Deleted account 210604001
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- Feb 28, 2010
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Just got back from a mini break, having been to Scotland several times I was keen to do a full highlands coastal loop. Fortunately the Scottish tourist board have spotted a marketing opportunity and are promoting the 'North Coast 500' which gave me a great starting point as a route.
OK, admission time, I'm not a GS'er yet, but Im middle aged grouchy 40 something, and I quite like it here..
I'm also thinking about whether a GS would be more suitable for the type of riding I do.
4 days in total, one day up (465 miles), one day back, with two days scheduled for the tour of approx 250 miles each. This was to be a riding holiday, not a chilling looking at sights break.
I was interested on how the Ducati would get along with the trip (or more to the point how I would cope). I've already done a couple of 400 mile days on it, and find it quite comfortable moving at speed, slightly less so at slower speeds as the weight transfers to your wrists (hence stomp grip on the tank).
Im sure there are a lot better travelled people than me here, but I cannot recommend the highlands enough. Its a wonderful place for motorcyclists and the scenery is amazing. I was a little paranoid about fuel (the Duc only goes about 110 before the low light comes on), but I needn't have worried, there was fuel everywhere I needed it.
Highlights were the wonderful scenery throughout the route, I can't pick one (and few photos as that wasn't the aim). Lowlights were the midges attacking me when I was trying to clean my chain one evening, and 2 degrees in fog at 5am riding home just south of Inverness.
Weather was variable, but didn't really bother me once I was in my waterproofs, the best roads were just west of John O'Groats, and just east of Applecross on the Western Side.
More details about the NC500 here --> http://www.northcoast500.com/home.aspx
Re: bike choice, I guess you can tour on anything, and I saw loads of GS's and Adventure GS's, but think I'll keep the Duc for another year or so, or until my knees call time. The panniers make it practical, and I still grin like an idiot once the road dries out and a set of bends appear. Maybe I need to keep the Duc and supplement it with a more dedicated touring bike
RBW.
OK, admission time, I'm not a GS'er yet, but Im middle aged grouchy 40 something, and I quite like it here..
I'm also thinking about whether a GS would be more suitable for the type of riding I do.4 days in total, one day up (465 miles), one day back, with two days scheduled for the tour of approx 250 miles each. This was to be a riding holiday, not a chilling looking at sights break.
I was interested on how the Ducati would get along with the trip (or more to the point how I would cope). I've already done a couple of 400 mile days on it, and find it quite comfortable moving at speed, slightly less so at slower speeds as the weight transfers to your wrists (hence stomp grip on the tank).
Im sure there are a lot better travelled people than me here, but I cannot recommend the highlands enough. Its a wonderful place for motorcyclists and the scenery is amazing. I was a little paranoid about fuel (the Duc only goes about 110 before the low light comes on), but I needn't have worried, there was fuel everywhere I needed it.
Highlights were the wonderful scenery throughout the route, I can't pick one (and few photos as that wasn't the aim). Lowlights were the midges attacking me when I was trying to clean my chain one evening, and 2 degrees in fog at 5am riding home just south of Inverness.
Weather was variable, but didn't really bother me once I was in my waterproofs, the best roads were just west of John O'Groats, and just east of Applecross on the Western Side.
More details about the NC500 here --> http://www.northcoast500.com/home.aspx
Re: bike choice, I guess you can tour on anything, and I saw loads of GS's and Adventure GS's, but think I'll keep the Duc for another year or so, or until my knees call time. The panniers make it practical, and I still grin like an idiot once the road dries out and a set of bends appear. Maybe I need to keep the Duc and supplement it with a more dedicated touring bike
RBW.
like yer style 
