If you follow motorcycle racing MotoGp/WSB, when the director cuts to an onboard camera, you'll hear the revs rise as the bike is cranked over, the gearing has effectively been altered as the bike's on the edge of the tyre. The speed remains the same, but with an increase in engine revs, as the rear wheel diameter has momentarily become smaller.

Merseybeats

I've used the Alpinestars Andes since 2015, when it was the Ride recommended jacket in that price range. Must have done about 40k miles in it, the velcro around the neck is getting a bit tired now, but it's 4 years old. Used it for my jaunt to Scotland last week, still does the job.
Might have a set of black Oxford sports throwovers in the loft if you're interested.

I should have known it was going to be a bad day when the lady behind the counter at the Green Welly, informed me that they stopped serving breakfast at 11am. It was ten to twelve.
The previous day(Thurs), was just a chillout day, a few beers, a read through MCN. There had been a severe weather warning to the south and east, which was my next direction of travel. With a back tyre past its sell by date, I decided to stay put.
The rain started about 5ish, a few minutes after I'd fired up my camping gas to boil some water in preparation for some of Uncle Bens finest. Other than a short rainless spell that allowed me to eat, it rained continuously through the evening and night. As if scripted, it had stopped when I woke at 7. Happy days. Although my Khyam tent is a bit on the heavy and bulky side, it does pack down really quickly, the sole purpose for buying it. After a shower and a coffee, I was packed up and rolling out of the campsite by 08:15, heading southeast on the Inverness road. The air felt quite cold, which was compounded by a flashing ice warning sign on one of the remote stretches. This was June for Christsakes, ice wasn't in my normal thought process at this time of the year. Rounding a corner a few miles further on, a deer carcass was spread all over my side of the road. You don't realise how big they are until you're that close. Hitting one of those on a bike would not end well.
Before reaching Inverness I took a slight northern detour to Dingwall and then down to Muir of Ord and Beauly, which were places I'd missed out on my way up the east coast. I rejoined the southbound A82 at Drumnadrochit. Although the roads were wet, the rain held off in the main, although the wind through Glencoe was certainly flexing its muscles. There must have been at least a mile and a half tailback approaching Tyndrum, caused by a contraflow. This was no problem for the Fazer.
"Sorry, we've stopped serving breakfast", was not what I wanted to hear as I got to the front of the queue at the Green Welly. Cottage pie and macaroni cheese it is then. I'd already refuelled at Fort William, so tapped in the postcode of The Wheel at Falkirk, and set off down Loch Lomond, left at the bottom, and past mickvp's house.
Bikes park for free at The Wheel, which is handy, so after watching a revolution of this mechanical marvel and taking the obligatory pics, it was back on the bike heading for The Kelpies. The clock was ticking and I knew the park in Hawick, which is home to the Steve Hislop memorial, closed at 6pm. On returning to the bike at The Kelpies carpark, all was not well. My knackered rear tyre had punctured. After unloading the camping gear to get to my mini compressor, I couldn't locate the leak despite pouring a bottle of water over the tyre. The day at Applecross on the newly gravelled single track roads had taken a toll. The amount of tread I needed to get home.
I couldn't believe my luck, when, after a phone round, Jim Allan Motorcycles, had a Road Tech 01 in the correct size. After another session with the compressor, I repacked the luggage and sat navved my way to the bike shop. They did a first class job, and got me turned around in no time at all. While their mech worked his magic I got talking to someone who was well in to their bike racing, being a personal friend of Jonny Rea and Keith Amor.
I rode away from Jim Allan's at 5:30, so my Steve Hislop memorial visit had gone out of the window, but was determined to explore the A7. After me and the bike were refuelled it was off to Galashiels, Hawick and Carlisle. Thanks again to Mr. Red for the headsup on the A7. What a cracker. In hindsight I should have looked for a campsite near Hawick, and viewed the memorial the following day(Sat), but now I was on a mission to just get home. Droning down the M6 might have been the obvious route, but decided to only go as far as Penrith, before chopping across to Scotch Corner on the A66. Another fuel stop at Scotch Corner, and with the temperature dropping, I put my Rain Seal jacket over the top of my Alpinestars, and changed gloves to a warmer pair. Off down the A1M, making Peterborough my final fuel stop. However with those petrol pumps only about 10 miles behind me,progress slowed somewhat, as the A1 was closed, forcing traffic onto the A14. Foc knows where the A14 goes, are people just supposed to know these things. Within a few miles the road then became a 40mph average speed zone. Oh deep joy. Not only did I not know where I was headed, I was also going there very slowly. No doubt spending more time checking my speed on the Garmin, I now found myself the wrong side if a traffic divide. The otherside was where I needed to be, headed for the M11 and eventually the M25. Fortunately the satnav was able to bail me out of my self inflicted predicament, although the small lanes it sent me down must have terrified the local rabbit population. As much as I dislike motorways when on the bike, I must admit I was quite glad to get on the M11 superslab, M25 bound. An hour or so later I rolled onto my drive at 04:20, precisely 20 hours after leaving Ullapool, the trip meter reading 734 miles. The mighty thou never missed a beat, what a bike, proving that to do the NC500 you don't need to be kitted out in Klim, riding a Beemer Adventure with aluminium boxes the size of shipping containers and a million spotlights on the front.

