Scotland on a 125cc or an R1?

[woo]

Heading to scotland in august to tour and my heart wants to go on the honda msx 125 the whole 530 miles from london but my head is saying take the R1

Ive done this journey many times before but never on a 125cc

the farest ive been on the 125cc all motorway was 80 miles to banbury at 55-60 mph (redline on the 125cc is 8.2k rpm but 60 mph is at 6.9k rpm

the cost to get to scotland on the 125cc is about £20 but the r1 will be like £70

sounds stupid but cant make up my mind what do you guys think
ive got till the 12th august to make up my mind

I mean surely if ed march can take a c90 round the world im sure the 125cc can handle this
____________________
Elen sila lummen omentielvo!

[B5234FT]

I wouldnt consider it on a 125 tbh. Sure it CAN be done, but I wouldnt.

A lot of the east (however mental) is crowded and slow moving, riding something at 55mph on open road where you will encounter people doing 60/70/80 doesnt appeal.

For the mileage involved it will be uncomfortable, it's not 530 miles, it's that each way, plus the same again if you're doing any worthwhile touring.

You wont be able to overtake anything and that WILL become frustrating once you're off dual carriageways

Having just done the North Coast 500, I'd say that the dual carriageways to and from the route will be dull and boring and see you landed with the lorries as usual, the faster A roads wont be a great deal of fun, especially any with steep hills, they'll just become hard work. Anything more closed in you'll get stuck behind someone for miles and miles. Single track will be ok, but there are times you'll want a squirt to get to the next passing place and just not have it.

Do it if you like, but the reward will be in the fact it's challenging and hard work, not in going touring IMHO.

[woo]

cheers bud, what you say is what my head is echoing.

the return journey is 1060 miles then theres the 500 odd miles i intend to do whilst im there.

so in all id prob be doing 1500 miles all in
____________________
Elen sila lummen omentielvo!

[Copycat73]

[chickenstrip]

I wouldn't do it on an R1 either...
____________________
Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
THERE'S MILLIONS OF CHICKENSTRIPS OUT THERE!

[Enduro Numpty]

[Copycat73]

[pepperami]

Hmmm? rock and a hard place?
The side of me that likes a challenge, says plan a B-road route all the way and do it on a 125.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGyaj_HeLhw

If they can do Europe, Scottish-land cant be to bad.


However if you just want an easy spin and mile munch at the flick of the wrist, then it has to be the mighty R1
____________________
I am the sum total of my own existence, what went before makes me who I am now!

[Scythe]

R1 - yes. I did a tour of Scotland last August on a sports bike easily.

125 - hell no. I got frustrated just driving 250 miles to Glasgow in a 1.6 diesel Passat. A 125 would be tortuous.
____________________
2009 Yamaha YBR125 -> 2000 SV650S -> 2005 Kawasaki ZX6R 636

[davebike]

I been as far as the borders on a C90 (85cc) one of the best tours I done

Small bike touring is fun
____________________
Dave
NC750Xdct + others at work !
[email protected]

[chickenstrip]

[Matt B]

Van or trailer the Grom up to Scotland. Tour, have fun, live the 125 dream. Van or trailer it home.
____________________
stinkwheel: He had an animated .gif of a cat performing fellatio. It's not socially acceptable. It can have real life adverse effects on other people.

[davebike]

Done a few long trips on the cub is cool more often or time constraints use the CB500 tend to only use my Fazer fro day trips

Travelled on lot of bigger bikes from Jota to Pan 1300 but still love the little bike trips
____________________
Dave
NC750Xdct + others at work !
[email protected]

[Alpineandy]

A small bike can be fun as long as you can spare at least double the travelling time you'd use on a 'grown up' bike (although I'd be looking at something bigger than a 125 just for the torque/luggage).
As soon as you have to be some where and start thinking 'it'll be a full days travel' then a small bike becomes a chore.
Especially when it's carrying all your luggage so you can't even use the full 15hp (or whatever it is).

So you have to decide whether the journey to/from is your main holiday or is the hooning around when you're there, your main holiday.

Riding through bogs or across deserts is different to motorways and 'A' roads and a small bike can be a real benefit (sorry 1200GS riders).
____________________
The above comment isn't necessarily the truth and anyone that says it is, is only correct if it's the truth or they're bigger than me.

[woo]

the holiday starts the moment i get on the A82 at glasgow

and then the rest will be riding around may even venture to john o groats

will deffo do the applecross pass again and go all around the isle of skye

theres so many places i wanna go to
____________________
Elen sila lummen omentielvo!

[pepperami]

[woo]

decided!!

Im taking msx 125, will post pics and commentary of the trip when im back
____________________
Elen sila lummen omentielvo!

[Dave70]

[A100man]

As long as you have plenty of time I think it will be great. In 1981 I made a 420 mile round trip to Devon on a Fizzy. Took 2 days on the way down but did the return in a day (had a party to get to..) 10 hours !

I look forward to seeing the pics. Good luck !
____________________
Now: A100, SRX250, XJ598, FZ750, SL1000

Then: Fizz, RS200, KL250, XJ550, Laverda Alpina, XJ600, FZS600, Skorpion, GT 250

[Moxey]

[pepperami]

[pepperami]

[G]

Bit late, but; rent van, put both bikes in van. Enjoy as appropriate.

[A100man]

[woo]

when you made that trip in 1981 i was 1 years old
____________________
Elen sila lummen omentielvo!