NC 500 - The Wrong Way Round

[Stuart D]

Have a good trip all, shame I won't be joining you

+1

 

[Lowflyer]

That's a pity Chris.

If you get fixed, let us know, we can meet up en route.
Same as Austin weather wise, hot all day, but who knows how it's going to pan out ?

Safe trip guys, see you tomorrow

 

[Steve T]

NOW I'm getting excited

See ya'll Saturday morning

Steve T

 

[Lord Vader]

NOW I'm getting excited

See ya'll Saturday morning

Steve T

Took you long enough
At least you ride quicker than that

 

[Raymo]

picking up Son from train station at 1300, sort bikes, then Early start tomorrow

should be at yours 0900 John .. will keep intouch

 

[Lutin]

Have fun chaps.

 

[Hudders]

Have fun all

 

[RickSkye]

Hey hudders.
Will do

 

[Steve T]

Still not packed - DOH

Steve T

 

[Steve T]

WOOOOOHHH-HOOOOOOO

What an EPIC weekend

Cheers John for organising it

Well done all those that travelled big miles just to get to the start at Inverness

Well done all those that survived - some tales to be told

Lots of pictures and words to come

Steve T

 

[Steve T]

Thought I'd fire up a taster . . . . .

On Friday I bought THIS . . . . . . .


(The bike, not the ‘ickle island )

And on Saturday and Sunday I put this many miles on it . . . . . . .



. . . . . doing this . . . . . .





Steve T

 

[austin]

Nice one Steve. I liked your new bike, it's V nice. BUT you missed a bit out of the NC500 so no sticker for you .

ps loved the blast down the last bit of Torridon.

Meanwhile other headlines from the north coast of Scotland......,

A BMW GS goes home on a recovery truck.

But only after an AT locks the rider out of its petrol tank.

And in revenge the same AT launches itself and rider into the hedge.

Another BMW GS has final drive troubles.

An ex-pat German confuses us all after saying Ven Vee Vere in Vick when actually talking about something that happened in Wick, a major town on the NE coast.

And the weather was mostly good.

More news to follow.

 

[Philwhiskeydrinker]

I think we need more info.
It certainly sounds like an action packed weekend!

 

[Lord Vader]

I don't know vhat you mean

Steve
You forgot to mention the Twin which never made it past or even to Stansted

 

[Rubberchicken]

So which one was yours, the recovery truck or another final drive?

 

[Lutin]

Why am I not surprised that this all turned into a Saga?

It would have been very, very odd if it hadn't done.

Glad you all had a great time.


Edit: Do we need a recovery truck smiley?

 

[Raymo]

well me & my son ( he was on the 600alp ) arrived back safely in Alford at 22.30 Sunday after setting of at 07.00 Saturday, a very eventful 39hrs that included 1 sleep and 730 miles

First event:-

interesting quiffy moment on the Ullapool/ wick round about felt like I had hit a patch of diesel , but the back end on the RD03 moving about, son confirmed back tyre looked soft.

Checked pressure at falls of Shin rest stop , and yup 18psi thanks to Rick ( pressure gauge) and Austin for the pump ( mine buried in the side box, Austin's in his handy wee number plate box )

pressure doubled and checked front and the Alp.. all good

Second event

fuel up at Wick... not

key in cap and that strange feeling when the 'normal' just refused to happen.. cap wont unlock.....

son tries
Steve tries
Austin tries......


pull away from pump to get a better look...

Still no joy...

Steve checks local garage for the hammer and chisel I requested

I look away My son and Austin do a push wiggle turny thing and the 'normal' thing happens and the cap is off, Steve returns , don't need the brute force option.. give each other that 'normal' riding adventure look

fill the tanks

have lunch

while all this is going on I have not noticed Rick sniffing his GS....

I know it's new to him, but its not the new bike smell that has attracted his attention:-

smell appears to be from wiring under the petrol tank... Bike under warranty so Rick on the phone... tells us to press on and he will meet us at Durness......... didn't happen


Up to JOG..... been a few times now, and John-O-Groats is always underwhelming...... ( apart from the view of Orkney)

Off to Dunnet point for the best view of Orkney

on to Durness and set up camp

oh and the views , roads craic and my first long ride with my son and good fiends is ok too

surprisingly we are all packed and ready for 09.00 and there is fuel available 24hrs in Durness.. ( gone are the sparce fuel days , all the villages seem to have 24hr card pumps ( NC500 benefits just keep coming)

Off to Ullapool Via the scenic route....... Scenic .... very

Fuel in Ullapool and off to Applecross via Torridon more Scenery, and take the narrow dustly road that loops into Applecross from the North.

Third Event

tight right hander and the back slides out on the dust ... recover it, but the road is a single track and I have used it all....

so bang.......... off in to a ditch at the side.. bike goes in hard but the Darr box and heavy duty rack on the right save the day..

out from under the bike, right side of bike and me have taken a beating, bars save rads and plastics but front cowl managed to miss the rocks and impact on a soft bit.

Son saw my off in his mirrors and get back on my feet ( I am the last rider so no pictures )

Bike on its side held up by the box..

We take a look at the ditch and remove a few rocks and have a clear path out, right bike into the ditch.. spin it over and it fires up quickly..

ride it out of the ditch and up on to the wee road...

Bike running fine... remove grass and earth from the right side of the cowl.. indicator broke.. brake lever bent but usable..

My soft bits took a beating.. pain on right side... few simple health checks.. breath ok .. painful but no clicking or sharp pain so ribs ok.. bruised and winded..

Back on the Horse....

will do running repairs at Applecross..

15mins Arrive at Applecross inn to see folk staring at another GS issue

Sore
examine wee Raymo... Tea and Paracetamol and Ibuprofen ( Thanks Paul)

bruised ribs.. maybe a sheet muscle pull..

RD03 indicator taped and tie-wrapped.. all working

cowl cracked and looks like RH side of front subframe pushed back.. but light and all else intact and in working order.. bars seem to have rotated forward a bit but all straight and working..

Just the 4hrs trip home via the Bealach na Bà , Pain Killers staring to have an effect

stop at the top of the Pass for some of the best views in Scotland , bid farewell to the remainder and head down the pass...

Awesome road..

Pick up Steve T at the junction and he shepherds us back to Inverness cheers Mate much appreciated.

fuel up and off home..

Frequent checks from my son on the intercom as to how I am doing... doing ok.. pain killers working

Pull in at Keith to put another layer on .. need to keep warm Dad

Home at 22.30... food hot shower.. pain killers and bed..

eventful :-sore today but no worse..

Another Adventure in the bag and a great time with son & mates...

So there is a sticker Austin :-

This is defiantly a must do...
but there are loads of folk doing it, so the quite days are a thing of the past..
so watch out for mad cyclists.. walkers.. Lotus 7s..topgear... C90s.... Reliant Robins ..

Tiredness and dusty roads.....

 

[Hudders]

Keep it coming

 

[Lord Vader]

Just stopped for caffeine, food and fuel. At the Scottish border now and will go home in one hit..
Loads of pics to come
Thanks guys for a great trip. What a laugh.
P.s. panzer is running fine. Only problems seem to be in my head as usual

 

[Lord Vader]

P.s. I think we need a new thread. Loads of pics and clips where taken