A couple of things got me head scratching

O

Oldsmokey

New member
Location
Cork, Ireland
Hi, I’ve got a lovely 750sf 1971, drum brake, new to me…its a lovely ride, going well, but would love a few answers..can’t fathom easy answers…
Was the camel hump tank a special fitment or an extra?
Won’t the non filter carbs leave all sorts into the engine, premature wear..can i retro fit a filter?
How often to change engine oil?
Is hydraulic clutch and front brake conversion available? Straightforward?
I’d appreciate any useful ownership tips,
Thanks so much
Dan
 
Oldsmokey said:
Hi, I’ve got a lovely 750sf 1971, drum brake, new to me…its a lovely ride, going well, but would love a few answers..can’t fathom easy answers…
Was the camel hump tank a special fitment or an extra?
Won’t the non filter carbs leave all sorts into the engine, premature wear..can i retro fit a filter?
How often to change engine oil?
Is hydraulic clutch and front brake conversion available? Straightforward?
I’d appreciate any useful ownership tips,
Thanks so much
Dan
Click to expand...
Hump back tank might not be original if bike is 71.
You can fit an air filter but it's not worth it unless you're going to be doing tens of thousands of miles.
You could fit a hydraulic clutch but if you use a Laverda hydraulic set up, it'll be as heavy as your cable.
What do you mean by front brake conversion? If you want discs, buy a bike with discs and leave yours alone.
Some photos might help determine what exactly you've got.
Paul
 
Oldsmokey said:
Hi, I’ve got a lovely 750sf 1971, drum brake, new to me…its a lovely ride, going well, but would love a few answers..can’t fathom easy answers…
Was the camel hump tank a special fitment or an extra?
Won’t the non filter carbs leave all sorts into the engine, premature wear..can i retro fit a filter?
How often to change engine oil?
Is hydraulic clutch and front brake conversion available? Straightforward?
I’d appreciate any useful ownership tips,
Thanks so much
Dan
Click to expand...
There is no sensible reason to not fit filters to your carbs, foam ones will work fine. Many like to leave them unfiltered because that is the way they came.
Info on servicing all Laverdas is easy to find on Laverdamania website. Probably 1000 miles oil change is a safe bet. What type of oil? Please don't start a fight.
There are mods available to extend the lower arm at the gearbox selector case to make your clutch easier on your hands, involving cutting a slit in the case as I have done or with a lever that doglegs out of the hole in the selector cover.
I know of numerous people who have stored their drum brake on a shelf for any future owner, and as they like to get into it when they ride, either modified their forks for discs or simply fitted a disc front end because they feared for their life.
Ownership tips? Ride it as much as you can and see what crops up. Does it have points ignition? How long has it run since the engine was rebuilt?
 
Hence the need of photos since date of original purchase means nothing.
Click to expand...
OK. Could be the best to post the frame number.
Might be hard to distinguish just by a photo.
Especially as the 72 SF came in different setups (concerning
lamps, switches), which btw was discussed lately in another thread.
 
I love those early SF's, have worked on one and ridden it and it's my favourite 750 to actually ride in the real world. Camelback tank, Bosch (BMW) headlight, small valve head, square slide carbs and swoopy pipes are all legit for the very first of the SF's. Think of it more like a 750S with the Mk1 Laverda brakes. It all works together so well and it looks so so right... brilliant!
To your questions;
Non filtered carbs... how many miles are you going to do and how much dust? In Ireland I'm guessing not much dust! If you're worried, stick some sock filters on if you really wish, but it's unlikely to be a problem.
Oil changes, roller bearings and no oil filtration means you use basic oil but change it often. 1-2000 miles or yearly.
The clutch can be ok if set up well, as mentioned the extended release arm does help but can then lead to problems selecting neutral. A good alternative is a Magura 'Hymec' hydraulic conversion. This effectively replaces the cable with a hydraulic unit which pulls on the same old cable release system. I've used them and they install easily, work well and are almost invisible.
For the brakes, if the original brakes are set up well they can be perfectly fine (at least for the first stop). If you want more just get an SF2 or similar front end, but in reality just get an actual SF2 in that case. I find the general vibe with old bikes is to set them up as well as can be and just ride them and enjoy them for what they are/were. A well prepared early SF on little country lanes of Ireland is my idea of fun!
 
breganzane said:
I love those early SF's, have worked on one and ridden it and it's my favourite 750 to actually ride in the real world. Camelback tank, Bosch (BMW) headlight, small valve head, square slide carbs and swoopy pipes are all legit for the very first of the SF's. Think of it more like a 750S with the Mk1 Laverda brakes. It all works together so well and it looks so so right... brilliant!
To your questions;
Non filtered carbs... how many miles are you going to do and how much dust? In Ireland I'm guessing not much dust! If you're worried, stick some sock filters on if you really wish, but it's unlikely to be a problem.
Oil changes, roller bearings and no oil filtration means you use basic oil but change it often. 1-2000 miles or yearly.
The clutch can be ok if set up well, as mentioned the extended release arm does help but can then lead to problems selecting neutral. A good alternative is a Magura 'Hymec' hydraulic conversion. This effectively replaces the cable with a hydraulic unit which pulls on the same old cable release system. I've used them and they install easily, work well and are almost invisible.
For the brakes, if the original brakes are set up well they can be perfectly fine (at least for the first stop). If you want more just get an SF2 or similar front end, but in reality just get an actual SF2 in that case. I find the general vibe with old bikes is to set them up as well as can be and just ride them and enjoy them for what they are/were. A well prepared early SF on little country lanes of Ireland is my idea of fun!
Click to expand...
Exactly.
Paul
 
I haven’t yet ridden an early SF, but I can confirm that the lanes of Ireland are gorgeous and the perfect place for a nimble motorcycle. I would not want to make a habit wrestling my RGS around here that’s for sure.
 
