Going to Scotland and other unlikely motorcycle dreams

[Goodman4]

I thought for a couple days this week I might be needing to make some trips to Edinburgh, Scotland for work this summer. I was looking at places I could rent a bike there and take a week to ride. I found I could rent an MT-10 for 700 EURO which sounded really good.  But now it looks like the work onsite won't be as crucial and COVID makes international travel a last resort. So it likely won't happen. I used to complain about having to travel for work, but not being able to travel anywhere except to different rooms in my house sure changes perspective.

This has me dreaming about other places around the world that I would like to be able to ride. I know some of the guys on this forum rode the Swiss Alps including the Stelvio Pass, if I remember correctly. I think that would be an awesome trip and might be within reach. Some of the trips on tour sites like AyresAdventures seem awesome but we would never be able to do.

What would make the top of your unlikely list of destinations to ride? Ten years ago we would have said Montana, but now we've done that twice. I'd say Scotland, Ireland or the Swiss Alps would make my dream list.

 

[FJRay]

I've always wanted to ride New Zealand. Pretty sure it won't happen but I can always hope.

 

[RossKean]

I think I would like to spend six or eight weeks in Australia - circumnavigate the continent.  With or without company - quite happy to ride and camp on my own terms.  I am more about places than roads and this would be fascinating to me.  Not much interested in crowded (and costly) venues in North America or Europe and I don't have to go as far as the Alps for twisty roads or breathtaking mountain scenery.  Of course, a side trip to New Zealand and maybe Tasmania would be part of the plan.  I think it would be a great way to escape a Canadian winter. (A "cultural" visit to Europe would be interesting but I wouldn't make it a motorcycle trip except for maybe a day rental somewhere.) 

I would buy a decent used bike when I got to Oz and sell it when I left - probably a lot more cost effective than renting.  Just need someone local to help me with arrangements and a modest lottery win...

Edit: Just had a look and there is a modest cost ferry from Oz to Tasmania but no easy/quick/cheap way to get the bike from Oz to New Zealand...

 

[SkooterG]

I was lucky enough to do my dream vacation in 2019 before the **** hit the fan:  2 months riding across Europe with my SO.  13 countries, 8,000 miles.  And a metric shitload of good times.  Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, and a couple small Principalities.  I could go back to any of those places again, or seek out new ones.  I was supposed to go back for three weeks this past summer but you know how that turned out.

Since we were there for so long I shipped one of my FJRs over there.  It's still there - waiting for new adventures.  Hopefully that happens at the end of this summer.  My fingers are crossed.

Places I would like to go:  Romania, Croatia, Turkey, Ukraine, Amsterdam, Norway, UK.  But then I could right back to Alps too.  Decisions, decisions......