I noticed in the thread about front sprockets getting clogged up there was a guard from Boano Racing.
This reminded me of my experience with Boano from 20 years ago.
The year was 2003 and along with a few friends I was attempting the Stella Alpina Rally which is held every July in the Italian Alps in Bardoneccia. Stella Alpina Rally
It was my third try at getting to get to the top of the 3009m Colle del Sommeiller , 2001 and 2002 were thwarted by snow and washed out trails. This particular year there'd been a heatwave so we got to the summit ok but I'd been struggling with drive chain adjustment every few hundred miles. It was a new-ish chain and it had a Scottoiler but with the benefit of hindsight I'd dropped a right bollock and jet washed the life out of it in my attempt to have the shiniest bike. (yes I was a knob)
The day after 'The Stella' we'd moved down to the little village of Marmora and I'd asked the hotel patron if he knew of a Honda dealer in the area where I could get a new chain and sprockets for my XRV750 AT. He gave me directions to a friend of his, a dealer in Caraglio about 40km away.
When I got to the dealer. downstairs was the usual expected collection of Hondas but upstairs was this...
![Image]()
and..
![Image]()
It transpired that this Small dealership was the home of Dakar double 'ard b@stard Roberto Boano.
We walked around his trophy room open mouthed. Roberto was an absolute gentleman and with crap Italian/ English and sign language he asked if we wanted to hear his Dakar bike running. Er....yes!
![Image]()
![Image]()
Take a look at the road book from the Pharaoh's Rally , "Turn right at the Sphinx" Kinell....🤣
![Image]()
Roberto was a model of humility and good grace. I had my new chain and sprockets fitted, and he gave me a pile of Boano Racing stickers and a Boano Tee shirt.
Anyway, this is a 20 years younger and thinner me at the top of the Colle del Sommeiller , the mountain refuge hut behind me has apparently now been demolished and removed. We went again in 2019 but torrential rain meant that we didn't even bother attempting the climb.
![Image]()
This reminded me of my experience with Boano from 20 years ago.
The year was 2003 and along with a few friends I was attempting the Stella Alpina Rally which is held every July in the Italian Alps in Bardoneccia. Stella Alpina Rally
It was my third try at getting to get to the top of the 3009m Colle del Sommeiller , 2001 and 2002 were thwarted by snow and washed out trails. This particular year there'd been a heatwave so we got to the summit ok but I'd been struggling with drive chain adjustment every few hundred miles. It was a new-ish chain and it had a Scottoiler but with the benefit of hindsight I'd dropped a right bollock and jet washed the life out of it in my attempt to have the shiniest bike. (yes I was a knob)
The day after 'The Stella' we'd moved down to the little village of Marmora and I'd asked the hotel patron if he knew of a Honda dealer in the area where I could get a new chain and sprockets for my XRV750 AT. He gave me directions to a friend of his, a dealer in Caraglio about 40km away.
When I got to the dealer. downstairs was the usual expected collection of Hondas but upstairs was this...
and..
It transpired that this Small dealership was the home of Dakar double 'ard b@stard Roberto Boano.
We walked around his trophy room open mouthed. Roberto was an absolute gentleman and with crap Italian/ English and sign language he asked if we wanted to hear his Dakar bike running. Er....yes!
Take a look at the road book from the Pharaoh's Rally , "Turn right at the Sphinx" Kinell....🤣
Roberto was a model of humility and good grace. I had my new chain and sprockets fitted, and he gave me a pile of Boano Racing stickers and a Boano Tee shirt.
Anyway, this is a 20 years younger and thinner me at the top of the Colle del Sommeiller , the mountain refuge hut behind me has apparently now been demolished and removed. We went again in 2019 but torrential rain meant that we didn't even bother attempting the climb.
