Best Bike for a Motorhome?

[Notnefmail]

Hi Everyone

It’s my first post, so please go easy on me...

My partner and I have had a tough couple of years for family reasons. I’ll spare the detail but let’s say we’ve earned a good time-out.

For a couple of years we’ve been looking at motorhomes to undertake a mega trip (Europe, possibly Asia and beyond!).

Whenever we have traveled long haul before we’ve always rented bikes/scooters so we’re looking for something that has a decent sized garage as well as LHD and space for a dog to join us (all suggestions welcome).

I’m looking for tips/advice on a small motorcycle that would be good to travel with. Only real requirements are that it’s relatively small, has ABS and it can handle some moderate off road terrain. A scooter doesn’t really fit the bill and so I thought I would welcome the sage knowledge in this forum for some suggestions!

If you could name:
1) A recommended make/model to consider
2) The main reason why
And 3) An approx cost

...that would be amazing!

 

[Swifter]

Hello and welcome . Don’t rule out electric bikes

 

[David and Sally]

We travel with a Tiger 800 or Yamaha Xmax on a trailer so probably not what you want.

Anyway, someone on here will have just what info you need.

 

[69473]

Honda From msx 125

 

[69473]

Sorry, should of read Honda Grom.

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[Wissel]

Honda Grom (MSX125)

Cracking little bike, well made and light. Has ABS and fairly capable off road, unless trying to go over logs etc (but light enough to lift over).

Also a lot of fun to ride. £3500 new book, available for £3000.

Here's mine:

 

[Maggie and Raddie]

Cracking little bike, here's mine

 

[Notnefmail]

Honda From msx 125

The Grom is in out current top 3, so good to know we are on the right tracks.

What is the Grom like for pillion riding? My partner is a petite little thing but is the Grom roomy enough to ride plus 1 in your opinion?

 

[XxAnthxX]

If that is the sort of thing your considering have a look at the WK Colt 125 and the Benelli TNT 125.

Dunno if there is an ABS option for either tho....I’ve never looked.

I‘ve owned a Colt and a Grom.......they are fun but underpowered.

 

[bigtwin]

I, too, have a Grom.

Ian

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[Scotch mist]

I’ve got a honda SH125i , with 17” wheels it’ll go anywhere a grom will go

if you have height in the garage a KTM DUKE 200 would be ideal

 

[Notnefmail]

A 390 Duke heads the post at the moment, as it’s be as useful in Blighty as it would on the continent- that said, not many garages comfortable accommodate its size

How do you find the 200 for weight and size? I suspects it’s a bit more agile

 

[Vansflyer]

Had a Grom, great bike but wouldn't do more than 55 two up, even after a rolling road session. Also quite small... Now got a KTM390 Duke, 160KG ish wet, very pleased with it. Easy do motorway speeds 2 up and surprisingly comfy with two on. May be worth seeing if they can take crossover tyres for it if you plan to off road a bit. They list at £4700 but KTM often blows them out for £3700, which is what I paid December 18. Pick one up for 3-3.5k in good nick. Need a post 17 model as much better than the previous version. However... the Duke 790 is nearly the same size and weight and goes like stink! You will obviously pay more for this model. The 390 fits in the garage of our Carthago C-Tourer easy, along with two Bromptons and all the other stuff we need. The balance is power / space / weight... the last one being V important. Good luck.

 

[Vansflyer]

Before the rest of the crap went in the garage ;-) Also use a Shad expanding too box which takes 2 x full face hats or a load of shopping on the return trip. 3000+ miles thus far, would have been more if not for Covid.

 

[XxAnthxX]

If there’s that much height in the garage....plenty of fun can be found in a CRF250L.

with ABS from 2017....

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[Nasher]

Welcome

Can I just ask what motorcycle licence you have - it could have a bearing on what's suitable and also, for motorhome whether you have a C1?

And for a bit of fun how about a Suzuki GSX-R 1000R over 200bhp and loads of fun and easy to fit in the MH

 

[Notnefmail]

A2 licence - which is about my comfort zone.

I love the look of some of the beastly looking bikes but they’d be wasted on me (I rarely touch 70 as it is!)

 

[Ivory55]

If going to Asia etc look to see what is favourite there in case repairs etc are needed, may be a Honda 90 they all seem to have them in Asia.

 

[Slippymurphy]

How do
I was in a similar boat, buy a motorhome bung a moped/wee motorbike on the back and off you go. But I reckon you will be limited to where you can go on the mo bike, can’t really go on forest paths, parkland etc you are restricted to the roads network (certainly in the uk) and I imagine anything bigger than a step through mo ped might be frowned upon abroad.
So I bought an electric bike, similar price range, go anywhere within reason , and you get a bit of exercise.
Downside is a limited range but I reckon more useable.
Don’t get me wrong I ride motorbikes so I do see the appeal but the e bike suits me better.
Whatever you choose have fun !!!!
Cheers

 

[peterc10]

Hi Everyone

It’s my first post, so please go easy on me...

My partner and I have had a tough couple of years for family reasons. I’ll spare the detail but let’s say we’ve earned a good time-out.

For a couple of years we’ve been looking at motorhomes to undertake a mega trip (Europe, possibly Asia and beyond!).

Whenever we have traveled long haul before we’ve always rented bikes/scooters so we’re looking for something that has a decent sized garage as well as LHD and space for a dog to join us (all suggestions welcome).

