Think it’s an ambitious journey on a 250? Not our man Stokes, who met a couple cycling his route

www.ride.co.uk36 / May 2011

Words and p ic ture s Dav i D S t o k e S

D a m a s c u sT h e r o a D T o

a n D b e y o n D7500 miles in six and a half weeks through 11 countries to the

southern tip of Jordan, on a 20-year-old Honda 250

A church by the Danube in Austria

RIDE OUT

www.ride.co.uk May 2011 / 37

D a m a s c u sT h e r o a D T o

a n D b e y o n D

Flying isn’t really travel. I like to see the changes of architecture, the terrain, the faces of people, the food and all the other delights in between. You can do that so much better by road than by air. And the best way to travel by road is on a motorcycle, which puts

you in such intimate contact with your surroundings.If that motorcycle is a 20-year-old Honda CD250U, you’re forced to go so

slowly that you have no choice but to take in the scenery.My original destination was Damascus in Syria until I realised I could go on

to Aqaba in Jordan without any need for an expensive carnet de passage. If I could, then I would.

Why Damascus? Well not for any sudden change in my ideals or beliefs, there was no blinding light – it just seemed a really great place to go, full of history, and I hadn’t ever visited the country.

It didn’t hold any fear for me. Being 64 and sporting grey hair and a beard means people get the feeling that you are harmless. An added bonus is that in many Middle East and northern African countries age gets respect, which is useful. Being old definitely has some advantages.

The day came for the off. It’s hard to leave the safety of home, a loving wife, comfort, food and tea on tap. I had all this and I was off to the Middle East, on a 20-year-old bike… was I mad? I’d told everyone what I was going to do, so I had to do it.

After enjoying the comforts of P&O’s Club Class lounge on the ferry, I was in a more positive frame of mind, focused on the basic tasks of remembering to ride on the right and following the route I’d planned out.

Riding east to Ostend and on through Western Europe in three days I reached the Budapest Biker Camp. I was joined at supper by three other bikers, Laszlo Joseph, Sulkowsky Zoltan and Joseph Eros, who had all lived some of their lives in the USA so English was no problem. They drank beer, I drank tea and we all ate pizza. A friendly lot, they liked the idea of doing the trip on such a small bike, so I didn’t like to tell them it’s all I can manage weight-wise, so I didn’t have that much choice about it.

The Biker Camp cost 20 euros for a room but if you pitch a tent it’s only 10. Facilities for campers there are excellent and everything is clean – owner Suzsanna Miko sees to that.

Leaving Budapest in bright sunlight and a completely cloudless blue sky I rode through the rest of Hungary to Timisoara in Romania, then on to Bulgaria’s capital, Sofia, then Plovdiv and the madness that is Istanbul.

Istanbul is not a city for the faint hearted. The traffic is manic, hooters blare from every direction, passing trams ring bells and there are the shouts of street vendors selling anything from bottled water, watches and T-shirts to roasted corn on the cob. Their wares can be laid out on the pavement on barrows, or further up the costermonger hierarchy to a bona fide stall in an underpass.

I visited the big, ancient Blue Mosque. Magnificent, but there’s one thing the architect did not take into account: the invention of photography. If he had he would have faced the front into the sun and not the back.

I had the pleasure of two days in the Istanbul four-star Sultanhan Hotel with its superb fittings, wonderful bathrooms and beautiful antiques. Breakfast on

The routeO s t end

T im i s o a r a

I s t a nbu l

Aqaba

R o m A n i A

T u R k e y

no wonder this chap looks dapper, he’s Dortyol’s tailor

www.ride.co.uk90 / May 2011

Bike won’t start?Here’s how to fix it

If your bIke has a fuel pumpSome fuel pumps on older bikes have a simple points system that can seize up if not used for a while. Check and clean up with contact cleaner. Also have a look to see if there are any blocked or kinked pipes. Cracks or blockages in the breathers can also prevent the fuel from getting where it’s needed so make sure they are clear.

If your bIke has fuel InjectIonIf your bike has injection it’s worth checking whether the bike has fallen over since you last rode it. The high-pressure that fuel injected bikes run means there may be a switch that turns off the fuel if the bike goes past a certain angle. On most bikes this only happens if the wheels were higher than the tank, but some can switch off after a drop.

If your bIke has a fuel tapHave you turned it on? If it’s a vacuum tap check that the vacuum pipe is connected to the inlet manifold. Can you see any cracks? They need the vacuum from the inlet to turn on. Has the diaphragm perished inside? Try disconnecting the pipe and pouring a little petrol down it, bypassing the tap. If it starts you know it’s the tap.

Words and pictures Matt Hull

Got a spark but no fuel?

May 2011 / 91www.ride.co.uk

DIY

Is It the petrol?You’d be very unlucky, but it’s not unknown for the odd duff load of petrol to slip through the net and end up in your tank. More likely, it’s good petrol that’s gone off – or been contaminated by water – after sitting in your tank too long. Drain the tank and fill with fresh fuel, or mix in some petrol treatment to help revitalise it.

should I check the spark plugs? Yes. Any petrol on the electrode of the spark plug will eventually turn into a jelly-like substance that could prevent the spark from jumping to the electrode. On first inspection you will still see a spark, though it’s too weak to work. The best solution is to replace the plugs, though you could try cleaning them with brake cleaner and a toothbrush first.

could It be the ht leads?While you’re checking the plugs check the HT leads for cracks, as these could short out the lead. Spray some contact cleaner in both the coil and plug ends to remove any moisture. Also check the fit to the top of the plug is secure as older bikes can suffer from a loose hold – check that it grips the top of the plug well.

how about the multI-plugs In the loom?Moisture and dirt could have built up reducing the connection and even causing a short. Disconnect the battery and carefully prise the plugs apart – watch out as some need a screwdriver and others have a metal securing ring. Clean up with contact cleaner and a toothbrush.

Is It the battery?If your battery hasn’t been attached to an intelligent charger then it may have dropped charge and won’t be giving out enough voltage. Most modern bikes need a minimum of nine volts to work, so although you may have working lights the electronics won’t allow the starter to turn. Charge your battery, but if it’s been completely flat for some time it may well be too late.

could It be the reg/rec?If your battery is still going flat once the bike has started then it could be the regulator/ rectifier. The rectifier rectifies the voltage from the alternator from AC to DC and the regulator regulates the voltage to ensure the battery doesn’t get too much charge. A simple check to see if the battery is charging is whether the headlights get brighter as you rev the bike from idle. If they don’t get brighter there’s a problem.

maybe It’s the kIll swItchObviously check that it’s not switched off but remember that a lot of older bikes may have a faulty switch, especially if you use it to turn the bike off all the time. Check the output with a voltmeter, spray some contact cleaner inside or swap with a secondhand one to isolate the problem.

Is there an alarm fItted?Alarms can cause real problems as they are intentionally made to be difficult to play with. This is a job best left to the professionals, but you can still check the basics first. However, you can save on labour costs by looking for breaks in the wires, rusty earth terminals and signs of water ingress to the black boxes. Most of the time an intelligent or trickle charger is the best answer.

you’ve got IgnItIon lIghts but no starter when you press the button

It turns over but doesn’t fIre