World Ducati Week
Exercising Monsters in the sun
David Short and the Duchess exercise their Monsters in the sun.
Pics Ian Kerr
Some months ago my local Ducati dealership, Ducati Leeds, headed up by that stalwart of motorcycling Charlie Jagger got together with Tony Barker of Eurobiketrans in Morley and put together a package for Ducati customers to visit the World Ducati Week in Italy.
Every two or in this case three years, (well it is Italian!) the World Ducati Week takes place to celebrate everything Ducati. This year the activities were focused in and around the famous Misano race circuit on the Adriatic coast near to Rimini. The arrangements involved getting our bikes to Tony's depot in Morley, about 35 miles away, packaging the bikes onto stillages, wrapping them in bubble wrap and then leaving all our biking gear and holiday stuff to be driven across Europe to Pesaro in Italy where we would be reunited with them. As someone who has toured extensively around Europe, laden down on a lardy tourer and having to munch off miles of dull and congested UK motorways before even getting to a channel port then a similar trudge on the other side before you get to the interesting places, this was going to be a most novel experience.
With some trepidation Sue and I, along with the 20 other friends who were all on the same trip left our beloved machines, reassured by the attention to detail that Tony was giving to ensure the bikes had a pampered and trouble free journey on an articulated lorry. A couple of days later following a cheapo but thoroughly efficient and event-free flight courtesy of Ryan air from Liverpool airport we arrived in Ancona. There we were met by a coach that whisked us to the depot at Pesaro where the bikes were unpacked. Following a quick change in to our bike gear all the luggage was sent ahead of us to our hotel in Urbino whilst we set off en masse on our bikes. The sun was hot, the Umbrian countryside was beautiful and everywhere people waved and cheered as all these Ducatis with British riders thundered through the villages on our way to Urbino.
Urbino is one of those glorious Italian towns perched on a hill and whose architecture is rich in unspoilt medieval history full of fountains, squares, clock towers and paved road ways. Most importantly it is the birth place of one Valentino Rossi!
After settling into the hotel and a meal followed by the usual 'talking bollocks' that bikers are so good at we retired to bed anticipating the excitement ahead of touring and taking in the 'big event' at Misano.
The first two days Suzie and I toured to San Marino, Lake Trasimeno, St Leo taking in the best of the Umbrian and Tuscany countryside. The roads were breathtaking, sweeping bends, challenging hairpins on mountain passes and above all grippy hot tarmac for the tyres to stick to like glue. There is nothing quite like hustling the bikes on roads they were built for, absent of speed cameras, traffic calming and myopic car drivers that typifies UK riding. In fact the most enjoyable feature was the attitude of the Italians which was so positive and no doubt down to the fact that motorcycling really is in their blood. Every one of all ages were riding mopeds, scooters and motorbikes.
Interestingly, apart from BMW tourers the most popular bikes were Ducatis and Japanese sports bikes. I counted only five Harley Davidson's during the whole week. That passion for bikes was very evident at a filling station when an elegant lady, probably well into her sixties, came out gesticulating and enthusing about our Ducatis telling us that she once had a Bennelli and was almost in tears as she explained that if only Valentino Rossi rode for Ducati her dreams would come true. Now that's what I call passion!
The following day Sue and I made our way to the Misano race circuit about 30 miles away from our hotel. As we got nearer the number of Ducatisti increased until for the last few miles they were so many we were down to a slow meander. Once inside the circuit the intensity of the experience hit us both. Hot sun, blue skies, wall to wall Ducatis and Ducatisti, non stop racing on the circuit, displays of every Ducati that has ever been made from the diminutive 50cc Cuicicollo moped to the latest Desmosedici, Motogp and WSB race machines, simply awesome. We had hardly got our bikes parked up before Suzie was mobbed by Ducatisti paparazzi who wanted to take a picture of this English girly on a Ducati Monster in Mike Hailwood sports motorcycles colours, signed by no less than Giacomo Agostini!
One of the highlights of the meeting was the live showing of the Assen Dutch TT. As a staunch Rossi fan I was worried that cheering for the riding god might not be well received and that I might be better cheering for Stoner on the Ducati. I need not have feared the Italians just love Rossi and cheered and cheered. If only he was riding a Ducati though!
There is of course a downside to this intoxicating heady mix of atmosphere, Ducatis and the passion that goes with it. The trip is going to cost me a fortune! Having photographed so many Monster S4RSs with so many trick bits I am going to have to get my already carbon blinged bike more bits and pieces. Suzie has already beaten me to it with some dead sexy Pazzo racing levers, pah!
By Monday it was time to wind down and deliver the bikes back to the Pesaro depot for their return journey to Blighty. The following day we flew back to Liverpool, rain, police cordons, strict security and a grid locked M62. Ah it's good to be back!
Well would I do it again? You bet. My eyes have been opened to a whole new hassle free way of touring without wasting time getting to where you want to be and being burdened by a lardy bike laden with all the gubbins that goes with bike touring. Last year I had the privelige of looking after Giacomo Agostini when he was a guest at the 60th Anniversary of motorcycle racing at Oliver's Mount in Scarborough. He said to me, "David you don't ride a motorcycle, you dance with a motorcycle". I now know exactly what he means.
My thanks go to Charlie Jagger, Jane and the team from Ducati Leeds who put it all together and especially Tony Barker of Eurobiketrans who made all the transit arrangements for the bikes and travel between airports, depots and hotel. Very professional and totally hastle free. As always the company you keep makes or breaks a holiday. The guys and gals who were there were simply marvellous, great fun and so passionate about bikes. I think we may even have recruited some members! Oh yes and it was a shed load of money cheaper than doing it 'the long way round'.
^top
