Orson

The last time I saw the Guareschi MGS-01, they had changed the rear exiting tail pipe for a conventional side mounted one.

I can't see the video but I'm guessing it's La Baneza GP

I see the Highlander bikes are from Lancashire... would that be the resurrected CCM?

My grandfather fought in the Great War though, I don't know his service record. My father served in the Royal Canadian Artillery in Italy. He was in the Monte Cassino campaign. He never spoke much of his experience but I remember him speaking ruefully about the destruction of the beautiful abbey on the summit. On a lighter note, he was injured and sent to convalesce at a convent in Amalfi that had been converted into a hospital. Through some paperwork snafu, he was lost in the shuffle and spent a month there. I remember him reminiscing about how beautiful Amalfi was/is. I must try to make it there some day to see if I can find the old convent.

Ah yes! The travelling Marshals! They were a sight to see. The atmosphere surrounding the racing can't be beat. It makes Daytona seem like a county fair. I went to Italian bike night at the Crosby Hotel. An unbaffled MV Agusta triple showed up. It sounded like trumpets blaring. While watching the races at the Gooseneck, I saw a fan holding out a pit board, giving riders their split times. As Steve said, the TT is something every motorcyclist should do at least once

You can always hope to find a last minute cancelation on the IOM TT message board. That's how I found a room for the 2002 TT. Finding a ferry booking might be harder. While I somewhat agree with Mike that it is overrated, it was still a magical experience to actually ride the TT course that I had been reading about for 20 years. The downside was all the squidly riding antics I witnessed. I saw several bikes wadded up and left on the side of the road...their riders presumably carted off to the hospital. Everyone thinks they're Joey Dunlop. I talked to a local lady who told me she doesn't get anywhere near the circuit during the TT fortnight because of all the squid activity. Would I do it again? I don't know. The smaller crowds of the Manx TT seem more my speed.

The weight savings from the single plate clutch make the Tenni models ever so slightly faster than other V11 variants plus the racing green paint just makes it look faster

Beautiful pictures! Thanks for posting them! That 400,000 mile bike made my butt hurt! I'm but a mere beginner!

holy moley! those are some great pictures! I can't wait to get back to the western U.S. someday. Thanks for posting!

One of my all-time favorite Italians... The Benelli Sei as a young lad, that was as exotic as a Lamborghini... all those exhaust pipes!

in my opinion, this is a bad idea as it's sure to spur a jealous vendetta from owners of the lesser variants of the V11 family :!:

one of my favorites is the one aboard Mike Hailwood's bike as he circulates the Isle of Man track. He's doing about 150 mph all the while offering commentary with a casual tone almost as if he were bored:D

I've never seen the Macchia Nera or the Spartaco so, I had to vote MV Agusta F4

Vintage Bike Sounds A web site with lots of audio files of vintage bikes.

Gosh, it's been a month since I was there. I can't remember I'll see if I can find it on the museum's web page.

I recently had the opportunity to visit the newly refurbished British National Motorcycle Museum in Birming-HUM (not HAM), U.K. The museum has recovered from the devastating fire it suffered a few years ago. Every bike has either been restored or replaced with a matching model. Truly a labour of love. I'm not much of an old bike expert but, needless to say, there were a whole lotta brands I've never even heard of. The period between the two World Wars must have been a dizzying bonanza for English bikers trying to decide what brand to buy. No doubt that many good bikes went out of existence because they failed to catch the public's eye. A Douglas Flat-twin like BMW's boxer. Raleigh grew to be famous for their bicycles but for a time, they also produced motorcycles. Check out the bells & whistles on this Ariel. I count 6 levers and switches. Woe be unto the newbie biker who tried to figure out what lever does what while heading into a corner :crazy: A precursor to todays Triumph's Rocket III? A 1000cc Scott triple. Put'ch yer ear plugs in! A plethora of Bonnies in all variations... A 150 mph speedo on a Vincent. That must have translated into about 300 mph in today's miles Let's not hear any bitchin' about today's chains. How'd ya like to get yer dungarees caught up in this? :wow: The Brough Superior was known as the Rolls-Royce of motorcycles. Lawrence of Arabia owned 6 of them. They must have been a thrill. Mmmm...v-twin :drool: A BSA triple. I believe this particular one was a factory prototype. A BSA Rocket 3 from the 1970s near the end of their production run. At the end of World War II, BSA ruled as the world's largest motorcycle company. Their factory motocross team dominated the post-war race scene with ultra-trick, unobtanium weaponry such as this 500cc scrambler. You just know they sounded mean. The Rickman brothers were custom bike builders much the same as Bimota. They built beautiful machines. I believe this one is Norton powered. The Rickmans got their start fabricating tricked out dirt bikes. When I was a wee pup, I used to drool over their works of art. Check out that lucious body work. I believe this one is powered by a Triumph or a BSA engine. A Triumph ISDT bike similar to the one ridden by Steve McQueen at the 1964 ISDT. A thump-thump-thump Another Rickman Metisse with beautiful body work and a Triumph parallel twin with straight pipes...ouu la la! Leslie Graham won the first 500cc World Championship in 1949 aboard an AJS "porcupine" much like this one. It would be AJS' only championship. A Greeves 250cc roadracer. For a few years, Greeves was almost respectable in the racing world though they had their greatest successes with dirt bikes. One of Britain's most famous and beloved racing motorcycles, "Slippery Sam" won five consecutive Isle of Man Production TT races from 1971 - 1975. Imagine the sound along Sulby straight...must have been glorious. A '69 Bonnie. There were so many tasty examples of Bonnies. How to choose just one but this one would be near the top. What kinda pinko communist wouldn't want one of these in his or her collection? The Norton 850 Commando in one its final incantations. A "naked" version of Norton's rotary-engined bike. Norton rotary sportbike in John Player Special livery A sport-touring-ish Norton rotary. I hadn't realized they had made such a range of rotary bikes. A Hesketh Vampire v-twin sport tourer. What might have been a decent touring bike never got off the grounf financially. A view of the Hesketh's cockpit. BSA had some of the most visually appealing tank badges. Their ever-changing face must drive restorers crazy trying to track down the right badge for the right year!

http://www.teddrewes.com/Drewes.asp That's all you need to know I have a good friend who's a St.Louis native and he showed me around a few of the places. He took me to an excellent Italian restaurant in the Italian part of the town. Sadly, I can't remember the name of it. From the outside, you couldn't even tell it was a restaurant. Maybe if you ask around, someone can identify it.

I don't get the joke... is there something wrong the man's fashion sense? Looks fine by me

Thanks all! I'm sorry I haven't been around much. I'm on holiday in the states!

I asked the same thing after spending a day watching Baldini turn into a tiny speck on the horizon... He made some cryptic response as to "you have to know the right times" I guess so because we hardly saw any traffic the whole day

We don't believe you until we see pictures

about 123 miles more than I usually do by 6 a.m. then! Well done!

oops! nevermind! I found the circuit's web site. apparently it's still alive and kicking

French Bob or anyone else know anything about this circuit? While browsing the web I came across the Charade Circuit in Clermont-Ferrand, France. It was used for motorcycle GPs back in the 1960's. At 8 kilometers in length, it seems as though it might approach the infamous 'ring in terms of trying to learn the layout. Supposedly built around an extinct volcano. It sounds like an interesting destination. I wonder if it still exists and if you're able to drive around it as with the 'ring.

Click here for the Tenni registry thread. You can send a message to Van and he'll be more than happy to add your Tenni to the list. Welcome aboard!