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I also like Fabio Quartararo's style. He is the ultimate example of how you can compensate sheer power with skillful riding. He is literally the only one capable of going head to head with the Ducati powerhouses. That speaks volume. He is playing the field and I would not be surprised to see Gigi Dall' Igna swapping Jack Miller with him next year. I was thinking Honda as well, but it seems like Pol has finally gotten it together; of course Marc Marquez is untouchable, even more now. I don't see Fabio venturing into the KTM world, and Suzuki seems to be happy with Mir and Rins. Fabio Quartararo on a Ducati would be interesting; now if Francesco Bagnaia makes do on its abilities and gets on the good 2022 foot, then Fabio will have to settle for the M1 then. To me Valentino Rossi was the icon of Motorcycling racing. It does not have the same spice on four wheels. Good for him that his name will carry him further; I don't know. Maybe if he does the Dakar, I would pay attention.

Some of us are old, and are Guzziless.... otherwise....

@KINDOY2 Nice examples of late braking not yielding when you can't make the turn with the best speed, and can't accelerate. Francesco Bagnaia had gotten it under control. Marc Marquez could only attempt these last resort braking maneuvers and being overtaken right away since Bagnaia could re-accelerate earlier. Apparently, he is the only Ducati rider that achieve this. Miller and Zarco are old school. We still have to see what the other two new bees are going to do. It seems that Jorge Martin is another one who understood how to be fast in corners too. I used to be a MotoGP subscriber for more than 10 years, then they pissed me off with their stupid antics. Initially, they would ask you if you wanted to subscribe for one more year. Suddenly they started to roll it out automatically. Then they also hid where you could disallow automatic subscriptions. I found this borderline fraudulent. In any case, I was only in it for Valentino Rossi. Now that he is no longer competing, I am retiring from MotoGP entirely.

Emily is still looking for somebody as she says....

Enough! Have a nice Sunday before President's day.

Finalmente!

Alone we go faster but together we go longer

I am looking at you.... yeah you!!!!

Apparently the previous photo was overexposed, and this is why the cylinder head appears scratched. I am still not sold on the checkered painted tank though... this is Northern Italy. The building in the left hand background is typical. I would even say it is in Emilia Romagna...

Lots of scratches on the cylinder head... kind of ruin the photo...

And just when I had thought all hopes were gone.... here's Francesca!

From Ragazze in Moto:

This is exactly my experience.... I confirmed it with a long time friend of mine! she told me she never cared much for the ride; much more for the rider!!!

@docc I found a website in Italy, translating into "girls on motorbikes". Lots of day to day ladies riding their own motorbikes, but competing for views of their clichés. Only... after sifting through more than 100 pages of photos, I could not find a single lady on a Moto Guzzi!!! Most of these all around the age groups beauties are from Italy, and the great majority ride on Ducati; many Japanese, a few odds and ends like KTM Duke, even Harley Davidson (when you know how much they cost in Europe!). Sad truth is, I did not (so far) find a single one on a Guzzi, let alone a V11... The people on this site are the last of a kind...

It is probably because I am old, but I like the large round head light on the V11; it really gives its true identity as a café racer. The newer dot lights are more efficient, but in my mind, it kind of desecrates the aura.

I can no longer react today.... We should start our own photo shoot with "normal" ladies and our own motorbikes? I am going to go to Galveston today, they are having their Mardi Gras celebration, and I know there are plenty of ladies willing to pose. Unfortunately, my Le Mans is still at the hospital. So we should post our own pics with whoever we find along the path.

I was going to put a like, but I get a message that tells me I have exceeded my quota of reactions for today...

Lots of good reasons described so far. I only have one question, to which I will never be able to answer; I grew up during the two strokes/four strokes war! All my friends were racing on two strokes, and we frowned upon four strokes, until the time when Honda brought the CB 750, we did not feel threatened. If two strokes engines had not been discontinued, would I own a V11 today? I am not certain... I think maybe.