Scotland on 125s..

[oriel dave]

Hi

The lady and I will be riding Oxford to Scotland and back on gs125s over the course of two weeks starting next tuesday. I estimate 2000 miles round trip going all round Scotland.

My question is is there anything we should do to the bikes other than a basic service?

Specificallymy chain is adjusted close to its limit - should I replace chain and sprockets before we go? What happens if it snaps?!

Also the manual recommends oil and filter changes every 600 miles - is this necessary?

Cheers

Dave

[Saul Good]

wouldnt think youd need an oil and filter change that often, just keep the oil topped up and do an oil and filter change when you get back?

[oriel dave]

Thats what I thought. I don't normally, it's just I don't normally do so many miles.

Ta

[Stevie GooGs]

Hmm where in scotland are you going to be going?
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[Saul Good]

[oriel dave]

Hi sorry for the slow reply, just got back from glastonbury.. heading off tomorrow

We are heading up to Leeds tomorrow, then as far as we can get into Scotland the next day. After a day or two at Brechin, Angus we're heading up to Loch Ness, then very rouhgly around NW Scotland in an ACW direction for whats left of two weeks. Then south down the west coast, stop off at Islay for some whisky then back down to Oxford.

Haven't planned the route exactly, once we're in Scotland we'll just be stopping wherever YHs / campsites take us.

Do you think we need more oil changes!

Cheers

Dave

[ncrn]

I wouldn't imagine the bike would need a change every 600 miles, but then I don't know the bike.

Good luck to you, I've done that journey in a car a few times and it takes an age.
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[oriel dave]

Cheers man,

I'll post up when we eventually get back..

[oriel dave]

We made it!

No breakdowns / anything going wrong and an awesome trip with very little rain.

Getting up there and back was a bit of a slog and two days solid riding each way but once in Scotland if you want to ride around and look at the scenery 125's are perfect. And still did close to 100 mpg with all our luggage!

On a lot of the single track roads I felt I was at no disadvantage on a 125 as you can't go that fast on them. Also a lot of the time we were stuck behind f***ing cars doing 25..

All our photos are on film so will write a proper post when they are developed.

Cheers

Dave

[Stevie GooGs]

Glad you enjoyed your visit to Scotland how far north did you venture?
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Current: 2019 Yamaha T7 -> 2015 KTM Superduke R | 2000 Yamaha R1 Past -> 2009 KTM 990 SM -> 2005 kawasaki ZX10r -> 2000 Honda CBR 600 FY -> 2002 Honda XLV 125 Varadero
Bike Pics! -> My Photography Website

[oriel dave]

Cheers, we went as far north as Durness! We considered Orkney but it was a bit out of the way.

Then took our time following the coast down to Islay and Arran via Assynt-Coigach, Applecross and Skye. Most of the highlands was stunning, especially the west.

I've just lined up 13 films to get developed..

[colin1]

well done, im off camping for a week next week and decided scotland is way too far, so im going to the lake district and i'm on a 600.

So well done for doing all that distance on 125s.
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[Stevie GooGs]

Cool Colin i live in Ullapool and i think from Durness down is a cracking route.
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Current: 2019 Yamaha T7 -> 2015 KTM Superduke R | 2000 Yamaha R1 Past -> 2009 KTM 990 SM -> 2005 kawasaki ZX10r -> 2000 Honda CBR 600 FY -> 2002 Honda XLV 125 Varadero
Bike Pics! -> My Photography Website

[oriel dave]

Cheers Colin hope you get good weather.

Stevie - Ullapool seems a pretty good place to live - you're surrounded by amazing roads and beautiful scenery!

[Stevie GooGs]

Yeah its nice place to live, have a 7 month son and i cant think of a better place to raise him. The roads are great up here and all the way down to Skye. The only bad thing is hearing bikes going past all the time when you are working.
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Current: 2019 Yamaha T7 -> 2015 KTM Superduke R | 2000 Yamaha R1 Past -> 2009 KTM 990 SM -> 2005 kawasaki ZX10r -> 2000 Honda CBR 600 FY -> 2002 Honda XLV 125 Varadero
Bike Pics! -> My Photography Website

[DidierD]

Did you do the Applecross road by any chance?
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[oriel dave]

yeh we did the Applecross road (ACW) - I had to stop to calm down after being stuck behind a line of cars not letting us past.. but the Bealach Na Ba bit was awesome. Really unusual for a road to go so high.

Have you guys done it? The way up was pretty slow on 125s.

Stevie- what's it like up there outside of tourist season? I'd imagine quite a lot quieter? Are the roads still ok in winter?

[Stevie GooGs]

Winter time we get a lot of stags on the road, more so at night, not had much bad snow up here. The applecross bit does make you feel like your are going going to the middle of no where which is really cool, dont think i would fancy that road in a car tbh. Yeah its busy summer ghost town in the winter, I get well pissed off with people not allowing you to overtake they can easily pull into a passing place, i find most of them do move in just some are twats.
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Current: 2019 Yamaha T7 -> 2015 KTM Superduke R | 2000 Yamaha R1 Past -> 2009 KTM 990 SM -> 2005 kawasaki ZX10r -> 2000 Honda CBR 600 FY -> 2002 Honda XLV 125 Varadero
Bike Pics! -> My Photography Website

[oriel dave]

Yeah that's mostly what we found as well. I'm tempted to come back up in the winter when I'll hopefully have a 600 and there will be less other tourists around...

[DidierD]

[Stevie GooGs]

Yeah its a cracking bit of road, the last time i went i pulled over left to let pass a car and noticed the drop to my left, lets just say you really don't want to go off down there.

Woke up today and its absolutely beautiful day in Ullapool and close to taking the day off and going a run but i think Thursday is meant to be even nicer.
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Current: 2019 Yamaha T7 -> 2015 KTM Superduke R | 2000 Yamaha R1 Past -> 2009 KTM 990 SM -> 2005 kawasaki ZX10r -> 2000 Honda CBR 600 FY -> 2002 Honda XLV 125 Varadero
Bike Pics! -> My Photography Website

[DidierD]

[Stevie GooGs]

LoL

How far up north are you coming Didier? Am planning on doing Skye the weekend of the 15th of August.
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Current: 2019 Yamaha T7 -> 2015 KTM Superduke R | 2000 Yamaha R1 Past -> 2009 KTM 990 SM -> 2005 kawasaki ZX10r -> 2000 Honda CBR 600 FY -> 2002 Honda XLV 125 Varadero
Bike Pics! -> My Photography Website

[DidierD]

[Stevie GooGs]

My personal opinion is the west is best, heading past Durness i think the scenery and roads are not so good.
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Current: 2019 Yamaha T7 -> 2015 KTM Superduke R | 2000 Yamaha R1 Past -> 2009 KTM 990 SM -> 2005 kawasaki ZX10r -> 2000 Honda CBR 600 FY -> 2002 Honda XLV 125 Varadero
Bike Pics! -> My Photography Website