Symptoms of the Honda Magic
It’s simple. When I go for a ride on my Honda I always smile. You can see it on my face. But you can’t see the smiles inside. Or the smiles generated days later when I think about a ride I’ve made with this strange little machine.
The magic extends beyond the physical act of riding. Like the old Honda advertising slogan, “You meet the nicest people on a Honda” something else happens. Somehow a magnetic attraction develops to other Honda Trail riders. In the above photo my friend Paul and I were stopped to admire the landscape during a long ride. And I have two other friends with old Honda Trail bikes who are turning wrenches or opening their wallets to get them running. Like flies to honey Honda Trail bike riders may be subject to a magical force.
And because of all this, I am left saking what makes a Honda Trail 125 an exceptional motorcycle.
Magical Magnetism
Owning one of these machines has unexpected influence. I love to ride all the machines in my garage. And generally speaking, when I do ride them, I ride alone. But the Honda is different. When I decide to ride it I almost always call Paul to see if he wants to come along.
With the temperature in the mid-40s it was a good time to go.
Slow Travel and the Honda Trail 125 Motorcycle
Just eight miles from home we stopped to take in the first of many views. Stopping and starting is easy with this little motorcycle. But few riders possess the temperament or flexibility to ride one. A working top speed of maybe 50MPH is humbling. Some might say humiliating. Or even emasculating. In a world of ever growing desire and demand for more torque, horsepower, technology, and cost, the Honda presents itself as a minimalist machine for the rider comfortable enough to manage its limitations.
The Honda Trail 125 is like having your own Zen master revealing the path of acceptance.
Forest Roads Go On Forever (almost)
Riding in Rothrock State Forest it is easy to forget how large an area it covers. Riding on roads that disappear in the distance is exciting as you arrive at the point where you see the next long stretch of road. We were stopped here on Kepler Road which runs parallel to Tussey Mountain.
I’ve ridden my Royal Enfield Himalayan through here many times. I ride just as fast and with far less fuss on the Honda. For the kind of riding I do the Honda is more than adequate for off-the-pavement riding. I’m no racer.
The Zen master bids me travel slowly so I can experience the world and free my spirit.
Harry’s Valley Vista
The expanse of Pennsylvania landscape as seen from this vista is breathtaking. The altitude, the distance, and the silence are gifts of taking the time to ride out. Paul, ever the photographer, is setting up a little iPhone tripod to make a photograph documenting our fleeting presence.
Here’s the photo he made:
Roundtop Vista
I’m not sure if I have ever ridden past a forest vista without stopping. I suppose they offer a moment for me to meditate and express some gratitude to the Universe for this journey I am on.
And of course a chance for me to have a few swigs of water and Paul to savor a cup of coffee from the Thermos he always has with him.
Canoe Mountain Vista
We stopped briefly to admire the view and take a few pictures. Neither of us got off the motorcycles or took off our helmet. We had only ridden a quarter mile since the last vista on the other side of the mountain.
When some asks what makes the Honda Trail 125 an exceptional motorcycle I’ll say, “It takes you to a lot of vistas.”
Spruce Creek Vista — Can I See Lunch From Here?
I could make this ride again tomorrow and everything would seem new. Unexplored. The forest is changing so fast that it just looks different now than it did a few weeks ago. It’s one of the gifts of living here in Central Pennsylvania. Plenty of fine roads to ride. Plenty of places to explore. And they are continually changing. Only those who aren’t looking would get bored. My two cents anyway.
It was time for lunch and I had a good idea of how long from here to the tavern. Calculating with the slow speeds of the Hondas.
Spruce Creek Tavern
I’ve literally ridden or driven by this place a hundred times and never stopped in. I generally avoid taverns because I have some irrational notion that fights and worse happen in these place. I’m not sure why I decided to stop on this trip save perhaps that I didn’t want to ride another 10 or 20 miles to get something to eat.
Some calculations were considered in regard to what size French Fries to order. I’m glad we chose the smallest — a handful of fires. The burgers arrived a few minutes later. I’ll stop again at the Spruce Creek Tavern for sure.
Epilogue
It was a fine ride. Around 75 miles of moto-adventure on the Hondas on some spectacular roads. I had to put some gas in it because it was almost empty when we left in the morning.
When I got home I was already planning a much longer ride. Such is what happens when I ride the Honda.
So that question again, what makes the Honda Trail 125 an exceptional motorcycle?
Well, it’s fun to ride. Capable. Honda reliability. Goes forever on a small tank of fuel. Easy to handle and maneuver. Fast enough for dirt and gravel. Adequate on the pavement here if I possess the humility to be a bicycle rider at times to let vehicles pass. And it calls me out of the easy chair to ride. It takes me places that cause my spirit to soar. I don’t worry about the machine overwhelming me with throttle seduction or lead me along stupid paths.
It’s just perfect for me. And that’s all I’m going to say about that.
Yes mid 30’s is definitely getting into the cold factor. Glad to read you had a great time out and riding. The food looked pretty good as well.
It was a good ride. I’m grateful to have a friend like Paul to share the journey. The food was delicious. Just what I needed for my first meal of the day!
Not sure what happened to post that which was posted a while back or so I thought.
However to sum up the latest ride with the Spruce Tavern tagged. “Fabulous”
Fabulous indeed. I’ll be back.
Indeed, the smallest and lightest is best for off-road. I recognize each and every vista you stopped at. You’ve inspired me to get out there, regardless of weather. Yes, the smallest order of fries is more than enough at the Spruce Creek Tavern too.
I’m glad to provide a little inspiration. The weather is quickly warming though seems we’ll see a morning in the 20s again. But soon every ride will be in pleasant weather.
