Spotted in Italy

[Nickj]

At the moment I'm suffering a month in Italy and missing the UK eather (like a hole in the head) but more missing my bikes.
Spotted a few nice Monsters in Naples, Sorrento where I especilly liked the dark (or was it the cute rider), Rome spotted a range from an S4R down to 600's, Florence where there is a nice 900 just down the road and a 750 a few roads over.
Scramblers seem to be everywhere, almost falling over them!!
Hoping for a better showing in Bologna, bound to be a few nice examples in the Ducati museum to oggle over.

Most noticable thing has been the number of really good condition old bikes, seen more 400/4's with original pipes than on a classic jap bike show and a few very nice old Guzzis. Had a nose around a side street workshop in Rome where the owner was finishing off a 60's guzzi 150 rebuild and also had an immaculate zigolo.
Otherwise it's been art museums, well madonna'd out and espresso correctto to maintain sanity

[bigredduke]

Interestingly, just been there myself with Mrs BRD. We were just approaching the Amalfi peninsula in slow traffic when an old (bacon slicer flywheel) Guzzi passed us.

Lots of Scramblers about, as you say & some good examples of tidy 70's bikes, notably a pair of Honda 500 Fours.

Enjoyed Florence to a point, but too many (very rude & ignorant) Chinese & LOUD US tourists.

[manwithredbike]

Originally Posted by bigredduke

Interestingly, just been there myself with Mrs BRD. We were just approaching the Amalfi peninsula in slow traffic when an old (bacon slicer flywheel) Guzzi passed us.

Lots of Scramblers about, as you say & some good examples of tidy 70's bikes, notably a pair of Honda 500 Fours.

Enjoyed Florence to a point, but too many (very rude & ignorant) Chinese & LOUD US tourists.

just back from a week in Tuscany staying in a tiny mountain top village. An old man had his 1955 Guzzi bacon slicer parked out in front of his house. Started and ran like a clock. Did the Ducati factory tour on Thursday. Really well worth the trip up to Bologna. Free in with your 2019 membership card (32euros worth) and 15% discount in the shop. The museum was fantastic, some of the old race winners were absolutely gorgeous in the flesh, esp the yellow1975 750ss,, even though it was yellow...

[Jez900ie]

Originally Posted by manwithredbike

some of the old race winners were absolutely gorgeous in the flesh, esp the yellow1975 750ss,, even though it was yellow...

Nothing wrong with yellow Ducati's (that a couple of red aerosols can't fix).

[Darkness]

Originally Posted by Jez900ie

Nothing wrong with yellow Ducati's (that a couple of red aerosols can't fix).

Yellow Ducatis are necessary (In moderation) as without them you wouldn’t know for certain that red is that much faster!

[Jez900ie]

Originally Posted by Darkness

Yellow Ducatis are necessary (In moderation) as without them you wouldn’t know for certain that red is that much faster!

Harsh! - but true.

[Wasta]

Im on Zocca at the moment, just south of Bologna, Modena. Out in the hills, the weathers great but our trip down through France into Italy via the Mont Blanc tunnel in the car though. Mostly seen GS's ridden by a variety of ages. Only one Duc seen today and that was a Hyper.

As a side note, I think you'll find yellow Ducatis are much faster than the red and are ridden by handsome virile
younger men. ;-))

[Nickj]

Hey come on that's a bit harsh my 748R is yellow, very yellow, in fact it makes bananna man look a litle bland ... but when it creams round the inside of you all you see and feel are the the termis .. not of course that I would condone or countenace such behaviour, well only sometimes.. well OK whenever I can get away with it .
Now off to bed for an uncertain tomorrow eith an Italian transport strike day, I think that much corretto may be required.

Note: This post may have been influenced by a mixture of heat (40C) beer and wine Oh and several corretto which don't count as it is a recognised health food

[Nickj]

Originally Posted by Wasta

Im on Zocca at the moment, just south of Bologna, Modena. Out in the hills,

Today florence, next might be Garda though that rather depends on the rail services which are on stike tomoz.
Not in Bolgna till the 31st, but we can haz factory visit

Kin hoy isn't it !! Hitting 40 down here and not so much better up where you are

[Wasta]

There is a bike/ scooter rental place in Sorento that have a Monster for hire. Its ideal for a blast down the Amalfy coastal route.

[bigredduke]

We found the best gelato we have ever had here:

Cremeria Santo Stefano. Via Santo Stefano 70, Bologna


It's a bit of a walk out of the centre (about 15 minutes) but well worth it. Lovely old-fashioned place & you can see through to the kitchen where it's being made.


The salted pistachio ice-cream is sensational!

[Darkness]

Originally Posted by Wasta

Im on Zocca at the moment, just south of Bologna, Modena. Out in the hills, the weathers great but our trip down through France into Italy via the Mont Blanc tunnel in the car though. Mostly seen GS's ridden by a variety of ages. Only one Duc seen today and that was a Hyper.

As a side note, I think you'll find yellow Ducatis are much faster than the red and are ridden by handsome virile
younger men. ;-))

If all you’ve got for comparison are decrepit GS riders, I can see how you could come to that false conclusion.

[Wasta]

Originally Posted by Darkness

If all you’ve got for comparison are decrepit GS riders, I can see how you could come to that false conclusion.

You may have a point.

[Wasta]

Couple of Multis today and an original scrambler

[Darren69]

It sounds very hot down there, i mean its bad enough here atm 30/32 and expected to be 35 or 36 tomorrow. You should be able to under take pretty much anything on the road with a 748, they are a weapon. I have one.