Welcome To Bikes And Travels...
...It's about bikes... and travels... mostly on bikes!
What's New?
No Rain, Hip Pain, A Train, Rice Grain, Heavy Rain
The Batties are off to Skye! Today though they barely make it to Scotland. Ren expands his culinary expertise, forgets something, and looks happy as always.
A Honda C90 Weekend
Bogger is up to his usual antics. That means miles, food, booze, breakdowns, and chaos in all it's forms. This time The New Forest endures his presence when the whole place is already on fire.
Hot And Simple Normandy
Sharon is in her element, Ren is at risk of melting as a heat wave hits Normandy. There's a little motorcycling and a lot of pool time, plus some sweating.
Prologue - Skye AKA Bogger's Curse
Excuses and complaining... that is all Ren has to offer. A truncated trip, the risk of bad weather, and bad timing. Awww poor poor Ren.
Skye AKA Bogger's Curse
Title page for a hit-n-miss trip to Skye
Walking, Eating, Drinking, And Riding (The Next Day)
Covering 2 days Bogger manages a little walk, an inordinate amount of dining, some alcohol, and a long ride (once sober). Contrary to Bogger's modus operandi all this is achieved without any disasters. Go figure.
Hot In Honfleur
It's hot, it's busy, and it's all a bit odd. In spite of all this and some confusing food Ren might possibly at risk of almost having an OK day?
From Bad, To Worse, To Awful
Bogger has an almost new SH350. And some friends, mostly on litre plus bikes. And a long ride ahead. There's buffoonery, worries, and finally good old incompetence to ensure Bogger has the best of times.
Acharacle Debacle
Title page for Bogger's curious weekend away in The Highlands
GB350S Or CB125F?
Due to comments on other posts Ren is focusing his thoughts on smaller capacity machinery. There's no right answer, it all depends dunnit.
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Latest Posts
Hot And Simple Normandy
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
If you get a new hard drive nab301 you can run linux on that keeping your original Windows installation on the old hard drive.
25/09/2026 22:01:45 UTC
Honda CB 125 F Test Ride Review
Martin said :-
Hi Ren,
Yes, you are of course quite right, 154 mpg is not to be sniffed at. I think it is the most economical bike I have ever had, I dont think my old Honda 90 from 1965 would have beaten that. I was really just curious as to how close to Honda's figure that I could get. To be fair your CB500X does well to return 80 mpg given the margin of performance in hand. I did practice slipstreaming lorries this week, it is noticeable that the throttle can be closed a little once the bike is near enough. Of course the ideal distance is zero but that could be a little too exhilarating if the truck brakes suddenly. I suppose the ultimate economy mod would be a grapnel device to attach to the back of the lorry? Nigel, 140 mpg from a 2019 version of the CB125F is very good indeed, what sort of riding were you doing to achieve that? I think once I start using the full power of the bike then my consumption will worsen.
25/09/2026 21:57:15 UTC
No Rain, Hip Pain, A Train, Rice Grain, Heavy Rain
Ian Soady¹ said :-
It is a while since I used French hotels but Logis de France still have rooms at the €70 - €80 mark:
https://www.logishotels.com/hotel/bourgogne...
25/09/2026 15:53:34 UTC
No Rain, Hip Pain, A Train, Rice Grain, Heavy Rain
Ian Soady¹ said :-
You can still get a menu du jout for around €15 in France and it's often excellent. Then there are the Relais Routiers which as the name implies are essentially truckstops. But being French have very reasonably priced food. Link to a typical example below.
https://www.relais-routiers.com/ficherelais.asp?nrelais=MAI30834...
25/09/2026 15:53:23 UTC
Hot And Simple Normandy
nab301 said :-
Thanks Ren, yes original hard drive... I'll have an in depth look at Linux and price up a new hard drive
Nigel
25/09/2026 15:02:44 UTC
Honda CB 125 F Test Ride Review
nab301 said :-
My 2019 version now with approx 20k miles recorded , managed its best ever mpg at the last fill ,140mpg , around 30 miles per litre
Nigel
25/09/2026 14:43:14 UTC
No Rain, Hip Pain, A Train, Rice Grain, Heavy Rain
nab301 said :-
That's a very posh campsite , even the timber fence is pao.
What is the gubbins on the bench at the monkey puzzle? power supply or water ?
Nigel
25/09/2026 14:30:52 UTC
No Rain, Hip Pain, A Train, Rice Grain, Heavy Rain
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Yes - being on the road is now EXPENSIVE.
When I first started I worked on a simple daily formula - £10 for fuel, £10 for food (one day eating out, one day cooking in the tent), and £10 for camping. Now for 2 people I'd estimate £25-35 for fuel, £20 for food (one day eating out, one day cooking in the tent), and £25 for camping. So that's more than doubling over say 15-20 years.
As you will see with both France and Skye you're looking at £3 each for a brew alone. What I have noticed is that food has gone up a good chunk, but drinks have gone up big time. You can still get a pub lunch for say £12-15 but then it's £3.80 for a glass of pop. I think places are making the money on the drinks to keep the advertised food price seemingly affordable.
