79 1200

Kenoggs

Kenoggs

Junior member
Location
QLD
I'm looking for expressions of interest on a rare Lav, small market in Australia for such a freak of nature but out in the world who knows, fully ready to cooperate on international transactions/shipping etc and have experience in this area if need be

Kms 27398 on clock but call it 30 due to broken speedo cable for a bit

Frame numbers: LAV 1200*1731* DGM.17676.OM

Engine number: 1200*1731*

Black and Beautiful, Gold pinstripes but no bullshit kindergarten anniversary crayon shit.

It looks like exactly what is.

New 180 crank and rods straight out of the Laverda blister packaging

81 Jota head new everything down to springs and valve keepers.

resleeved barrel to std, upped comp, gapless rings

rear sets, slater pipes, leather seat

new chain and sprockets

every bush/bearing replaced

even has a pair of new 25 year old Metzler's ha ha

one factory manual and two of the green ones


Had it since 1985 gradually upgrading to Jota/Mirage specs every time I had the money to repair the previous damage I'd done, Laverda anything is not cheap.

Fucking awesome bike, I loved it, never crashed it, the only time it touched the ground was me getting on or off it when I shoulda been laying down.

Front to back, top to bottom, inside and out refurbishment in 2000, everything, I was cashed up.

Then on the 3rd day of my 40th birthday party 2001 I dropped a valve showing off pulling wheelies for the crowd up and down my steep street the engine was barely run in and must have suffered a bit of oil starvation up top while on the vertical.

Fucking my own stupidity, bits of piston in the airbox, anyway, parked it in disgust went back to partying, been dragging it around Aus with me ever since with the intention of resurrection.

But it's time.

So it is a project and in shabby condition but it is complete plus original parts, sort the engine and cosmetics everything else was done in 2000


If you have not experienced the sound, vibration, fear and harmonic intensity of a 1200 180 slater piped modified triple on the other side of the redline pointing at the sky in full Banshee mode, you really don't know shit about the far edge of old school motorcycling.

Here is your opportunity to be part of motorcycle history, .

I will provide a full and honest account of the entire history warts and all to whoever I decide warrants the effort.


So I have not fully decided to let it go yet but I am looking for expressions of interest, who is up for it?

sincerely KEN

will post photos soon
 
Hi Ken. You should start by putting a photo on your ad so that people can see your Laverda. But NOT good with damage to the cylinder head, the engine will have to be completely taken apart, after that damage, plus the bike has not been ridden for long, and that will bring the price down a lot, I can see that the prices are really low here in Europe, plus from now on and for many years to come there will be many Laverdas for sale, here in Denmark the average age is over 75 years for Laverda owners, I am one of the youngest, I am "only" 64 years old, and I am also in the process of winding down my collection.

Br
Peder Heise
Danamrk
 
sfc vintage said:
Hi Ken. You should start by putting a photo on your ad so that people can see your Laverda. But NOT good with damage to the cylinder head, the engine will have to be completely taken apart, after that damage, plus the bike has not been ridden for long, and that will bring the price down a lot, I can see that the prices are really low here in Europe, plus from now on and for many years to come there will be many Laverdas for sale, here in Denmark the average age is over 75 years for Laverda owners, I am one of the youngest, I am "only" 64 years old, and I am also in the process of winding down my collection.

Br
Peder Heise
Danamrk
Click to expand...
Hi Peder (Pedro)thanks for your reply, everything you said is bang on and I'm under no illusions as to the reality of it all, just putting out feelers. I was surprised at the average age of 75 in Denmark and that is probably indicative of the planet, spooky shit getting old and getting reminded, I am "only" 65 and you forget most people
even bike people don't know what a Laverda is, "oh is that a scooter" was a common question. still searching old hard drives for photos in it's prime to add with current condition photos, I will have to take the head off and establish the extent of carnage, been avoiding that for 25 years, tell me about your collection and the process of winding down, I am new to the forum and just starting to learn what's going on so I suppose I should just check your profile, I will have a look around now, any hints on using it by the way?
KEN
 
What part of QLD are you in Ken ?

When you installed the 81 Cylinder head, did you install stainless steel valves?
 
redax5 said:
What part of QLD are you in Ken ?

