Yes I’ve had one of these proud fellas as well. The Italian Stallion from the early 1990’s.

Mine was the full race 956cc Corsa version. The last of the line – I bought it from Tony Jeffries. His son – the late great David Jeffries had raced it for the 1994 British Superbike series – the year before the game-changing Ducati 916 appeared on the scene.

She came with the full race pack – four or five sets of bodywork – half a dozen lightweight wheels – two motors and a whole heap of bits and pieces.

The whole package cost me the bulk of my settlement from a recent expensive divorce but it was money well spent in my opinion – at the time.

I had one meeting out of her – but it was a good one – the Daytona 200 March 1995.

The new 916 arranged for a very young Neil Hodgson was late out of the blocks – still in the factory in fact.

Not the end of the world – for Neil rode my 956 Corsa instead – finishing 5th in the Battle of the Twins and a very creditable 12th in the Daytona 200 proper – his first international race on anything bigger than a 125,

With the benefit of hindsight would I change anything?

Not a bit of it! All costs had been paid – including flights for the team – hotels – air freight for my bike and entry fee – all done and dusted by the Race Organisers.

The icing on the cake was that on returning to the UK a buyer was found for my Ducati outfit at the same price I had shelled out for it only a few short months previous. A result!

Where else was I going to get that sort of experience – with a future World Champion at the start of his Superbike career – riding my bike in the Daytona 200.

It certainly helped me over the trauma and heartache that divorce can bring after 30 years of marriage. I could have been a sad fool and blown the lot in Vegas for I have little luck when it comes to cards.

Bikes are much safer – even if I did break my neck on one sixty years ago next Jan —

givit