…after having fully relished the British scent and style of the showroom, begins the very important part of our meeting with the test of the last creations of Mr Martini’s. As previously said, it was a cold, humid and foggy day, only the afternoon left space to a sunbeam. During the preparations for leaving there was a pleasant atmosphere. We prepared the bikes outside the concessionaire, and while the engines were warming up, we dressed up at the rhythm and sound of these two very special exhausts … music and off we go! I rode the “BRD” while Mr Martini rode the “Knucker”. Seeing the time, we left towards the historical centre of Verona. We didn’t actually ride for a long time, but I assure you that it was enough to understand the performances and the features of the Triumph “British Racing Dream”. The ‘special’ is developed on the basis of the Triumph Sprint, a three-cylinder of almost 100hp, altered in the chassis, with the inverted stem forks and mono Showa, Nissin braking system, and with a reduced weight of 198 kg. Aesthetically speaking it is completely different from the original one, and the effect created by the distinctive notes of Martini’s house, like the handmade saddle, the Zard 3in2 exhaust, the small tank coming from the Imola flea market, and many other features like the air filter, the lighting equipment, the kilometer indicator, give the bike a very unique style. The choice very much suggests the English style. The most appealing thing about this BRD it surely is to ride it, as thanks to the technical solutions adopted it has become a very sporty bike. The work on the bike gave it a great benefit, and to the same extent the engine responds very well to low revs, the distribution is docile, but when it is requested it can prove a certain malice! Once arrived at the historic centre in Verona after various different routes through the city, we parked the bikes and greeted some of Nicola’s friends. Then, taking advantage of the lunch time, we enjoyed a lovely meal at the “Osteria al Duca”, a characteristic restaurant in Verona where you can taste typical dishes and excellent wine. But the owner, in particular, who’s himself a great motorcycles fan and who’ll be a next owner of a special Mr Martini, pleased us with the utmost courtesy and kindness. It was not easy to go for a light meal but to have a break it was a must! In the afternoon, as the sunbeam allowed us for another ride, we went for roads and some bends along the ‘Lungo Adige’, which was looking like a beautiful postcard that was actually the background of our excited accelerations. Along that road I rode the “Knucker” a ‘special’ bike implemented from the Triumph Thruxton 900, which is actually something quite different from the original one. The technical and aesthetic interventions have been a lot. With no exclusion for the typical Mr Martini stylish saddle, the small tank, the 2in1 Zard exhaust, the inverted front forks and Ohlins rear shock absorbers, the lights, and the distinctive handlebar flat track style. The choice of graphics and distinctive coat of the bodywork, mudguards and alloy wheels give the Knucker an absolutely vibrant and elegant outfit. The bike is very easy to handle in the city. The height of the seat, arms and legs make it appropriate and easy for driving safely even when you try to exaggerate the movements to be able to enjoy the real attitude of the bike. Generally speaking, the roads that we took were enough to tell you that they are both two special fun and stylish bikes. But I can also tell you that given my inclinations, I prefer the BRD. With this last one, from the beginning there was a great feeling and the elegance with which it is introduced is really great stuff! I must, however, although it is not easy, complete this speech with a big round of applause to Nicola Martini for his passion and his distinctive personality. What he conveys when he creates his ‘specials’ and when he interacts with people like me, is really something extraordinary! A warm thanks and hug to Jenny for her friendliness and help, and to make the event a real work of art! Many thanks to Nicola and Jenny! See you soon …. bye Babila.
BABILA: | leather jacket HTC | t-shirt AMPLIFIED | pants ZARA | scarf RUDE RIDERS |gloves TUCANO URBANO | underwear SPYKE | belt RA-RE | boots WALKER | helmets DMD | photo ALBI | motorcycle TRIUMPH SPRINT BRITISH RACING DREAM by MR MARTINI |
NICOLA: | leather jacket TRIUMPH | t-shirt TRIUMPH | jeans DIESEL | gloves TRIUMPH | sneakers ADIDAS | helmets LES ATELIERS RUBY | photo ALBI | motorcycle TRIUMPH THRUXTON 900 KNCKER by MR MARTINI |
