750 SF and modern unleaded petrol

D

Dai P.

New member
Location
South Wales UK
Hi, I?m new to this forum and to Laverdas. This is my first post on here and I?m sure this question will have been asked many times before but I?m struggling to find the answer. I?m sure someone will point out the obvious to me straight away.
I?ve just bought an early 750 SF with 17000 km that?s come from Piero Laverda and I think has been standing for more or less 30 years. It has been started and briefly run since coming here into the UK. But before putting it back on the road, I need to do a bit of re-commissioning. One thing I?m thinking about is the cylinder head and more specifically the valve seats.
Do these bikes require cylinder head work to replace the valve seats to make them compatible with unleaded fuel and changes to ignition timing settings? I?ll probably run the bike on super unleaded but if I?m out on a ride not all garages sell it.
If the bike does need cylinder head work, can anyone recommend any specialists in the UK.
Any advice and the benefit of other people?s experience will be gratefully received as I?m completely new to Laverdas having only previously admired them at a distance.
Thanks, David 
 
Welcome David
General advice is to run on available fuel and keep an eye on valve clearances.  Providing they don't close up alarmingly quickly, you'll be OK. Standard ignition timing is fine. The engine is a durable lump that isn't operating anywhere near the top edge of the performance envelope - much will depend on storage conditions as to how much work might be needed.  I'd be inclined to get it on the road and see how it runs before throwing loads of cash at it. They'll be plenty of advice coming your way...especially about points vs electronic ignition  :D  :D

When searching the forum you'll get better results using the Search item in the main menu bar -
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Thanks Rob. Much appreciated. These bikes seem pretty robust mechanically. My plan in the short term is just to give it a good check over, do the few jobs I know need doing and get it set up to get out and ride. It?s effectively got 2 sets of bodywork with it. Standard road tank, mudguards and seat as well as SFC replica bodywork. Longer term I might throw a bit of money and time at it and look at building it as an SFC replica albeit with the standard engine.
 
Leave it standard.

There's SFC replicas, in orange, at every bloody street corner.

A bit like Ducati singles. Plenty of Mk3s vandalised to make go faster lookalikes.

Paul
 
I think you?re right Paul about keeping it standard. I?ve got 5 other head down arse up sports bikes. Although I?ll probably change my mind about the whole SFC replica thing by this time next week.
Going completely away from my initial query, I need a new tail light if I?m running the bike with the standard mudguards etc. I think the light is a CEV 9211. Can anyone confirm this is correct? If so, where is the best place to try and get one? I?ve looked on eBay and the only one on there is ?159 which seems insanely expensive. I?ve also seen what I think is the same thing on a website called motociclivelocci at 75 Euros. Can anyone recommend anywhere else to try for a tail light assuming this is the correct one. Thanks
 
Depends.

What year is your SF?

CEV 9211 would have been mounted on 1970 and 71 SFs. As from Autumn 71, it's a round tail light until 1973-74.

https://www.officine08.it/p14473_fanalino-posteriore-alogeno-cev-replica.html

Paul
 
Hi Paul, thanks for the reply. It?s 1971. The mounting looks like it?s for a more rectangular shaped light as opposed to a round one which is why I think it?s the CEV 9211. Cheers, David
 
David,

If the bike has run for a considerable length of time on the current valve seats, chances are you'll be fine with un-leaded for many years to come.  If head work had been done only recently before the lay-up, you may experience valve recession when using un-leaded.  It has to do with the work-hardening process of the valves hammering the seats.

My own RGS has just passed the 100000km mark, it has been fed un-leaded throughout my ownership over the past 70000-odd.  Shim sizes, ie valve recession/wear are as can be expected from such an old dog, leaded or not...

These bikes may seem mechanically robust, but that doesn't mean they will run forever without TLC.  Maintenance, and lots of it, will keep it running sweetly.  Regular oil changes at max 2500km intervals are a must, a squirt of lube here and there, as well as a shot of grease in the swingarm pivot go a long way.

piet
 
At the end of every season I dumped the fuel bowls by removing them and sprayed Red Rust Check into every orifice of my Dellorto VHB 30A,s to prevent the alcohol from dissolving the aluminum Cabs - Worked Great.

Might be a good idea to run some Lead Additive or valve lubricant to the tank every now and then for the valve seats.

I also suggest you take off the tank and dump it then spray that Red Rust Check into the tank and petcocks for off season storage.

For that matter, use that Red Rust Check EVERYWHERE including electrics, rims, chains and levers - try to stay off the tires.

Remove the plugs and spray the stuff into the cylinders and spin the engine over.

----------------

I had a 60's Ducati 350 Single Desmo Scrambler ;o)
 
Hi David,

Welcome :)
There are quite a few Laverda owners / riders in South & West Wales, so you're not alone ;)

Ducatipaddy looks after Laverda owners too, and I think has the rear lamp you're after - https://www.ducatipaddy.com/page19.html

HTH,
Alan :)
 
No further advice to add - other than ... DON'T do the SFC replica thing - if you want to turn a comfortable bike into something you'd probably choose last out of your stable for any day ride, leave it alone. I went the other way - SFC style motor, Sf style frame (albeit with moderate rearsets).

It's not as if the jury is out on just how ergonomically horrendous the SFC is.
 
I absolutely agree with Piranha - But doesn't mean you can not do over 7400rpm with your SF ;o)

The SF and SFC are basically the same frame.

You would not to run a SFC on the street - Trac Yes.
 
Thanks all for the welcome and advice. The engine appeared to be running really sweetly when we fired it up. So I?m taking the view at the moment, if it ain?t broke don?t fix it. I will be changing the oil though.
I?ve decided it?s definitely going down the standard route. I?m just glad I got the standard bodywork and other bits in with the bike when I bought it. I?ve got enough wrist achingingly uncomfortable bikes that are only really suitable for fast riding on the local mountain roads with my Ducati and, if I?m allowed to mention on an Italian bike forum, GSXR 750.
Just got to go through the pain of registering it with the DVLA now.  I dare say I?ll be on here asking lots of obvious questions as I get the bike ready to ride so please go easy, Laverdas are new to me.
Cheers,

David
 
join the ILOC and you will, get free dating certificate from me to aid your registration.

Your bike must be up to road legal standards prior to registration, and although not needed, I strongly recommend that you obtain a voluntary MOT, this generally avoids an unwanted inspection at a place that is  inconvenient by DVLA.

Is this one of the four 750's recently imported from Piero by John Paget (Moto Tonti) if so then I already know something about it, if not it must be one of the other two that are "up and running" twins from the same source but not the same importer. My own personal feeling is that PL did not own these bikes for very long and so does not know very much about them.
more on that later

I can still, do your dating certificate for you without ILOC membership, but there is a fee which is much the same as a years first membership of ILOC

CLEM
ps I don't get commission, sales hat now back in cupboard
 
CLEMTOG said:
Is this one of the four 750's recently imported from Piero by John Paget (Moto Tonti) if so then I already know something about it, if not it must be one of the other two that are "up and running" twins from the same source but not the same importer. My own personal feeling is that PL did not own these bikes for very long and so does not know very much about them.
more on that later


CLEM
ps I don't get commission, sales hat now back in cupboard
Click to expand...

Are you implying publicly that God doesn't exist Clem?

Paul
 
Hi Clem, yes this is one of the bikes imported by John Paget. I will join ILOC to take advantage of the dating certificate. I?d be interested in your thoughts, but would rather not discuss it all on a pubic forum if that?s ok.
 
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