What did you do to or for or with your Laverda today?

Started the move to New larger premises due to our Italbrit Classic Motorcycles expansion and extra parts storage space.
The workshop will be closed from the start of December 2026 till the first week of January 2027.
Part's sales and enquiries will continue as normal throughout.
The new Workshop will be located in the Bunbury/Busselton area in South West Western Australia.
 
He'd be sitting on quite the stash.
Talking with Wolfgang when he was in Sydney back in early 2000s he said most of the parts Eades had would probably be sitting on a shelf for years to come. Also said they wanted too much for it so passed on the opportunity to buy. Then Eric came along and brought it all. If he doesnt start selling it, it'll eventually end up as scrape!!!
 
motoddrob said:
He'd be sitting on quite the stash.
Talking with Wolfgang when he was in Sydney back in early 2000s he said most of the parts Eades had would probably be sitting on a shelf for years to come. Also said they wanted too much for it so passed on the opportunity to buy. Then Eric came along and brought it all. If he doesnt start selling it, it'll eventually end up as scrape!!!
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Absolutely Rob. The writing's on the wall even when it comes to simply selling a complete and running bike - why the fuk he's hanging onto this stuff is utterly beyond me. Has anyone over there actually had any contact in person with this mysterious Eric?
 
Back in 2008 or there abouts I was doing some time trails on my sfc at the Collie circuit. Being the only Laverda there he zoomed into me and introduced himself. Never seen of heard from him ever since.
As Chris mentioned Clarkie was the only one who connected with him that I know of. Can't remember what or if he got from him. He did mention he was difficult to deal with.
 
When I was banging my head against a wall trying to repair the pulled crankcase stud that then has a badly done Big Time insert done very poorly, back then I had never heard of Red, the only fix appeared to be new second hand Crankcases so I started looking. I contacted Erric, who said he had some. $2000, and they looked like they had been stored on the bottom of the sea. I declined, and then Wolfgang, bless him, sold me a set for $650 that was in great shape. Apparently, Erric drove buses, and those Lavera parts are his retirement. He better get cracking before all his customers age out. That's all I know on this odd story.
 
When I was rebuilding the ex Russell Taylor sfc1000 I needed lots of bits and pieces . Most I bought off Wolfgang but I needed a swingarm and two front disc’s. Anyway managed to to get Eric’s number and after a few tries got hold of him. Bought a NOS swing arm and two new disc’s for reasonable money. And yes he was driving buse’s so was hard to get hold of. Time passed and I was after more parts and managed to get in touch with him again ( now knowing what time to call to guarantee getting him) and spoke for a little while and he advised me to send him an email with what I wanted and he’d get back with me availability and prices. Never heard from him again😥
He was an interesting dude to talk to and quite knowledgeable on a lot of Laverda stuff. I think that he owned an 80 Jota and an early disc brake 3c so we got on well as I also have the same bikes😎👍. Shame he’s not out there selling but he must have his reasons so no use condemning him. There his parts and he can do what he wants, so I count myself lucky by the sounds of it to have been able to deal with him
Tom
 
If I need any parts for my SFC I talk with Wolfgang. No point trying to look for them in Oz. As for the Motodd, only laverda bits left is the motor of which Red supplies all upgraded parts required.
So Eric and his parts stash is of no use to me. As Tom said, his parts to do what ever he wants with.
 
Not just today - spent bloody days nutting out how to squeeze a throttle position sensor (TPS) between my Keihin 39mm FCRs. Ideally they go on the outside, so can be adapted to run off the end of your throttle shaft - mine even has the clever option of being reversible so it can be left or right fitment or remote cranked to operate either in the same direction as your throttle shaft or crossover crank to run opposite. It also has a hollow shaft, which made it especially adaptable.

As mentioned before my tank just doesn't allow a TPS on the outside of either carby. So I devised a remoter crank system. It's quite crowded between the carbs with air, fuel, accel pump feed to left cyl, and three joining rods, so it's been a real brain scratcher. Pic shows the final result before rejoining the two halves. Just need to finish wiring it in and them program the Ignitech.

