Get Ride Ready
830 miles of Highland raw. Prepare for all of it.
Live Weather Along the Route
Inverness
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Check forecastUllapool
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Check forecastDurness
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Check forecastLive data via Open-Meteo. Cached for 10 minutes. Falls back to seasonal guidance when unavailable.
Seasonal Guidance
Temperature Range
5–20°C depending on season | Coastal wind can be severe
Best Season
May – September
Watch Out For
Midges June–August, single-track roads, unpredictable weather, limited fuel stops
Scottish Highland weather is completely unpredictable. You will ride in sunshine, rain, wind, and possibly all three on the same pass.
What You'll Need
Waterproof everything. Layers. Midge defence. No compromises.
Helmets
Touring & Flip-Front
Highland riding demands quiet, comfortable headgear for long days on exposed roads. A flip-front is worth every penny at fuel stops and village cafés.
Shoei Neotec III
Flip-Front Touring
Best-in-class noise management — critical on Highland fast roads. Excellent all-day comfort.
Schuberth C5
Flip-Front Touring
Communication-ready, exceptional wind noise suppression for exposed coastal sections.
Jackets
Fully Waterproof Textile
Scottish weather changes every 20 minutes. Your jacket must handle driving rain, cold coastal wind, and the occasional warm spell — sometimes in the same hour.
Rukka Nivala-R Gore-Tex
3-Layer Gore-Tex Touring
Waterproof from the factory, no liner to faff with. Built for exactly this kind of riding.
Alpinestars Andes V3 Drystar
Adventure Textile
Excellent ventilation for warmer days, fully waterproof for the inevitable downpours.
Gloves
Waterproof — No Debate
Pack two pairs. Waterproof is mandatory. Summer gloves as backup for warmer sections. You will need both.
Held Sambia 2-in-1
All-Season
Summer glove with removable waterproof inner. One glove, two conditions.
Alpinestars Andes V3 Drystar
Waterproof Touring
Full waterproofing without losing feel on technical single-track roads.
Boots
Waterproof Touring Boots
Waterproofing is non-negotiable. Your feet will be wet otherwise. Get boots that also work walking around village centres.
Sidi Adventure 2 Gore-Tex
Adventure Touring
Genuinely waterproof, proper ankle protection, comfortable enough to walk anywhere.
TCX Infinity 3 Waterproof
Touring Boot
Comfortable all-day, CE Level 2, excellent traction on wet Highland roads.
Andy's Ride Setup for North Coast 500
Shoei Neotec III
Quiet enough for fast Highland roads, flip-front for the café stops.
Rukka Gore-Tex
The only jacket I trust when it's really raining sideways.
Two pairs always
Held summer + waterproof pair. Never leave without both.
Sidi Adventure 2
Worn to dinner and ridden 400 miles. Still going strong.
Kriega OS-32
Soft panniers. Light, waterproof, handles perfectly.
What to Pack
Scottish Highland weather is completely unpredictable. You will ride in sunshine, rain, wind, and possibly all three on the same pass.
- 01Merino base layers (3) — fast drying, warm when wet
- 02Lightweight fleece mid-layer — for pass sections
- 03Waterproof over-trousers (separate from riding trousers)
- 04Neck tube / buff
- 05USB power bank
- 06Basic tool kit + tyre plug kit
- 07Phone mount + charging cable
- 08Cash — remote areas often card-unfriendly
- 09Earplugs — long days add up
- 10Printed emergency contacts and offline map
- 11Midge repellent (essential June–August)
- 12UK driving licence
- 13Fuel plan — long gaps on the west coast
- 14OS maps (offline backup)
Ready to Ride?
View the North Coast 500 TourBook Your Nights for your North Coast 500 tour
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Andy's Picks for North Coast 500 — Buy on Amazon
The specific helmet, jacket, gloves, and boots I recommend for this tour. All available on Amazon UK.
Shoei Neotec III
Flip-Front Touring Helmet
The best flip-front touring helmet for multi-day tours. Exceptional noise suppression, comfortable all day.
Rukka Nivala-R Gore-Tex
3-Layer Gore-Tex Touring Jacket
Waterproof from the factory, no DWR to wear off. The only jacket I pack for Scotland.
Held Sambia 2-in-1
All-Season Glove
Summer glove with removable waterproof inner. One glove for two conditions — the smart tour packing choice.
Sidi Adventure 2 Gore-Tex
Adventure Touring Boot
Genuinely waterproof, proper ankle protection, comfortable enough to walk anywhere. My standard touring boot.
Some links may be affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we believe are useful for riders.
Kit Up for North Coast 500
MaximoMoto carry a full range of touring and adventure gear — jackets, helmets, gloves, boots and more — at competitive UK prices with free shipping over £69.
Essential for Scottish Conditions
Waterproofing, visibility, and thermal range are non-negotiable in Scotland. These are the categories that matter most.
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One of the UK's largest motorcycle gear retailers — massive clearance pricing on helmets, jackets, boots and accessories.
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We only recommend gear we'd use ourselves. Some links are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission if you purchase, at no extra cost to you. This never influences what we recommend.