Page 106 - 2022-08-01 RiDE

SEAT CLUTCH SLAVE
VENTURA RACK
“Had it about 20 years — at the
start I fitted Givi hard luggage
but took it off as it was wide,
ugly and pillions didn’t like it.
This is the perfect solution.”
‘You settle on a bike and it’s the one’
Bruce Porter’s Yamaha XJR1300 SP was nearly written-off
when a few years old but, since then, it’s racked up the miles
Name Bruce Porter, 59
Bike 1999 Yamaha
XJR1300 SP
Total miles 90,505
BRUCE PORTER ISN’T sure how many
miles a year he does on his 1999
XJR1300 SP. “Hard to say — been years
when I haven’t used it.” Before you
wonder how he’s managed to rack up
90,000 plus miles, he explains: “At one
time, it was my main bike, mostly for
commuting — best commuter I’ve had;
better than my XJ900F and Aprilia
Pegaso — but also for touring and faffing
around. And a few months in the USA.”
“I originally got it because my wife had
Words Simon Hargreaves a GSX750F and it left my XJ900F for
dead. So I thought ‘right, I need a new
bike!’ It was a Swiss parallel import
brought in black, red and white — and I
loved it straight away. The weight
106 balance is so good. It turned up a week
SEPTEMBER 2022
“Not the comfiest seat CYLINDER
long distance so I use a “The seals go after 16,000 miles
generic aftermarket gel and clutch fluid leaks away — then
pad. I got a new seat made one day you have no clutch. I’ve
when the old one was changed them three times and
ripped up from a crash.” the slave cylinder twice.”
TYRES
“I get 7000 miles from
a rear, 12,000 from a
front. Always gone for
Bridgestones because
I just like the way they
steer and I’ve got
used to them.”
EXHAUST CRASH BARS
“I don’t believe in changing stuff “The crash bars are a must on
unless it needs changing. The any bike I have. The XJR bars
left-side can is newer from when were fitted as part of the
I crashed it, but they’ve lasted purchase deal, and they saved
well. I just keep them clean!” the bike when I crashed it.”
too late to go to that year’s Bol d’Or on States. “I decided to have a big ride
but after that, I couldn’t stop riding it.” across America. I got a leave of absence
But it wasn’t all plain sailing. “The first from work, got the bike flown out, then
year I had it, I did 13,000 miles including rode from New York to Chicago, Route
a 6000-mile tour of the UK but, in 2001, I 66 to Los Angeles, and carried on riding
threw it down the road — you’ll notice it’s — I did 15,000 miles in three months.”
no longer a standard colour!” Since then the XJR has sporadically
Bruce fills us in on the details. “I was in piled on miles. “It does everything I ask it
Wales, chasing a Suzuki Bandit 1200 as to do, when I ask it,” says Bruce. “I went
you do, hit a bump in the road and the on another big trip on my Aprilia Pegaso,
shocks compressed, hit a second bump and the XJR went to bed for nearly two
before they recovered and the back end years. I contemplated selling it, then
kicked up and threw me off at 70mph. dusted it off for a quick ride to France
Didn’t break any bones, and I’d fitted and thought, nah, I like it too much. And
engine bars which saved the engine, but that’s how it’s been since — I’ll do some
the left side was smashed. The big rides every so often in the summer,
assessor kept it down so it wasn’t then put it away for the winter. But I’d
repaired and back on the road. It’s what these old retros fetch now?”
never sell it. Mind you, have you seen
written-off, and I got it repainted and
Kawasaki purple (looks blue in the pics)
with silver and black, and a yellow and
Want you and your bike to
silver Yamaha logo.”
be featured in these pages?
Bruce continued to rack up miles,
including a three-month stint in the Email ride@ride.co.uk