When you installed the 81 Cylinder head, did you install stainless steel valves?
Click to expand...
50 odd Km west of Dalby a place called Kogan,
No sorta don't trust stainless valves from other things I've built over the years mainly from a longevity point of view, are you a fan and why?
All original factory parts used, valves, guides down to springs, keepers, collets, all this shit cost a fortune back in the day, probably still does.
I see these double valve spring kits are available lately, a good idea for triples for sure.
 
been through Kogan a few times, know where it is

When I recondition the Laverda heads I use AV&V coated Stainless steel valves but I also change the Valve guides to Manganese Bronze alloy guides, never had an issue
Would never run a Stainless valve in the standard Cast iron valve guides unless the stem has been chromed

The early 81 cylinder heads had the same set up as the 1980 heads before they changed back to 43mm long Valve springs
80 set up used a shorter Valve spring which resulted in near zero closed seat pressure after a number of kilometers
 
Hey redax5 you fuckin Brainiac Head job

Yeah moved down the Warra rd several Kms recently still Kogan but.

Understand and agree with all you said about stainless and heads and learnt some shit but I want to know more, like how to keep em alive under duress and seated pressure etc and more about these differences, pretty sure I would have checked that shit out properly but maybe not, I didn't realise there was a difference in the year at all.

I recod and fitted the 81 head cos bigger valves and it's very good condition compared to original, seemed like a good option.
 
Kenoggs said:
I recod and fitted the 81 head cos bigger valves and it's very good condition compared to original, seemed like a good option.
Click to expand...
when you say bigger valves are you referring to the exhaust valve size which in 1980 increased from 35.0mm to 36.0mm
even at 35.0mm Exhaust valve size a Laverda engine is way over exhausted, on our race engines we weld up the exhaust ports and seat area, reshape the port and reduce the exhaust valve to 33.0mm which allows us to jump the Inlet valves to 42.0mm

the standard 43.0mm long single Valve springs that are available from Laverda parts dealers and are also the ones I stock supply loads of around 50lbs closed, 155lbs open using 4C Cams which is a bit on the low side but does not cause any issues
Have engines I built a few years ago that have clocked up well over 100,000 klms on them and are still running strong

on my race engines I use PAC Alloy dual valve springs and we machine our own Collet plates and lower Spring seat plates, gives me 90lbs closed and 185lbs open but am still only using Laverda 7C race cams, not yet gone to custom made cams with higher lift
4C, 7C and even the poor old A11 cams all have 9.6mm valve lift on the Inlet, I can go to 13.5mm lift before going coil bound with the dual spring set up

right from the start of production Laverda cylinder heads changed something on the head every year, started with cast iron skulls, small head gasket shape, then no skulls, then back to skulls, than 78 change to the large gasket shape head
79 heads had an issue with recessing valves rapidly so 1980 Laverda solution was to lighten the Cam buckets, shorten the valve spring which was not a good idea
81 heads are really the start of the decent heads and the later 120 heads are also fine to use
 
redax5 said:
when you say bigger valves are you referring to the exhaust valve size which in 1980 increased from 35.0mm to 36.0mm
even at 35.0mm Exhaust valve size a Laverda engine is way over exhausted, on our race engines we weld up the exhaust ports and seat area, reshape the port and reduce the exhaust valve to 33.0mm which allows us to jump the Inlet valves to 42.0mm

the standard 43.0mm long single Valve springs that are available from Laverda parts dealers and are also the ones I stock supply loads of around 50lbs closed, 155lbs open using 4C Cams which is a bit on the low side but does not cause any issues
Have engines I built a few years ago that have clocked up well over 100,000 klms on them and are still running strong

on my race engines I use PAC Alloy dual valve springs and we machine our own Collet plates and lower Spring seat plates, gives me 90lbs closed and 185lbs open but am still only using Laverda 7C race cams, not yet gone to custom made cams with higher lift
4C, 7C and even the poor old A11 cams all have 9.6mm valve lift on the Inlet, I can go to 13.5mm lift before going coil bound with the dual spring set up

right from the start of production Laverda cylinder heads changed something on the head every year, started with cast iron skulls, small head gasket shape, then no skulls, then back to skulls, than 78 change to the large gasket shape head
79 heads had an issue with recessing valves rapidly so 1980 Laverda solution was to lighten the Cam buckets, shorten the valve spring which was not a good idea
81 heads are really the start of the decent heads and the later 120 heads are also fine to use
Click to expand...
Dear Mr redax5 Sir
I am developing a sneaking suspicion you maybe half smart!

