Le moto sono Fantastiche
So, first things first: Hello everyone. I’m Pierre, I’m not the most well-known user on here, but those of you who have spoken with me at least five minutes will already know that my main passion, aside from videogaming, is riding motorcycles. I’m 30 years old, and I started riding when I was 6, racing mini-cross and then going up the ”ladder”, meaning moving along the different classes: 50cc mini-cross, 80cc motocross, 125cc MX, and so on.
My motocross ”career” came to an abrupt stop when I was 18, when, while training, I missed a jump, the bike flipped mid-air and I landed on my back. Yeah, it wasn’t pretty. Lung-compression, a cracked vertebrae (was it…the 7th?), broken ribs on the whole right side of my torso, dislocated right shoulder, broken right wrist, and I can’t even remember how many fractures I had on the fingers of my right hand!
At the time, I considered forgetting about bikes altogether. But… I couldn’t help it. Just couple months after the accident I was riding another bike, this time a track one. And since the love for motorsports runs wild and free in my family, there was nobody willing to stop me as it came as no surprise I would also become obsessed with them.
About four months after my big crash, with all fractures now healed, I decided to stop both motocross and racing and instead focus on a different challenge: Track bikes. My first track day was at the ”Varano de Melegari circuit”, a small track located near the hills of where I live, in Italy. The track is actually not a bad, but since nowadays I’m riding bikes with at least 160hp, it feels a little too small… it’s still a very fun circuit if you have a 600cc or a naked bike.
My tool for that day was a 2003 Suzuki GsxR 600 Al*Stare, featured picture of this article! A really honest bike: no overwhelming power, but a fine chassis, and, most importantly for a Noobie such as I was back in the day, a very neutral and ”reassuring” ride.
Oh what a day it was! Tension was peaking: for a guy used to jump and race knee-deep in the mud, an asphalt track was something very different to deal with… and my back would probably not appreciate another crash landing on this new surface. Lap after lap thou, everything clicked into place. I was doing nice lap-times, and most importantly, I was having fun, knee-dragging and all.
Since that day I’ve bought, tried, and also destroyed many many sportbikes. These articles will feature my anecdotes and adventures as a motorsports enthusiast, starting with my current bike, a Ducati 1098s. See you next article!
11 responses to “Bikes are Awesome: A Pierre Introduction”
Nice feature. I am a fan of the cruisers more, a few years ago I chickened out of buying an ’81 Honda Silverwing 500cc. It would have been my only vehicle and we get heavy snows here.
Thank you Emergence 🙂
Ah, I see. Not a big fan of cruisers, honestly…when I want to go touring, I take my Cagiva Gran Canyon 900, install my topcase and my hard-luggages, and set off. It’s a fun bike, one of those big 90’s enduro.
But yeah, having a bike as the only vehicle, in a region where it snows a lot it’s both problematic, and, most importantly, dangerous.
Note:
To anyone who is reading my article…please, please, PLEASE, do a favor to yourself, and ALWAYS wear protective gear when riding!
[…] Read Part 1 of these series […]
I told you I would read the others!! Very nicely done and a somewhat “sensual” rendering that only belies your passion for well made and aesthetically beautiful bikes across all 4 articles!
My first bike experience.
A wilderness cook-out, guys and girls. The guys had their dirt bikes and the girls had their…ummm…talk. The guys were definitely having a lot more fun! And I was not. So I asked one of the guys if I could try out one of their bikes. He asked if I had ridden before. I said, “Hell, yeah…plenty”.
I lied! Hahaha!! I did have basic knowledge from my father being a bike nut and riding as a passenger.
WELL….it was a Susuki something cc dirt bike. I got on, gunned it and shot forward on a dirt trail. Going fast! All I heard was, “SLOW DOWN” then suddenly I saw it…a jump and it was too late. I shot into the air at least 12 or so feet high and flew for what seemed like forever.
I came down like a pro!!!!! Perfect landing!!!! Not because I was a pro, of course. It was merely a matter of SURVIVAL!!!! Hahaha!
I rode off into the woods so I could hide while my poor shaking body could calm down…sight unseen. When I rode back I was chill and accepted all the guys awe-struck high-fives.
They never found out that I lied. 😛
Result of that little white lie and the it’s consequences? I fell in love with dirt bike riding! 😀
Oh, yeah…the rest of that day was totally awesome! All I did was ride! The chicas were not pleased! Hahaha!!
That’s Golden, miss! Tons of respect points earned!
But after that, did you have any other riding experiences, or was it that one the only one?
Yes, I rode after that…and the dirt called to my heart. After that survival landing I was much less “pro” for a while because then I was doing it on purpose. Hahaha! Even now I’m not pro. 😛
But I have a ton of fun!
Awesomeness. And what about now? Still riding?
Yeah, I still ride. And getting into trouble. 😛 I got naughty in Simi Valley, California and took a friends Honda 350 street bike up a hill that started at about 45 degrees, then in the middle for about 20 feet it went to about 50-60 degrees and back to about 45 to the top.
I made the run 3x without a problem. Just gunned the throttle at the right moment and shot up the middle part. Easy!!! Until the 4th run.
I gunned the throttle and the engine choked and stalled. Not good. Not good at all. LOLOL
There was only one thing I could do on that steep incline and one thing only…I intentionally dumped the bike. Jumped off and pulled it down. God, I couldn’t hurt that bike…it wasn’t mine! I laid there hanging onto the bike and thought, “ok, now…how am I going to get this down without it tumbling down”. There was only one way. Again!
Very carefully and very slowly, with both brakes engaged I picked the bike up making sure it was in line with the slope then while carefully working the brakes I backed it down the hill.
My friend never found out. Though I did suggest that she get a tune up! Hahaha!
[…] Check out Pierre’s Bikes are Awesome […]
[…] Read Part 1 of these series […]