Mini no mates tour of Italy

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Not really a ride report 'cos I didn't do any good roads and I didn't do heroic iron butt miles either :rolleyes:

Had a week to myself as Wifey was away for work

So I decided to do a whistle-stop solo tour of some of the Italian two wheel manufacturers, Wifey bouldn't mind doing one or two but four on the trot might be a bit much :D

Monday, rode down to Bardoneccia just on the Italian side of the Frejus tunnel,

This meant I could ride to Mandello del Lario on Tuesday morning and get checked in to my hotel before popping down to the Moto Guzzi Museum which is only open for one hour a day from 3pm to 4 pm
 

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Wednesday I headed off to Milan, passing by Lambratte where the Innocenti factory used to be

Casa Lambretta supply parts and restore Lambretta scooters, it also has an amazing collection of scooters from all around the world
 

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After Casa Lambretta rode down to Bologna, stayed in the very nice Hotel Amadeus,

Just 850 meters to walk to the Ducati factory, I had a factory tour booked for 09:15 on the Thursday, you have to reserve in advance

The factory tour was pretty interesting but the museum is not very big
 

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After Casa Lambretta rode down to Bologna, stayed in the very nice Hotel Amadeus,

Just 850 meters to walk to the Ducati factory, I had a factory tour booked for 09:15 on the Thursday, you have to reserve in advance

The factory tour was pretty interesting but the museum is not very big

Did you see the guys spinning Diavels 180º on their side stands?
I went en route to Mugello this year (one of my two "Billy no mates" tours to Italy this year).
 
Friday morning, off to the Piaggio Museum in Pontedera

Housed in the factory they have a large collection of scooters as well as Ape 3 wheelers, Gilera bikes and even a row of rare classic British bikes
 

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Did you see the guys spinning Diavels 180º on their side stands?
I went en route to Mugello this year (one of my two "Billy no mates" tours to Italy this year).

Yep, saw them doing that with a few

Also noticed that the Quality indicators at the end of the line were in the red :blast (they use the Toyota manufacturing system) I decided not to mention it to the guide :cool:

Also, at the final check off there was a guy "adjusting" something near a footpeg with a big plastic mallet :D
 
Not really a ride report

It blooming well is.

You rode....and you're reporting on it.

It's a refreshing change from photos of every meal eaten and every drink consumed.

Great pics from a novel trip. :thumb
 
Yep, saw them doing that with a few

Also noticed that the Quality indicators at the end of the line were in the red :blast (they use the Toyota manufacturing system) I decided not to mention it to the guide :cool:

Also, at the final check off there was a guy "adjusting" something near a footpeg with a big plastic mallet :D

I rode up to their security gate on my GSA and showed them my DOC card (I also have a 1100 Monster) and they told me to park across the road as I wasn't on my Duke! They did open all the gates to let me do a u-turn though.
 
Loving those scooters- thanks for posting :beerjug:
 
Oh by the way, don’t go through Genova unless you’re confident filtering,

They’ve ‘ad a spot o’ bovver’ with one of their viaducts it would seem and it’s all fucked up

Had to filter through a couple of kms of Italian city traffic with my boxes on and it was tighter than a nuns chuff :eek:

Clipped a few mirrors but I guess that’s why they put hand guards on GSs :D
 
It blooming well is.

You rode....and you're reporting on it.

It's a refreshing change from photos of every meal eaten and every drink consumed.

Great pics from a novel trip. :thumb

+1

Superbo padre...
 


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