I actually understand and appreciate all that rave and your generosity with the info (I worship and evolved to the prophet Phil Irving too)

Over exhausted is an interesting concept and I would dare to say that it does not apply to most engines I ever built but we are talking Laverda and I bow to your wisdom (definitely have been way over exhausted myself on many occasions) so what are the symptoms of over exhaustion?

I thought the head I put on had slightly bigger valves intake and exhaust, but it was many beers ago mainly did it for condition, the 79 recess problem and the center exhaust guide going up and down in the head instead of the valve going up and down in it, rode 100 Ks two up like that, it leaned out full noise and clipped the valve on the Newcastle expressway returning from Brisbane bodged it on the side of the road under a street light and made it back to Bondi was happy and impressed about that, just went a third slower but didn't do the head any good blah blah.

All this head info is very interesting to me coz lunching valves has always been a bug bear for me and usually when you least expect it (and not from missing gears like some folk)

Anyway you obviously know your shit inside out and it smells like you have a machining shop and parts outlet going on so how do I access what you're up to and history with out annoying ya too much, on this site or got your own .com?
cheers KEN
 
Very common misconception that big exhaust valves and ports = more power. Same way massive intake ports without considering shape, gas velocity and valve seat/throat shape won't make your bike go fast. Part of the dark art of the cylinder head.

As for 'who is Redax', you're obviously new on the scene :cool: Check out Ride & Race Reports for a brief history - not to mention the countless Redax customers circling the globe.
 
Yeah hear you and agree with all that, I can converse fluently on such concepts and would enjoy doing so with you but not today my one finger typing and screen time is starting to hurt my brain.

Have a think about the dark art of piston speed, chamber shape and cam combination which I believe is the secret to a truly sweet engine my expertise is in building V8s so a bit different but still just single cylinder principles x whatever and lets chat.

Yeah I am brand new to this forum, any forum actually but I'd say a "renew" to the scene, I walked away from Lav in disgust 25 year ago, my fault.

So I'm starting to think Redax is "Red" from the very old days , thanks for the heads up knew the guy when he worked out of his garage, I will have to think on that so don't quote me on that yet.

A legendary fellow even way back then.

I've actually been talking to him on this.
cheers KEN
 
Kenoggs said:
So I'm starting to think Redax is "Red" from the very old days , thanks for the heads up knew the guy when he worked out of his garage, I will have to think on that so don't quote me on that yet.

cheers KEN
Click to expand...
Hi Ken,
think you may have mixed me up with someone else, I did my time as a Fitter and Turner and have never worked in a garage
worked as a maintenance fitter for a few years after that and then joined the Oil and Gas drilling industry where I stayed for 35 years with last 20 years all overseas in a lot of places that you would not be keen to visit anymore, or be safe visiting

since retiring from drilling I set up my own machine shop on our small acreage in Camira west of Brisbane where I recondition Laverda engines, I only work on Laverda's and our own Chevy V8 vehicles plus an Italian V8 tart which is a bit out there
Will send you a pm on how to contact us

Cheers
Red
 
Hi Red
Must have got excited,.... shot in the dark shit, this forum is stirring up all sorts of memories, and rearranging my thoughts on what I shall do with the Lav.

Good Bio brief, would love to hear more, especially considering the world at the moment.

I am fluent in Chevy but no real clue what a V8 Italian tart is, was it an obscure Lav or Benelli or such? vague recognition on that .



t
 
Kenoggs said:
Hi Red
Must have got excited,.... shot in the dark shit, this forum is stirring up all sorts of memories, and rearranging my thoughts on what I shall do with the Lav.

Good Bio brief, would love to hear more, especially considering the world at the moment.

I am fluent in Chevy but no real clue what a V8 Italian tart is, was it an obscure Lav or Benelli or such? vague recognition on that .



t
Click to expand...
Me thinks a 4 wheel Neptune.
 
Kenoggs said:
Good Bio brief, would love to hear more, especially considering the world at the moment.

