Category: Run Reports & Events

The Chairman’s Run, the traditional opening Club Run of the season, had been due to take place on 7th April but was cancelled due to forecasts of high winds. On Sunday 21st April, seven Club Members met up at Dobbies Garden Centre in Stirling for the rescheduled, renamed event – the Chairmans reRun. Participants: Peter Johnson and Marc Elvin on BMW RTs; Frank Dolan - Honda NT1100, Brian Torley - Honda Pan European, Ali Lazizi - BMW 750GS, Grant Powrie and Kenny Anderson on Triumph Tiger 900 GTs The previous day, the weather had been lovely. Sunny, warm and dry, as if summer had at long last arrived. However, as the group gathered at Dobbies for the day’s ride out, it’s fair to say that the weather was miserable –…

As the morning sun peeked over the horizon, our group of enthusiastic riders gathered at Dobbies Garden Centre in Stirling, Among them were David Syme, Kenny Anderson, David Jerome, John Hill, Alex Muir, Ian Jones, Ian Ness, and Ed Mackey. Leading the pack was Ian McIntosh, his excitement palpable as he was on his new Honda Africa Twin motorbike. We embarked on our adventure, setting our sights on the picturesque town of Oban. The route, adorned with the beauty of Scotland's countryside, took us along the winding A84, past Lochearnhead, and onwards towards Tyndrum, where the iconic Green Welly awaited. However, the journey was not without its challenges. Temporary road works dotted our path, and recent gritting efforts left evidence on the tarmac, urging caution. Loose gravel added an element…

A good turn out for our first run of the new season with 15 of us at the start at Bowtrees Services, Kincardine, joining a bigger than usual gathering at the Falkirk Wheel lower car park, for the Carron Valley Bike Club's annual Easter charity ride in aid of CHAS. We were blessed with good weather for the whole day, after a chilly chart. It was interesting to walk around and see all the different bikes before the start and have a chat. As always it was a well organised event by the Carron Valley Bike Club with the police providing support by giving us priority through all the junctions from the start to the finish at Kinross Services. After another break here and a welcome coffee, 10 of us…

As we embarked on an exhilarating autumn journey to Glencoe, This memorable adventure featured windy but dry weather, breathtaking scenery, and the camaraderie of our riding members. As we neared the end of the riding season, we couldn't have asked for a better day out on the road. Ian McIntosh (BMW) (Organizer),Ian Ness (Truimph), Kenny Anderson (Truimph), David Syme (BMW) and Ben (Prospective Member, riding a KTM) Starting Point: Crieff Visitor Centre,Route Taken: A85 to Lochearnhead, A82 through Tyndrum, Rannoch Moor viewpoint, Ballachulish, Loch Leven loop, Seagull Island, Crafts and Things, Final Stop: Crieff Visitor Centre The day was marked by the unmistakable signs of autumn, with dry conditions and a stiff breeze that added an extra dimension of excitement to our ride. We kicked off our adventure at Crieff…

Chapter 1: The Nightmare A really horrible nightmare, that it was the middle of the night and I needed to be somewhere far away and quickly, woke me out of my slumber. Unfortunately it wasn't a dream - the alarm on my phone was going, it was 06.45 on a Saturday (that really was the midle of the night as I don't usually roll out of bed until Saturday Morning Kitchen finishes at 11.30) and I did have to get myself to the south side of Edinburgh for 09.15! Breakfast, showered, togged up and out the door for just before 8am and a quick fill up at Muthill and I settled in to the A9 / M9 mostly on cruise which was nice and relaxing. Rare to be able to…

Early start for me on a Saturday to get to Bowness Services to join Ian's run. As it happens, not as far as I thought as, even with a diversion in place for road closure through Braco, I ended up being first to arrive and in plenty of time. Soon I was joined first by Alex on his new Tiger. On asking him how he was enjoying it he told me that this was the first bike he's owned to have heated grips!! Not even any retro fitted ones on previous bikes. Top marks Alex for having resisted this long! (I had grips, seat and vest all on low throughout the ride). In no particular order the rest of our gang, rumoured to be 10 or 11, started to turn…

Scheduled to be the hottest day of the year down south, we assembled at Dobbies, Stirling, on a pleasant early-autumn morning. Dry roads and light cloud cover made for perfect motorcycling conditions. A good turn-out, ten of us set out for our lunchtime destination at Rannoch Station: David McWilliam, Frank Dolan, Kenny Anderson, Ian Jones, Peter Johnson, Ian Ness, David Syme, Robin Galloway, Ali Lazizi and self, Ed Mackey. The motorcycle line-up included five BMWs (S1000XR, GS 750 Triple Black, R1200RT, XRS1000, GS Trophy 1250), three Triumph Tigers (850 Sport and two Tiger 900 GT-Pros), a Honda NC750X and my recently repaired Yamaha XJ6. Peter was run leader, Ian Ness took on back-marker TEC, and the rest of us fought for scribe (I lost). Ahead of us was a pretty…

Bow Trees Filling station became busy with 10 hungry bikers on a warm summers evening. Our destination was Burntisland, luckily for us the Road Closed Ahead signs along the north side of the Firth of Forth were only in preparation for the roadworks that were commencing at 19:30. By that time, we were all parked up and consuming our favourite purchase from the local Fish & Chip shop. After a good blether we all headed our separate ways home. Thanks to everyone that attended, Kenny Anderson, Peter Johnson, Marcus Sharp, Ian Ness, Ed Mackey, Marc Elvin, Ewan Ritchie, Robin Galloway, Alex Cowie & Ali Lazizi.

A long-awaited return to the SMC Calendar was the SMC Treasure Hunt, with the weather forecast a little dubious, three keen SMC’ers took up the challenge arriving at McDonalds, Halbeath Leisure Park. We were greeted by Ken & Fiona Eddie and members of their family + dogs, and at the strike of 09:45 the clues were duly handed out. Making myself comfortable at McDonalds with a beverage I set about deciphering the clues. Ian Ness was the first to leave, followed shortly after by Mark Watson. I appeared to take a very long time to work out the clues, plotting the route etc... Even all the Eddie family left before I did. Picked up the first few clues very quickly, all on track time wise, until I came across a…

Where has summer gone. It’s not since June, that we’ve had a decent period of good biking weather, with rain every day it seems. I suppose we should be thankful, it’s so much worse in other parts of the world at the moment. That hasn’t stopped us getting out on the bikes though, the wheels are still turning. The “InverRaring To Go” run, organised by Ian McIntosh, looked like a fun run on some great roads. As the weather looked favourable, I added my name to the small list of two riders, late the night before. The sun was shining bright in the sky, when I arrived first at the start point in Stirling, on my Triumph Tiger 900 GT Pro. Even better the temperature was rising, it was looking…