It’s been six short months since we collected the Fiat Ducato in a deal that was definitely stacked in our favour. The terms were simple – AMCN gets keys to the magical motorcycle mover but must use liberally and test for utility in all sorts of conditions.
Well, with a massive cargo space, cruise control and greenie-gratifying fuel efficiency, these wheels have been turning day in and day out – pretty much non-stop – for a veritable smorgasbord of motorcycling missions. The odometer has just ticked over 13,000km, but there’s still a whopping 26,000km before the first service, so we’re now plotting a bunch of multi-bike comparos and long-range tests for the year ahead in an attempt to hit that magic number in the first year.
To date, the white workhorse has saved our bacon in two emergencies when our sleds were struck down by mechanical problems. The first was MOTY last year when an urgent replacement was needed for one of the nominees who wasn’t feeling well. The second was just a few weeks back when a five-inch nail found its way into the rear tyre of one of our adventure bikes on test in the middle of Australia’s backpacker paradise, Wolf Creek. Luckily, the van was there to save the day and next morning we were back in business making up for lost time.
Coming up soon we splash some cash on the long-overdue AMCN signage that will really make this beast stand out from the crowd.
By Paul McCann