Touring Scotland

essential fashion over the border
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A long as you have somewhere to stow your credit card you will be fine

 

Get yourself some decent waterproofs and decent maps and go for it. A dry bag is a good idea if you can lash it on. If you're going north of Ullapool/Inverness, and I highly recommend you do, then petrol station get a bit thin on the ground and some are closed on Sunday, but most that do now take cards so probably not an issue. Durness is an exception and so is Tongue (though I've heard Tongue is open for a couple of hours on a Sunday).
Do it, do it, do it, do it!

 

Kriega tail pack is ideal, go for the 20l plus a tank bag. Don't use a back pack as the weight on your neck and back over distance will cause you pain and suffering!! I wouldnt bother with a satnav if you've got a decent phone. I've toured europe with copilot on my iphone connected to a bluetooth intercom. There are several ways to mount the phone so pick one that fits in with your bike and view. For a charger i use the optimate 0-101 usb charger, it plugs directly into the optimate lead coming from the battery and you can just unplug it when not in use. For places to stay, theres loads of places with secure storage so just a case of searching and finding the right place. For reducing the strain in your wrists get a crampbuster for the throttle grip. It's a really cheap way to keep your throttle hand and wrist comfortable on long trips (especially on the motorway). Other than that, plan to stop every hour to stretch your legs amd make sure there's a petrol station on your route before you'll need one! Hope that helps.

 

Waterproofs and warm clothes! I had to buy waterproof socks in Oban last year as my [allegedly waterproof] boots gave up the fight somewhere past Loch Lomond ;-) Cracking roads just about everywhere (surface was a bit sh1t on Skye, mind). Bloody windy on the outer hebs, but worth the trip IMO.

Would throwovers work on on a 998? I kind of assume not. So, some kind of tail pack and tank bag depending on how hardcore you want to be. If money no object the credit card option is probably the easiest ;-)

I am hoping to make it back this year to tackle the east coast, and me being me, trying to get even further north than I managed last year. This will probably involve ferries and more expense...!

 

Keep west. Pick a base. Enjoy at least one day unencumbered riding without luggage. The further north you go the better it gets.

Watch out for young haggis in Spring, they can leap out right in front of you.

Deep fried butter balls and other Scottish delicacies - Telegraph

 

Don't run them over. They make a terrible mess when they burst.

 

for some dumb reason people keep missing out the kintyre peninsula? if i was coming from the south i would jump on the arran ferry, run round that then the ferry over to skipness. hed south down the back road to campbell town. then back up the main road to lochgilphead-oban then north from there. great roads, superb scenery. a bit of the main tourist routs. so a bit quieter. if you got on to arran by ten you could easily spend the night in tarbert loch fyne. arran and the back road down to campbelltown aint ideal for a sports bike but done it several times on me 848. no dramas
Google Maps

 

It is great in south west Scotland, but it just gets better and better the further north you go, it is difficult to go wrong really.

North Coast 500 - Interactive Map

Although I would go from Fort Augustus out west to Dornie before joining the western part of the 500.

As an alternative to the M74, if you are coming that way, try the B7076 which runs along side it and is deserted.

 

That is an interesting variation one way then the other way do Loch Lomond / Glencoe.

 

Tomtom for iphone works great, even if you hve no cell service, which buggers google and apple maps up!

 

For god's sake don't go without waterproofs and tyre repair kit. Depending on time of year can be some temperature shifts, especially at altitude. There are some great roads, but many of them can be quite slow and you have to get used to single track roads. No problems with bike security at all in Western & Northern Scotland. Most places, you could leave the key in overnight.

I reckon 250 miles is plenty in a day if you plan on stopping for to see stuff. I really like Finm's route and can second that. Carlisle to Arran through Galloway. Stay overnight on Arran if you can and go up the west coast of the Island. Nice hotel near Lochgilphead at Cairnbaan.

Glencoe is OK on a sports bike, but busy. I would say come do it and then come down via Callander to Stirling, as a bit more interesting.

 

I did lands end to John o groats on a C90 last year. From glencoe upwards we really didn't feel we were missing out my not being on big bikes (the same was true for the whole journey, in fact) but honestly it was just lovely to swing through the most stunning, beautifully surfaced roads I've ever ridden, just enjoying the scenery.

 

im not five minuets from yer first pick. 5 more weeks. bring it on.

 

Stunning part of the world, that was between Glencoe and Fort William. I got the Ducati from Oban, but it was lashing down all the way back home to Buckinghamshire, and I still loved it. I will be doing a weekend in Scotland during summer, it's just gorgeous up there, if you are around when I come up give me a shout!

 

deffo. there's a few alternatives when heading north.

 

From Inverness I would go anticlockwise because that way the scenery just keeps getting better. I don't bother with the bit from Inverness to John O'Groats then Bettyhill any more although it's probably worth doing once. John O'Groats is, at best, disappointing. Dunnet Head is worth the 15 minute detour though. From there you can see the Orkney Island of Hoy and you can see the Old Man of Hoy quite clearly. I like the quieter, more remote roads and so I've added some routes in red to the North West 500 map that I think are worth exploring if you have the time. The short out-and-back bits, in order from South West to North East, go to Red Point (nice beach), Melon Udrigle (nice beach, superb views towards Coigach and the Summer Isles), Achiltibuie via the Inver Pollaidh nature reserve (superb scenery), Dunnet Head. But really, you're rolling through jaw dropping scenery constantly.


As finm points out, there is a lot more to Scotland than the North West but, if you get the weather, the North West is achingly beautiful. I tend to go in April/May and September because we often get spells of good weather then and there's no midges and very few tourists. In high summer there's a camper van ruining every view and they clog up the single track roads too, though, to be honest, most people are good at letting bikes pass. I go up twice a year to recharge my batteries - but each visit is just a weekend for me. Roll on April.

Go for it. You'll love it.