I know many of us wonder where our old bikes that we lavished tender loving care over ended up but what about the riders? I’ve had two mates from the old days pop into this blog – guys who would turn up at a pre-arranged by internet meeting place many miles from home just to chat – ride together awhile and head for our seperate homes again. Sometimes we even went on holiday together as Bainzie and I did to visit the lonesum Javier who at that time was probably the only XJR owner in Spain. The common denominator was the XJR1300 and most of us had a love affair with that big air-cooled four

I will put up a few photos from rides and meets we did nine -ten – eleven years ago and ask the question;

Where are they now?

The remains of the group at Bala after we had scattered Gary & Co between the Ponderosa and Barmouth 🙂

The Elan Valley run led by Andy – shortly after we moved on from this fagbreak we rode past some farm buildings and a Red Kite attacked Huw’s helmet just a few yards in front of me. Must have thought it was a chicken 🙂

Tan Hill – the highest pub in England —

Gary’s bobsleigh team at Barmouth —

The Horseshoe at Oakham when we went down to greet the new licensees —

An early Broadway meet when we would park the bikes tidy and most ran standard cans 🙂

Another from Broadway —

even more — Big Azza – what a man!

Back to Barmouth with Huw – Mr Bassman & Co – that must have been the hottest day of any year – we were cooked in our biker gear — all except Mr Cool who ambled along listening to the Archers on his earphones 🙂

and even more from Barmouth —

Yes I know – the late Huw Evans (our Meatloaf lookalike) pops up in many of the pics and rightly so. Huw was an ever-present on most of my rides and no matter what part of the country we were riding he would turn up from Haerford West – do the ride and get home the same day. He was one lovely fella and is sadly missed

Another star from the past was Flo – he is on the tri-cloured XJR with the frame mounted fairing in the second of the Horseshoe pub pics. Another good guy – he was held in high regard by all who met him and the XJR Owner’s Club hold a ride in his memory every year.

OK – I know where Huw and Flo are and also this guy here – at his best marshalling the bikes into line at Broadway —

And last I heard from Mark-of-the-Lakes he had left Barrow in Furness and was de-commissioning nuclear subs under the nom-de-plume of Mark-of-the-Lochs at Coulport or sumwhere close. Which reminds me – I have a standing invitation to visit but have lost your address Mark so if you ever cruise past my blog say hello. 🙂

Where are they now?