2 Wheels Posted July 20, 2012 Author Posted July 20, 2012 The hole trip was fab,,,,, these pictures dont tell the real story,,,,,what you can see with your eyes as ya travel along is briliant,,,as is the scenery. You really need the weather for this part of the country, cause if its low lying clouds and dull then ya wont see to far to enjoy it. Me and Blackie watched the weather like halks for 2 weeks waiting for a brake,,,,eventually it came and off we went,,we got lucky considering the summer were having. The trip cost me 365 Euro including the ferry. Now,,,,,there was a bit of a misshap along the way. The nite we stayed in Ullapool (sat nite). We stoped for dinner and a pint before pitchin the tents. When we returned to the bikes,,,, mine was moved from where i left it. Closer inspection and it was bad news. Two lads came over and told us they were looking for us,,,,,, they had picked my bike up. When we were in eating the wind got up and blew my bike over off its side-stand. With top-box and tent on the back and tank bag on the front, the bike was allready top heavy. I should have taken more care as to the way i parked it. Anyway, the fuckin thing blew over and i was not happy,,, my pride was hurt more than anything. Not a huge amount of damage. The brake leaver, foot-peg and crash mushroom took most of the bang. Brake leaver broke the end of it (designed to brake),,,,,,,foot-peg slightly bent and bit broke off the end (disigned to brake),,,,,,crash mushroom saved my right hand side engine cover, without it bike was fucked,,,,,, me lid was hanging on mirror, so that saved the mirror but damaged my lid and visor,,,,,,the fairing on the front then got some scratches on it after everything else broke off,,,,,, so too did the exhaust and the top box. Anyway, we checked it over and that was all the damage. Blackhat went for fuel and i hit the start button. There was nothing, not a single noise. After waiting a few mins i tried again and she fired up no prob,,,,, i have since learnt that its a switch thats cuts all power to everything for 20 mins if the bike is layed down. Took bike for a test ride and everything seemed fine, no steering wobble or bent bars or the rest. Anyway bike was rideable and needless to say we carried on. I put this wee misshap behind me and enjoyed the rest of the trip,,,, "no point in crying over spilt milk" Hopefully now it wont cost too much to fix her up again. Anyway thats the story of our wee tour,,,,, if i missed anything mabey Blackhat will remember and fill in the blanks. Hope ye enjoy !!!
Sacha Posted July 20, 2012 Posted July 20, 2012 Wow! Spectacular scenery! It looks like such a beautiful place, and full of history. Bummer about the wind catching your bike like that. I've worried about the wind around here... we get some strong gusts sometimes. I usually hope that the center stand is a real stable way for her to sit (even though she's so light). I enjoyed the pictures and the stories! Thanks for sharing.
Moderator DirtyDT Posted July 20, 2012 Moderator Posted July 20, 2012 Fab story and pictures Pat. 'tis a beautiful part of the world.
Ventura Posted July 20, 2012 Posted July 20, 2012 Great trip!! With great write-up and fantastic pics. Well done and thanks for sharing! I rode a lot of those same roads over the last two summers. Great biking for sure! You were far luckier with the weather than I was when you went over the Pass o' the Cattle to Applecross. Couldn't see 10 yards in front of us when last there!! For your next trip go the same route, but in reverse. Its an amazing way to see all the great scenery you missed first time round, 'cos it had been all behind you! V.
Moderator drewpy Posted July 20, 2012 Moderator Posted July 20, 2012 great story Pat and well done for braving the weather. Memories are made of this
Moderator mervin Posted July 20, 2012 Moderator Posted July 20, 2012 Somewhere from Wick to Brora,,,, nice roads Berridale Braes try em in the winter with a 44 ton artic loaded with crabs in tanks of water (at 44 ton ) heading down from Scrabster , that,s how i spent most of the 1990.s
blackhat250 Posted July 20, 2012 Posted July 20, 2012 Aye pat it was braw " every summit we went over we were met by another fantastic view, The road on sunday to Unapool, we rode 50mls and passed 2 cars &2 bikes, islolation did you say, beautifull scenery i never knew excisted, The fuel thing was a downside, the Illiminator has a 2.5 gallon tank, averaged 50mpg tho " . and no Mcdonalds for hundreds of miles,,, That was wild camping on your last night, majestical place,,
Ventura Posted July 21, 2012 Posted July 21, 2012 So we kept goin till the village of Tongue,,,, no fuel there either,,,, both our tanks gettin very low,,,, Im surprised you couldn't get petrol in Tongue. There's a single pump station there at the Spar shop. Unless its a Sunday that is! I think it only opens for an hour on a Sunday!! Ive done the trip similar to yours on a bike that needed filling every 85 miles. Very worrying on a Sunday!! V.
Qtour Posted July 21, 2012 Posted July 21, 2012 Absolutely fabulous lookin trip Pat............begrudge, begrudge..... Hoping some day not too far away I'll be able to join a few of ye on one of these trips. Class lookin scenery up about there too. No wonder Blackhat bailed for that last night camping in the woods, U ever watch brokeback mountain???? :icon_lol: :icon_lol: :icon_lol:
Mallory1 Posted July 22, 2012 Posted July 22, 2012 Great pics 2 Wheels - and great story telling too - you've the gift of the gab there ! Interesting lesson about the delayed switch - was that on the fazer?
2 Wheels Posted August 12, 2012 Author Posted August 12, 2012 I forgot i had made a video,,,,,,, only one because the camera was shaking very bad,,,,, wish i kept filming now. Am up-loading it now,,,,,,,, so that will probably only take 3 hours or so. EDIT: i have me bike back to tip top shape again,,,,, been working on it in the evenings for a hour or so. Only thing left to do now is the scratches on the front fairing. am gonna try an sand them down and toutch up with the correct colour paint hopefully.
NEV Posted August 12, 2012 Posted August 12, 2012 Looks like a cracking trip, you two had, what ya reckon to the John O'groats rip off with the travel pole, I think the bloke wanted a tenner to take yer pic next to it, and didn't let anyone get to it that wouldn't pay him, we waited till 6pm when he packed up for the day, and then we all nipped on, and took our own pics.
pilninggas Posted August 12, 2012 Posted August 12, 2012 How did i miss this thread - those pictures are great. must get up there on a bike sometime.
2 Wheels Posted August 13, 2012 Author Posted August 13, 2012 Ok,,, the camera is really shaking so thats why i didnt boather with any more vids. This is on the road to Applecross. Nearly all the road is single track with poor road surface but still nice. Worth a look so ya can see some of the seenery.
neversaydie Posted August 14, 2012 Posted August 14, 2012 Looks like you had a great ride and lucky with the weather.Great photos, thanks for posting
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