant video guys.❤😢❤

Man this is awesome 👏 💪

New here so far so good enjoyed it 👏

Very unfortunate to have a major engine problem, but you can get honda parts just about anywhere in the world, and the old CG push rod engine is easy to fix.

The best 125cc bikes that last long are Honda xr125 , Honda valadero 125cc ,yamaha DT 125. Best for long-distance adventure is the Honda valadero with off road tyres.

I've had bikes up to 1200cc, currently ride an XVS950 but my best fun has been on small bikes. I rode a Van Van 125 from the UK to Malaga, it was super all day comfy, because it is, and...its best at sub 40mph. My next bike will be a 125cc for a round Europe trip, it'll be a Van Van or a Super Cub. 👍

I'd love to do a trip like that you guys are awesome

Quality, proper adventure. Love it. :) Looking forward to installment number two :)

I like small bikes but would prefer a 250 for this, same weight and size of bike but slightly less stressed engine.

I'm no expert on long trips like this but I'd want at least a 350 or 500cc. Not for speed but just for all that weight you're carrying and the cruddy road conditions you'll find in Africa, where a bit of power will be really useful. It might sound cool and trendy to say you're having an adventure but it won't feel like that when you're knee deep in mud. But good luck and I'll be watching from my sofa... 😊

Are you carrying fuel and oil over and above what is in the tank and engine? Are you carrying a tow rope? highly recommend checking oil twice daily pre start and mid day refuel. Days are short at present go for shorter journeys that will end before dusk. Check front suspension before leaving Spain the Sahara's dust will play havoc with your forks, chain and wheel bearings. Tip for bike chains warm a tin of graphite grease pour into oil can with it's side cut out wash chain thoroughly in petrol allow to dry fold and place in graphite keep grease warm this will penetrate into all of the chains crevices left over night replace on machine treat two spare chains and vac pac. pack wheel bearings with as much grease as possible this will help prevent laterite dust getting into bearings it is a killer. Avoid riding unmade roads in the rain or when wet. loaded top heavy bikes WILL go over several times a day same with soft sand, Try to get in with a convoy if possible, best to meet up with fellow travelers at main Algeciras camp site Do you have a good tent?if not why not, I notice you have no racks over your front wheel spread the weight. If you dont want to carry a tent then get a good fishing brolley and two light weight stools believe me when I tell you the rain in Africa not like in the UK comes down really hard often with hail that will kill you I grew up out there so I do know what I am talking about. The sun goes down early in Africa the closer to the equator you get the earlier it goes down get you arses out of bed early and get moving as soon as the sun pops up over the horizon or your days will be too short to make the distances needed remember most mileage will be done on unlit roads a good lamp essential as power often limited, When I was a kid the electric was turned off at six Do you have a bulb kit? once into Sahara check air filter daily. more often after dust storms. sever dust storms park up well off road to avoid being rundown by trucks 150 yards at least, dust storms are extremely hot and unpleasant but if you keep your eyes open they can be spotted in the distance giving you time to prepare face masks help keep the dust out. Learn to scan the ground in front of you and out to the horizon at the same time, from your feet to the horizon360 degrees it is possible I do it to this day but then I grew up out there always always check boots before putting them on your feet helmets and sleeping bags to scorpions are nasty little buggers. If you can take the culture shock Africa a great place.

OK, subbed as I am interested in how you get on, but can you try to match the music volume and voice over volume... I had to crank it up to hear you talking and then blew my brains out when the music came back up..... Anyway, ride safe...

music spoils it

its awesome you have a partner you can share bikes with, that would never happen for me, it could be subjected though bc you did bring a helpless animal with you on this big trip

Well, this caught my eye, because I had only just completed the first 300 km on a Suzuki GN125 in Colombia, almost all with a pillion passenger. Of course, while running the engine in maintaining a maximum engine speed of 5600 revs, that’s a maximum speed of about 62 km/ĥ pretty much the standard for the mountain roads where most of the time you won’t even be reaching 60 K’s. I was contemplating an authentic Colombian motorbike KZfaq experience with such an authentic Colombian bike, but after a few hours you realize that it’s a pretty small bike with your legs in a position you wouldn’t imagine on a large bike.

Great 👌

Happy Journey injoy your adventure Tip give exhaus valve, and intake. More clearance. Change the oil properly, not synthetic one Organic i du 1000km on main 12 jears stil du his Jop. I get da next bigger Clearance tool long Distanz da heat on air cool piston and oil expandieren different den just araund taun . I put 1dl mor oil dan norm and hi love it to cool daun . Happy trip .

You rode a 125 passed the closet coffee shop. It died. My god what a surprise. Get a CB500x. Mine has 100k and runs like new. Never spent a cent on it bar standard servicing. Light, fast handles, comfortable and bulletproof

Good luck sorting out the bike. It could be worth picking up a spare clutch for the bikes if your not already carrying one. From watching Itchy boots, it only takes one bad day in the mud and the clutch can be ruined. I think your choice of bikes should mean its easy for people to help along the way though.

I refused to get on an A road after a did my CBT as everyone was up my a55! Thankfully I was old enough to do my direct access, a bigger bike is much safer.

I watched a channel with a guy on a C90 that crossed Australia then up through Asia to China. If a C90 can do it then a Honda 125 should. The C90 did need several engine rebuilds and plenty of other work along the way so expect regular downtime to rest.

I haven't seen 'sparks' for a few years - did a few tours with him, a great guy.

OMG i google-mapped Village martyr d'Oradour-sur-Glane, and wiki'd it, too. weeping. thx

Hope you get sorted and enjoy your ride take care from Scotland

"It turns out there was no oil in the bike". I am literally GAGGING to find out the journalist's 5 W's: Who, What, Where, Where, Why???? Well from the teasers at the end of the video it looks like you found a solution. Look forward to watching you glide by my house here in the Gers (32) on the way to cross the Pyrenees and on to deepest, darkest Spain!

BN from PH checking in.

Engine failure so soon on a long journey is really bad luck. Checking oil every day, or twice a day on long runs is really important. If it.s using oil you need to know where.

Amazing

Visiting what was once called the War Crimes museum in Vietnam left me in tears, and to think the genocide in Gaza continues. Great video. I have a CT125 I ride on short camping trips around Thailand, in the hope I will get a chance to tour longer distances. Keep going.

honda cg 125 ideal adventure machines.... fairly tough, economical, simple machines... just watch the cam chain tensioners.... and dont forget enjoy the adventure...

Proper tunes a bonus!😂

New channel besides itchy boots that will be so interesting ❤❤❤ from Zambia 🇿🇲🇿🇲🇿🇲

Oh yes, please have a like, comment and a sub. Look forward to doing this trip with you in spirit!

Thrashing the older single cylinder 125's for prolonged periods rarely ends well. Looking forward to the next instalment.