Today I want to talk to you about a chance meeting that introduced us to the world of motorcycles.
My husband and I were out and about in Bagno di Romagna on Friday 14 June 2024 and 4 Ducatis with motorcyclists including a woman were parked in front of the Tourist Reception Information Office. Also present was the newly elected mayor of Bagno di Romagna Enrico Spighi. They were intent on taking a photo, but naturally, as we all know, those who take photographs are never included in the photo and so my husband Marco agreed to take the group photo.
Listening to the lives and experiences of others makes you understand how many things we ultimately don’t know and that there are people who manage to make their passion a reason for living and even a job. A work of commitment and sacrifices that lead us today to meet Cristina Zoli and Emilio Salvatori.
Who are Cristina Zoli and Emilio Salvatori?
They are wife and husband, from Rimini, motorcycle enthusiasts who see them riding their motorbikes and then talking about their experiences in the most famous Italian and foreign motorcycling magazines.
Cristina tells us that they returned in early March from their trip to India. “We recently returned from our second trip to India, this time we were there for two months. When we arrived in Bangalore they welcomed us and handed over the Morini motorbikes.”
In fact, searching on the internet we find the video of their arrival in India. He is offered gifts typical of the place: flowers on his head, necklaces, cloak and turban and then of course, the most important part, they give him two Morini motorbikes to undertake their journey to India.
Cristina continues by telling us that they have recently returned from another trip, again by motorbike, to Germany where they participated in a big event of a German company listed all over the world. Here they presented a documentary on the Land of Motors.
Thus we learn that our region Emilia Romagna is defined as the Land of Motors.
Cristina continues: “In this video we explained that engines are part of our culture. We have produced a series of samples that are the result of this culture which is that of the Land of Motors. Bastianini, Bezzecchi, Bagnaia from Turin who had to move here to our area to improve and then become the world champion, Valentino Rossi (almost from Romagna), Dovizioso, Capirossi, Melandri. Ducati, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati are produced here.”
The project for the discovery of our territory
For two and a half years Cristina and Emilio have been working on a Visit Romagna project called Romagna motorcycle. The first year they traced all the itineraries starting from Tavullia and arriving in Imola, Ferrara. They have published 11 itineraries, 1 of which is specifically for electric motorbikes. With Visit Romagna they have the task of accompanying journalists, influencers and tour operators on tours to promote and market our territory to attract motorcyclists, especially foreigners.
But what were they doing in Bagno di Romagna?
They were on tour with journalists from France, Belgium and Slovenia who write for motorcycle magazines and also test bikes. They left, naturally, on motorbikes from the Ducati of Bologna, took them to Imola and then went down the territory and when they arrived in Bagno di Romagna they stopped for a moment to say goodbye and for the photo we posted. Then they continued to Sarsina, Santagata Feltria, Carpegna, Coriano with a stop at the Sic museum (The museum dedicated to Marco Simoncelli) to finally arrive at the Misano circuit where the journalists will stop for the MotoGP and Superbike.
In short, Cristina and Emilio are wife and husband, they define themselves as long-distance motorcyclists, accustomed to getting up at all hours, given their trips like that of India, but they reveal to us that they also went to Africa always riding their motorbike . She tells us that their bike is the Morini but for this tour they use the Ducati.
And so by chance we discovered a world unknown to me like that of motors and how this passion can also be so great as to take you around the world on a motorbike… like Cristina Zoli and Emilio Salvatori do.
