women's motoring & cars & car reviews for women
Honda
D-Day – the collection of our Honda PCX125
Jun 1st
My main emotion, masking any potential excitement, was one of fear. Would I ever see my children again or would I fall foul to some horrific accident on my first journey on the Honda PCX 125?
Videoman Paul (expert bike-rider, at least in his own head although admittedly he is still alive) drove me down from North West London to the amazing Honda Institute in Colnbrook – they really ought to consider offering day trips.
It was a tense trip to say the least. I do appreciate that there is only so much reassurance that a person can give, and Paul had reached his limit after 15 minutes. Sadly my need for it extended for the entire hour-long journey.
My agony was further prolonged when we arrived, as my contact had taken a bike for a spin – occupational hazzard I suppose working with so many lovely toys. Paul was happy watching and naming aeroplanes flying overhead (the Institute lies a few metres from Heathrow’s runways) – I made him take his anorak off.
Then it appeared, being wheeled towards me – if only it were in slow motion to show off its shiny black bodywork and chrome trim. This was exciting.
So what is the PCX 125?
This is Honda’s all-new scooter with fuel-saving Idle Stop technology. It’s compact yet still has the look of a bigger bike and is actually rather gorgeous with great curves and flowing lines. Looks great in white too (the alternative colour scheme)… More >
My Honda PXC Scooter Economy Run
May 28th
Honda’s challenge was fuel economy, my challenge was to ride a bike for a whole day without falling off.
I was all worked up for riding a 125 geared bike having passed my CBT a year ago (thank you Honda), and with two recent refresher sessions under my belt I felt as prepared as I could have been.
My second refresher session was up in Derbyshire in what I consider real biking country. Here the roads are notoriously dangerous for bikers with signs all over the place telling people to watch their speed, think Bike etc, but what great roads they are! I was so amazingly thrilled to ride a bike through Matlock Bath – sadly not at the weekend when all the bikers come out to play. But I did it in the rain, even stopping for a cup of tea where I imagined thousands of bikers before me had stood. It made my day.
So kitted out by a small and innocuous looking shop, again in that fabulous town of Matlock Bath (so neat inside, you can tell it’s organised and run by a woman) I felt up to the challenge and was prepared for the forecasted rain. More >
Dating a Honda FR-V
Feb 6th
Cars are like relationships. Here’s your choice:
Fast and furious: Thrills that run the risk of breaking down pretty quickly, parts strewn along the road and perhaps a long spell in the garage afterwards. Or dull, dependable partners that don’t provide those heights of excitement but who’ll always get you there in the end. And they’ll keep on doing it year after year. Great.
But then there’s the clever bloke that nobody really appreciates when you first meet him at the party.
Quiet, understated and perhaps not the best-looking guy in the room – all too easy to ignore at first glance. But you get chatting and he turns out to be really quite funny, and that cleverness is very useful. You might leave the party with the handsome tyrant, but when you find out later (thoroughly exhausted) from a friend that your clever, interesting acquaintance has left the country for a job abroad you feel more than a pang of heartache. You wish you’d made more of your time together and make a resolution not to squander missed opportunities…
CBT Motorcycle Training with Honda
Jan 28th
I was momentarily crestfallen when it was clear my sister-in-law thought I’d finally gone into therapy after I’d proudly told her I’d completed and passed my CBT course!
Maybe therapy is what I need, however, as there is nothing more satisfying than doing something new and challenging when sometimes you feel that life is passing you by. So perhaps passing the CBT (Compulsory Basic Training) served the same purpose.
Having been looking forward to my day away from the kids and housework with something completely new (and potentially life-threatening) to occupy my mind, by the time the day actually arrived and we headed off to Evolution Training in Harlow thanks to Honda who had arranged the course for us, excitement and anticipatory nerves had been replaced by confusion and terror. Why? Because those who think they know best had filled my head with useful tips to help make the day go as well as possible. Confusion reigned! What was it the left hand controlled? Clutch? Brake? – HELP!
Learning to Ride a Motorbike
Jan 28th
Apart from a close brush with a scooter years ago on a holiday with a girlfriend, I haven’t been near a motorbike.
However, I now feel totally immersed in the biking culture and have come away fluent! Actually that’s rather an exaggeration, but I do feel as if my understanding and knowledge has taken a leap on the learning curve.
I spent a long but amazing day at Bedford Autodrome where we were treated to a day of motorbikes. Mostly men, and mostly decked out in their biking gear.