Embracing the Honda Trail 125 Adventure Machine

Unexpectedly Sexy

Not sure sexy is the correct term. But unlike almost any other motorcycle or scooter on the road the Honda Trail 125 gets first, second, and often third looks and comments. Often seen as cute it doesn’t seem to intimidate or trigger indifferent reactions that bigger, louder, and frankly gaudier motorcycles can do. If engagement and ego stroking is important you won’t go wrong with this machine. And if you are looking for adventure, don’t underestimate this little machine.

The adventure ahead on this morning was simple — a wandering ride on backroads, dirt, and gravel to breakfast. A quiet hour on the road to cover 26 miles. Perfect for embracing the Honda Trail 125.

Look! There’s Two of Them!

My friend Paul and I both bought our Honda Trail 125s on the same day. Me hauling mine home from Altoona and Paul hauling his home from somewhere in Eastern Pennsylvania. And neither of us knew that the other was planning a purchase. Talk about synchronicity.

The bikes were acquired to explore the almost endless backroads and trails in this part of Pennsylvania. And with the thought that they would be remarkably easy to handle in the really rough stuff. Getting older we’re both mindful of the gaps that exist between reality and the myriad tales we can tell ourselves to satisfy some rather meaningless concerns. Embracing the Honda Trail 125 means you no longer need or care what others might think of you as a rider. And that much of the need for something bigger and more powerful may have little to do with actual riding needs and more to do with emotional and psychological needs. Don’t get me wrong, there are real reasons to adventure on bigger motorcycles. Thankfully I have recognized in most cases this little bike is perfect.

Besides, I still have the Himalayan if something bigger or more powerful is needed or desired.

The Photo Stop

One of the reasons I choose to ride alone is the frequency at which I stop to take pictures. Guilt can overwhelm me when riding with someone and don’t want to inflict them with another stop. And when I pass by a great possibility I get a little miffed that I am letting a shot get away.

Those two options, not stopping, or stopping with guilt, well, they both suck. Thankfully I found a better solution — ride with another photographer. Paul is always happy to stop. And if there isn’t a photo to make it gives him a chance to open his ever present Thermos of coffee. A win-win scenario.

What’s different about this photo stop is Paul is shooting black and white film with an old Leica I. You don’t often see someone along the road shooting with a hundred year old camera. So in addition to embracing the Honda Trail 125, Paul is something of a Renaissance man.

An Excellent Explorer

These two motorcycles have crossed the two nearby Expert sections of the Mid-Atlantic BDR. They’ve take us places neither of us would venture anymore on a larger adventure bike. And the experiences keep the smiles coming.

I’m familiar with the desires that fuel the acquisition of bigger machines. My mind imagines wildly challenging routes and situations where I can convince myself I must have more power, more ground clearance, more gear carrying capacity, more, more, more. Usually, the irrational nature of a lot of that fades and I can make a more realistic decision. It’s why there are no big machines in my garage, no big pickup truck in my driveway.

The Honda provides all the adventure I need. It will go anywhere given enough time and planning. Paul and I have made 100 mile trips, mostly dirt and gravel, and could easily go further. The big drawback of the motorcycle is if your adventure riding starts hundreds of miles away. The bike will get you there but you’ll have to find routes that support its 50mph top speed. And many riders just don’t have the luxury of time to do it.

Embracing the Honda Trail 125 delivers a lot of real satisfaction when it comes to adventures. Especially for older riders like myself. But it also has limitations that require a bit of ingenuity to cope with. For me, that puzzle, that’s all part of the adventure.

Old and New

If you’ve never used an old camera like the Leica I you can’t appreciate how committed and skillful a photographer you had to be to just make a snapshot. Shooting with the iPhone is like the difference between driving a Tesla and managing a horse and buggy. The skills necessary to manage each are dramatically different. Sometimes I want to be Amish — with my motorcycles and my cameras.

While both our Honda Trail 125 motorcycles are relatively new, the small size, minimal power, and utter simplicity of these machines compared to almost anything else you might ride provides some insight into moto-travel when it began over 125 years ago. At least it seems that way to me despite how sophisticated the Honda actually is. And embracing the Honda Trail 125 offers me a riding experience different from anything else in my garage.

Two-Wheeled Truck

After breakfast the ride transformed from adventure to mundanity when we stopped at Stoner’s Small Engine Shop to pick up a wheelbarrow tire that required repair. The Honda exudes practicality in carrying out everyday chores and tasks. Especially when equipped with the Bigant Collapsible Plastic Milk Crate. It’s amazing what I can haul on this little truck of a motorcycle.

I’ve ridden the Honda a lot through the winter and spring. A lot more rides to share when I get round to writing. There’s plenty of evidence that this little machine can go anywhere and do anything short of Interstate highway travel. Given enough time and backbone, it will easily run any of the BDRs or the TransAmerica Trail. I often dream of those routes. A dream that runs slow and steady. An adventure perfect for the Honda Trail 125.