Free day in the highlands/Speyside and want to go for a ride

[Davemc37]

The only place I’ve found that hires out motorbikes so far is in muir of ord, north of Inverness which is a 90 minute drive from where I’m staying in Aberlour. Do any of you know of a place in Elgin, aviemore or Aberdeen that hires out bikes for a day (not mopeds).

Also is the north east 250 worth a blast or might it be worth driving up to muir of ord then riding up to Ullapool ?

The aim of the trip is simply to fill a day whilst my mates play golf and take in some quiet country roads amidst the highland scenery.

Any advice on hire options or route welcome.

[s2kjock]

Davemc37 said:

The only place I’ve found that hires out motorbikes so far is in muir of ord, north of Inverness which is a 90 minute drive from where I’m staying in Aberlour. Do any of you know of a place in Elgin, aviemore or Aberdeen that hires out bikes for a day (not mopeds).

Also is the north east 250 worth a blast or might it be worth driving up to muir of ord then riding up to Ullapool ?

The aim of the trip is simply to fill a day whilst my mates play golf and take in some quiet country roads amidst the highland scenery.

Any advice on hire options or route welcome.

Plenty lovely riding up there - can advise when I have more time if others don't chip in before.

Although they don't list hire, may be worth calling these folk in Elgin to ask Willie Young

I thought Motorrad in Inverness might do hire, but not per the website and it is still an hour away from Aberlour.

[Davemc37]

I’m having to go to Muir of Ord at present to get a bike which is 10 to 15 miles north of Inverness or about 90 minutes from where I’m based.

I think the more highlands areas will definitely be more scenic and I love the idea of nipping over to ullapool then down the west coast a bit but that’s a lot of remote riding by myself and 3 hours in the car over time on the bike.

I’m surprised that there doesn’t appear to be any hire places in or around Aberdeen which would have meant I could have had an easier day pottering around the Cairngorms or parts of the north east 250.

[thepawbroon]

It's a few years since I've been around those parts, but I did live in Aberdeen for 15 years......


The NE250 wouldn't strike me as a massively appealing route, (apart from Aberlour to Breamar) if the alternative was to start in Muir of Ord and head west. A lot of the NE250 is main roads full of folk working / transporting goods.

If you are up for 200 miles, then perhaps MoO - Achnasheen - Ullapool - Ledmore - Invershin - Struie - MoO might be fun? Go via Laxford Bridge then down to Lairg, and you've got an epic 240 miles.

[Davemc37]

Nice route suggestion. Would you go from Achnasheen to Gairloch, Dundonnel, and would you go clockwise or anti clockwise. I was thinking it might be nicer to finish with something more scenic than the a9 , although it’s probably 30 plus years since I was on that road.

[thepawbroon]

Davemc37 said:

Nice route suggestion. Would you go from Achnasheen to Gairloch, Dundonnel, and would you go clockwise or anti clockwise. I was thinking it might be nicer to finish with something more scenic than the a9 , although it’s probably 30 plus years since I was on that road.

The clockwise / anti clockwise - sorry, I've only ever done it anti-clockwise.....

As for the A9, the only bit of the A9 you really need to use is between the A862 out of Dingwall and the B817 Alness turn off. The B9176 (Struie) is a brilliant road, without trucks and coaches who take the A9. Nice view from the top (terrible photo)! It'd be a great way to start or end your trip.....

[Davemc37]

Practically speaking do you need to be quite tactical about where and when you fill up on these roads or can you wait for the light to come on and usually find something within ten miles.

[s2kjock]

Davemc37 said:

Practically speaking do you need to be quite tactical about where and when you fill up on these roads or can you wait for the light to come on and usually find something within ten miles.

Does need some thought but with planning should not be a problem - there are plenty filling stations en route. Once you have an agreed route people can can advise.

The Struie road is definitely the route to take coming back down the East/Central side.

Do watch for Polis on the wide open straights on the road to Achnasheen and on to Kinlochewe - notorious for speedchecks and folk are regularly done especially near Achanalt. Also, south of Ullapool for about 10 miles I understand.

The route referred to above is first class - you will cover ground very quickly on a bike if the tourist traffic is not too bad. Laxford Bridge to Lairg is single track but you can still press on more than you might expect due to good sightlines.

Which way round you do the route - much of a muchness really - both good IME - Struie road better heading North I find.

Shame you can't get anything nearer Speyside as the scenery is great there, albeit not as spectacular as the West Coast. A96 to Inverness from Aberlour will be a pig, especially if tourists have hit by the time you go.

[gdr]

I would go clockwise if you are doing the Achnasheen-Gairloch-Dundonnel loop just for views down onto Loch Marie on the road from Achnasheen. Also views north of Ullapool are impressive. But alternatively, first sight of Suilven when heading anti-clockwise on A837 to Ledmore is spectacular. Don't pass the filling stations at Kinlochewe, Gairloch and Ullapool with less than half tank I would suggest, depending on tank size. Might be busy this summer, but most of these roads are pretty open and possible to cover ground a fair bit quicker than google maps would have you believe. Avoid the single tracks as much as you can, although A837 Ledmore-Rosehall single track actually fine to make progress.
Its also very weather dependent in west. Often rubbish over there but OK on east. A gentle run round Black Isle and coast road MoO to Inverness could be alternative, or further afield, go scenic route from Inverness to Tomintoul via Cawdor and Dava Moor and Grantown on Spey, then from Cock Bridge go A97 to Kildrummy and Rynie, then A941 over Cabrach to Dufftown and return either back to Tomintoul or A941 to Elgin. Don't recommned A96 for scenic route though. Can take coast roads to avoid some of it if you have time.