Ducati adventures

[senior citizen]

I am 72 years old and inclined like lots of old farts to run off at the mouth-here goes .My first MC was a 1952 vincent Black shadow purchased in 1961 from a local Berea,Ohio fireman (rode it all night that first day-just to feel the power and to listen to it). I subsequently owned a couple Triumphs, BSA 500 a Vincent Comet( vastly underrated),a couple of Hondas a Norton Commando and a Matchless G-80. After test riding and really liking a new leftover 1974 650 Benelli I went to the local Ducati.Moto Guzzi,Norton dealer in Lima,Ohio( where we were living by then) and test rode the owners personal 1973 750 GT Ducati( this in 1977). I came back and told him it was a modern Vincent only much better! Bought it and loved it for 12 years. Over the 1980s-90s owned in no particular order Bimotas,Ducati singles,Darmah,750 Supersport and Sport, 750 F-1 Laguna Seca, 900 beltdrive Supersport,various Moto guzzis a Cagiva ,a turbocharged Monster(nasty) and my current S4RS and a 1982 650 Pantah/Alazzura hybrid track bike/roadster. Have just agreed to sell the Monster and am only going to keep the Pantah( which I have had for 20 years).Also have a 1958 Velocette Venom Clubman that is nearing completion (from a horrible basket case-real masochism!) The Monster has to go as I can't ride for long -touring days are over. Never been a real long distance rider but have enjoyed touring the east and the rockies. Found Pikes Peak on a Guzzi Lemons 111 to be a bit of a challenge the 650 Cagiva was much better.Most track events were with the terrific Ducati Club of Canada at Grattan,Mich. (challenging and fun both clockwise and counter) and Mosport,Canada(unbelievably challenging and thrilling) .We now live in florida and my long suffering wife says i can do track days at Jennings if I am careful-sounds good. The point? No real point except enjoy your Ducatis while you can before we are all strangled by environmentalism and/or overrun by Big Brother. Steve

[BevHevSteve]

Welcome aboard, Steve.

[Peter Mille]

Great story, love reading it...!
(Hope I can tell something similar in 20 years....!!)