Planning a LONG ride for early next year.

[JoeDougieDoug...]

Hey guys

So me and a few mates have been planning a long trip on our bikes for early next year (Maybe mid-ish March / April time). This will be my first long trip since getting on a bike, and i'm really looking forward to it. I was a bit sceptical about it seeing as i'll be on my 125 but there will be a lot of really experienced riders out with us so we can all look out for eachother.

We are planning to ride up to the Appin area of Argyll, Scotland and stay on a fairly reputable camp site (They have 'Camping Pods' which saves us having to bring our own tents). We were thinking of going up there for around 3 days.

I am just wondering if anyone has taken a trip to this side of Scotland before? If so, any good? Recommend anywhere else?

Any tips for a rider on his first long trip?

Recommended amount of money to take?

Thanks for the help guys - really excited about this one.
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CBT Passed - 22 / 10 / 11 >> Theory Passed - 16 / 02 / 2012 >> Mod 1 Passed - 07 / 03 / 2012 >> Mod 2 Passed - 18 / 05 / 2012.

[TheDonUK]

To my mind the real nice roads would be north of you Fort William to inverness is nice, Lairg-Ullapool...
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[Current Bikes - GSXR-750 K5 & C90-97 ] [Previous Bikes: Runner 125, YBR 125, GS500, Bandit 600, Hornet 600, ZX6R-99, C90-99, R1-99, XT600E-04, GSXR-750 K4, CRF250L '16]

[delsol]

Hi JoeDougieDoug,

Don't want to put a spoiler on your eagerly awaited trip, but trust me on this one.

Scottish weather during March\April could well end up like an endurance\survival test (I know cause I live here and been all around the west of Scotland).

Leave it to May\June at earliest, and you will have a better chance of enjoying fantastic scenery and excellent biking roads, be happy to give you some suggestions, PM me if you like.

Delsol

[harscot]

Hi bud I agree with Delsol, I live inWester Ross and weather can be bad at that time, but I have also seen some very dry and warm days up here as well mid april, a suggestion, why don't you ( if you can ) try leaving it to the last minute to check the weather, and so keep your opptions open, you can also get shitty weather in any month up here by the way, hope you strike it lucky tour ideas could include Skye via mallaig ferry, over the bridge to Kyle, on to Applecross Beallach. Torridon, Kinlochewe, Ullapool Inverness and home which ever way you want.. good luck in your planing and stay safe out there

[fatpies]

Go south! Take the ferry to Europe and ride around there instead. Spain and Southern France are warmish around March.
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"It's easy to attack and destroy an act of creation. It's a lot more difficult to perform one"

[JoeDougieDoug...]

Ah cheers for the advice guys - As I said, we are just planning it at the moment so I am open to destination suggestions Any idea how much it is to get the ferry from Harwich over to Holland? or is Holland the same weather as the UK that time of year?

Cheers fellas
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CBT Passed - 22 / 10 / 11 >> Theory Passed - 16 / 02 / 2012 >> Mod 1 Passed - 07 / 03 / 2012 >> Mod 2 Passed - 18 / 05 / 2012.

[Dilyan]

I was in Amsterdam April this year, on my bike. The weather was amazing. For a week I had the best biking conditions I could possibly imagine. Cool but not cold, cloudless sky. A dream. However it gets quite nippy at night. I wouldnt book a ferry, these cost a fortune. Go down France, enjoy some wine. You can get to Holland via France in a day and a half if you take it easy.
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Current: 2007 VFR800; Ex: 2001 YZF600R Thundercat
Škoda Octavia (yes, a taxi driver)

[Cadbury]

[JoeDougieDoug...]

[TheSmiler]

One thing I have always wondered is if you live in Ireland and take the CBT as it is the legal way in the United Kingdom, does that mean you can't legally drive if you enter northern Ireland considering it is in Europe
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CB125>CG125>GN125>ER5>K100RS>R1100RS>K100RS
A2 completed 23/07/15 Ready for the Golden Crisp Packet

[TheBikerStig]