Now imagine it was Rossi’s idea, and he wasဣ speeding off in freezing temperatures.

A remarkable story about Rossi’s trademark cheekiness has been recalled by Guido Meda, the Italian MotoGP journalist who has been side-by-side with the legend throu꧋ghout his career.

"We were around the mid-2000s and Valentino Rossi was already the great established champion we have known, at the height of his popularity,ꦫ” Meda began.

"We had been guests of Fabio Volo [a musician from Italy] for a broad𓃲cast and I had arrived at the motorcycle studios on a brand new MV Agusta Brutale.  They had just launched it, it had just come out, and I had it on trial. 

“When we went out in the evening, Vale noticed that I was on a motorcycle and began to ask me questions about this Brutale, how 🐈it was going, how I was.&♏nbsp;

“Uꦏntil the f💝ateful question: ‘Will you let me try it?’”

Meda shuddered. The greatest talent in motorcycle racing was asking to test a bike that Meda didn’t act𒆙ually own, in horrible conditions.

“A bike that was♓n’t mine,” Meda said. “In the Milanese night and with the asphalt a bit🍨 damp!

“I was 🌞not quiet but I could not say no! How can you tell Valentino Rossi you don't trust him?”

The sev𓄧en-time premier class world champiಞon and icon of MotoGP hopped onto the bike and vanished into the darkness.

"It was crazy cold,” said Meda. “Vale had told me shortly before that I was﷽ crazy to ride a motorcycle in th♔ose temperatures. 

“It was night, there was also a bi𓆏t of fog and I saw it disappear in a few seconds, with the engine playing at full speed."

Naturally, Meda need not have 𝔍worried. The bike was returned soon after, with🉐 the greatest talent of his generation smiling.