BACK-ROAD BOXER

Many years ago, I sold my shaft-drive dohc Yamaha XS750, a move I will always regret. It felt like a 250 physically but had the performance to match most machines on the road at that time. I used the money to buy a Suzuki GS850G, also shaft drive with an inline four engine, and regretted it except when I was commuting long distance on the M4. Back lanes were difficult as it wallowed around.

I swapped the Suzuki for a BMW R65 and the difference was very marked. Where I’d struggled on the Suzuki around small Cotswold lanes, I now had a nimble machine. Once I had understood the effects of shaft drive and the horizontally-opposed engine, I could go into bends at a reasonable speed and use the