I found these pics taken on a ride out a few years ago. This was very much an Italian day and must have caused the residents of most of Leicestershire and South Lincolnshire to wonder at the noise - if you've never heard an Augusta 750-4 at full chat you need to sort that out soon. Giacomo Agostini couldn't resist it and after a few years r&r at Yamaha returned to the fold. This outing of about twelve of us included the MV Augusta 750 Sport and 750 America above, two more MVs, two Laverda Jota 180s, a 120, a Mirage, two 900 SS Ducatis, an 855 SP3 and a Moto Guzzi Le Mans Mk1. Obviously such a tremendous noise would not be permitted today, but the echo can still be heard between Tilton and Dalby
7 comments:
Comments later. First, dashing off for an ice-cold shower and a sit in the freezer to regain bodily control.
Look, can we get back to wrecked Citroens and bits of old fire engines?
Real bikes for real men. I've got a 50cc Piaggio Ciao.
Wow! I saw Ago at Mallory when he rode MVs. Just fantastic. I remember him sitting in the back of the MV Augusta Transit, patiently signing autographs and looking impossibly glamorous. Rossi's cool, no doubt, but Agostini had tremendous presence. I seem to remember Phil Read turning up in a Bentley SIII (and getting booed for some reason). Terrific photos Diplomat; think I need a lie down.
So right,Justin! Ago was in the IoM for the Centenary TT this year...and boy, has he still got it! Whereas we all know Rossi played one of the Hobbitts in the movie...
As for Mr Read: I think his lack of popularity stemmed from his stitch up of Bill Ivy - a real biker's biker!!
A friend of mine who was a bit of bike enthusiast decided to take his honeymoon in Northern Italy. To his new wife's dismay the first week of the holiday was spent touring motorcycle factories. On a re-visit to the MV works at Schiranna he struck a deal over the company's own show-piece 750 S America. He put his wife on the flight home and rode the bike back to blighty, detours and Alpine switch-backs proved irresistable and it took him a week to get home - when he got back the wife of two weeks was gone and had left him a very brief parting note on the kitchen table.
Great story - sounded to me like a win-win situation!
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