Hello. I just joined this group and looking for advice. I’m 73 years old and never owned a motorcycle. As a teenager growing up in the 60’s I would ride my neighbor’s Honda 50. After I retired I bought a new Jeep. I go riding through the Bankhead National Forest in North Alabama at least four or five times a month. The forest roads are gravel and well maintained. I usually drive 15 to 20 mph on these narrow roads. When I first saw the Honda Trail 125 I knew I had to have one. So, my question is would this be a good choice for a first time motorcycle owner. I won’t be driving on highways and will trailer the bike to the forest. I’ll take it slow and easy because I don’t won’t to hurt myself and I have plenty of time. Any comments will be appreciated.
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First Time Owner
- Thread starter JeepMan
- Start date
I agree with oldskool. This is a really good starter bike. These bikes handle well. Just take it easy until you feel comfortable on it. Protective gear is something to think about. A helmet is a must. Oh, and you're correct, this is not a highway bike. Have fun, you're going to love it!
NMCoyote
Active member
Good for you. you gotta start somewhere. I've been riding for 55 years round about and have had many, many, adventures! That said the CT will be perfect for you once you change out the front sprocket to a 13 tooth for those type of forest roads, add some cargo carrier of some type, pack a balony sammich and head out, wind in your face! Good times are ahead!
I’ve looked around for a riders course. I have several friends who ride and can give me some good advice. Hopefully one or two of them will follow my lead and get a smaller bike. A group ride with an overnight camp would be great. I’ll be out in cooler weather so boots and clothes will be important.
Changing that sprocket will probably be the first modification. After a few miles I may need to think about tires and cargo carriers. I have an app so I always know my elevation. During a 20 mile ride the elevation will change several hundred feet more than once. I’m a Ham Radio operator and work the vhf/uhf frequencies so elevation is good to know. And I carry small directional antennas and a backpack radio with lightweight batteries, coax and a laptop. Total weight for all this equipment is around 25 pounds. Cargo carriers will be important.
Tman
Member
Congrats! You're getting really good advice and I know you're going to enjoy this bike. If I could just add another bit of advice . . . I, too, am a Ham and I always carry a handheld radio with me but I also invested in a Garmin Inreach Mini 2 which allows text communication via satellite along with an emergency button (SOS). It also shows your track on a map which is available to friends who have been setup with a password. If you travel alone like I do sometimes, it adds a little more security in case you get in trouble in the wilderness.
As for cargo, I, like many others, mounted a Harbor Freight Apache hard case (the 4800 model) on the rear luggage rack. It's worked out quite well for my needs.
As for cargo, I, like many others, mounted a Harbor Freight Apache hard case (the 4800 model) on the rear luggage rack. It's worked out quite well for my needs.
Hello Tman. The Garmin Inreach Mini 2 is something I’ll check out. I usually have a handheld with me and my FT991. I also have an ICOM 705 with the backpack and an Elk 144/432 antenna with cary bag. I power these with a Bioenno 20 amp hour battery. I also have a linked dipole and hamsticks for HF. I do FT8 most of the time running the 705 at 10 watts or less. I enter all the ARRL VHF contest. The Honda Trail would be another way to enjoy the radio hobby. The 705 with the backpack and the Elk antenna will fit on the carry rack on the bike. The Honda dealership nearby just sold there last Trail 125 but I will probably get the next one that comes in.
NMCoyote
Active member
.????, me, I’ll usually bring a couple of beers along! 