A casual 1,000-mile, 72-hour trip from the tip of Scotland to the southernmost point of Cornwall aboard a custom, classic or cafe racer motorcycle might sound like torture to many but it is the basis of arguably the coolest bike rally in the UK.

The Great Mile, which is the brainchild of luxury motorcycle accessory makers Malle, follows in the footsteps of its London-based Mile event – itself a gathering of exquisite machines and good times on the lawn of Kefington Hall.

But The Great Mile is larger, more epic in scope.

Image by: Malle London

Starting on August 31st at Castle Mey, Scotland, and concluding on September 3rd in Cornwall, the glorious road trip will take in around 300-350 miles of hard riding each day, with participants expected to put in over six hours every day.

“Naturally, the ride is only open to bikes of a certain vintage”

But to sweeten the deal, Malle has partnered with motorcycle rally experts to provide continuous mechanical support throughout The Great Mile, assistance with couriering machines to the start line and luxury camping in unique settings that have been hand-selected by the team for their breath-taking vistas.

Image by: Malle London

These exclusive research images, taken by the Malle team on one of their scouting missions, reveal the extent of the beauty.

Participants are encouraged to enter in teams, with each contingent assigned a GPS tracker and their progress transmitted as a live feed throughout the rally.

“Each evening the “secret” checkpoints will be revealed to the riders,” explains Robert Nightingale, found of Malle.

Image by: Malle London

“As they check-in at each checkpoint their times will be logged and compared against the speed average of the days course.

“We will then serve a meal under canvas at the end of each day, offering some respite and the chance for riders to catch up and plan the next day,” he adds.

Naturally, the ride is only open to bikes of a certain vintage. Motorcycles that have been tastefully customised or anything that falls under the vague category of ‘cafe racer’, ‘brat’ or ‘street tracker’.

Image by: Malle London

Image by: Malle London

Image by: Malle London

Image by: Malle London

Image by: Malle London

Image by: Malle London

Basically, if it’s cool, you’re in, but it’s worth dropping the team an email if you are unsure. Robert has even suggested that cars of the right vintage may also be considered.

“Each evening the “secret” checkpoints will be revealed to the riders”

Packages start from £490 per person and rise to £1290 if you want all the bells and whistles, including bike delivery to the start line and transport from a local airport or train station.

We’re looking forward to keeping a close eye on the rally as it happens and if you’re participating, let us know.