How far can a Honda LEAD125 go with a full tank of gas? Part 10 of the Tokaido Gas Challenge, from Nihonbashi, Tokyo to Kyoto! [Day 3]

Beautiful Miho no Matsubara

AFORIDER Honda LEAD125 Tokaido Gas Out Katsuya Takahashi — Although Shimizu Port is small, it is filled with a certain Showa-era gaiety.

As soon as I left the inn, Shimizu Port was right in front of me. Glancing at the port, I headed to Miho no Matsubara. It was a bit of a detour from the Tokaido, but on a day as fine as this, I was allowed to cheat. After all, Miho no Matsubara is a guaranteed tourist destination, registered as a World Heritage Site. It’s well worth a visit.

Unsettling throttle response

As we left Miho no Matsubara, I began to feel a slight discomfort in the throttle response. When I accelerated from a stopped position, the engine would get off to a slight halt. I thought this might be a sign that the car was running out of gas, but the trip was still only about 230km long, and even though it’s normal for the actual driving distance to be shorter than the calculated range, it was still too early for that to happen.

Takahashi’s senses were already unreliable, and thinking that his sleepiness was making them even more distorted, he didn’t pay it much attention and decided to keep running.

The end credits suddenly

I was making good progress heading west along National Route 150 along the coast. From here on, my route was set to take me deep into the mountains. There was still a long way to go. I leaned to the left to use the restroom at the first parking spot I could find, and as I left the road, I suddenly lost torque. The engine just stopped with a bang. I tried using the electric starter, but it started to turn over but wouldn’t last. After trying several times, the engine finally stopped responding altogether. It was an unfortunate end.

If the full 6.0L tank of gasoline was used up completely, the fuel economy for the entire journey would be 40.9km/L. The WMTC mode fuel economy listed in the catalog is 49.3km/L, so the difference is about 17% less. The margin of error is quite large. However, since the tank has a mysterious structure that makes it difficult to determine which part is full, it is actually quite doubtful whether Takahashi was even able to fill up the tank properly.

It would be different if they had measured the amount of fuel they put in with a special measuring device, but the test results of motorcycle media outlets that don’t embarrassingly claim to have done a “fuel economy test” after just filling up with fuel at a nearby gas station are generally around this level. There’s no need to worry about an error of this magnitude.

A hyper commuter car that can withstand long journeys

The LEAD125 is a compact scooter that was originally designed for short-distance riding, but it was surprisingly comfortable for long rides. Thanks to its relaxed riding position with an upright upper body, the rider feels less strained and doesn’t feel too tired even on long rides.

The equipment on the LEAD125 is basic and simple. It’s not exactly luxurious. However, it has everything you need, and every detail has been carefully considered. In addition to basic equipment like hooks, it also comes with some very thoughtful features like a smart key. All of these features were probably designed for convenience when riding around town, but they also significantly improve comfort on long trips.

Delicious food is available in red vending machines

Now, even though the Tokaido Gas Challenge is always a difficult location shoot, there is one merciful rule that is like an oasis in the desert after completing the mission: “When you run out of gas, you can eat something delicious at your own expense.”

Since I had run out of gas in Shizuoka City, a city full of local specialties, I decided to buy some Abekawa mochi (rice cakes), and just as I started driving towards the city center, I spotted a red vending machine on the side of the road. It seemed to sell strawberries.

After Takahashi, more and more customers came in, buying strawberries and leaving. I stopped one of them and asked him about it. He told me that the vending machine is always working, but that there aren’t always strawberries in stock; in fact, it’s often sold out, so he was lucky to have been able to buy some today.

Cost-effectiveness of strawberries

I parked my LEAD125 in the shade of a tree and decided to eat strawberries on the beach. Basking in the strong sea breeze and sparkling sunlight, I popped a strawberry I’d washed in toilet water into my mouth. It was refreshing and sweet. So delicious! And it was only 300 yen. That’s insanely cheap! Just as I was about to think this thought, a doubt began to grow in my mind, along with my pride as a fuel-efficiency project rider.

But wait a minute. Are these strawberries really cheap?

For comparison, Yamazaki Bread’s well-known “Thin-Skinned Red Bean Bun” has 532 kcal per bag. As of 2025, it is sold for about 185 yen, so if you pay 100 yen for this red bean bun, you will be buying about 288 kcal of energy.

On the other hand, if we estimate that the edible portion of a 300 yen pack of medium-sized strawberries is about 250g, strawberries have 31kcal/100g, so the calories per pack are only about 78kcal. In other words, even if you pay 100 yen, you only get about 26kcal…

By the way, a 60kg person needs about 60kcal to run 1km. If you eat anpan bread, it will cost you just 21 yen to run 1km, but if you eat strawberries, it will cost you a whopping 231 yen to run 1km.

That’s expensive! Strawberries are bad for fuel economy!

The investigation revealed that the strawberries had serious fuel consumption issues. However, for Takahashi, the bigger problem was that the strawberries were being sold “from a vending machine.” Even though there is a rule that says “you can eat delicious food on business expenses,” you don’t get a receipt for vending machines. This means that he had to pay completely out of his own pocket for the strawberries!!!

So there was no point in taking the time and effort to find food, take silly photos of himself eating, and show them to the whole world. So it was only natural that Takahashi ended up on his way back to Tokyo with his shoulders slumped, his cheeks wet with tears, and his mouth stained red with strawberry juice.