While looking for info, AI came up with advice that it had obviously 'found' on the Laverda Forum, so it seems someone has posted something on this - I'll do a search.

TPS-finished-2.jpeg
 
Looks great, Q. Take care; it's very addictive. There is a thread on Adventure Rider with a bloke trying to fit chokes to race-version Kehan flat sides on a KTM twin to improve starting. He stated there and ended after fitting a turbo to his own bent-up exhaust and a 2-wheel-drive system. Pure madness
 
Vince said:
Looks great, Q. Take care; it's very addictive. There is a thread on Adventure Rider with a bloke trying to fit chokes to race-version Kehan flat sides on a KTM twin to improve starting. He stated there and ended after fitting a turbo to his own bent-up exhaust and a 2-wheel-drive system. Pure madness
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Mine are 'Race Use Only' FCRs. I disconnected my accel pump and use that as a thumb operated enrichener to squirt fuel in before cranking - starts in any weather, first time every time. Could have left the pumpers connected and just twisted the throttle a few times before cranking for the same effect, but my motor doesn't need the pumps.

My sole reason for the TPS is to improve fuel economy - even though I can cruise at tiny throttle openings at low revs (100 = 3500 in 5th, 145 = 5000) my fuel economy is pretty ordinary. In fact it's probably just as good at 140 as it is at 100. Only way to find out if it works was to fit it!

As for 'addictive', the SFQ is so removed from a stock SF I think I'm well past addiction and in need of serious rehab! :ROFLMAO:
 
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When this fuel consumption thing was first talked about, the improvement was very impressive. I'd love to hear your before-and-after measurements. That bloke trying to fit chokes had really inconsistent starting, somewhere in the USA in very cold weather.
 
Eric was a member of Club Laverda QLD from 1982 to 1987, Mainly seen on his 1980 Jota. If I recall correctly he was an Army guy and was easy enough to get on with. Aside from the news that he had purchased all of Eades spares and moved to WA he has never re-appeared in the CLQ archives.
 
Another day, another chore done. Seeing that I had to dismantle my seat and remove the cover and foam for the painter I decided it was time to try and resolve the comfort factor. The foam that I put in it originally was recommended as 'suitable for motorcycle seats' but the bones of my arse would be pretty much sitting on the fibreglass seat base - fine with my Air Hawk but I don't want to use that unless I'm doing a many-hour run. I sourced a few different foams, even the firmest latex I could find, but in the end I'm trying reconstituted high density foam. I was even considering moulding my own.

Was dreading trying to shape it, but between the electric carving knife and flap wheel in the angle grinder I managed to get a very pleasing result - had to be very careful with the grinder because the foam has a 'grain' ... touch the wheel on it against the grain and it would grab like crazy. Going with the grain and with a very gentle touch I managed to sculpt in some curves. Happy with the result. I might have gone too far in the opposite direction in terms of hardness, but I'll report back once I get a tank back and can actually ride the friggin thing.

Old one on the right.

New seat foam - 150.JPEG
 
piranha-bro2 said:
Another day, another chore done. Seeing that I had to dismantle my seat and remove the cover and foam for the painter I decided it was time to try and resolve the comfort factor. The foam that I put in it originally was recommended as 'suitable for motorcycle seats' but the bones of my arse would be pretty much sitting on the fibreglass seat base - fine with my Air Hawk but I don't want to use that unless I'm doing a many-hour run. I sourced a few different foams, even the firmest latex I could find, but in the end I'm trying reconstituted high density foam. I was even considering moulding my own.

Was dreading trying to shape it, but between the electric carving knife and flap wheel in the angle grinder I managed to get a very pleasing result - had to be very careful with the grinder because the foam has a 'grain' ... touch the wheel on it against the grain and it would grab like crazy. Going with the grain and with a very gentle touch I managed to sculpt in some curves. Happy with the result. I might have gone too far in the opposite direction in terms of hardness, but I'll report back once I get a tank back and can actually ride the friggin thing.

Old one on the right.

View attachment 109172
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I did same on my motocross bike, used a Surform to shape it.Upholsterer put thin layer of foam over the top ( 5 mm) to look smooth under cover.
 

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