I’m looking for tips/advice on a small motorcycle that would be good to travel with. Only real requirements are that it’s relatively small, has ABS and it can handle some moderate off road terrain. A scooter doesn’t really fit the bill and so I thought I would welcome the sage knowledge in this forum for some suggestions!

If you could name:
1) A recommended make/model to consider
2) The main reason why
And 3) An approx cost

...that would be amazing!

The first question is do you have a C1 driving licence? Nothing to do with riding the bike, it is all about the maximum weight of the motorhome you are allowed to drive. Without the C1 you are stuck with a motorhome that has a maximum weight of 3.5t. That in turn limits the weight of things and people you can put in the motorhome, called the payload.

The Grom weighs just over 100kg, which is about the same weight as my Suzuki Address Scooter, which costs less than half of the price. Without a C1 licence I doubt very much that you will get a motorhome with enough payload to carry all your stuff for a mega trip and any sort of motorbike.

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[Shaun929]

Before the rest of the crap went in the garage ;-) Also use a Shad expanding too box which takes 2 x full face hats or a load of shopping on the return trip. 3000+ miles thus far, would have been more if not for Covid.

View attachment 461277

Hi Vansflyer, if you don’t mind me asking what size is your door and height of your internal garage. Just wondering if one of those would fit in my garage? My door measures 1080mm and floor to ceiling height of 1105mm.
cheers
Shaun

 

[Richard n Ann]

My Duke 390. Fantastic bike, I'm on it all summer

Ann prefers the scooter though so only took it away once

 

[Gaston aires]

Most people, like me, take off the wing mirrors to make them fit. I have had a couple of SYM 125 cc scooters. and at the moment use a SYM HDi 200. Light weight, under 140 kgs and a really reliable machine.
Phil

 

[peterc10]

Hi Vansflyer, if you don’t mind me asking what size is your door and height of your internal garage. Just wondering if one of those would fit in my garage? My door measures 1080mm and floor to ceiling height of 1105mm.
cheers
Shaun

Doubt that it would fit with the topbox on. Our topbox can be taken off with a single click once unlocked. We take it and the wing mirrors off before fitting our Suzuki Address Scooter in the garage. Once in the garage we just have enough room to refit the topbox, because the internal garage height is slightly more than the height of the door, but still can't refit the mirrors.

 

[Richard n Ann]

I put bar end mirrors on the Duke so it fits in it's specially made heated shed

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[Vansflyer]

Hi Vansflyer, if you don’t mind me asking what size is your door and height of your internal garage. Just wondering if one of those would fit in my garage? My door measures 1080mm and floor to ceiling height of 1105mm.
cheers
Shaun

No problem Shaun, happy to help..
I was originally going to have a Malibu and it would fit in that garage, same size as the Carthago I believe. However they do vary in height depending on single beds or double bed fitment.
Carthago quote this for our 149LE.

"Rear garage interior height
1200 mm
Rear garage door width / height Passenger side
1050/1140 mm"
See attached a picture of the height of the bike showing room to spare. Mirrors have been removed and replaced with bar end jobbies which fit in not problem. In or out of the van in about 3 mins, job done with no messing about.
Be aware of your rear axle loading, we got close to the 2500kg limit with "everything" in the van so had rear air fitted / new tyres and up-plate to 4800kg with 2700kg available now on the rear axle.

 

[Vansflyer]

Doubt that it would fit with the topbox on. Our topbox can be taken off with a single click once unlocked. We take it and the wing mirrors off before fitting our Suzuki Address Scooter in the garage. Once in the garage we just have enough room to refit the topbox, because the internal garage height is slightly more than the height of the door, but still can't refit the mirrors.

No chance of it going in with the top box on, not an issue as it sits by the ramp when travelling.

Hi Vansflyer, if you don’t mind me asking what size is your door and height of your internal garage. Just wondering if one of those would fit in my garage? My door measures 1080mm and floor to ceiling height of 1105mm.
cheers
Shaun

Look at the gap between the TFT and the roof, quite clear on this shot. Worth measuring the height fro the sill lip to the gas shock for the door, this is the critical point.

 

[Bigbass]

We have electric bikes and enjoy them but looking at cost of some of the suggested machines we spent 4000pounds on the
two and the insurance is 120 pounds each per annum. I am trying to get a new one at the moment and am quoted end of 2021 delivery at 4.5k cost. Makes you options a no brainer on cost alone.

 

[peterc10]

Look at the gap between the TFT and the roof, quite clear on this shot. Worth measuring the height fro the sill lip to the gas shock for the door, this is the critical point.

View attachment 461440

We push the scooter up a ramp to get it in (or lately drive it up), so the scooter is leaning back quite a lot. That means in practice that the front wheel clears the ramp and door sill before the handlebars get to the top of the door opening or gas shock. So for us the critical dimension is the one between floor and the gas shock, measured at an angle.

 

[peterc10]

We have electric bikes and enjoy them but looking at cost of some of the suggested machines we spent 4000pounds on the
two and the insurance is 120 pounds each per annum. I am trying to get a new one at the moment and am quoted end of 2021 delivery at 4.5k cost. Makes you options a no brainer on cost alone.

I quite agree. Our cheap folding electric bikes cost us over £1500. I bought my Suzuki Address as a 5 month old ex-demonstrator with 110 miles on the clock. It cost a fiver short of £1400 including a new top box and VED. Fully comp insurance for the year is around £90 and VED is £20.

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