Wreck

I like my bikes to sound like bikes for my enjoyment, not from a "loud pipes saves lives" point of view. It's easy enough to roll through a village in a high gear so as not to piss off the locals.

Mr.Red,pm Flooky, he knows about cutting down cans.

Puncture

Whoopee wifi. After leaving Tyndrum I was only a few miles into Glencoe when I got the foccer salute from a red Fazer. Although I acknowledge oncoming bikers I don't really study headlamp configurations, so if the Glencoe red Fazer rider is reading this, apologies and thanks. As Mr.Red predicted there were numerous photo stops, none of which I'll bother attempting to post as I'm just crap at technology. Stopped off at Spean Bridge and spent some time at the Commando memorial. Pressed on to Inverness in blazing sunshine, making my overnight stop on Monday at Brora. A nice enough site but miles from a pub. Was awake early Tues. morning, and left that campsite at 6. They must have loved the unbaffled SP Eng can emitting reveille. By 7.30 I'd made it up to John O, the morning sea mist developed into light rain, the wind increasing accordingly. Managed to park the Faze under the sign, although this was a bit tricky as it's surrounded by quite deep gravel. Tried to take the necessary pics which was hampered by the shit conditions. Then made for Dunnet Head the true northern point, gassed up in Thurso before gassing myself up at the harbour workers caff at Scrabster. Blow out meal for £5.60. Cracked on past Dounreay nuclear power station, having just watched the Cherbobyl programme I got the hell past there asap. Pressed on west Tongue, Durness, Laxford Bridge, Scourie,Unapool, then did a right onto the B869 taking the tricky way to Lochinver. Mr.Red had tipped a campsite in Ullapool, so made the necessary phonecall and it was on the pipe to Ullapool. Tent up, pub called.
Today left the campsite about 7am south down the A835 before doing a right to Gairloch and on to Kinlochewe for brekkie. Bought an obligatory NC500 sticker and whizzed on to Sheildaig turning right for the naggery section to Applecross calling in at the Walled Garden tearooms, for coffee. Fock 'em I'm a rebel. Then down to Lochcarron for a cuppa. From there back to the campsite via Achnasheen,Gorstan and Ullapool. Tomorrows weather other than where I am is totally shite, so will stay in the pub that I'm currently in and have a chillout day,before leaving for home on Friday, hopefully taking in 2 venues Mr.Red visited, the Kelpies and The Wheel before making for Hawick and the Steve Hislop memorial.

I'll no doubt be in the Green Welly for breakfast in the morning 8-8.30ish mickvp.
Over the last few months all my pic posting attempts have failed, so have given up. Not computer techy at all. Maybe something to do with resizing, but wouldn't know what to do.
Yes Mr.Red, billynomates .

Have been keeping an eye on the weather for the northern section of Scotland, above Inverness, for the last week, and it's quite good, or dry at least. After a rushed couple of days getting stuff together, I set off this morning at 4am, taking an hour to get to the A1, catching almost every red traffic light. Good job I put the liner back in my jacket, shame I hadn't included my heated glove wiring, as it was quite cold.
It soon became apparent that most of the roadside caffs that I used to use, are now gone, so it's Costa,KFC,Burger King etc, or nothing. With just under 170 miles on the trip I had to settle for a toasted sandwich and coffee, surrounded by a coachload of screaming kids.
With me and the bike fuelled up, the day took on a rosier glow, and was soon past Scotch Corner preparing to take the A68 via Jedburgh to Edinburgh. What a hoot this road turned out to be. It was a 40 odd mile long roller coaster. Petrol became an issue, and although there's a "last English caff", there's not a "last English petrol station". I rolled into the Jedburgh Shell station with 193.8 on the trip. Gassed up, I headed for South Queensgate to get some pics of the bridges, then on to Stirling to pick up the A811 which took me to the southern end of Loch Lomond and my campsite for the night. No pub unfortunately, or rather, can't be arsed with the long walk to the village pub. Will no doubt sleep well tonight without the aid of a few beers. Found the campsite first time, well almost, as blasted past the access road due to poor signage . Got checked in and the tent up by around 3.30pm, with 477 miles on the trip. I've earned a pint and can't get one.

New front Road Tech 01 fitted this afternoon. Bolted on the pannier frames, as planning to set off on Sunday to do the NC500. Weather forecast for northern Scotland is quite favourable for next week. Hope it stays that way.

Got an idea another new member (Choppa) has got an offer in for it. A great specced bike for sure. In the best colour as well.