
Twenty two years ago – I had become smitten with the handsome Yamaha XJR1300SP and joined the Owner’s Club which at that time was a loose bunch of bikers on the internet – all with an affection for the big air cooled four in common.

Prior to joining what was to become the XJROC – I had little need for being computer savvy but soon mastered working with pics and finding my way round the internet on my Dell desktop.

After riding the willing XJR 1300’s for ten years or so – including a short-lived spell as Chairman of the Owner’s Club – I decided the 39mpg fuel consumption at best was too costly for a long distance pensioner to justify.

I pulled the pin on the marque and bought a tough but frugal single cylinder Yamaha Tenere 660Z which gave sterling service round Europe and the Balkans for the next few years.
