THE LEGEND OF VALENTINO ROSSI

Australian Motorcyclist Issue #124

• TUG MCCLUTCHIN
• VMAX PORCHE 911 CUS’TOM MOTORCYCLE
• RIDING IN THE BALKANS
• HARLEY X350 SECOND OPINION PIECE THE BIKE OF MY PEOPLE?
• PLAYING TO WIN HARLEY – DAVIDSON’S NEW X 350 IS A REAL RIDER’S BIKE; LAZY BIKERS NEED NOT APPLY.
• WILLY WAUTHlE MOTARD TREASURE
• SHE’S NO SHAKE, RATTLE AND ROLL
• THE LEGEND OF VALENTINO ROSSI
• Harley-Davidson Road Glide and Street Glide
• THE FASTEST PLACE ON EARTH
• WORLDSBK CALENDAR UPDATE
• LOCAL RIDES SHARE YOUR LOCAL RIDE
• Kick starting the Kids Ohvale FIM Mini GP
• PHOTO COMPETITION REMEMBER THIS WANTED POSTER?
• NEWS BIMOTA BACK IN WSBK
• NEW PRODUCTS ELECTRIC DIRTBIKE RANGE

Andrew Gosling – tbgsport, Rob Mott – RbMotoLens, Half Light Photographic

I didn’t have the pleasure of seeing Giacomo Agostini race, but I’d likely have been bored anyway. Watching a guy win all the time on a machine that is miles better than what anyone else has doesn’t do it for me. Not that it matters. I saw Valentino Rossi race since his 125cc debut, and I enjoyed every second of it. He’s my generation’s Ago.

When Valentino retired, I felt a mixture of love and loss. Loss for his departure from our fortnightly racing appetite, and love for what he gave us, and for the incredible sport he has left us all with to carry us into the future. Don’t think for a moment that what we have now as the sport we all love would be what it is without him. It wouldn’t.