Chapter 1 - CHR Azzalin 900 Marathon
So…this is how it starts!
March 2005 and the 888fant thing is making its way through France to a small meeting of elefants in the south….Sausset les Pines…50 clicks from Marsielle.
Back home in Blighty, the wind is howling and the rain is spitting and I am glad to be in France heading south…..
through Snow…Hail and further south .....horizontal rain!
Just as my nose gets some feeling back...... at Lyon.... some 400 miles south of the Calais docks, the sun finally peeks out from the snow blanket clowds and giant fly, attempts a Glasgow kiss on said hooter..Damn!.......mental note : Must buy that Aria TourX with full visor!
Regardless, I have a great weekend meet some really fine people, drink too much, smoke loads of Frenchfags, piss some people off and return home on the Monday to a cryptic email ” Bonjour Gavin…website ...944888...swap…avec monies..your 888 Superfant ......moi...Azzalin..replica …tres chic…3500 Euros plus..bon amie and I’ll name my future children “Gavin” ……and all that!”
HELLO…I have just finished the bike project of projects, over 36 months and someone else......wants to take the credit and the glory but none of the skinned knuckles or bruised egos..... whilst pretending to the size 8 French bit on the back.....that “He actually built it!”
Well ........“Screw me!!” as my old Granny used to shout from the bedroom window…"I am nobodys' whore!"
Okay…that might be a bit strong but you get my drift!
And….by the way......what is an Azzalin??
What follows is total lies, nonsense and bits made up to make me sound good and look slim!
But …in real terms.......
It is an faithfull account of how I acquired an actual:
CH Racing Azzalin Cagiva 900 Marathon….
and the people I met...along the way!
Here we go again.......
Anyway his bid price goes up to 5000 euros along with his Azzalin thingy bob and I am feeling cheap! As cheap as the Member of Parliament; the Right Honourable Minister of Family Affairs and Marriage being caught with a rent boy, a trans-sexual dwarf and a bucket of frogs!
Regardless…the deal is done…
and I am a slag in the company of whores!
The 888superfant will be smelling of pinewood and being chased by French dogs before the summers gone.
I cannot bear the shame.
So…..I buy another 888 engine from someone called
QueenGravelPants via the EAB listee…Ian Ellison…
and console myself that the next one will be:
Better…Bigger….Faster…
Oh God help me…what have I done?
I Google……. Azzalin….and after the computer is infiltrated by
Russian Brides Dot Com and Enlarge Your….
you get my slant!
Up pops a rather tasty Camper Sponsored CH Racing P-D bike.
Helloooo……….Azzalin!
I guess the Gods of all things unusual were listening,
because our French Azzalin Replica owner, had just received an emphatic “NON” from the French Vehicle Authorities
with regards to bringing in the L’Anglais Fabriquent Cagiva Fant: Huit,Huit,Huit
Laugh or Cry!
No more.. 30 pieces of Silver……….Judas Who??
Hello…..888fant…How are you?
Still……those Azzalins look pretty good!
Cast on 3 months to the Dutch International Elefant Meeting in June 2005
and there are some rather nice versions of the elefant!
BUT....... in the car park next to the “Book In” tent was a rather tasty
JS Replica Prototype style CHR beastie and a SP1 Privateers CHR Azzalin 900 Marathon in Lucky Strike Colours!
Stone me…a Cagiva Elefant Sub Culture….what is the world coming to?
The weekend is full of beer, friends, beer and beer yet, still, those two CHR things are in my thoughts!
I must re-study them …I have never seen these things before!
Many photographs and finger prodding later and its back to Blighty via the small twisty Ardenne roads, whilst chasing Fireblades into Calais Dock
Jeez...this 888fant thing is GOOD!!
Why would I ever want to change it?
BUT…we are back in the UK, it is Summer and I am kind of taken by these Azzalin things…so much so that I contact Alex Fischer.
He runs the German website of all things Elefant and I enlist his help.
Alex is suffering from stomach cancer and my emails and Scottish sense of humour seems to pass the time, now that is in the grip of the thing!
He asks me, if I have ever visited Germany?…”Yes, but not as many times as my Dad…although…he never landed..if you see where were coming from!”
Alex, is a font of all knowledge and sends photos, links, reports and even an Designers brief, on the last P-D bike to be built by the CH Racing team, prior to the plug being pulled by Cagiva!
He also indicates that a German Importer was responsible for many of the road going versions….mainly, actual Rallye bikes with lights and indicators stuck on!
Alex helped with sourcing parts on the 888 fant.....laughed out loud,
when I said, pissed... "I could do a 944ST2 conversion in 72 hours!"
and made me smile…….we will meet again ..this..I know.
The address and number he provides is old and sadly out of date….I turn to another Germanic contact…MotoWilli…where do these people get these names?...QueenGravelPants…MotoWilli!
As luck would have it….he was offered one a few months back, but ..
Could not see the attraction…WHAT!
….the name must go with the head!!
Anyway…he turned the guy down, but as luck would have it:
“EYE.zink eye half zee nummer”
Good old motowilli…I always knew he was a star!
Once again….. I am let down by dogs!!
Not content with spending time with them
…be careful, Gavin, my old Granny used to say
....”A dog is for life …not just a Saturday night!”
The damn dog of Herr Motowilli, ate the piece of paper with
“ zee nummer on it!”
He says "I think that he was in the Ardeche!"
Toane…. French Fant group leader…
the one who invited me to the Sausset Les Pines…
he will know this bike and where the bike is
…..I hope!
A quick email proves that To@ne, is not aware of any
Azzalin for sale, however he is based on the
Atlantic coast....at Biaritz!
BUT....he knows a French group member called Benjamin,
who lives in the"Central region" and travels throughout
France on business..
"I think you know him!"
"He was at Sausset!" and To@ne thinks...
"He can help!"
Stay tuned!
.
Chapter Index
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Chapter 2 - CHR Azzalin 900 Marathon
Chapter 3 Azzalin 900......now we get it!
CHR 900 Azzalin..........Final Chapter.....maybe!
CHR 900 Azzalin .....Update for November 2008
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