Yes, the smallest order of fries was almost too much for me when added to a giant burger!
You see so much more at 25 mph and though your daily distance might be a fraction of that on the larger platform the day seems so complete. My CT has been a godsend in these hurried times, a miracle moto machine if there ever was one. BTW, those fries look irresistible! Savour eh🥂
McDonald’0bzervatory -&- parts of Big-Bend park system. Similar philosophy, but with tw-2OO Yamaha. Spark-arrester mandatory!! BRUTAL 🥵 HEAT about 1\3 of year. We stash our bikes -&- overnight around 8’OOO’ elevation. NEED @least 2 overnights to enjoy. It’s WORLD-famous DARK-SKY destination!! Astronomical binocularz are hassle-we take turnz carrying them. Have seen trail-Hondaz out there-but never up top! Absolutely NOTHING like a sturdy-reliable 2wheel magic carpet ✨️
We have a dark sky destination here in north central Pennsylvania. Cherry Springs State Park. Not sure how it would compare to Big Bend but I hope to be there someday at night. It gets crowded I’m told.
Brutal heat is worse for me than brutal cold. I guess you have to pay close attention to it.
We’re both lucky to have our two-wheeled magic carpets!
That’s the best thing about riding slow — you definitely see more. I used to think the quality of a ride had some correlation to the number of miles ridden. No more. Miles are just numbers. The experience is something else.
I love french fries. Not sure what is at the culinary pinnacle… fries or chips???
If I had to choose … fresh cut fries all the time👌
I’m still not sure. I can eat potato chips every day. Not sure I can say the same about fries, fresh cut or otherwise. They’re a lot heavier…
As mentioned I’m French fry inclined but in either case they’re a treat. I identify both as high octane😉
High octane indeed. My waist line provides evidence of that fact!
Great post! I’ve been thinking that I need one of these bikes since I rode a friend’s last year. I’m in need of a scooter (it’s been a few years full of motorcycles w/ huge motors). Keep riding, keep blogging – Best from the Hudson Valley in NY!
It’s a unique machine. I love how it looks. I love how it performs. And I love that it takes me places I may not see otherwise.
Thanks for taking the time to comment. Have fun in the Hudson Valley!
I’m glad you like the Honda, it’s a pretty neat bike. My problem with it, and why I would buy an XR150R is the transmission. I had a Chinese 50cc version clone engine for many years and it was irksome in one regard. Downshifts at any speed were annoying. I could get it to shift as smooth as glass on upshifts but the mismatch between ratios had the engine sounding like it was going to come apart violently. Maybe it’s better on the 125cc but I would be skeptical. The XR has a clutch so I could ease the engine back together on downshifts with ease. With an engine that small dancing on the gear shift lever for quickly changing conditions would be a must. Plus I think the styling of the XR150 is more to my liking and would be more amenable to difficult conditions.
I looked long and hard at the XR150R. Faster and less expensive. I just didn’t like the way it looked and for me if it doesn’t look good to me I’m not having it.
The shifting took some time to get used to. I watched Itchy Boots struggle yesterday with a similar transmission in Yemen. I know what you mean about the downshifting. That bit of business took quite a few miles to figure out how to smoothly downshift without the violence. Since the clutch is on or off the secret to smoothness is in the throttle. And it is counter intuitive. You need to have the RPMs up pretty high to get the smooth shift. When I do it with the throttle off or low you get the feeling of eminent catastrophe.
The dancing I miss from the XR150R is offset by the size, weight, and seat height of the Trail 125. And for whatever I can’t ride through I can drag the bike through!
A minha Honda tem 110cc e comporta-se fazendo envergonhar muitas 125cc. Ainda não percebi o que me faz sorrir em cima dela. Tem um arranque muito rápido até aos 60 km/h (~40 mph), e depois, desenvolve a velocidade mais progressivamente até aos 80 km/h (~50 mph), como quem está idealizada para me permitir apreciar a paisagem e ver mais. Se continuar a apertar com ela, continua de um modo ainda mais progressivo até atingir os 105 km/h (~65 mph). Para um motor tão pequeno de 110cc é notável! Na cidade, permite-me arranques rápidos nos semáforos, no campo, disfrutar de magníficas paisagens. É muito versátil para o meu uso, mas ainda não percebi porque sigo viagem a sorrir sem razão aparente, mas parece, que temos todas as razões para sorrir!
As scooters têm um desempenho extraordinário, mesmo com motores pequenos. E como disseste, é como se fossem desenhados para nos deixar ver o mundo. Mas também para o utilizar na estrada, nas cidades e vilas.
I’m now returning from having spent the winter in SE Arizona and two weeks in the Pacific Northwest. My Trailrider accompanied us for the entire trip. We cruised the Coronado National Forest and the Capitol State Forest. It was an absolutely wonderful bike to have as a traveling companion. I put some Shinko knobbys on it, and it took me places that, in some cases, I probably shouldn’t have been! Maybe the best winter of riding I’ve ever had.
Sounds as if you have the perfect moto companion. I’ve looked at Shinko knobbys. Maybe when it comes time for new tires I will follow your lead.
That was fun re-exploring that ride again with you through your photos and writings. I’m reminded how peaceful and fun the whole adventure was. Make plans for our next CT125 woods adventure too. Spring is here and should be in the woods again. Paul
Riding through the forests and mountains here is certainly a peaceful experience. We’re fortunate to have such easy access to all those places.
I have the maps out already plotting another adventure!
I’m ready when you are. Today you received by email notification of this years 1st Motohang motorcycle meet May 14.
Ugh. I have a 4PM dentist appointment that day. Grrrrrr.