Just done 750 miles over the weekend from Friday till last night. Took the Z to join some friends on a pilgrimage of driving spirituality with a modded Scooby STI, a stock BMW 330 diesel Sport driven by an ex Scooby driver (and have to forgive me bro for dropping out with his Boxter cos he had to work the weekend.)

 

Forget the Nurburgring if you are in the north half of the country you have to go to the far north west Scottish Highlands. Fabulous roads, loads of sweeping S bends, snow covered mountains and awesome scenery. Nobody about if you go outside the tourist season. Generally only yourself and the odd sheep at any risk. While most of the country was battered by storms it was mostly blue skies and dry up there. We saw a gaggle of Audi Quattros pootling along the opposite direction - otherwise they might have got excited. Also some superbikes but for the most part nobody else for miles and miles and no speed cameras either! We had 400 miles of those deserted roads! The rest was getting there and back. Talk about playing with your toys!

 

The driving experience was so good we were sore smiling after each drive.

 

The STI was simply uncatchable with my Z because a) Its just not fast enough, b) I drive like a woos, c) it was the wrong kind of roads, d) its not 4 wheel drive. - I like to think all 4!

 

However for mpg the Z got a worst of 18mpg and a best of 22, the Scooby an embarrassing 14mpg and you don’t want to hear what the 330 diesel got and it could keep up in almost any real world circumstances. These new big turbo diesels could be the future! This one was "only" 180bhp but the torque and smoothness is incredible. Don’t ever try to race a well driven one - you'll be embarrassed! This was what Jensen Button got collared in at 140 plus in France.

 

I found that locking out the overdrive was best. Enjoying the Z singing at 4000 plus thru the Apexi pipes echoing between the mountains!

 

This was really what enjoying driving a Z is about!

 

Doing something totally immature like this again maybe in May.

 

Sorry to ramble on but still basking in the after effects!

 

So where are other good drives to be found?

Willie

As Missuer Clarkson so kindly pointed out on Top Jear last night!

 

Hence why thousands of bikers flock here during the summer.

 

I drive on excellent roads on a daily basis.

Some good one when you get of the main roads in the Lakes. The one that goes round Winderemere is good. Very hilly, you cant go too fast down there becuse you will be dead. :D

 

As for Wales. Nice roads but when I have been going to Aber. There have been lots of police round.

Stu,too many sheep there to give it large;)

Have to agree with Timmy, De Wales is the dogs bollox for roads. I went up to Lake Vynwe (???) a while back on a Suzuki GSX-R750 and had a blindin' time:D

 

Even in rain of biblical proportions I managed to scuff the sidewalls of the tyres! If you go anything off upright on any of the roads here in the South East you'll be on yer ar5e!:mad:

MAC, but they are English sheep, and not shagged Welsh sheep ;)

 

 

Of the major roads, Wales is nice. I like it when you drive along the mountain and you have 200 foot drop to the side of you, and to stop you falling to you death, if you should lose control is clothsline being held up by small wire polls ;)

 

If you are in the really dangerous places, its upgraded to chicken wire. ;)

 

Stuart

Ever driven on an Alpine road? Sod your 200 foot drop, try a 10,000 foot one!:eek: And even worse, nothing so sophisticated as clothesline, or even chicken wire, oh no, you get a 6 inch high blob of concrete every 20 yards!:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

 

Come off on those roads and you'll be falling for a week! Gives you a chance to admire the scenery though:D

Yeah, X-Biker, I'll second that!

 

I've driven a fair bit in the Southern Alps, down towards Monaco.

 

In fact one holiday I deliberately set out to drive all the highest passes (the 4 grand cols used in the Tour de France were just next to where I stayed) .. culminating in the Col De Restefond .. 2841 metres high! It was awesome .. only had a Celica at the time but still enjoyed it. Once you get to the top of the Restefond, it seems to drop down in hairpins for ever! (smelly brakes), but the scenery is just fantastic, and the hairy roads were nearly empty (in September) - what a buzz.

 

Can't wait for an opportunity to get the Z there .. although some sort of brake upgrade may be in order:eek: :eek:

 

Failing that, I love the road from Fort William up towards Inverness, and the one that crosses from Foot Augustus to Eileen Doohan Castle. Awesome in winter with no caravans about:D Just watch those sheep!

 

CheerZ,

John.

well i have not come across any roads in the UK that come near matching those in Germany / France / italy, but best of all is driving your zed through the passes from Monaco through to St Bernards crossing into Switzerland. Just amazing is the only word for those roads, all smooth and in the mountains. :D need to do it again.

Of course the one and only road is the Nurburgring period.

shit scary and no speed limit lol

Quick vote for the IoM Mountain circuit - also no speed limit but FFS slow down for the villages or Mr Plod will have words.

The M42/M40 at 2.00 in the Morning on Sunday, great fun if you had a boat or a windsurfer!!!! LOL