350 Forza Trip to LOchcarron
I decided to take the new Forza for a trip South as we had been having brilliant weather like most, so the Ferry and accommodation were booked and of course it thrashed it down with rain the day I was leaving - hey ho! I'm a big boy now and can cope with weather. Although the Forza is very capable of keeping up with vehicles travelling at legal speeds, it's much nicer where there is less traffic; I picked a route from Scrabster which took me along the north coast to Bettyhill then down through Altnaharra to Lairg.
It had dried up completely as I made good progress over the Struie and into Dingwall. I re-fuelled in Contin and stopped in Garve to take a few pics of a hotel we have stayed at many times - now sadly closed and looking very unloved with grass growing all around its walls and up to the ground floor windows.
It's a lovely ride from there to Achnasheen, where I turned south and stopped for coffee and cake at the Ledgowan Lodge Hotel, another place I've stayed before. It was only an hour or so from here to my destination, so it was a great stress free ride through lovely scenery with those wonderful fresh smells after some earlier rain; this is where the electric screen really comes into its own - up when it rains and down in varying positions to feel the breeze.
I've got to say, I'm really impressed with this whole new world (to me) of maxi scooters. I had toyed with the idea of the 750 Forza but realise that the 350 will do everything I want and more besides. Being able to shuffle around on the comfy seat and alter foot positions all make for greater distances between stops if the need should arise.
I easily found the B&B in Lochcarron which had a new gravel car park - that could have been a problem on the 'Wing but not an issue with the far lighter Forza. Checking the display at journey's end informed me that it had done 96.3miles to the gallon - OK, these systems are always optimistic but even knocking off 10% would still make it impressive. I might do a proper test of real world consumption (brim to brim using GPS distance) some day out of interest but to quote someone else's line - 'Am I bovvered?' I had a stroll out in the evening to a Hotel about a mile away and enjoyed a relaxing pint before heading back to the B&B.
Following a wonderful breakfast I had a ride south to the Kyle of Loch Alsh and made my way in the ever increasing heat to Portree on Skye. I bought a new pair of gaitors there to go with my new experimental system of attire. I'm using my RST bike jacket and lightweight trousers but instead of tall bike boots, I'm using steel toe-capped leather walking boots with the gaitors and over trousers. This means I can just pack a pair of lightweight shoes but still go for a good walk if needed.
The weather protection on the Forza is almost as good as on the 'Wing, so this new regime is great in the summer months - I can revert to the normal gear when the weather turns colder.
I decided the next day would be a ride out to Ullapool and it was mixed day of rain and hot sun, so again the screen was up and down regularly - I had thought when I bought the bike that it was a bit of a gimmick and it would just be left in one position - shows how wrong you can be! Last day now and time to leave for Home so I was away with no real rush and made my way to Inverness for a bit of shopping but not before stopping in Dingwall at the 'Champion Haggis Maker' to collect some slices of the best haggis you can buy!
In no real rush after my shopping trip, I stopped at the Tall Pines cafe at Dornoch for tea and a bun and was thinking about taking the very narrow road after Brora up through Glen Loth to take me into the 'Flow Country for a stop at Forsinard Station.
The Forza is a great bike for these roads and I was soon through Kinbrace and on to the slightly wider (although still single track) Helmsdale to Melvich piece now devoid of the central grass patches and gravel. In the distance there was a farmer on a quad bike who pulled into a passing place but in view of the large truck gaining on me, I pulled in behind the quad bike to allow the truck to pass. The farmer then waived me past but I pulled along side to explain about the truck which he hadn't seen. We ended up in quite a pleasant conversation when he explained that he was looking after the sheep for a friend but was actually on holiday from the Western Isles. I said that I had worked with a nurse in the Spinal Unit who had moved to Harris to build a house and open a B&B 'bothy'. 'Oh, you mean Ellen - I worked with her at the hospital where I too was a nurse'. Hell, this World can be a tiny place! I think I was with him for over an hour, both leaning on the back of the quad in the lovely sunshine - what a true gentleman.
I eventually saddled up again but still had time for a snack and drink at the 'Weigh Inn' before making my way to the Terminal for the homeward ferry. What a great trip - I would go anywhere on this new bike as I did many times on the 'Wing - even abroad would be easily possible. I think you could easily put 300 miles into a pleasurable day.