Hi from Italy

[Gatto del Cheshire]

Hi, my name is Giorgio Soave. I live near Milan, between the city and the Linate airport.

I worked many years at ENI (a big company which extracts, refines and distributes hydrocarbons, from heavy oil to natural gas) designing new processes and doing research in Thermodynamics. (My name could be familiar to anyone who studied chemical engineering).

I retired in 2003. Since then I dedicated my time to grandchildren and, in the short time left, to tourism, often by motorcycle, photography and the exploration of the cultural world by Internet.

Until last month, for 9 years, my bike was a Moto Guzzi 750 (Breva), a lovely bike which unfortunately has become finally too heavy for my age (75). I had to decide between increasing my muscles by physical exercise, or giving my bike away. After some unfortunate trials at a gym, I decided to sell the bike to a fortunate friend of mine at a shameful price. It happens, when you loose your love for something (or somebody) you cannot suffer its/his presence anymore.

But I decided not to abandon motorcycling; so I bought a second-hand Yamaha YBR 250, definitely more friendly of [sorry: than] the former Breva. It is light and powerful enough (20 HP) for tourism. I did not ask many more HP from my Breva.

I love slow riding, that is riding from one town to another (towns in Italy are quite close each other) and stopping there for a meal, a visit to the art beauties, some photos and a sleep (usually in a comfortable hotel, more suited to my old bones). We can call it an italian-like tourism and I like it.

This is me.

Now I am trying to force my small Yamaha to look more similar to a professional bike: a pannier for my helmet, a windscreen or binnacle, a hexaust with a more "serious" sound, a central stand, etc.

Supermario, my trusty mechanic, is working hard on it. I shall let you know the results.

I hope not to bore you. Goodbye everybody.

[AndrewElvisFan]

What an excellent intro! I hope I'll be as active in 37 years time! I'm only on a 125 and although it would be nice to have a few more horses, it is good to see the countryside as you go by at slower speeds!

[DirtyDT]

Welcome to the forum. A fantastico introduction.

[slice]

Welcome to the YOC, always nice to hear from folks far away, not quite as old as you but getting there, I'm retired as well so understand the need for comfortable speed. Hope you enjoy many more years of riding, don't be a stranger we all like to hear how others are doing. Ride safe.

[Airhead]

Greetings Giorgio It's great to see you still hanging on in there at the ripe old age of 75. I'm sure you will be well suited to the YBR250 we dont get them here in the UK...sadly the 250cc size has fallen out of favour but maybe one day it will come back. I might add though that with all your experience and expertise at recovering oil from the ground you might have considered something a little more 'classic'

Heres one that caught my eye

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171138423797?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_229wt_958

Thanks for the compehensive intro it made an interesting read.

[blackhat250]

Welcome giorgio" great intro, i too like touring between villages, at comfortable speeds ,

[mike1949]

What a fantastic intro Giorgio Soave, I am retiring next year and I have plans to "just get on my bike and dissapear for the day" that is if "her indoors" will let me. Today I just took the bike for a run, didn't know where I was going but did a 20 mile round trip in the lovely countryside around here.

[Tommy xs]

Magnifico Gatto, Bravo bravo

Hi & Welcome to YOC enjoy the forum.s

[drewpy]

Benevento Cheshire cat.

mio sposari e. Italiano

[obriens65]

[Gatto del Cheshire]

This is my bike after some "improvements": a pannier, a binnacle and some makeup of the plastic chevrons on sides.

Now the bike looks a little more "professional" and "important" and I am rather proud of it.

Now I can begin to travel without any inferiority complex.

If the weather helps (it rains in Milan too, maybe more than in UK) I will collect and show pictures of the best places here around.

To the next message.

[DirtyDT]

Looking good!

If the weather helps (it rains in Milan too, maybe more than in UK)

We are waiting for heavy rain and strong winds overnight from the Atlantic.

[Gatto del Cheshire]

I read about it. Impressive.

[Gatto del Cheshire]

Hi again. It was a long time since i wrote my last message. Just after that time, I had a small accident; two ribs broken, some damages to my bike and a general depressed state. So I decided to store the bike in the garage and wait until the end of winter (which was very rainy indeed this year).

I replaced the instrument support (I must complain, the instruments are too exposed in case of fall), but I did not replace the windshield which got broken in the accident: too fragile. I replaced the 7-yr old tyres, as hard as marble (that is probably the reason of the accident); I replaced the sprocket by a new one with one more tooth (the engine sound is less frantic now and the speedometer is more precise). I installed an engine protector, that looks fine and will probably protect better the instruments in case of fall.

And I improved the feature of my sadly black bike by adding some coloured plastic stripes in order to make it more futuristic.

It looks like this now, and I find it grateful and distinguished:

[slice]

That looks lovely Giorgio, sorry to hear that you binned it but as long as you get to walk away from a crash it's not all bad. I really like the colours on your bike, very neat, Take care and welcome back.

[drewpy]

welcome back Giorgio. glad you are ok now.

bike is looking good

[blackhat250]

Yeh " bad news ,,, your up an running again tho,

[Tommy xs]

glad your OK Gatto, welcome back

[Katie1]

Glad you are okay. Loving the look of the bike, gives me ideas for when I decide to take life a bit easier

[wild foamy]

Hola, como esta?

(sorry, i speak very little italian )