2006 Aprilia on 2040-motos

Moto blog

Church of MO: 2001 Aprilia RST Futura Vs. Ducati ST4

Twenty years ago we didn’t need no stinkin’ TFT displays or active suspension or adaptive cruise control, cause we had paper maps and Walkmans, our butts were tough from all the beatings, and our wrists were well-developed from all the, ah, riding. And we liked it that way. Twenty years ago, Minime and the “MO Staff” escaped to Yosemite for a nice ride aboard a pair of Italians stallions.

How I'll remember Marco

I think we'll all be mourning the loss of Marco Simoncelli for a long time yet; his full potential will remain an unanswerable topic of many pub debates for years to come. But one thing's for sure: he was unique and this year he injected so much energy, plenty of controversy and a whole load of 'what ifs' to the sport. I must admit, for years I used to sacrifice whatever was happening on a Sunday to make sure I could watch the GP but this year I haven't seen every race, it just hasn't been the same: Stoner has been dominant, the grid has been embarrassingly low on numbers, Rossi has been absent and the battles have - in general - not been memorable.

Simoncelli vs. Laverty at Imola

September 2009 and Marco Simoncelli competes in World Superbikes for the first time on the Aprilia RSV4. Fresh from his 250cc GP world championship, SuperSic's limitless talent and endless confidence saw him beat Max Biaggi to the last spot on the podium in Race 2. April 2012 and rising star Eugene Laverty is on the same bike, at the same circuit, with the same number.