Ducati.Net Photo Gallery - Vicki's View
We come from all over the globe, Australia and Japan and America and all the corners of Europe every year, just to ride small cc vintage motorcycles on the roads they were designed for. The question is often asked, why? The answer is difficult, it lies in what doesn't show - how the bikes sound blasting down the road in a group, the sort of people the event attracts, the difficulty of all of it, from getting the bikes selected/prepared/transported/insured and home again. Even the way it smells, a unique combination of Italian countryside and gas and oil. The history is strong here in Bologna, as close as it gets to how and where this all began and so that is where this years story starts.......
Photos and story by Vicki Smith
Photos and story by Vicki Smith
Tuesday am early. The Motogiro d'Italia always begins and ends with this arch.
This truck, arranged by the British group, comes from Great Britan and hauls bikes from far and wide including the US. It really smooths the way for some of the "Vicki Group" bikes which can be sent to England and received and loaded there and then delivered directly to the start with the others. Thanks Chris!
By Monday the parking lot is starting to fill with motos of all types and sizes. The compitition bikes can be told apart by the number plates
Touring group bikes are still numbered and vary widely, from Vespas to Vincents and anything you can imagine in between
Each rider has his or her own way of getting the bike set up for the distance. This years route features 5 days and almost 60 hours of scheduled riding - things like gel seats, tank bags and rain suits must be accomodated because the bikes are small and space (and horsepower) is precious
Many of the entrants compete every year. This was my 9th Motogiro so many friendships are based on this yearly week. That's Gabriel who comes every year from Spain, usually on a different, spectacular machine. This year he brought a OSSA and a Bultaco for his friend Emerson
Photographers are milling about, snapping away and keeping the girls busy posing
Unlike most events where there is a prize at the end, what brings us here first is the comraderie. Everyone does what they can to keep other members of the "family" on the road
Hugo Wilson is the editor of Classic Bike, for him this event is "work". Lucky Hugo
Each competitor is issued a race number and a bib which identifies them as participants - really important because this event runs in traffic and it helps the cars and trucks understand and move aside
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