how many here are bikers

[Bibs]

Looks quick, and dangerous!!

[pete]

Picked up my latest toy today and it's mega! To me it feels like a two wheel Lotus which has got to be the best I could hope for.

not much room for a pillion Treve

[Trevsked]

Nobody stupid enough to get on the back I hope. There is a pad and rear foot pegs supplied but not fitted but frankly it looks so high they would need an oxygen mask.

 

Trevor.

[Daniel]

RC8's are wonderful bikes and do handle superbly. Earlier ones had fueling issues which can easily be sorted.

 

Was a real toss up between one of those and the MVF4 I ended up with.

 

Have fun!!

 

If you fancy a cheap track day, RAF Valley (Anglesey) run a couple a year for chiridy...... next one is Sat-Sun 27th and 28th June.

 

£70/day or £120 for both days.

 

It's great fun, PM me if interested.

[Dunc]

I'm 39 - mid life crisis has arrived.

 

Passed my CBT, and my theory test - DAS big bike instruction course and exam booked for later this month...

 

and I have bought one of these (library pic):

 

why?

 

because I have always wanted one (A Laverda 650 Sport Kevlar)

[Trevsked]

Nice bike Duncan. I think we need a TLF bike meet soon. Who's in?

Trevor.

RC8's are wonderful bikes and do handle superbly. Earlier ones had fueling issues which can easily be sorted.

 

Was a real toss up between one of those and the MVF4 I ended up with.

 

Have fun!!

 

If you fancy a cheap track day, RAF Valley (Anglesey) run a couple a year for chiridy...... next one is Sat-Sun 27th and 28th June.

 

£70/day or £120 for both days.

 

It's great fun, PM me if interested.

Sorry forgot to reply. I've now bought some new leathers with the idea I may fancy a track day in the year so maybe but not getting huge amounts of time and Anglesey is a fair distance from home so would require an overnight at least.

Trevor.

[Jacques]

Hi Duncan,

Congrats on your very nice Zané Laverda!! I have been driving Laverda for the past 21-22 years. Always a joy.

You can see my bike a few pager back. The red SFC1000.

There are sometimes a problem with the oil supply and/or oilfilter on that specific model, but I suppose you already know, and can remedy it easily.

Otherwise, take a look at the Laverda forum. Absolutely the greatest forum on the Planet regarding all things Laverda.

If you need advice or help, don't hesitate to write me.

 

Btw.. the 3/4/5'th of July there is Classic Bike at Spa Francorchamps. It is a Laverda year this year, since it's now 10 years since Massimo Laverda died of a long time Heart problem.

There will be three, I repeat: 3  Laverda 1000 V6 racing bikes!!! As Cor Dees from Holland managed to finish his, and the Laverda Racing Team V6 is also there.

Unfortunately Pierro Laverda will not attend this time, as he is spoken for in Italy at the same time. But really worth going to Spa this year!

The Danish Laverda Club will have a big 180 Square meter tent ans Laverda exhibition, and much more.

 

Kind regards,

Jacques

[Barrykearley]

Why? - hell more like why not...........

Reckless motorbike - tick......

Have a look on eBay for parachutes next!!!

[Dunc]

You can see my bike a few pager back. The red SFC1000.

There are sometimes a problem with the oil supply and/or oilfilter on that specific model, but I suppose you already know, and can remedy it easily.

 

Otherwise, take a look at the Laverda forum. Absolutely the greatest forum on the Planet regarding all things Laverda.

If you need advice or help, don't hesitate to write me.

 

Thanks Jacques,

 

You bike looks lovely. I would have loved a triple like yours, but they are so valuable nowdays. Even the zane's seem to be going up in value recently.

 

I know very little about the mechanical side of the Laverda Twin, but I am a happy mechanic and it will be a learning experience so will use the forums for info. The bike is a low use 11K km example, but has been garaged since 2006 following the previous owners divorce (it was left in the garage of the family house until his ex wife demanded its removal 7 years later). It will need a good going over and new tyres, battery etc before use. The engine has not even been started (although it is not seized). I have still to pass my large bike test yet,  so I am not in any hurry. Plenty of time to read the Laverda forums and use spanners.

 

I take possesion of the bike in 2-3 weeks.

[Dunc]

interestingly - on the Laverda Wikipedia page there is a picture of a 750Strike, which looks to have been taken in Chile  - and in the background there is an orange Lotus Exige!

