Drew M - Calgary, Canada (September 2008)
"The Mission: To infiltrate the motorbike culture in Italy, draw out the enemy and report back on the threat potential.
The Team: Mission Leader - Joe, Second in Command - Jamie, our pilot (as good on the ground as in the air) Allan, the Scottish Spy - Alastair, the Fast Four from Liverpool - Mark, Lewis, Nick and Arron (aka agent 46), and yours truly.
The Weapons: The 1098, 1098S, 999S, 848, the Multistrada, a big Monster, a little Monster and the Hypermotard twins (one was tricked out and the other mostly stock) that we affectionately referred to as the Ho-tard and the Re-tard.
What seemed like a month after my first stepping off the plane (a week in fact) I joined my team who would become like family by the end of the week that followed.
Intel reported that enemy agents were scattered across the countryside and were part of a group known only as Twelve Foot Rabbit (had to be there for this one) and they were methodically sabotaging motorcycle adventures. What we had decided to do was criss-cross the Tuscany region going as far south as the outskirts of Rome, all the way up into the Dolomites, across to the Adriatic side of Italy and then back to the base in Lucca in an effort to draw out Twelve Foot Rabbit. We spared no expense or effort in our travels, spending time at Vallelunga watching the best in the world compete in the 3rd last race of the season, getting onto the MotoGP track at Misano and test piloting our red fleet at high speed with some of Italy's amateur best and essentially riding "knee-down" on any road that we came in contact with.
Unfortunately, some of our agents fell prey to booby traps and we did have 3 bikes take hits but all riders lived to tell the tale and each of the bikes were still functioning after the hits. The first incident was a run in with a guard rail (or enclave, if you're British) which resulted in damage to the right side of the little Monster and the rider. A few stitches and a couple tetanus shots by a hot doctor later our rider was back with the crew for dinner. The second rider fell victim to the ol' "cold tire on a fast corner" trick (picture attached) and wound up 'stacking' in the fourth corner at Misano. Bullocks! To his credit, he got right up and assisted with bringing the bike back into the pits. Nerves of steel on this guy. The last close call came on a double right-hand corner when a truck and trailer (or Lorry if you're British) no doubt driven by Twelve Foot Rabbit agents came around the other way and the trailer drifted into the oncoming lane just clipping the shoulder of our rider who not only had the skill but the strength to hold the bike steady but wound up against the guard rail on the other side of the road. No medical attention required but rode with some definite pain.
On the bright side, we covered a couple thousand kilometres without so much as a rolling stop sign violation and at the end of every day there was nothing but smiles. You've never heard anything until you hear 8 Ducatis rolling through a narrow section of street. It was like thunder! I'm getting excited just remembering it.”
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