Scooter in the Sticks

Exploring life on a Vespa, Royal Enfield Himalayan, Honda Trail 125, and a Kawasaki W650

The Honda CT 125 Isn’t Just a Trail Bike

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Steve Williams with his Honda CT 125 trail bike.
I purchased the CT125 for dirt and gravel but it can go almost anywhere. (Photo by Paul Ruby)

Lead Up to a Ride

A few things are in play when I prepare for a ride and they are sometimes in conflict. Like deciding I want to ride the Kawasaki W650 but the destination takes me through miles and miles of dirt and gravel. I try to juggle riding the machines I have to keep them “exercised” and in good working order. A friend recently pointed out that I seem to be trying to balance them on the blog as well. Writing to meet the expectations of readers rather than just share the rides I make.

“I thought you wrote here as part of a personal documentation of your life on the road?”

It was pointed out that as soon as I work to satisfy some imagined expectations of readers the whole thing becomes more forced, less authentic, and ultimately will begin to feel like work. The exact reasons why I’ve put new content on my YouTube channel on hiatus.

So I’ll put the crystal ball away and quit being concerned about what readers want. Hopefully that won’t offend or drive anyone away.

I knew I wanted to take the Honda Trail 125 for a ride. Somewhere. And I had a fixed window of time to ride. In these situations I generally sit down at the computer and open Google Maps and start looking for a destination or route. In this case, for a place to eat breakfast. And the place I decided on was 35 miles away. The ride would mostly be on pavement with some time on roads where people were traveling far faster than the Honda could handle. The adventure would take me to the Kitchen Witch in Howard, Pennsylvania.

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Is 24-Horsepower Enough for a Motorcycle?

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2022 Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycle parked along a farm field.
Simple, reliable, but too weak for serious riding?

Enter the Era of Downsizing Motorcycles

YouTube is currently full of content declaring the virtues of moving to smaller machines. The reasons vary but the changes are happening. Mostly because so many riders are older and perhaps feeling how much heavier machines are feeling. I’m familiar with those feelings.

The median age of an American motorcycle owner is around 50. In 1990 the median rider age was 32. And in 1985 it was 27. Not great news for manufacturers wondering where new customers are going to come from but no surprise the Boomers and GenXers, used to ever bigger and better SUVs and trucks, seem to end up with mammoth machines that are now getting a little uncomfortable.

Downsizing can be the result of wanting a motorcycle that’s just easier to handle. Or less expensive to own and operate. Or more fun. All that stands in the way of downsizing in an clear understanding of needs and an honest assessment of ego. Ego is a bitch to get past though. Just this morning I was talking with a fellow rider about Helite Turtle 2 airbags. Expensive. Probably useful. But when I saw the Hi-Viz yellow my first reaction was in how it would interrupt the elegant look of my Merlin Hixon II leather jacket.

Style before safety right? Turns out they do offer them in black.

Back to my 2022 Royal Enfield Himalayan. I downsized to it from my BMW K75 because that motorcycle was feeling heavy for the kind of riding I was doing. And it had more power than I needed. Ultimately I wanted a motorcycle to ride in the dirt and gravel. The Himalayan was a much better choice.

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Tiny Rides

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Vespa GTS 250 scooter along a rural road.
Pausing to admire the world.

What is a Tiny Ride?

It would be nice if every ride could be a grand adventure. Days or weeks exploring, unfettered by the weight of duty and the responsibility of maintaining a life. But ask yourself, how many of your rides fit into that specific category of two-wheeled activity?

A lucid look in the mirror draws a confession — only a small fraction of my rides are grand adventures. Most of them are tiny rides, rides that are part utility and part therapy. They don’t appear special in any way. Experience reveals they in fact have a powerful influence on the quality of my life. Those low miles, short time in the saddle rides are the medicine that keeps me smiling, pulls me out of bed in the morning, and have me muttering, “What a wonderful life.”

The utility aspects of tiny rides are easy to comprehend — errands, transportation, an alternative to the cage. But what exactly comprises the therapeutic aspect of a tiny ride?

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Embracing the Honda Trail 125 Adventure Machine

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2024 Honda Trail 125 motorcycle parked in a driveway.
Loaded and ready for adventure.

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.

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The Honda Trail 125 — A Small Joy in a Riding Life

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Paul Ruby performs the Crane pose on an old stump
And with the Crane comes danger…

Discoveries

The most dangerous part of this ride was Paul on a old stump teetering on one leg to strike his favorite pose from the Karate Kid. Problem is he’s no kid and a fall from that stump would test the SOS feature on my iPhone.

I purchased the Honda Trail 125 (CT125) because I had grown uncomfortable riding the Royal Enfield Himalayan off road. Alone. In places with no cell coverage and little traffic. While those fears have been sorted I’ve come to discover a special joy in riding the Honda.

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