dettaglio - Automotoclub Storico Italiano

ASI International
Stefan Freuler gets his AJS G8, a
500cc ohv single of 1928 vintage,
well over...
Alfons Hutter progresses regally on
his 1928 R52 BMW.
they thought that they’d show the locals a
thing or two. But it didn’t happen that way.
“We were totally outclassed,” says Peter.
“Their bikes were faster, and they rode them
quicker. Those British vintage bike racers are
in a different class. Do they spend every spare
moment tuning their bikes?”
Ariel Atzori lent his 1914 Ariel V-twin to a
friend for a few laps, but he had to take to the
grass when he ran out of track as another
rider cut in too soon.“It looks like Sammy
Miller borrowed it and took it green-laning,”
joked the president of the Ariel OMCC.
One of the biggest displays in the paddock
was organised by Pasquale Mesto, who had
gathered over 50 Italjet motorcycles to
celebrate the 50th anniversary of the
company. Founder Leopoldo Tartarini was
there to meet old friends and make new ones.
He even brought the miniature motorcycle
and sidecar that his father, who ran a Guzzi
garage, made for him when he was a child.
“My father would have liked to see this,”says
Poldino.“He was a racer as well.”
Atonin Kruzic was riding the most
famous Jawa ever made – the 350cc V-four
stroker as raced by Bill Ivy, Franta Stastny
and Silvio Grasetti, who won the 1969
Yugoslavian GP.“I’ve been here many times
before,”says Atonin.“The MotoShow keeps
getting better. It is well worth the long drive
from the Republic of Slovak.”Palmino Poli,
top man at the Automotoclub Storico
Italiano, is keen to get other eastern
European motorcycles to the show. “We’d
like to see the CZ V-four four-stroke on the
The ASI MotoShow used to be
held at the end of May, but it
was too hot too often, and the
track could get slippery when
the Tarmac melted. Riders shaded their
bikes with giant umbrellas to stop petrol
overheating in the tanks. The organisers
changed the date to the second weekend
in May. The weather was a bit cooler this
year, with blue skies and a gentle breeze.
Until the rains came. Then there was
another use for those umbrellas – keeping
water out of magnetos.
But that didn’t stop an international entry
of classic motorcycle enthusiasts having fun.
Austrian engineer Gernot Schuh only
finished making the Brooklands cans for his
Zenith the night before he loaded the 1000cc
V-twin into the back of his van for the
journey to Varano. “This is the first time that
I’ve been able to ride the bike,”says Gernot.
“A little bit of rain wasn’t going to dampen
my enthusiasm!”
As the track dried there was some spirited
high-speed cornering. Peter Egloff was
piloting a beautifully prepared D50 Condor.
Later in the paddock, close inspection
revealed a rather modern looking finesplined
mainshaft poking out of the
crankcase.“Yes, the crank is from a speedway
engine,” confesses Peter, who was with a
group of Motosacoche riders that travelled
from Switzerland.“We like to know that our
bikes won’t blow up if we race them hard,”he
adds. The group was in the UK last year for
the Festival of 1000 bikes at Mallory, where
THE CLASSIC MOTOR CYCLE agosto 2010
Dohc 175cc Benelli, dating from 1932.
Emer Francesci exercises the 1910
Siamt Corsa.
track,” he says. “And we want more road
bikes as well – how about a Bhomerland?”
Besides mere mortals, there were 37 former
GP riders and World Champions from 25
different countries on the track at Autodromo
di Varano. Italian aces included Giacomo
Agostini, Gianfranco Bonera, Luca Cadalora,
Paolo Campanelli, Pier Francesco Chili, Silvio
Grassetti, Graziano Rossi and Carlo Ubbiali.
The‘foreigners’included Jean Francois Baldè
, Svend Andersson, Peter Balaz, Dieter Braun,
Tepi Lansivuori, Carlos Lavado, Sammy
Miller, Chas Mortimer, Hubert Rigal, Jos
Schurgers and Luigi Taveri.
Britain’s Chas Mortimer was riding a
replica of the 250cc Yamaha that Mike
Hailwood rode in the Isle of Man TT.“This is
one of the best events in Europe,”says Chas.
“Fantastic. And the organisation is brilliant.”
You can’t say fairer than that. ■
To find out more about Automotoclub
Storico Italiano events check out
www.asifed.it while Autodrome Riccardo
Paletti is at www.varano.it
Giacomo Agostini, still as stylish as
ever and on an MV, as seems right.
10 August 2010 The Classic MotorCycle The The Classic MotorCycle August 2010 11
Fabulous eight-valve Harley-Davidson
V-twin.