Yeastfrom the east
Suffolk has a stout reputation for real ale, but a good pint isn’t all this eastern county has to offer the motorcyclist looking for a ride out…
Suffolk isn’t famous for tall mountains and sweeping views across valleys and lakes, and I’d wager a significant number couldn’t point to it on a map. However, this historic East Anglian county offers plenty of great riding – exploring its leafy back lanes and wandering B-roads is worth it. For this job you can leave the GS at home and get out the Triumph Bobber, Husky Vitpilen, or similar. As I don’t own a Bobber, Husky or similar my choice is a Honda XR650R. Because? It’s just a different kind of riding.
From Haverhill in the far west of the county you can choose any of network of Bs to guide you through rolling open farmland, coppiced woodland and tunnels of trees. Punctuation comes by way of medieval villages, castles, stately homes and, of course, fantastic pubs and cafés.
En route to the east coast A-roads are best avoided because of the claggy tourist trac and few overtaking opportunities. Far better to stick to smaller B-roads which are far less infested with motorhomes. And there’s a better chance of coming across farm shops and family run ice cream parlours. But be careful – unless you know the roads inside out, you’ll likely as not round a corner and find the nose of a Deere, a John Deere, poking out from a hawthorn hedge. In rural Suffolk you need to stay alert. There are plenty of good bike-centric destinations in this neck of the woods, such as the Krazy Horse in Bury St Edmunds, with its selection of custom-built machines downstairs and popular café upstairs. Or there’s Village Motorcycles, on the A1120 between Pettaugh and Stonham Aspal, with their choice of used classics, customs and sportsbikes. Or, if you’ve some time to spare there’s the David Silver Collection at Leiston, on the way to Aldeburgh on the coast.
The entire Suffolk coastline, from Lowestoft through Southwold to Felixstowe, is an area of natural beauty. But, right nd on the southern edge of Suffolk is Dedham Vale, an area made famous by Constable’s paintings. It’s definitely worth a trip, though you won’t see a horse and cart traversing river crossings anymore, more likely Ed Sheeran busking in Aldeburgh or a National Express racing along the A14 between Bury St Edmunds and Ipswich. Chippy Wood
‘A-roads are best avoided because of the claggy tourist traffic and few overtaking opportunities’