Thinking about riding my bike to and around Scotland.

[badbreed]

Cheers Jazz, I've spent a lot of time in and round Balloch, but never on a motorcycle. I will be planning on heading back that way for some lovely views of Scotland again, also the A82 and 83 are on the list. cheers
Fair plays to you riding your bike back that distance. bet that was sore.

Paul, I have passed through Moffat a fair few times on four wheels but never on a bike. Its also gone on the list of roads to visit.
cheers for the idea of breaking it up to 85 mile chunks, i was thinking around a 100 or just when my arse goes numb.

i'll be covering around 300 miles this weekend on a trip to the Brecon beacons, so this is how i will gauge on how comfortable the SV is for a distance ride.

just got to find some cheap panniers now for the trip to scotland and i'll be away.

[Bulldog]

I did a Scotland trip at the end of May from Bath (round trip 1600 miles). 1st night in Peebles, 2nd night in Beuly near Inverness via Braemar and Tomintoul, 3rd night in Ullapool via Lairg, Tongue and Durness, 4th night in Fort William via Poolewe and Gairloch, 5th night in Helensburg via Oban and Lochgilphead (tried to go over the Pass of the Cattle but the sleet and rain convinced us to turn around just before the top which was really hard given the horizontal sleet and the gale force wind.

Best views definitely the Cairngorms up to Tomintoul. Most lonesome road the one lane A836 after the A838 turn off up to Tongue. Best two biking roads definitely the A816 between Oban and Lochgilphead, and the A814 from where it comes off the A83 towards Helensburgh. Both roads very bendy, and the A814 like a rollercoaster ride, and just a little bit scary at speed not really knowing where the road goes next over the hump and what might be coming the other way.

200 miles a day is about right as you get time to stop for tea and cake often. The 400 mile plod up and down the M5 is a pain but quite easy really.