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laverda#/media/File:Laverda_750_Strike_2007.jpg

 

Seems its not just Jacques and myself that have a Lotus/Laverda interest...

 

can't be many Exiges in Chile I would have imagined??

[Jacques]

Ah! It seems as there is a common between having a sporty Laverda and a sporty Lotus Interesting !!!

 

Cheers,

Jacques.

[Dunc]

Looks like I won't be buying this Laverda after all....it failed an HPi report showing outstanding finance, being subject to a total loss and also being on "Security Watch" whatever that means.

:-(

[Dunc]

False positived on HPi check resulting from a shortened VIN number being inserted in the reference.

 

The bike is clean and it gets delivered on Saturday

[Bibs]

A day of mixed emotions!

[Daniel]

Did the RAF Valley track day..... managed to haul my fat ass around for a few laps.... bike looks great

 

 

On a separate biking note, following my visit to Numbnuts in Amsterdam with my mate, I decided to build a couple of these for my bikes:

 

 

Put mine on locking casters so that I can move them around the garage and set them slightly lower so that I can work low down from a stool..... also left them open for a space to put parts and tools.

 

 

Really useful, not only do they make the bikes easier to work on for a fat old git like me, with dicky knees.... but they butt together and actually save space.

 

Single sheet of OSB, 7No 2.4m lengths of 3x2 and some casters... about £80 in materials. Wheels were quite expensive as I went for good quality.

 

Wife is having her company make some folded over stainless steel sheet to fit to the tops.

[pete]

How do you get it up there

[Barrykearley]

Bunny hop....

[swindon_alan]

Charles Atlas arms

[Daniel]

To the left of the front wheel, you'll see a checker plate ramp. Simply push it up (it's low enough to be able to do it alone). The wheels lock to hold it in place.

 

The hydraulic ones are much better but are very expensive and you can't move them around. The whole 'yard build' thing is in vogue at the moment, particularly in Europe, so while it's mostly substance, there's an element of style about it ;-) 

[snoboardr]

I've just bought a KTM Duke 690, having finally decided to ditch my supersports R1 and return to the nearest thing to my first true two-wheeled love - which was a KTM Duke II 640.

 

Anton is overjoyed to be living in Fife with Dexter.

 

There's some debate over whether the front light surround should stay white or be made black like the rest of the bike. It was originally a white bike as no black ones are available now (allegedly), so the dealer ordered the parts to make it a black one; so technically supplied new as black. The white surround hasn't arrived yet but now not sure whether it's worth keeping it white for added visibility. We all know what car drivers are like...

[Bibs]

Nice! 

 

Du Beke?

[snoboardr]

Aus Tirol!

[910Esprit]

Look what I found in the back of the garage....   Probably done about 100mtrs in the last 8 years, due to family etc...  Anyhow spent a couple of weekends restoring the fuel system (boy does modern fuel *** things up).      Forgotten how much grunt you get from a Thumper.    Spend an enjoyable afternoon tooling around

 

And from the sublime.....  This bad boy was rolling off the production line when Sgt Pepper & Piper at the Gates of Dawn were being recorded.  Race riots in the USA and Vietnam etc etc.   Twiggy rode one for the publicity shots.   Dont really know why I bought it, something to do with being a child of the 60 & 70s  Anyway it was less than £100 as it was missspelled on Ebay.  Its not restored   Again a few weekends of fettling and it runs like a champ.  Pity I'm too embarrassed to ride it!  

 

 

 

Edited September 26, 2015 by 910Esprit

[Neal H]

I think I've found the perfect partner for my Exige - Triumph Speed 94. They even dress the same It might be time to trade in my trusty Yamaha FZ1.

[Dunc]

I passed my test, but just sitting on my Laverda showed me it is not a commuter - wrists down, arse up. It also needs recommisioning (new battery - new tyres, oilchange, new pads, new indicators etc.

So I bought a Kawasaki GPz500. Its a 1999 but has only done 8K miles from new and is generally immaculate.

I've been using it to ride into London for the past three weeks and I love it. Its very agile and is pretty much ideal for slow speed manouvering. It seems to be a great "learner" bike for a novice rider like me. It's also got a bit of character - fairly docile and putty below 4k rpm, but crank it past 7K rpm and it takes off like a scalded cat.

I think it'll be a great choice for cutting my teeth with and learning my road skills. I'll probably end up keeping the laverda for sunny days.