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ON THE ROAD MEMORIES

LUCIANO FASOLO: GLOBETROTTER ON MOTO GUZZI, WITH A GREAT HEART

HIS SOLIDARITY RIDES ARE FAMOUS. AT 71 YEARS OLD HE TACKLED THE “TRANS-SIBERIAN” ALL BY HIMSELF: MORE THAN 14 THOUSAND KM IN THE SADDLE, FOR 33 DAYS. “TRAVELLING REJUVENATES ME”, HE ENSURES.

November 2020 – Rightfully numbered among the unshakeable enthusiasts of the Eagle brand is Luciano Fasolo, from Rovolon (province of Padua, Italy), 72 years young with determination and a great story to tell Wide readers. Here it is.
Let’s start from the beginning. Luciano recounts: “I was born and raised in a large, patriarchal family, with lots of aunts and uncles: nine siblings, all brothers and all with a passion for motorcycles, so much that they soon transmitted it to me. At 8 years old, I raced the Bianchi cup astride a Bianchina 125; at 16 came the ‘fatal’ encounter with a Moto Guzzi, model Lodola 235cc; with my friend, Franco, also on a Lodola, we travelled through Northern Europe in ’68 and Eastern Europe the following year.

Unforgettable rides, a great feeling of freedom astride our Moto Guzzi bikes, which never gave us problems. Then I switched to a more modern and powerful V7 700. In ’69, I was the first in Padua to have this bike.

IN MOROCCO: PADUA-TANGIER RIDE

HERE IS LUCIANO FASOLO’S PHOTO GALLERY:
www.inmotoperlavita.it/marocco

Then, his most demanding travelling companion arrived: a 1983 Moto Guzzi SP 1000. And Luciano (a former professional who worked as a mechanical designer, now retired with a wine-making hobby in his beloved Euganean Hills) combines a penchant for solidarity with his passion for travelling. He explains: “In moto per la vita (‘riding for life’) - this is what I ‘entitled’ my benefit rides, supporting the Salus Pueri Foundation in favour of Padua Neonatal Paediatrics. In three years, with the support of a lot of friends and generous sympathisers, we collected and donated €25 thousand, contributing to the creation of the ‘Parents room’ in the intensive care unit.

Travelling demands a great capacity for adapting to different territories, languages, people, customs and cultures. But Luciano has never lost heart and he has always tackled every challenge with commitment and passion. There are dozens of newspaper articles and even TV and radio broadcasts dedicated to him and his raids.

MEMORIES: IN THE EAST, IN THE HEART OF RUSSIA.

HERE IS LUCIANO FASOLO’S PHOTO GALLERY:
www.inmotoperlavita.it/est

And there are thousands of curious or hard-to-explain episodes: “For example, on the trip to Russia in ’92, with my friend Luca, after the fall of the ‘iron curtain’, I was stopped by the police and held for a day in a security room – Luciano remembers – because I wanted to take a photo on the Red Square in Moscow, where entering with private vehicles is still strictly prohibited.

IN THE STATES! COAST TO COAST.

NEW YORK – PENNSYLVANIA – ONTARIO – ILLINOIS – WISCONSIN – SOUTH DAKOTA – COLORADO – UTAH – ARIZONA – NEVADA – CALIFORNIA.

HERE IS LUCIANO FASOLO’S PHOTO GALLERY:
www.inmotoperlavita.it/usa-2

THE “CLASSIC” FOR MOTORCYCLE RIDERS: NORDKAPP.

HERE IS LUCIANO FASOLO’S PHOTO GALLERY:
www.inmotoperlavita.it/capo-nord

His most “legendary” ride last year: nothing less than the “Trans-Siberian and Mongolia” with 14,500 km on the road, all by himself, for 33 days (at 71 years of age!), tackling Siberian territories with immense spaces that appear to be endless, with makeshift stops and lodging, finding a friendly welcome everywhere he went, even in the rural villages. “I also remember the pain in the soles of my feet because of all the hours riding: I made an insole to cushion them.” He confesses: “I started off with some aches and pains, but the experience of the trip is always ‘therapeutic’ for me, and I returned fresh and ‘rejuvenated’, I can assure you! It was a real pity that I didn’t have time to go all the way to Tokyo!

HERE IS LUCIANO FASOLO’S PHOTO GALLERY:
www.inmotoperlavita.it/transiberiana_2019

Only the global health emergency stopped his travels: “Well, yes, in 2020 only short-range tours. I took advantage to dedicate time to the vineyards and my wine. And reinforcing my collection of Moto Guzzi bikes, because I want all of the ‘Eagles’ of my life with me: my first, the Lodola, I bought again; in the dining room, I have a fantastic ‘46 GTW on display – 10 years of patient searching for the pieces to restore it properly! – and in the garage is my trustworthy SP 1000.” And he adds that he really likes the current Moto Guzzi V85 TT, ideal to take on any road. Luciano Fasolo’s words, and he knows a little something about roads!

Luciano Fasolo; on the right, in Moscow (2019): the first time (it was ’92) I tried to take a photo in the Red Square and I was stopped by the police: “How exciting to go back 27 years later!” He had been travelling on a Moto Guzzi for almost sixty years. He hasn't kept track of total km, but just in the last 4 years, he has ridden more than 50 thousand astride his beloved MG.

And Luciano greets all Guzzisti with a “headlamp flash”: appointment for 2021 in Mandello del Lario, the homeland of the Eagle, for the brand’s centennial celebration (1921-2021).

Luciano Fasolo’s website: www.inmotoperlavita.it