With (fingers crossed) a long summer ahead of us, many bikers will be planning to let the cobwebs blow away with a UK road trip or two on their beloved motorbikes.
Whether you’re riding solo or making the road trip a social event with a group of friends, there’s nothing like the open road and a little scenery to lift the spirits after what has been a long and rather dull period of lockdown which is now thankfully coming to an end.
Here, some of the team behind the scenes at Bikesure put down their insurance calculators and shut their laptops for a moment to reveal their favourite UK road trip destinations and the bikes they would most like to be on for the ride.
Rob, Bikesure Business Manager
“I’ve been lucky enough to experience some great riding in Europe, but as we’ve been more limited in our foreign travel, I’m focusing on a couple of my favourite UK road trip destinations.
“We often take a family holiday in Snowdonia, North Wales and whenever that happens a part of me is wishing I was on my bike. Thankfully, I have managed to spend some time in Wales and in that area biking, and it has some of the best roads and scenery in the UK.
“You’re spoilt for choice, but the A487 can take you along most of the coastline of Wales and there is a great circuit in North Wales that encompasses the A487 and the A470 and then onto the A55 which takes you around some of the coast and into the heart of Snowdonia with some breathtaking views.
“If I’m staying local, then there are some great roads that can take you around the Norfolk coast and there are so many back roads to explore. If you want to be more inland on some faster flowing roads, then the A1065, joining the A148 to Cromer for a pit stop and refreshments.
“Then drop down onto the A140 and then onto the B1145 will take me most of the way back home through some lovely Norfolk villages and along a less frequently used road with some great twists, avoiding the heavier traffic.
“I’ve been able to borrow a Kawasaki W800 and it seems fitting to use that for travelling through some of the parts of Norfolk that still feel part of a bygone era.
“As for the Snowdonia outing, If I’m in fantasy mode and riding solo, I’d take the Triumph Speed Triple that I wish I’d never sold and back in reality I’m on a Triumph Tiger 800.”
Tom, Bikesure Quotation Consultant
“I am personally a sucker for the backdrop. I like riding almost anywhere with some scenery (and a few twisty roads would also help).
“This being said, I would love to ride in and around the Lake District National Park. I’ve visited a few times but have never had the experience of riding it, and you don’t get much better scenery than there.
“Something a little closer to home, I enjoy the Norfolk coastal roads between Cromer and Wells-next-the-Sea. You get the opportunity for some fresh seafood and doughnuts at either end of the journey — notice a theme here? — and enjoy some nice rolling farmland, coastal scenery and the sleepy Norfolk towns in between.
“For the Lake District trip, the ideal bike would be a Triumph Tiger XCx 800, with the luggage of course, as I need plenty of room to stash the gingerbread I get from Grasmere every time I end up in the area. And with it being so far away from where I currently live, this would give me plenty of room to pack for a few nights.
“I very much enjoy taking the Norfolk route on my current bike, a Kawasaki Ninja 650 KRT.”
Ron, Bikesure Underwriting and Sales Clerk
“MMy favourite UK road trip destinations are both in Norfolk and here are my two favourite routes for a little afternoon blast.
“The first route is “The Great Massingham run” from the Old Bell pub in Grimston, Norfolk, to Great Massingham, then back round to the Crown Inn, Gayton.
“This 10.5-mile run is all national speed limit country roads, picturesque Norfolk countryside, winding curves, fast straights, with the added excitement of the sudden appearance of slow moving farm vehicles.
“Great Massingham itself is a lovely little rest spot to either go in the Dabbling Duck pub or sit on the bench by the pond.
“The second route is the back roads to Hunstanton, which runs from Hillington to Sunny Hunny through some beautiful countryside, bypassing West Newton, Sandringham, Dersingham, Sherborne, Sedgeford, Ringstead, and finally into Old Hunstanton.
“At 20 miles, it’s not a very long ride but its combination of small twisty streets in tiny Norfolk towns and sweeping country roads in the middle of nowhere make for great fun.
“If I could do it on any bike, it would be my old Suzuki DRZ400SM. I owned it for two years, did 30,000 miles on it, and I regret selling it every day. For town or country road riding you simply couldn’t beat it.”
Grant, Bikesure Business Development Manager
“I may be biased given that I lived in Aberystwyth for a number of my teenage years, but fast forward two decades and I’ve long moved away. Nonetheless, it remains my favourite place to visit on two wheels and my favourite UK road trip destination.
“Like many rides, the destination is only one part of the fun, it’s the journey where most of the smiles take place and the A458 between Welshpool and Machynlleth manages to blend the beautiful Welsh hills and valleys with corners of varying levels of fun.
“The route also flirts with the edge of Snowdonia National Park so throw in a couple of river crossings and you’ve got a route that gives your senses plenty to take in.
“Arriving in the seaside resort of Aberystwyth, the promenade, for as long as I can remember, has always welcomed bikers, and bikes parked up against the backdrop of the Irish Sea are as much a part of the landscape as the pier.
“With so many routes into Aberystwyth, all with their own features and allures, it remains my favourite biking location.
“I would make the trip on a Triumph Street Triple 675.”
Charlotte, Bikesure Underwriting and Sales Clerk
“I reckon the Isle of Wight is a great place to ride a motorcycle, specifically The Military Road. It’s a fantastic, lovely smooth road, with beautiful views along the coast and not too much traffic, so you can have some fun.
“Secondly I would choose the Lake District, specifically the Hardknott Pass. It’s got some spectacular scenery which makes you feel like you’re riding in a different country. It’s a lovely winding road, but can be somewhat challenging… which makes it more fun! It’s listed as the joint steepest road in the UK which adds to the challenge.
“I would definitely be riding the Tiger 800 as it’s comfy and exciting, for both rider and pillion.”
Ryan, Bikesure Quotation Consultant
“Unfortunately, I’ve not had the opportunity to ride too many places in the UK as of yet, however, there are plenty of local roads that are quite exciting to bike on.
“On my favourite UK road trip destinations, I like to incorporate as many types of road as possible, including dual carriageways, town riding and winding back roads to get the full biking experience.
“My most frequent route is starting off on the A47 towards Peterborough and heading north up to Bourne in Lincolnshire. There are some really fun twisty back roads which roll over hills through small villages that link on to the A15, which are a nice change from the flats of the Cambridgeshire fens.
“My second favourite route takes me through Thetford Forest, there are some great riding roads that are generally flat but very twisty. It’s easy to get lost if you don’t know exactly where you’re going and haven’t got an exact destination, but that’s the joys of riding and there are plenty of fun roads to experience.
“I’ve never been a huge fan of cruiser style bikes, but I’ve always had an interest in the Indian Scout. It seems to be the most fitting bike when riding around in picturesque areas where there is no need for pure speed and allows you to enjoy the surrounding area.
“I own a Kawasaki Ninja 650 which is great but I don’t think it would be very comfortable to ride across the country.”
Bikesure: all the cover you need for your UK road trip
Bikesure is famed for its brilliant bespoke motorcycle insurance and our cover can protect you for so much more on your road trip. You can get:
- Leathers and helmet cover for as little as £29.99
- Breakdown cover for as little as £56
- Misfuelling cover for as little as £13.99
- Key cover for as little as £18
With so much on offer, why go anywhere else for your motorcycle insurance needs? Call 0330 123 1028 for our best possible rates.
