1st Pensioner Crisis Purchase .., meet Hildegard the Honda

General Discussion Forums Life, The Universe and (almost) Everything!
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While Madge is away having 2 month suspension refresh and respray the cats will play, at 65 I no longer feel comfortable with my permanent state of mid life crisis and am self identifying as having entered a permanent state of Pensioner Crisis.

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A couple of months ago I saw a slpendid, newish, Royal Enfield in the car park at Watford Lidl and it struck me what a splendid machine that might make for a liesurely NC500 trip, having already done several in Madge.

Problem is my only motor cycling experience is three months occasional use of a Puch 50 in 1977, and 18 months riding a Honda C90 in the mid 80’s. I am still very proud of the fact I rode the C90 from Nottingham to Clapham and back for a party one weekend.

I mentioned this to a friend who pointed out I’d need a proper bike licence for the Royal Enfield and I thought why not get a bike licence to celebrate turning 65. Said friend also mentioned he had been sitting on an '07 Honda Innova 125 for eight years would I be interested in taking it on. My eyes glazed over as I imagined riding such a dinky thing on the NC500 and he knew he had a sale.

Bought Hildegard with a shiney new MOT on Saturday. It turns out the original owner bought her as transport to and from a camper bus his wife insisted on buying, they went camping once then sold it. My friend then bought Hildegard for his daughter. Daughter failed her bike test and has not ridden it since.

So I am now the third owner of a 17 yo Innova with just 800 miles on the clock, the service book does not even have a stamp for the 1st service !

First jobs include getting a Haynes Manual, so I can change oil, brake fluid and tyres, all of which look fine but are 17 years old and need to carry 20 stone me. Got a full face helmut from car competition so it will be off to get some weather proofs and motorcycle boots before going to see if I can pass a test and ditch the L plates at Bristol Motor Cycle Training Centre.

Once I have passed my test I’ll see if can get her from Bristol up to London as a toe in the water for longer rides. To keep things fun Hidegards tank holds less than a gallon which I am hoping will give me a range of 50 miles, who needs ev range anxiety ?

Should be a hoot and a giggle.

6 Likes
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I bet it’s 90 mpg for that bike. Looking on the interweb it’s saying average 112mpg carry a fuel can that’s halfway around ish the nc500 :crazy_face:

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I’d be amazed if I get 60mpg with me on her pulling 45mph at 7000rpm, am planning on finding away to safely stow 4 litres aboard to double her range :sunglasses::+1:

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I bet you can get a top box for the bike. I have ridden bikes for years and the only bikes I have had with loads of room is a 1200 goldwing and a trike I sold recently that had the most luggage space ever I could and did fit two 5 litre petrol cans in the front and still had room. It was a can am spyder rt a vtwin 1000 trike loads of room but it had a very small fuel tank and struggled to get 30mph lol. There is always a way to fit extra room on a bike.
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I was thinking a couple of paniers might do the trick, time to do some research :wink:

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Ah I am also toying with a bike licence. There are quite a few components to it - theory, CBT, Module 1 and Module 2. Friends and family think I would be mad to do it given the whole death factor but it feels like unfinished business to me, just to get the licence even if I don’t become a biker. Only advice would be wear all the kit, pay attention, assume everyone wants to kill you and stay within the speed limit …then you’ll probably be fine.

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Agree 100%

At Uni just before I was about to take the test one of my mates stuck a “CAUTION Soft Vehicle” sticker on my back without me noticing.

Fortunately the examiner had a sense of humour!

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Yep that will work.

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Have a look at LOMO panniers, I have a set of their medium and large soft panniers.
Very cheap and waterproof rolltop drybags, they are connected by a webbing strap which I assume could go over, or possibly under, the seat.

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Passing your test on a 125 might not give you the rights to ride a bigger bike.

Rules for motorcyclists - Motorcycle licence requirements - THE HIGHWAY CODE.

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I also agree. Every single person is out to knock you off.
I sold my bike 10 years ago in favour of the mx5.
I’ve had one, survived intact with all four limbs still attached.

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That was sort of where I started if I am going to graduate to a Royal Enfield or something of that ilk :wink:

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Thanks for the tip, seems people with Innova’s are no less intrepid than MX-5 owners, how about No 10 Downing St Malaysia to No 10 Downing St London on a 125 ! Sorry you’ll need to scroll through this lot to find Milly’s post 07 06 23.

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Just had a look at kit options if I am going to go full protection AND weather proof, and why wouldn’t I for a four hour ride at max speed 50 mph across the country, then I’ll be spending almost as much as I did on the bike !

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I liked your update on potential biking.

It is over 30 years since I last had a bike, which at the time was a new Honda 250RS. Typcally I got around 80mpg with it, although the best was 105mpg when I slipstreamed a coach on the M1 from Leeds to Meadowhall. I then fitted a full fairing, when such sntics wrre no longer possible.

Recent thoughts have turned to a Honda 500F, to join company with the ND, but at 68 years of age, I am not sure if my will to keep four limbs attached, takes first place over enthusiasm, and the thrill of a previous younger life. But, one never knows…

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For quite sometime I have really, really wanted one of these. In full Repsol colours.
Several people have told me , “not to be so silly”.
Others haven’t been just so polite.
I’ve resisted so far because I know that if I give in I will probably die …… and at 63 yo, I’d like to hang around a bit longer.

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I decided to try biking again after 4yr break, lasted 3 months and decided it was a bad idea. Knee and ankle joints can’t cope anymore!

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Just managed to resist the temptation to get Madge resprayed as a homage to the Capricorn Seafood livery of the Connew F1 car in it’s debut and only F1 race appearance in the 1972 Austrian GP, going for red with white roof as slightly more subtle homage to BMC works cars instead, so I totally see where you are coming from. Being one year older I can only recommend you go for it. while recognising even after I pass all the requisit tests to qualify to ride such a beast I’d probably not make it to the end of our very short close with out breaking some valuable bones :wink:

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Sorry to hear that, kind of why I am thinking I’ll give 5 years until I am 70 as at somepoint something is bound to cause me serious grief by then.

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Excellent enjoy your new transport.
I have a CBR 600 Honda in the garage with my Eunos.
I am not quite at pension age yet but not far away !!!