I am fluent in Chevy but no real clue what a V8 Italian tart is, was it an obscure Lav or Benelli or such? vague recognition on that .
Click to expand...
was in Pakistan in 2001 drilling for BP Pakistan when the towers got hit, that was interesting

later on I spent around 3 years in Siberia working for TNK-BP which was the Russian arm of BP, one of the BP Drilling Superintendents was Bob Kaluza who went on to be responsible for blowing up the Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico

When contract finished in Siberia I went to Ukraine for around 4 years, loved working there, people were great and was seriously deep high pressure drilling for Gas, very challenging
Check the war news every morning and still have friends there, so proud of how the Ukrainians have made the Russians look like a 3rd world army

Italian tart is a Maserati Gran Turismo, is my partners car, she owns 3 x black V8 two door coupes, 5.7ltr Chevy Corvette small block that I bought in Wichita Falls in Texas, shipped back to Aussie and converted it to right hand drive myself and a bunch of other modifications, gave it to her for her birthday back in 1990
Her 6.0ltr LS2 HSV GTO that I bought her for her birthday brand new in 2005 and the Italian Tart that was a Covid buy
Still wish she collected hand bags rather than 2 door black V8 Coupes, would have been far cheaper

I only own a 1950 Chevy pickup with an LS1 and all the modern shit, a pair of Laverda race bikes, my 79 Jota that I bought brand new, a 750 SFC Electronica and some other Laverda stuff
And a toolbox or two and a bit of machinery
Plus a beer fridge


20240515_154808
 
Last edited:
Hey Red excellent rave, I would like to respond in a bullet point paragraph by paragraph sorta way to keep it simpler for me.

Pakistan... not a fan but not a hater but do lean slightly on the negative, that day, 911 (night actually) I had just returned from our southern highlands property to my Balmain Sydney home and turned the TV on, it was about 1am ish fuckin tired and just chilling out, then watched it all happen live, I thought I was watching some Bruce Willis action movie for a bit, then thought shit the world just changed in front of my eyes, so how was it on the ground?

Siberia,.... 3yrs in gulag conditions? not sure what to say......I actually rewatched the movie about Deepwater Horizon this last Tuesday, so ya mate Bob was the company man/gronk in the control room? pretty serious fopar, did he cop consequences?

Love Ukraine and Ukrainians, (especially the ladies), rooting for them all the way, if I was a decade or two younger I would be there in the dirt, no shit, but probably best stay here these days, if you can't lift a triple of the tarmac, stay home.
The night/day it kicked off 24/02/2022? was it? I was staying at a mates place near Toowoomba hospital getting ready for anal probing and ass surgery so was up all night purging, again world changing events live on TV whilst shitting a lot,
I follow the conflict pretty closely and reckon the Russians have already been flogged tactically and strategically, only thing keeping them upright is numbers, oil and money, so proud of Ukraine
.
I do love V8 two door anything especially black ones but I will have to look the Maserati up, got the others, I think.
Yeah hand bags are way less hassle, not that I really know, but doesn't sound like your Missus would be satisfied with just them,... good girl!

I did RHD conversions for a bit, about a dozen, all different, proud of each job I did but a fast track to insanity, gave it up, and only did mine.

Very Highly approve of your chevy pick up and its cargo, so no jap shopping trolleys allowed?

79 jota from brand new, gotta love that.

Never actually owned a twin but have spent a bit of time on top of em and would like to, actually when I decided there was no future in Brits.

That's it, all responded to, do love that Chevy, it sorta says it all.
cheers KEN































/






p
 
redax5 said:
Hi Ken,
think you may have mixed me up with someone else, I did my time as a Fitter and Turner and have never worked in a garage
worked as a maintenance fitter for a few years after that and then joined the Oil and Gas drilling industry where I stayed for 35 years with last 20 years all overseas in a lot of places that you would not be keen to visit anymore, or be safe visiting

since retiring from drilling I set up my own machine shop on our small acreage in Camira west of Brisbane where I recondition Laverda engines, I only work on Laverda's and our own Chevy V8 vehicles plus an Italian V8 tart which is a bit out there
Will send you a pm on how to contact us

Cheers
Red
Click to expand...
My neighbour has a couple of sisters of your Italian V8 tart.
 
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