VUN & DUU at Futa Moto Festival

Today I rode up the Futa from Bologna to Loiano to prepare my bike for the CR&S stand at the Futa Motorcycle Festival in Loiano this weekend. Cavina Racing are running a stand and will have five CR&S VUNs plus the DUU prototype on display.

It was hot as I rode out of Bologna along Via Muri wearing just a casual T-shirt and Jeans. At the last traffic lights, as you exit Bologna, two bikes pulled alongside. A Suzuki streetfighter (I don't know what), and a new looking Aprilia RSV. The Aprilia rider, in his new Dainese race suit gave an "aww how cute" glance at my VUN then pulled a big wheelie as the lights turned green. I knew he was headed for the Futa...

I pulled in behind them keeping close as we took the long, straight bypass to Pianorro at the beginning of the Futa. The Aprilia rider was impatient to get to the twisting Futa pass as he slowed to pull wheelie after wheelie along the way. My adrenaline began to rise as I anticipated what I was going to do when we got there...

At last we reached the long steep ramp that plants you just past the base of the Futa. The Aprilia rider was stretching his leathers and swerving left to right to warm his tires, then pulled one last wheelie. I knew it would not help him...

The Suzuki took off first, with the Aprilia soon passing him. I followed closely to watch the riders in front and guage how hey might react when I come past. I took the Suzuki on a medium right-hander, round the outside pulling away up the hill and tucked in tight behind the Aprilia. After pulling alongside a few times I finally "showed him the hammer" (as Oliver likes to say). Three corners later and I never saw them again in my mirrors. This is my definition of fun!

If you are in the area (Emilia-Romagna) and want to see a collection of beautiful, hand crafted sporty singles that can hand out this kind of punnishment to an Aprilia superbike, then come along to the Futa Motorcycle Festival (aka Motohad) in Loiano this weekend.

A VUN at the Futa Pass

Spring is in the air. It is time to start planning your dream ride for the northern summer and what better place to be than riding a VUN across Italy's famous Futa Pass, just outside Bologna...

Take the Futa Pass to Loiano

Last weekend was the "Motorhad Futa" event in Loiano, south of Bologna, which was sponsored by CR&S.

The road from Bologna to Loiano is called the Futa Pass, aka highway S.P. 65. This road has a wonderful racing history. It was part of the legendary Mille Miglia (thousand mile) race event that was held in the first half of the 20th century.

More recently, until the late 1990's, the Futa Pass was home to a series 19km superbike sprint events. The start and finish lines are still marked on the road. Winner of one of these events is VUNIC member (and VUN dealer for the Bologna region) Franco Cavino.

Last week I had the pleasure of riding the Futa Pass with Franco. Two VUNs riding in anger on the ultimate "Mistostretto" (tight road), it was a wonderful feeling... well, at least I felt like I was riding in anger. Franco looked very relaxed and even had time to read and reply to a text message while taking a tight left-hander... only in Italy.

p.s. The photo (above) is a still from the video series Twist of the Throttle and, unfortunately, does not show any VUNs.