Go Big and Ride Small

[ErikGustav2]

We were young, did not have much money and..

We rode choppers with rigid frames. That crossed you back and mashed your kidneys,
We had tent on the front fork and a roller bag to the sizzy bar.

Today, still the same people are riding.
Touring machines. Using a credit card to pay for hotels and...
The more credit the more comfort and the less luggage

I feel that I belong to endangered species.
But I do not give up yet. I will resist as long as possible
Maybe because of all the history. Travelling with bad equipment. Spending a lot of time in the forest. With only sleeping bag, not even tent or...

Growing up in the forest, not in a concrete city

[Magnusson]

Suspension in the seat. I dreamt about that recently while riding some poor back roads on a sport-ish bike.

[Godspeed]

Another quick spin on the pcx125 for a night camping down in Lymington. What a lovely weekend it’s been!

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[ErikGustav2]

https://tsv-blarok.se/mellstatraffen/

[Old Plodder]

Wife and I having a little ride round the Vercors for a few days

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[Godspeed]

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They look lovely condition, tell us more about them…

[Old Plodder]

They are a pair of identical Suzuki RV125 aka known as a Van Van. They are the later models (2012), with Injection rather than the carburettor. Slight drawback is they only have 7ltr tanks but are still good for over 250km even in the mountains before the low fuel light comes on.
They were purchased mainly for the seat height as my wife likes the reassurance of being able to flat foot when stopped on loose tracks.
That photo was taken in June this year when we had a week in the area and stayed at the https://www.hotellemarronnier.com/en/ - can throughly recommend their “moto package”

[gbags]

How is that Van Van? It looks like a decent retirement bike.

Is it robust? Could it take a beating? Will it plod on forever or fall apart?
Any idiosyncrasies that you don’t like?

[Old Plodder]

Well it all depends on what you mean by “retirement bike” I still have a 1100 multistrada for long distance touring and a few other over 600cc bikes I still use.
The purchase of a van van was based on finding a suitable “adventure bike” to fit.my wife so she could accompany me, rather than as a passenger on mine. She is 64 with a pending knee replacement, and an A1 license, so choice was somewhat limited.

As far as I am aware Suzuki’s are quite well made and durable and the 125 engine used in the RV125 is a proven design and was used in a number of their models over quite some time. I believe clones of it are still used in a number of Chinese bikes without any major problems being reported.

“Will it plod on for ever” is anyone’s guess, and I think it would depend on the use / abuse it is given. They are both capable of maintaining the national speed limits on single carriageway roads out here, 80/90 kph with ease. Mountain roads it drops to around the 70kph mark. They are ok for short stretches on dual caraways but do struggle around the 100kph mark unless it’s flat or down hill stretch’s. I must admit that I have hit the rev limiter in 6th on a couple of occasions and it didn’t fly apart.

For a bike just to pootle around on I think they are a great little thing. They always draw attention when we park them up together amongst the large BMW / Africa Twin devotees who ask the same questions as you.

I think the only modification I will do is the 520 chain & sprockets up grade. The standard chain does stretch and need frequent adjustments, but that’s only around €125 and easy to do.

[Godspeed]

They do look pretty fun.

I took my Innova down for a night camping at the weekend. Not another tent I hear you say

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