Paula Marxy (the big tart) is wrong about the hydraulic clutch being as hard to lift as the cable type, (and bloody hell Paul its about time you stopped saying it you ex hairy bearded smog making Frog!) for one thing there is no friction in the cable with a hydraulic and this inevitable (as the cable inner wears to a D section) to very slight notchy/snatchy/jerky operation, a hydraulic clutch will always be sslky smooth even if heavy, but as I have proved ,with the right master cylinder (I have fitted at least 8 over the last two decades in my search for perfection) you can a have a super light clutch operation, and with my slave cylinder conversion, it will never crack the case as happens with the stock itewm, you have another route and that is to fit an extended (SFC type) clutch slave lever arm, for cable, It happens that I have one for sale, all beautifully polished with stauinless hardware (including the clevis, next time you see one look at the rusted BZP clevis) and complete with all gasket that you need to fit, I may also have a hydraulic clutch coversion cover for you, but might have to check.
CLEM
 
CLEMTOG said:
Paula Marxy (the big tart) is wrong about the hydraulic clutch being as hard to lift as the cable type, (and bloody hell Paul its about time you stopped saying it you ex hairy bearded smog making Frog!) for one thing there is no friction in the cable with a hydraulic and this inevitable (as the cable inner wears to a D section) to very slight notchy/snatchy/jerky operation, a hydraulic clutch will always be sslky smooth even if heavy, but as I have proved ,with the right master cylinder (I have fitted at least 8 over the last two decades in my search for perfection) you can a have a super light clutch operation, and with my slave cylinder conversion, it will never crack the case as happens with the stock itewm, you have another route and that is to fit an extended (SFC type) clutch slave lever arm, for cable, It happens that I have one for sale, all beautifully polished with stauinless hardware (including the clevis, next time you see one look at the rusted BZP clevis) and complete with all gasket that you need to fit, I may also have a hydraulic clutch coversion cover for you, but might have to check.
CLEM
Click to expand...
Wot I rote Clem, it's all about ratios.
The original Laverda offer is crap and splits the casing as you know.

Anyway, if you cannot cope with a Laverda clutch, you won't be able to cope with the vibration, or the brakes, or the sound. You should be riding a Gold Wing or a Pan European :cool: or some other foreign thing.
Paul
 
Last edited:
Paul Marx said:
Hump back tank might not be original if bike is 71.
You can fit an air filter but it's not worth it unless you're going to be doing tens of thousands of miles.
You could fit a hydraulic clutch but if you use a Laverda hydraulic set up, it'll be as heavy as your cable.
What do you mean by front brake conversion? If you want discs, buy a bike with discs and leave yours alone.
Some photos might help determine what exactly you've got.
Paul
Click to expand...
Tippie said:
There is no sensible reason to not fit filters to your carbs, foam ones will work fine. Many like to leave them unfiltered because that is the way they came.
Info on servicing all Laverdas is easy to find on Laverdamania website. Probably 1000 miles oil change is a safe bet. What type of oil? Please don't start a fight.
There are mods available to extend the lower arm at the gearbox selector case to make your clutch easier on your hands, involving cutting a slit in the case as I have done or with a lever that doglegs out of the hole in the selector cover.
I know of numerous people who have stored their drum brake on a shelf for any future owner, and as they like to get into it when they ride, either modified their forks for discs or simply fitted a disc front end because they feared for their life.
Ownership tips? Ride it as much as you can and see what crops up. Does it have points ignition? How long has it run since the engine was rebuilt?
Click to expand...
Great, thanks, good to get the answers…i was wondering about front brake conversion to hydraulic, but its not bad to be fair…I’ll be doing smallish miles , maybe 4000 per year, unless i do some touring. All told it’s a lovely bike, well restored, incl engine rebuild by Geoff.points ignition. Its done around 3000 miles since rebuild.thanks for info.
 
breganzane said:
I love those early SF's, have worked on one and ridden it and it's my favourite 750 to actually ride in the real world. Camelback tank, Bosch (BMW) headlight, small valve head, square slide carbs and swoopy pipes are all legit for the very first of the SF's. Think of it more like a 750S with the Mk1 Laverda brakes. It all works together so well and it looks so so right... brilliant!
To your questions;
Non filtered carbs... how many miles are you going to do and how much dust? In Ireland I'm guessing not much dust! If you're worried, stick some sock filters on if you really wish, but it's unlikely to be a problem.
Oil changes, roller bearings and no oil filtration means you use basic oil but change it often. 1-2000 miles or yearly.
The clutch can be ok if set up well, as mentioned the extended release arm does help but can then lead to problems selecting neutral. A good alternative is a Magura 'Hymec' hydraulic conversion. This effectively replaces the cable with a hydraulic unit which pulls on the same old cable release system. I've used them and they install easily, work well and are almost invisible.
For the brakes, if the original brakes are set up well they can be perfectly fine (at least for the first stop). If you want more just get an SF2 or similar front end, but in reality just get an actual SF2 in that case. I find the general vibe with old bikes is to set them up as well as can be and just ride them and enjoy them for what they are/were. A well prepared early SF on little country lanes of Ireland is my idea of fun!
Click to expand...
Hi, thanks for that…yes it is sweet on the twisties, and dust is not a problem as a rule😀..my arm muscles are building nicely, so I’ll run it as it is for now anyway, thanks again
 
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