Ha, you lot definitely take things too seriously ! It is just my journalistic poetic license to talk spurious bollocks. Clarkson got away with it for years! I have had Italian sports cars and now an Italian sports bike. They are always a her as in I am taking HER out for a blast. You know, after reading these comments, i feel blessed that I do have this kinda connection with the more exhuberent mechanicle vehicles. I thought we all had this as sports bike and sports car riders! I thought that is why we get drawn to them as not everybody likes this sort of thing. In fact, i would go so far as to say that if you don't GET that connection then I wonder why you bought a Ducati in the first place. Case in point.. I had a MINT low mileage Integrale. It cost a lot to buy, it cost a lot to run. I could have got an M3, M5, Suburu Imprezza or an Evo Lancer but the connection that you feel with a raw car like an Integrale is completely unfathomable. Some people will say its slower, heavy, hard, uncomfrtable and fragile. Not me! Ha, ok, maybe I went a bit far on the superlatives on the Ducati write up but if you watch my Ducati and S1000RR videos on the YouTube channel you will know I am an emotional bastard at the best of times! Right, am off to bed.... with my wife !! (though I will just check if Penny is okay in the garage if that is okay )