This year motogiro took a bit more work to decide on. Long time readers will remember that last year in Sicily we had a car accident days before the giro and we had to withdraw from the event. So this year it is very important for us to go and have a great trip to clear the slate!
For 2008 though, there appear to be two motogiro type events in Italy. One is the "Motogiro d'Italia", organized by Dream Engine (which has had a close relationship with Ducati). Another event is the "Motogiro Race" run by MotoClub Terni (which had been running the competition part of the Motogiro dItalia since the early 1990s). Apparently this year Motoclub Terni is running their own event. While I would love to run in both, I must pick just one.
I really like the Club Terni guys and would love to see them again and their event is significantly less expensive. And the route looks fantastic. But Club Terni has not announced a specific "Motogiro" type class, it appears (from the Italian regulations posted on their website) their oldest and smallest class is 50cc to 400cc for bikes made in 1974 or earlier. I'm not sure that I want to be competing against bikes 20 years newer and twice the size of mine! They would have a big comfort and speed advantage.
The Motogiro d'Italia still has their premier "Historical Commemorative Class" for bikes 175cc or smaller and made before 1957. This is a class that truly represents the original Motogiro to me, and my bike best fits it. So that decided things for me and I signed up for this years Motogiro d'Italia today!
This year's event starts in Rome and runs east to the coastal city of Pescara. From Pescara we ride to Vieste and spend an extra day riding in that area. Then we head back to Pescara for another night and then back to Rome. It will be the usual 5 days and approximately 1000 miles racing through the back roads of Italy. Frankly, I'm not a big fan of starting and ending in Rome, I expect the traffic to be horrible. But they have found us a nice hotel there rest of the route looks very nice!
So now my preparations begin for the Motogiro d'Italia 2008.
Carl
