Can you ride the NC500 in a weekend (and not miss any of the best bits)?

Do you dream of riding the NC500 but have never had the time?

Then this is the video for you because we set out to prove that you can motorcycle Scotland's most famous road trip in a weekend, and not miss out on seeing the best sights along the way.

That's right, with just two days to spare and 500 miles to cover, we jumped onboad our Kawasaki Versys 1100 SE and Kawakaski Ninja 1100 SX SE to lap the north of Scotland and complete one of the world's great road trips. (Find out more about the bikes here: https://www.kawasaki.co.uk/en/products

And to ensure we got to enjoy the full NC500 experience we came up with a list of 10 must-see attractions to enjoy along the way. These were:

1. Whaligoe Streps
2. John o'Groats
3. Smoo Cave
4. Cocoa Mountain
5. Kylesku Bridge
6. Ardvreck Castle
7. Corrieshalloch Gorge
8. Gairloch Beach
9. Eat freshly caught Scottish seafood
10. Whisky distillery tour

Here's a breakdown of the gear James and Billy wore (find out more at https://bikerheadz.co.uk/ )

James:
Helmet: Schuberth E2
Jacket: Rukka Kingsley
Trousers: Halvarssons Nyberg
Boots: Daytona Road Star Pro GTX
Gloves: Rukka Forsair 2.0

Billy:
Helmet: Schuberth C5
Jacket: Halvarssons Vansbro
Trousers: Halvarssons Malung
Boots: Falco Avantour 2
Gloves: Halvarssons Flon

Bridgestone Tyres
James and Billy's bikes were clad in Bridgestone Battlax T33 tyres. You can find out more here: https://www.bridgestone.co.uk/motorcy...

R&G Protection
Find out how you can protect your bike with R&G Racing products at: https://www.rg-racing.com/

Let's be clear right now, this isn't an endurance test. Anyone could whizz around the 500-mile loop of northern Scotland without seeing or experiencing anything of any worth. No, we wanted to see if it was possible to enjoy the full NC500 experience in a short amount time. After all, our research suggested most people recommended at least four or five days to complete the route, but we had a secret weapon: motorbikes.

That's right, we wouldn't need to worry about getting stuck behind lines of holidaymaker traffic, or worrying about finding places to park because we had the Kawasaki Versys 1100 and Kawasaki Ninja 1100, both new models for 2025, beneath us. And what a joy to ride they were.

What is the NC500 road trip route in Scotland?

Before we get stuck into the route, we should take a moment to explain exactly what the NC500, or North Coast 500, actually is. The route takes you on a 516-mile journey around the north coast of Scotland. It was launched in 2015 as a marketing exercise to increase tourism to the Highlands. Starting and ending in Inverness, it loops around the very top of the Scottish mainland, linking attractions like castles, waterfalls, distilleries, and beaches with picturesque and often dramatic Highland scenery.

The tourism chiefs’ big idea caught the public’s imagination because the NC500 has grown to become a bucket list road trip that draws people from around the world. After all, who wouldn’t want to explore Scotland’s spectacular landscapes and fascinating history?

However, the NC500 has also become a victim of its own success because, during peak holiday season, the roads can get crowded, accommodation can be hard to find (and expensive), and there have been reports of campsites being left behind in ragged states. So, if you’re planning to make a whistle stop tour of the route like us, we’d recommend avoiding the school summer holidays.

How to get there?

Another consideration is planning how you are going to get to and from the start point at Inverness Castle. If you live in Scotland or Northern England, this won’t be a big deal, but James and I had a nine-hour ride from home which meant tagging on a travel day at either end of our NC500 ride.

So, our weekend trip became a long weekend. The super smooth four-cylinder engines in our Kawasaki Versys 1100 and Ninja 1100 SX SE made the slog up the motorways unexpectedly enjoyable, and we arrived at the Hostelling Scotland youth hostel in Inverness with plenty of time to catch up with Gary, our photographer and videographer, over a couple of pints. More salubrious accommodation is, of course available, but the free onsite parking swung it for us.

And if you'd like to ride the NC500 yourself, you'll find a detailed route description, SatNav waypoints, and a GPX file in the July/August 2025 issue of Adventure Bike Rider magazine.

Get your copy today at https://www.adventurebikerider.com/shop/

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