Buell Ulysses - Short trip from Wokingham to Dunbar (Scotland)

I have met Chris & Ann during our trip to the Scottish Highlands in May / June 2009 and we shared a ferry trip back from the Isle of Lewis to the Isle of Skye etc. Chris was riding is gorgeous BMW HP2 Enduro and I was on my R1100S. Since this trip we kept in touch and talked / mailed at least once a week. Our call rate increased when I bought a Buell XB12X in July. One month later Chris had bought himself an XB12X too…Great! Ever since than we knew that we had to get the Uly’s together - soon.

Monday:

Therefore we agreed that I would ride up from my home just to the west of London to Chris’s Farm just to the south of Edinburgh. I set off on Monday - the 7th of December at 8.30am to tackle the 400mls. It was raining from the moment I left my house - Oh well at least I was wearing my Streetguard suit which is 100% waterproof. I headed up to pick up the A1(M) just before Leeds and than follow it all the way up.

I stopped for fuel 3 times, although I could have done it in 2x fuel stops as the Uly is running at 55mpg and give me about 150mls before the fuel light comes on. The bike was happily sitting at 4000rpm in top which is about 80mph sat nav speed…and allowed me to make good progress. It rained on and off pretty much all the way up to my first sight stop - The Angel of North in Newcastle



After a short break I got back on the A1 and headed up to finally get to Chris’s farm just after 3.30pm…total riding time 6 hour 7 min with a moving average of 65mph - Not bad!
Chris was just finishing off some bedding for the cattle with his “toy” JCB! What a great machine.
Soon after we were sitting down having a cuppa and started watching some Adventurer DVD in the background whilst catching. We also watch some photos of our previous bike trips and chatted about the bikes! Chris’s wife Ann was still at work and we drove to Dunbar to get some dinner in a local Italien restaurant.

It was raining again heavily as we headed back to the farm! At least we were in the Land Rover Defender with heated seats - result!

Tuesday:

I got up around 8am and Chris was already ready to head out and go some work. Its was a clear morning and the view from the farm are just stunning. I decided to wash my Uly as it was covered in dirt!



Here are some of the views:



On a clear day you can see almost up to Aberdeen from here…
There were some low flying RAF Tornados practising but there are to quick to get a decent photo. Chris finished his work early for me and by lunchtime we prepared the Uly’s for a ride out! The weather was still good and we decided to head to the coast and than south toward Berwick.

First stop - was a Ford of a local river - we were not sure if it was passable but once we got there we decided to have a go:





We both rode through it 3 times! Great fun!

Chris had chosen great little single track lanes to hug the coastline and we soon turned of the road and head up the wet grass - not easy on almost slick conti road attacks!





It was very windy up there and we headed back onto the road. The coast is just stunning and we stopped again to take a picture of the bike in front of a typical costal Scottish cottage:





Our stomach were signalling us that our next stop had to be food related - so we headed into St. Abbs and found this brilliant little café just down by the harbour.





After great food and drink we did spent some more time in the little village and take some pictures before heading back up the road to ride to St. Abbs Head - a famous landmark with a great lighthouse and fog horn! The cliffs were about 600ft according to my Quest and the sheer emptiness is great. I net in the Summer this place is full of tourist, but in December - not many!





But let the picture do the talking…





And some more…





And even more… wherever I turned to the pictures frame themselves!

It’s a stunning place and so peaceful, even the sound of my Remus was not disturbing this! I would have loved to hear the sound of the fog horn, but I think since a few years they all have fallen silent. The drop from the cliffs is very steep and I have tried to capture this in the photos, but I am not sure it comes out how steep it is. The sky was beginning to cloud over and we still had more sights to see so after a 15 minute stop we got back on the Uly’s and road back down.

On our ride back the single track lane Chris pulled in to the right into what looked like another great point to take some more photos



And here is a shot of the road we took



Our next stop was Eye mouth - only a view miles away.

to be continued...

_________________
currently XB12X, Honda XR400R, Honda CB1000R, Honda SH125A

very nicely done mate, great photo's and story.

I'm so envious I could cry. Lovely stuff!

_________________
2006 XB12Ss..... 1998 S1W..... 1996 S2T
We do not need the help of our friends so much as confidence that they will help us when we need it. –Epicurus

Thanks for posting that, Lars, a good read with excellent pictures. The Ulysses in its element ...

_________________
Chris & Jane Jessop
Founders of UKBEG April 1998

www.ukbuellgroup.co.uk

here is the next part of the report:

Our next stop was Eye mouth - only a view miles away.
Another stunning little harbour and a close community as Chris told me





Than further to another little working harbour down a 20% decent. I had to answer a phone call and Chris snapped away!





Our next stop was Berwick - back just over the Border in England. On our way into the town Chris spotted an old friend - his old BMW 1150 GS ADV and we had to turn around and stop the rider for a chat! It turned out that the old bike is in very good hands and being used daily. The new owner also kept it pretty much as Chris had tricked it out and she looked in great condition. This is the bike he rode to Iceland twice and the Nordkapp! We chatted for about 10 minutes and than headed off in different direction - he turned out the be the only other Biker we saw all day!!! Arriving in Berwick town centre we stopped for yet another photo - this time with the light already fading and me not having a tripod- Do’h!





