Wincent, Indian and the Scottish Highlands

It is a chilly day in May when Wincent and his wife set off on their Indian Pursuit. The engine rumbles softly as they leave Östergötland and head for Scotland. The weather is far from ideal, with temperatures around freezing point and wet snow falling as they pass Jönköping on the Småland highlands.

Riding a motorcycle in Scotland had long been on Wincent’s bucket list, so when a friend asked last year if he would like to join a trip to Scotland, he didn’t hesitate to say yes.

In late May, a group of nine motorcycles and eleven people set off together, with Wincent’s wife, Ann-Sophie, joining him as his pillion passenger.

The weather, of course, is something you simply can’t control. In Scotland, it rained more or less every day, and there was only one day when they didn’t need to put on their rain gear.

“We still had a wonderful experience. If you have sensible clothing and a good waterproof suit, and preferably it isn’t raining when you get on the bike in the morning, then everything works out just fine,” Wincent says.

A shower could roll in suddenly, and by the time they crested the next rise, the sky would clear and the roads would be dry again. As the saying goes: if you’re not happy with the weather, wait fifteen minutes and you’ll get something different.

Growing up

Wincent was born and raised in the countryside of Östergötland, just outside Åtvidaberg. His father had run a farm until a few years before Wincent was born, and although farming had ceased, there were still chickens, rabbits and a horse around during his childhood.

His interest in mopeds and motorcycles began early. With three older brothers who were always tinkering and fixing things, Wincent put together his first moped long before he turned fifteen, which is often how it goes when you grow up in the countryside.

As soon as he turned sixteen, Wincent obtained his motorcycle licence, and his first bike was a Honda CB 125. Later, he also rode a more custom-inspired Honda CB 125. On the very day he turned eighteen, he passed his car driving test, and just two days later he qualified for a full motorcycle licence. This time, the choice fell on a Honda CB 900.

He rode that bike for several years, until family life and children meant that the motorcycle had to make way for an estate car in the garage. This led to a fairly long break from riding, until 2018, when he returned to motorcycling and bought a Triumph Thunderbird. Originally a 1600cc machine, it now runs a big bore kit and some tuning, making it closer to a 1700cc engine.
“It goes really well,” Wincent says with a smile. “It’s actually still standing in the garage.”

A few years ago, at the HojRock festival, Indian Motorcycles were present with several bikes. When Wincent sat on a Pursuit for the first time, it felt like pulling on a glove.
“That’s the one I want,” he thought.
Soon after, the opportunity arose for him to become an ambassador, and since last year he has represented Indian.

The first long journey

Scotland became the premiere both for a long-distance trip and for riding outside Sweden. Wincent found adapting to riding on the left fairly undramatic.
“The first roundabout and the first left-hand turn were a bit tricky, but apart from that there were no problems at all,” he says.dellen och första vänstersvängen att köra i vänstertrafik, annars var det inga problem”, säger han.

To reach Scotland, they first had to ride down to Germany and then continue on to the Netherlands, where they boarded a ferry to Newcastle in England.

When they arrived in Newcastle and began heading north towards Scotland, it was raining.

At that point, some in the group chose a more direct and faster route to the day’s final destination, while Wincent stayed with the friend who had organised the trip. In total, the journey included nine motorcycles and eleven people.

Wincent’s friend, who had invited him along, was one of several people involved in putting the Scotland trip together. According to Wincent, the ride from the ferry in Newcastle to their first accommodation in Scotland was the highlight of the entire journey. They rode up through the mountains and passed through ski resorts, with breathtaking views all around. He switched the bike into sport mode, and it was pure riding pleasure. The motorcycle felt like a mountain troll.

“If you’re going to Scotland, you mustn’t miss the Highlands,” Wincent says. “The riding there is absolutely fantastic. The only thing you really need to watch out for is sheep roaming freely.”

Travel dreams

The plan for this summer is to head south through northern Germany and on to Champagne. The secret, if you’re riding a motorcycle in Champagne and would like to bring a few good bottles home, is simply to place an order and jot down your address. The bottles will be waiting for you at home by the time you return.

The dream journey, perhaps not right now given the state of the world, is to travel to the United States and ride, among other roads, Route 66. New Zealand is another dream destination that Wincent would love to explore by motorcycle. He and his wife have also talked about travelling north within Scandinavia.

“There are two things I would really like to see. One is the midnight sun, and the other is the Northern Lights – I’ve never seen them. The North Cape and Norway are also on my wish list; Trollstigen, and travelling further north from there, is something I’d love to explore,” Wincent concludes.