A hilarious Valentino Rossi tale - “how can you tell Vale you don’t trust him?”

Now imagine it was Rossi’s idea, and he was 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 throughout 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,” Meda began.

"We had been guests of Fabio Volo [a musician from Italy] for a broadcast 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. 

“Until the fateful 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 actually own, in horrible conditions.

“A bike that wasn’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 seven-time premier class world champion 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 those temperatures. 

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

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