Honda's baby dual-purpose bike

[Hillbilly]

Here's the bike that'll get the kids into adventure biking! It's the new
XL125-V Varadero Travel. Here's a really great review (http://www.viamichelin.com/viamichelin/gbr/tpl/mag5/art20070215/htm/mobil-moto-honda-varadero-125.htm#) on the little Valdero:

[merv]

A 125 V Twin that weighs 152 kg that is something else. A 250cc V Twin version would probably be of some attraction to the noob.

[Mr. Peanut]

That thing is nice, but I agree. Extra cubes wouldn't break the bank.

[NordieBoy]

That is cool.

[marks]

My son has an 02 vtr250 (stuck with 250 size for another 18 months) and as I have recently started adventure riding we have been talking about him having a go using the vtr.

We were thinking of something like pirelli MT-60's front and rear along with some slightly wider and higher bars and maybe a givi screen or similar.

Apart from a low sump and slightly rearward location of footpegs it would seem a possible candidate.

Would appreciate some feedback/suggestions etc

cheers

Mark

[NordieBoy]

Is the '02 the mini Monster?

My VT250F Integra went many places it shouldn't really have gone.

Bars, tyres an maybe gear it down a bit but that may not be necessary.

[clint640]

Hmmm.. 14.4 hp, 170kg+ fuelled up... you'd get passed by postie bikes. The 17 litre tank would let you re-pass the postie bikes several times over when they ran out of gas but.

A 30hp 250 version with the same weight & seat height would be cool tho.

Cheers
Clint

[marks]

Is the '02 the mini Monster?

Not sure what mini Monster is - do you mean with lattice frame 'a la' Ducati? .. if so then yes. hopefully if I got the uploading feature sussed out ..here is a picture of the model...

The gearing is pretty good as is - 1st is a nice sedate crawl.

cheers

Mark

[limbimtimwim]

I had one of those VTR250s, I can attest to it being quite good on gravel!! Superb bike. But I suspect there isn't enough rear suspension travel for being to serious off road. Also watch clearances between the rear tyre and the front of the swingarm near the pivot if you fit chunky tyres. And the front guard too.

Re Honda Varadero 125: That 125cc engine is for those european rules. I'd be quite keen on version powered by the VTR250 engine.

That has to be one of the smallest vtwins in general production ever.

[sAsLEX]

A 125 V Twin that weighs 152 kg that is something else. A 250cc V Twin version would probably be of some attraction to the noob.

not too the much bigger market in Europe that have a 125 limit.....

[warewolf]

My son has an 02 vtr250 (stuck with 250 size for another 18 months) and as I have recently started adventure riding we have been talking about him having a go using the vtr.If it were me, I'd leave the thing completely standard and stick to gravel roads that aren't going to turn to mud. For more dirt capability, change to a DR-, XR- or TTR-250. Trying to dirt-ify a pure road bike could be an expensive, frustrating yet strangely rewarding exercise?!


My VT250F Integra went many places it shouldn't really have gone.Yeah, baby! Ditto for my CBX250. Plenty of long trips, 4wd tracks etc. 40,000km in 18 months. Didn't go adventure-crazy in the mud with it, but it went anywhere I'd take a 2wd car. Any gravel road was fair game.

[Catweazle]

I have the XL1000V Varadero for the weekend and a Suzuki FX125 for around town during the week. I would love to trade in the Suzuki 125 for a Honda XL125 Varadero. That would be heaven.

[vifferman]

Too much plastic for a noob to break.



Huh... that sounds like even a noob couldn't possibly managed to break it all. But I'm sure he/she could.

What I think I meant was:
All that plastic would be a big risk for a noob.