2015 Turismo has been run and the new rules were a total flop, deservedly so!!!

[VinceS]

You would think the 2015 Turismo running out of Newcastle last week would have been big news. But not a squeak. I got an invite to it as part of the standard Ducati mailing lists or probably all three! (NFI, Frasers and Ducati Italy) but I didn't pass it on because I was so disgusted at what the event had deteriorated to and anyway wasn't eligible in these bizarre new rules which have turned out to be a total shot in the foot for NFI. See flyer below for details.

Normally 300 to 500 bikes attend Turismo's and 95% are Ducatis. This year with the 10 year old maximum rule or older only if you can prove last 2 years service history at Frasers only 60 turned up. How about that, so all those people I have shared previous Turismos with voted with their feet or were ineligible or both.

I have seen a fair bit of aggro on other Ducati forums discussing this year's event so I won't add more fuel to the fire. However, while I wasn't going to attend I was happy to go along and see it off, collect a few pics and a video of everyone leaving. But stuff me they changed the departure point to Fort Scratchley and nobody at Frasers knew where it was - took them 25 minutes to find out and I got there in time to see the last 5 bikes leaving.

So later in the week I went looking for blogs of the event and found only one here where you can see some pics, one of which I have tidied up and attached below. Later in that blog you can see here were details of the Turismo make-up, attendance and the like. Down the bottom (here) you can see the long version of my opinion on the topic. Here's a quote:

"This last Turismo is obviously the pinnacle of contempt for those that underlie the foundations of Ducati's success in the country. Shame really, but I for one am ready and able to make a serious contribution to a privateer effort."

How about it - anyone else want to volunteer to participate in organising a REAL Turismo? Let's get together for a beer and a chat and see where we go....