Renaissance Man

During the you couldn't claim to be a real man unless you could do it all - none of the one trick ponies modern culture adores would get a look in. If you couldn't save a damsel in distress before breakfast, invent something useful mid morning before producing a great work of art over supper you were a loser. A friend made a good point when discussing the all-round brilliance of Nuvolari in Benzina #4 - can you compare those who could ride different bikes (and cars) in different disciplines to today's specialists?


Yes, said Ivar - if they can excel in different disciplines: Dr Costa was his example (he's a bit more than just the Clinica Mobile) and maybe Troy Bayliss's pro-standard cycling puts him up there too.

But for me the guy in modern times who stands out is Leo Tartarini - knowing this, Benzina contributor and friend Cedric Janodet sent me a copy of the excellent French magazine Cafe Racer which had a great piece on him: winner of the first Motogiro, head of Italjet, and a stylist who had three bikes in the Art of the Motorcycle exhibition. There's a CV for a modern Renaissance man, if ever I heard one.

(You can also get Cafe Racer from the excellent Magazine Man )