Flying Haggis Rally
Flying Haggis Rally held in Tigh na Bruach in Argyll and Bute (some 50 miles north of Glasgow) ran for three years and well annoyed the locals.
We emptied the three local villages of beer!
- Les and Alex
I was the Secretary and my Hubby was one of the founder members - we were the Balloch Bears MCC. Met on a Wednesday at the Balloch Hotel and rode around the west coast of Scotland.
I designed the badge! We made the news as we took over the Dunoon ferry for a whole weekend on the second rally and emptied the three local villages of beer!
We put on a bus transfer to the town and had a great ceilidh night (that's Scottish drunken dancing for you foreigners), usual dizzy sticks, dancing and fun.
We had great fun with our new found friends from Ireland who rewrote the highway code and managed to get eight over on three bikes - they even chatted up the local plod.
Had CBX 1000 then - now Triumph Tiger 955 (many in between)
Still both biking but tour about now. Not done a rally in years but ... who knows?
- Les and Alex
I was one of the original members. I designed the T‑shirts and flag. Attended 1st Flying Haggis on a windy mountain!
- Mulholland
I was rally secretary for a couple of years at the Bears, and one of the founder members. Had some great ride outs and Rallies then unfortunately had to move away from the area.
- Don Hutchison
My husband Chas and I ran the last couple of Flying Haggis rallies. We have many happy memories of the Haggis Rally, in fact some of the people that we met at the Haggis Rally back then, we are still in contact with them, and we still do many rallies.
It would be good to hear from any former members from the Bears' days.
Cheers
- Louise Morris
Sounds like a reunion is in the offing.
I was the Scottish Regional Rep for MAG UK and was a Balloch Bear when Chas and Alan and co were there.
Great memories of travelling to rallies with the Bears - Three Sisters and the Flying Haggis - two of the highlights of my biking events. Had some great laughs and Chas was a diamond.
I'm no longer living in Scotland but will always cherish my years there and the fantastic people I met and worked with.
Without a doubt the best years of my life.
- Gary Hough
I was in the Balloch Bears. I rode a variety of East European two strokes and a 650 Katana.
Now running a GT Kawasaki and a GSF 1250 Bandit.
Best bunch of bikers I've ever met.
- Derek Haggerty
I used to be a member of the Bears too! Nice pics Haggis! Brings back some hazy memories.
I'm still running around on bikes doing the odd rally. Still see Big Chas and Louise on occasion.
If Carlsberg did bike clubs ...
- Brian Rennie
Just looking at some of the pics - my god, everyone was as ugly as I remember them.
I was in the club for a while and enjoyed many drunken rallies - still do.
I even bought Chas' V6 trike, what a beast. Still riding a trike now but not as big.
Got some good memories and embarrassing photos too.
- Daz Carroll
Living in the Highlands still
Now working on the railway.
Did all three of the Flying Haggis rallies, had a brilliant time at all of them, well worth the ride up from north wales.
Is Andy McNichol still about? He gave me his number on the last one but I was that pissed I couldnt read my own writing the next day!
- Lee Chimes (Dude)
And, as if by magic, who should get in contect eleven years later ...
We were at the flying haggis rally twice , once there was no band playing , and you had a karaoke! I was dancing on table, singing Born to be Wild.
- Andy McNichol
I knew a few chaps from the Balloch Bears, met them in Arisaig the first time. There were also a good bunch from East Kilbride went to the Haggis rally too.
I think my first FHR I was riding a GPZ750. Second time I rode an XT600, bright yellow with desert tank.
We came up from Kilmarnock, about a dozen of us. There was a Triumph chop with flames (Jim the rider was mystified why it ran out of petrol leaving Dunoon. He claimed "I put £2 in before I left!") Guzzi Spada, HD, 4 cylinder chop, that's about all I remember.
Great memories and one of my favourite rallies guys. We affectionately call it the Flying Jobby Rally, due to the obvious similarity of the winged haggis and a flying jobby.
Might even have a meet up or reunion, you never know.
- Paul Cameron