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So, Who's Out There on Small CC Bikes?

Nathan Millward

“When people ask why I did it on this particular bike I have to be honest and say it was all that I could afford at the time. But then, when I think about it some more, I realise that even if I had all the money in the world I wouldn’t have done it on any other bike. Dorothy was perfect for most parts of the world.

“She was tough, reliable, and able to carry all my gear with no problem. Best of all, she blended in, and if anything drew sympathy from the strangers I met, not jealousy, which I imagine is sometimes possible on a bigger bike. It also made me feel like a bit of an underdog. People neither expected me or the bike to make it, so we had something to prove. That’s a great motivator during the times you’re thinking of giving in.

“For me, the journey from Sydney to London was all about taking off and getting lost for a while. I was in no real rush to get there. I didn’t have much money, I didn’t know much about bike maintenance, I simply wanted to take off, have an adventure and let go of the real world for a while.”

Nathan is the author of a book called Riding Dorothy, and it’s a gem. You can find out more at ThePostman.org.uk. Nathan has also just completed riding Dorothy across the U.S.

Ed March

“I love my Honda C90. Not because she is different, but because she is the world’s most popular motorcycle. This means two things; the first is the reason why she is the world’s most popular bike. The original design spec for the C90 said that it must be able to be ridden off-road with one hand while carrying a tray of noodles in the other.

“This means that anyone in the world can jump on one and ride off-road with no training, barefoot if they wish. It was also designed to be fixed by any mechanic with simple tools. Those two facts alone make it, to me, the most obvious choice for an adventure bike. But the main reason is what comes as a result of being the world’s most popular bike; spare parts. They are everywhere. Clutches, pistons, wheel bearings, spark plugs and tires, etc.

“Every time I meet an adventure biker on a large bike carrying spare tires, I always chuckle. If I think I can be cheeky and get away with it I ask, ‘Why do you carry spare tires?’ They usually reply, ‘You can’t get them out here.’ Then, in the least smug way possible I answer, ‘Maybe you should get a bike with the world’s most popular tyre size?’ I’ve had a variety of different responses but all admit the same thing. ‘If I had a C90, I wouldn’t need to carry all this extra weight of spare parts.’”

Ed March has a website, C90Adventures.co.uk, which is packed with the ups and downs of adventuring on his C90. You’ll also find a sliding scale of costs. C90 vs. bigger bike. Be warned, if you read it, you’ll be challenged, but also delighted at his frequently irreverent way of looking at life on the road. For example, would you put a reverse gear on your C90? Ed has just done so! He also has some amazing footage. Look out for the petrol tanker crash!

Lois Pryce

“Like everyone planning a long distance motorcycle expedition, my big question was ‘which bike?’ I knew I wanted some sort of off-road model as I expected to encounter a variety of terrains and road surfaces, but like many short riders, I found the seat heights of the popular overland machines off-putting. The XT225 Serow worked perfectly for the trip, in just about every way.” LoisOnTheLoose.com

Simon Gandolfi

“I chose the 125cc Honda for the journey—the original pizza delivery bike. I could buy it new in Mexico for $1,900. It’s built in Brazil, and spares are available throughout Hispanic America; it does 120 miles to the gallon; my legs have sufficient strength to hold it upright and I can lift it after a fall.”

Glenn Hall

American, Glenn Hall, is no author but has a real passion for motorcycles of any size. His love though, is anything old and bullet-proof that costs little to travel with, but allows him to go a very long way. Glenn’s latest trip on his 1969 Honda Trail was a 400 mile, five-day adventure through Baja California. “I didn’t need any spares and I rode up some of the steepest hillsides I’ve ever managed on a bike.” He, with yet another grin that seems to be a hallmark for these low CC riders, says he and his wife are the unofficial king and queen of the unofficial under 100cc touring club in the U.S. He adds wryly, “But you know, no one takes us seriously.” His advice for anyone planning a small CC ride? “Have fun, take lots of silly photos, be patient, and don’t try to rush! It’ll be the ride of your life!”

Who else is out there now?

In August of 2011 Irishman, Sean Dillon, set off to ride his Honda Cub from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego. A trip of over 20,000 miles, and at the time of this writing he’d made it as far as Costa Rica. He says, “I bought my bike on eBay for $1,000. Why this bike? It’s almost completely mechanical. No fuel injection, no water pump, no fancy engine management system, no catalytic converter and no electric start. They are all things that can’t be fixed by Joe Soap at the side of the road. The bike is defining my journey both in the actual limitations of travel but also in the experiences it offers. We’ve all heard the expression ‘using a sledge hammer to crack a nut,’ well this is the complete opposite end of the scale; this is like using your fingers to massage the nut until it slowly opens up and reveal its contents, with the inevitable addition of the sore fingers of course.

“I did make a few modifications to the bike. I fixed on a basket so I can carry a couple of gallons of extra fuel, I’ve got a tank bag, I widened the leg shields for added protection, stuck on some basic panniers and wired in a USB power socket so I can charge my phone—which also doubles as my camera, etc.”

How’s the trip going? “Honda’s 1960s advert, ‘You meet the nicest people on a Honda’ is so true. It breaks down barriers between you and the local people; they see you as an equal, an underdog and not simply the rich gringo here to play in their country with their expensive toys.” HondavsTheWorld.com

Adventure traveller, Sam Manicom, spent eight years riding 55 countries and 200,000 miles around the world on his R80GS. He is the author of four acclaimed motorcycle travel books. Sam’s books are available in paperback, on Kindle, and his first book, Into Africa, is now available in audio format on iTunes. Sam-Manicom.com