MI-VAL Crosser - tough!

We've got a thing about Italian motocross and trails bikes at the magazine, and this Mi-Val is a beauty. 400cc, overhead cam, and built by ace builder Giuseppe Carru' for the Mi-Val factory, this bike won the Italian Motocross Championship between 1958 and 1959. Photos copyright Motociclismo.

Buy now to beat the shameful postal charge rises

Beat the postal charge rise!! From the 30th April, postage prices with our absurdly-run UK postal service Royal Mail are due to go up massively, and I, and I imagine many other small businesses only got the new prices today, they're so bloody disorganised. I even called their main 'customer services' number to query a price, only to be told they (Royal Mail) hadn't been given the new prices yet. WTF??

For example, the cost to post one magazine to say France or Germany will almost DOUBLE, yes DOUBLE!!

So if you've been thinking of buying a mag, or a four issue sub, do it NOW and don't put money into Royal Mail's coffers. Hope the mag doesn't fold because it costs too much to post rather than because it's crap, or no one buys it...

Buy here and I'll get 'em posted out ASAP: http://www.italianmotormagazine.com/ITALIAN_MOTOR/Buy.html

Spring has sprung

I love this time of the year - thoughts of riding bikes, things to do, sunshine (hopefully) to come, and fresh produce coming back into season. I know winter's truly on its way out when the mint and parsley in my garden start shooting up again rapidly, and with all the rain we've had the last week, it's in abundance. I love food as much as I love motorcycles, and I enjoy cooking, and as my wife is an Italian signorina from Tuscany, she expects a certain standard of cuisine from her husband. Though I can't rustle up grilled wild boar, I don't do too badly.

Yesterday we had the pleasure of devouring English new potatoes with freshly chopped mint, parsley, freshly ground sea salt and black pepper, a knob of butter, a drizzle of olive oil (extra virgin, of course..), and cod fillets baked gently with a splash of white white, and fresh green beans.

Mmm, che buono....

A trophy in the wall cabinet

Audi has bought Ducati. I don't really know why or what difference it makes as it seemed Ducati was doing ok, as was Audi. I like Audis, and I like a few of the new Ducatis. I suppose if you're really excited by business takeovers, you might find some interest in the story. 


So here's a quote from the BBC website instead: 


However, one expert has questioned the wisdom of the purchase.


"I can't think of a concrete reason for Audi to warrant a business case for buying Ducati," said Stefan Bratzel, director of the Center of Automotive, at the University of Applied Sciences in Bergisch-Gladbach.


"Ducati does not enhance Audi's business model in any way, it is just a trophy in the wall cabinet."

Lancia Fulvia Sport Zagato

We haven't had a car on here for a while. Who wouldn't want to drive around in something as cool as this Lancia? The works race 1600cc version of this coupe won the Daytona 24 hour race in 1969, thrashing the Porsche 911s which put out more power. V4 motor and five speed gearbox, and the Fulvias boasted an aluminium body. Beautiful!

I feel another project coming on

I've already become one of those people I never thought I would, i.e. starting projects and never finsihing them, but that doesn't stop me. While still sorting though all my stuff having moved from one unit to another, I have realised that I have motors and components I had forgotten about, and in fact, have the whole motor and drive train to build another Guzzi. Don't know if this is a good thing or not.

I'll need a frame though, so if anyone out there has got a Tonti frame they don't need, please contact me here

New Morini 1200 Rebello - unveiled

Moto Morini have finally revealed their new model, the 1200 Rebello Giubileo. According to their PR man, it's a 'now' restyling of the famous Morini Rebello that Morini produced in the '50s.

1200c and a claimed 130bhp, Brembo brakes, Ohlins suspension, Marzocchi forks, Pirelli tyres, and EVS technology that allows the seat to become a dual seat from a monoposto at the flick of a switch on the handlebar.

Not sure what to think of it at the moment. We've ben promised a tour round the factory at some point. From what I can understand, the bike will be only sold online - whether that's a sound way of selling bikes or not, not sure - Ducati did it with the MH 900, but that was mad-looking.........

Anyway, you saw it here first at ITALIAN MOTOR!!