Category: Run Report Submissions

Arrivided at Dobbies and just pulling up to a halt when I receive a call from John. 'Morning John" I said, fearing he wasn't going to be able to make it. "You've just ridden straight past me!" He was in the lay-by at the entrance - observation fail number 1 of the day. Good catch-up while we waited for Robin, our third and final rider of the day. 09.30 comes and goes and I wonder out loud where he is. "I told you" said John, "he's taken his name off the list." Observation fail no.2. So off we head in the direction of Balloch and on to The rest and be thankful, uneventful other than the temperatures have risen from 16C to about 24C! The first day this year I've…

Only fools and the brave (guess which one I am) venture south of the Edinburgh by-pass ... and so it was that Marc (Run Leader) and I (TEC), partnered-up for a sunny, 75-mile evening run on scenic, bendy roads to Peebles. In fairness, the run was announced at short-notice but, hey, carpe diem folks ...! Assembling at Greggs Bonnyrigg, off the A7, Marc was on an energetic BMW F900R Sport, courtesy of Motorrad. I was on my capable, if somewhat more subdued, Yamaha XJ6. The clockwise route took us south on the A7 and then south-west on the lovely, rolling B7007 over and beneath the hills to Innerleithen. From there it was but a short blast west on A72 into Peebles, for a great fish supper from ‘Sully’s’ on the…

Thanks to my granddaughter's school trip I had a Thursday free, and Alan Graham put up this run with one of my favourite roads included - Dalwhinnie to Spean Bridge. The forecast was brilliant. No brainer, but 9:30 @ Kinross was a challenge. Six met up at Kinross services - Alan - BMW 1250RT, Alex Muir - Bandit 1250, Frank Dolan - NC750X DCT, Ian Jones - BMW S1000XR, Kenny Anderson - Ducati Multistrada, & me Steve Middleton - TDM900A. The route is familiar to us all, stops agreed and off we go. Oooops - where's my indicators? They were there arriving at the meeting, but there's no signalling going on at all, not even intermittent. Ah well. I'm at the back following Ian so stick with him and copy…

At long last, the warm and sunny biking weather is finally here. Arriving at Kinross Services, were nine happy bikers, all eager to enjoy the days run around the Fife countryside. In no particular order we had: Mike ONeill - Suzuki GSX-S 1000 Gavin Paterson - Suzuki Fazer 1000 Grant Powrie - Triumph Tiger 900 GT David Syme - BMW 1250 GS Brian Torley - Honda Pan European Antonios (Tony) Tsikrikas - Suzuki V-Strom 650 Dave McWilliam - Triumph Tiger 850 Sport Andrew ? - Can-Am Spyder RT (Yes you read that correctly) Myself - Triumph Bonneville SE 865 (Apologies if I’ve got some of this wrong) After the usual get together chat and briefing, we set of with me leading and Dave as TEC. The first part of the…

The weather forecast was good and as Janet was booked on a Spa Day with our daughter, I was allowed out on my own. Seven of us gathered at the Crieff Visitor Centre, three Triumphs, one BMW, one Suzuki, one Honda and one KTM. Ian took the lead and David McWilliam rode as TEC. We headed West through Comrie, St Fillans and along the North side of Lochearn and then through Killin and along the North side of Loch Tay. I was riding just in front of David but could still hear the fantastic sound coming from Grant’s Triumph Scrambler 1200 which was four bikes in front! We took a left turn just before Kenmore, then another left onto the Schiehallion Road towards Kinloch Rannoch. Unfortunately, there was a low…

We met up at a carpark on the south side of Junction 6 on the M8, right next to a petrol station so we were all good to go. Peter Johnson 1200RT, Alasdair Wood 1200GS (TEC), Ian Ness Bonneville, Ali Lazizi 750GS, Brian Torley PanEuropean and myself on KTM 390Adv. The weather threatened slight drizzle from time to time but was expected to be mainly dry. So off we set on a leisurely and uneventful run to Largs to catch the ferry, no dramas at the ferry and soon we were on Cumbrae. Any dreams of Cumbrae being like a mini Isle of Man were soon shattered when we found it was a 30mph limit over the whole island and the roads were narrow, twisty and full of cyclists, mostly…

Eight hungry bikers arrived a Dobbies Stirling for the start of probably the shortest run of the season. After consuming our suppers and a blether, we extended the run over Dukes Pass to Aberfoyle. Thanks to everyone who attended the run, Gordon Robertson, Peter Johnson, John Deacons, Ian Ness, Ed Mackey, Ian McIntosh, Grant Anderson & John Cairney.

The weather was amazing all day and when I turned up at the straring point, it was a beautiful evening, sun out, a wee breeze and all was good in life. Ed arrived shortly after and after a chat about how crap my CCM test ride was, Brian arrived, this time on his Pan, so hopefully no push starting bikes tonight. A quick check of the website showed we were the only three attending tonight, so after a quick briefing we set off. We made out way through Dalkeith and as we sat at a set of lights Brian pulled up along side and mnetioned he will need fuel. So, we almost went a mile and then stopped for fuel. Off we set again, through some back roads of East…

John Hill,Alex Muir, Jonathan Douglas,Kenny Anderson,Gordon Robertson, Peter Johnson, Ed Mackey Almost May for the most part, wet, cold but on the plus side 4 distilleries were visited via some winding roads some untravelled and the sun came out at 4:30 pm. Dobbies garden centre Stirling car park for 9:30 depart. By the time we reached the car park decision had been made, water proofs on. We headed up the motorway and peeled off for Crieff, then Aberfeldy. A well used road, over the top of the hills. Once at Aberfeldy we stopped for a short comfort break before heading out of Aberfeldy following the river, past the Whisky distillery. To join the A9 for a short stretch before taking a right hand off the A9 into some rural roads.…

No volunteers for a write up on the Wee Wee Run. Nobody wanted to even do A Wee Wee write up. Heads down and backs turned so no write up. 9 on the run and great breakfast at Mavi kitchen & bar £12 with coffee used to be Corries £6 with coffee. Through Balloch up side of Loch Lomond with a further blether stop at Inveruglas no I didn’t make that up. Then passing by Pulpit rock onto Lochearnhead for exercise and refreshments using the Laddies toilet was a change as Gentlemans were locked. Lots of talking and not a lot of miles in the sunshine but everyone thought that it was the best run in the world.Yes it was my run and write up. Thank you to Ian Ness…