Of course all this is happening when I finally get the chance to travel.
25/09/2026 13:57:47 UTC
No Rain, Hip Pain, A Train, Rice Grain, Heavy Rain
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Ian, I don't know what isn't blummin expensive.
As an example.
Our first tour abroad worked out to cost around £200 per day to cover reasonable hotel accommodation, food, drinks and fuel for two persons. This was 2010 on the CBF1000.
This last trip will work out at around £300 per day and no expenses have really changed, just gone up.
Is 50% inflation over 15 years reasonable? I spose it seems it probably is, but it's still blummin expensive to travel.
In our experience hotels under €100 a night are either not available or you simply wouldnt want to stay there, food can be very expensive and just like the UK main course are now in the €20 to €30 region, fuel was up to €3 a litre with two fills a day occasionally. Wine in hotels seems to start at €25 now and spirits abroad are very difficult to judge with wild variations in pricing. Add it all up and I think we're at around £300 a day.
I might need a job.
Upt.
25/09/2026 13:18:14 UTC
No Rain, Hip Pain, A Train, Rice Grain, Heavy Rain
Ian Soady¹ said :-
While Tebay services is a pretty place, their prices are horrendous - I'm surprised you bought anything there. I'm sure there are plenty of enterprising sarnie vans clustered round each motorway exit as there are down here. But maybe with slightly less attractive views.
Peering back through the mists of time I remember eating Vesta curries when as a youth I would go on what are now called backpacking trips. Just after doing O levels a small group of us walked most of the Pennine Way. Unlike these days we were totally out of touch with our families for a couple of weeks. Now there would be search parties out.
25/09/2026 12:01:17 UTC
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Latest Repair-Chat
Go To Repair-Chat
nab301 said :-
Ian , I never had an AVO but I remember a biking neighbour back in the 70's had one , or rather his father had which was useful for fault finding on his electric start Yamaha 200 (combined alternator / dynamo electric start)
BTW , I recently purchased a cheap digital meter from Lidl which has a capacitance check feature that works as you describe.
Nigel
08/08/2026 18:08:12 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
I thought there may be some people who remembered AVOs here given the demographics. Sadly mine didn't come with the leather case although does have the original heavy cardboard box together with instruction manual. I've sorted out the overload button which just needed a hard press to reseat it and it now measures voltages correctly. I'll pick up a D battery later today and will order the 15 volt one - there's a seller on ebay.
It's so beautifully made inside and as you say Jeff the rolls-royce of meters and I look forward to using it in earnest.
I too have forsworn kickstarts given my knee issues - saw a physio yesterday who said I was progressing well. Three months with ongoing - although lessening - doesn't feel like good progress to me but heigh-ho.
06/08/2026 14:03:31 UTC
kiwiJeff said :-
Ian your mention of AVO8 certainly bought back memories. Like Glyn I used one through the 70s and early 80s as a radio technician working on communications valve radios. They were the Rolls Royce of multimeters. Using one balanced at the top of an equipment rack was a challenge though, they were heavy! Did the meter come in a stitched leather carry bag with a carry strap? Riding through our winter on the Bandit although while you are overheating in Europe we are having an unusually cold winter? Turned around on one of my favorite roads when I reached a sign that said next 12 kms is ice and grit! We use grit instead of salt on icy roads here which while our vehicles don't rust like yours due to the salt causing rust the grit doesn't melt so becomes a hazard on the bike for some time after the ice is gone! Ren you have my sympathies with your aching hip, my titanium hip aches in the cold my theory is the metal gets cold and affects the surrounding tissue so causing pain. The hip and the arthritic ankle mean I'll never use a kick starter on a bike again! I have to get the missus to help me roll the Bandit onto the centre stand these days! Getting old is a privilege but comes with it's challenges! Ride safe everyone through your summer, we are off to China for a month to have a look at where everything we use these days is made! Regards Jeff
06/08/2026 11:14:26 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
I had to google U2 Battery, apparently it's what I would know as a D Cell? If I recall that's the big 'uns that were in the Ever Ready bicycle lights when I were a lad. Several weeks worth of pocket money for a pack of 2 D cells into the bicycle light that would be bright for 20 minutes, then dim for maybe half an hour, then dead. Today you fit a AAA into an LED light that'll blind drivers for several weeks. Kids these days, don't know how lucky they are(n't).
06/08/2026 08:27:11 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Nostalgia's not what it was.... As Glyn says, the 10A current measuring is a bonus - my digital meter has this but it's a bit of a faff. The AVO is a beautifully made bit of kit. I've found out why it doesn't work - the overload button has been activated and won't stay down It should be a simple repair or if necessary bypass it. When I hold it down it works for voltage (and I assume current). The batteries for measuring resistance have of course disintegrated. One is just an ordinary U2 - the other is special but replacements are available.