We had one more trick up our sleeves and head to another point on a beach to get a photo of us, the bike and the lights of Berwick town in the by now nearly dark sky…





It was dark and getting wet so we rode the main A1 back to the farm. Its about 30min ride.
Once we got in the had a cup of coffee to warm up and than the by now filthy bikes needed a clean - Chris of course has all the right tools including mobile outdoor lighting...





There are also 2 more bikes (very clean) already in the garage and I think both of these machines look envious upon the Buells for having been on such a great ride out…



to be continued

_________________
currently XB12X, Honda XR400R, Honda CB1000R, Honda SH125A

continued from last post

After we had cleaned the bike we put them away and headed into Dunbar for dinner - which was great! Once back in the farm house we watched a polish adventure DVD "moto sibirsky or similar" and we had great fun watching the entire film in polish / russian and only than spotting the subtitles afterwards - not they we could get them to work...lol!

Wednesday:

for today Chris had to first see to the cattle etc. and do more stuff on the farm..but by lunchtime he had finished and we could head out again...
this time despite of the great weather we opted to take the Landrover as the roads we would take were very muddy and also it allowed us to chat!

the first stop was just a few miles away from the farm and its an old horse troff (not sure I spelt that right)



than a little further through some lovely country lanes...



we headed for the wind-turbines. there are loads of them and they are putting more and more up...





the Landrover had a chance to stretch its legs on a bit of off-road too...
great fun and very capable.



than more little forest roads...look at the mist still hanging in the trees...also spot the deer running across in the distance.



until we actually parked very close to a turbine...I never stook right next / underneath one and its very frightening! the noise they make and the sheer size...



here are some more shots of rural scottish living





when I spotted this abandoned house I told Chris that is would suit me perfect...but may flood everytime that bern gets high...



than across a very low bridge...



before we headed back to St. Abbs to the little cafe from yesterday to have some lunch.



to be continued

_________________
currently XB12X, Honda XR400R, Honda CB1000R, Honda SH125A

continued from last post

after lunch we headed south back into England to get to Holy Island. We got there and had to check the tide times so that we wont get stuck as the cause way gets under water at high tide and you have to wait....
we had about one hour left so we headed across.



the Island has a monastery and a castle as well as a few house and a visitors centre...We bought some of the famous Lindisfarne Mead and some fudge for the ladies!

here is the old monastery:



the light was once again fading and this cottage just looked perfect for a picture



usually during the day, at weekends or throughout the summer the place is packed with tourists and you can drive into the village or up to the castle but we were practically on our own...





and here is shot back as we left:



than we rushed back across the cause way and drove back up the A1 to get to the farm. Its been a great drive out I saw a different side of Scotland which I liked very much. At the farm we took the dogs for a run - which meant Chris and me on the Quad-bike and the dogs trying to keep up! great fun!

Thursday:

its was a clear and icy morning and I was ready to make my 400mls trip back down south. I left the farm at 8.30am and took the A1 all the way to Leeds stopping only for fuel. its was cold and the sun was just rising as I left Scotland. The sun ( as lovely as she is) was right in my face for nearly the entire trip south.

by 11.30 I reached the Squires Cafe just off the A1(M) and pulled in for some lunch...I was the only bike there, but other turned up later...



I went for a full breakfast which was great and needed!



Than the road took me down the M1 and A43, M40, A34 and a final fuel stop followed be a coffee stop at the H-Cafe (former Fox diner).



at just after 4pm and with the sun now setting I arrived at home. This was the first that I have ridden from sunrise to sunset in a day! I felt very happy and wasn't cold at all.

The Uly did not miss a beat and is a great long distance bike. Its perfect sitting at 3.5 to 4k rpm in top gear and allows for easy progress. the fuel consumption is great to which the bike loaded up the light did not come on inside 150mls. I will post complete mpg figures later.
I did take some video footage to which will take editing and posting...

here is final shot of the trip data:



I also took loads of photos of road sign which I will post shortly...

Chris and I talked a lot about our next planned long trip and the option we favour is still the Nordkapp! but also Gibralta or Istanbul had crossed our minds....we shall see...

Thanks to Chris & Ann for being perfect host. Also to Zak - the 5 month boarder collie who was a friend of mine by the time i left...

we shall have to do that again soon...
Lars

_________________
currently XB12X, Honda XR400R, Honda CB1000R, Honda SH125A

continued from above

here are some of the great road signs and other items of interest:



here is the only 7/8 sign in Scotland!





here a cattle grid sign





here is local post box



the local dont want any more wind turbines



and here at Holy Island - look at the submerged car!





and here the last sign



Enjoy.

_________________
currently XB12X, Honda XR400R, Honda CB1000R, Honda SH125A

Thanks for that Lars....it really makes you want to do a long trip......

I need to get a flip helmet and a beard.

Don't you have cattle grids where you come from then?

_________________
Hurley-Pugh. The inspiration behind the Buell.

Hell no! - I thought they were Barbequeue pits!

_________________
Sept 2017. Email will find me.

Then you can look like me

_________________
To Lands End and beyond

Nice on Lars. You have a good eye for a picture as well.

This sort of trip highlights just how good an "all-round" bike the Uly is once you have sorted a few bits and bobs. I use mine in very heavy London traffic and it can zip through most any space. I was going to Germany this year but my belt broke at the Chunnel. Next time I will take a spare belt just in case.

Lars1974

Is yours the Black Ully with the Screen Adapter?

Is it any good as I'm considering buying one?