One use of an analogue ohm-meter is to check capacitors. Connect one way and the needle should make a slight kick and drop back to zero. Connect the other way and the kick should be repeated. This won't work on a digital meter.
I do have an old analogue job but it won't zero any more so when I get the AVO fixed that will be retired.
05/08/2026 13:08:16 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
I would be Glyn but have a look at Chit-Chat. Due to "unforseen circumstances" I've had to remove the ability to upload images :(
Why do you want the old mulitimeter Ian? Nostalgia I presume.
05/08/2026 12:03:12 UTC
Glyn said :-
I used an Avo8 daily for at least 5 years back in the early 70’s. It was forcibly removed from me and replaced with a Fluke digital which I hated for a while. One of the plus’s of the Avo was the current measurement, even a 10Amp setting if I remember correctly. This was very useful then and would be so today.
The surgeon that repaired my finger may not have done me a favour, it’s been that painful since, I’ve often thought it would have been better to have removed the top. Are you ready for that picture of it now Ed?
903306...
05/08/2026 11:13:01 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Idly browsing my local auction house's offerings I came across a "vintage" Avo Mk 8 multimeter. I rmember using these nearly 60 years ago as an apprentice. A low bid secured it for just over £12. It doesn't work but I'm sure I can fix that. Or can I?
No pic (obviously) but here's the link.
https://www.lilybidsauctionhouse.com/catalogue/lot/482979564e1c213be831d1848eb58...
05/08/2026 09:53:30 UTC
nab301 said :-
Glyn , looking forward to seeing and hopefully hearing the fruits of your labours , will you be stripping the engine?
Nigel
26/06/2026 14:53:36 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Ooooh eeeee ouch! I'm glad you didn't post your gory sliced digit Glyn (Flyn). You can show us when it's healed a little and we can imagine the rest. As for the heat... Enough already but it won't be long until I'm griping about the rain/cold dagnammit. The nights are already drawing in.
26/06/2026 09:57:29 UTC
Latest Chit-Chat
Go To Chit-Chat
nab301 said :-
Upt , glad to hear you made it back , despite your potentially Libellous ( or is it Slanderous ?) statement! Looking forward to the in depth write up...
Nigel
25/09/2026 15:15:29 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
The base model Z500 is £5,700 and has 44bhp.
KTM 390 various models under 5k! Plenty of power, not sure about reliability.
Innumerable Chinese models or all shapes and sizes. It seems the quality and backup is always improving and could be a good option.
So yes you're right it's a lot for 28bhp. I figure it'll come down to what a buyer is looking for in a bike. Anyhow it ain't here yet... it might be 5k, it might be a right lemon to ride, it might be the best thing since sliced bread.
25/09/2026 08:59:11 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
What else can you get for £5,500 Tony? Tell ya what I'll go have a look now I've asked that question.
I'll be back...
25/09/2026 08:42:39 UTC
Ocassional Lurker said :-
Yesterday "Visordown" , (Apparently MCN, I've been been informed), have reported price of the new CB500 in India ... The Visordown site then transposed that price to what some may think is a fair approximation of around £5,500, when it's sold in this country as a GB500 ...
That sounds somewhat pricey for 28 horse power... No matter how much torque they claim ...
Anyway, not too long to wait now... Tony
24/09/2026 09:39:31 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
21 days away Ed but about 14 or 15 riding days....I think. So not really that many miles per day.
From memory I would say the highest mileage per day would be approaching 300 but one or two days were probably not much over 100 miles. I try to follow our other leader....Bogger's guidance. Always enjoy a beer o'clock before slipping into dinner mode.
I think I'll write it up Ed with a picture or ten.
Upt.
23/09/2026 22:59:55 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
It's a broad church Upt' covering all aspects of life as a motorcycle rider. That appears to include Bogger's peculiar choice in second hand clothing and minimal advice on Linux for yours truly.
3604.3 miles - over how many days? Sounds like a lot that does.
23/09/2026 16:50:31 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Just checked in as we're back home in Sunny Warm North Northumberland to find this very site has turned into "Fashion and Computers Weekly for Tight Arses".
If anyone is interested 3604.3 miles and B wants a wash.
Upt.
23/09/2026 10:48:16 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Interesting stuff ROD. 14kw 190 engine, that's about 18-19 bhp. Light, physically small etc. It's interesting it's being brought in by AJS who also have their Ridgeway - not too dissimilar to the Honda CT125.
23/09/2026 09:21:55 UTC
ROD¹ said :-
I am not really interested in riding off road,but if I was this must be worth a look.
https://www.letenmotorcycle.co.uk/...
22/09/2026 22:18:20 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
But Ian! There's a whole page for motorcycling in the Ardennes - I'll add a link. However if you think BAT has dodgy underpinnings this whole site is, errrr, peculiar. This site also seems to focus on the French bit of the Ardennes. Hmmmm.
https://www.ardennes.com/en/itineraries/on-a-motorbike-in-the-ardennes/...
21/09/2026 08:39:22 UTC
Random Link - Not A Lot To Say In The Best Possible Way