Coming Soon

I was surprised to see it sold for $17K USD since other Laverdas here don't get those prices. But it is a great handling bike in very good condition and I hope the buyer rides it
 

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There are lots of collectors here in the USA. Unfortunately, that is exactly what they are, collectors, not riders. Many bikes disappear into big barn/shed collections, never to be seen, let alone ridden again, until the heirs hold the estate sale.

I am surprised by the prices the Iconic bikes sold for at auction. Will the buyer come through?
 
Great news, let us know how you get on with it. Plenty of knowledge and parts available around here and on the Zane email list
 
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jpq said:
Only a few do... I was one of them, and now it's mine. It will be ridden until it falls apart. I do not own garage queens
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it will sooner than you think of. The engine was built with to big tollerances on the rod bearings and that will - no matter how gently you ride it - kill the engine at one point in time. the only way to avoid this is to fix it while the engine is still good (in general: NOW).

If you are not familiar with the bikes issues, pls. join the Zane list on yahoo. loads of info there available to make these little bikes relatively reliable.

It is a great handling bike, you need to hold yourself though upright without leaning on your wrists. Try to ride it as if you wanted to take off your hands at any time (maybe not under breaking, but you get what I mean, do you?). Then it is REALY fun to ride with a bit of movement of your body. Great bike, congratulations for buying it. Obviously there were others also looking into it and wanting it, hence the price.

I have one for sale, too, one of the last maybe 50 delivered with the 5 spoke wheels, upgraded engine etc. and with all major issues fixed. If you know of someone wanting one in Orange/blue, very rare year 2000 model with history as a test bike in a magazine, you know whom to contact. I am not shy of selling to US ;)
 
Laverdalothar said:
it will sooner than you think of. The engine was built with to big tollerances on the rod bearings and that will - no matter how gently you ride it - kill the engine at one point in time. the only way to avoid this is to fix it while the engine is still good (in general: NOW).

If you are not familiar with the bikes issues, pls. join the Zane list on yahoo. loads of info there available to make these little bikes relatively reliable.

It is a great handling bike, you need to hold yourself though upright without leaning on your wrists. Try to ride it as if you wanted to take off your hands at any time (maybe not under breaking, but you get what I mean, do you?). Then it is REALY fun to ride with a bit of movement of your body. Great bike, congratulations for buying it. Obviously there were others also looking into it and wanting it, hence the price.

I have one for sale, too, one of the last maybe 50 delivered with the 5 spoke wheels, upgraded engine etc. and with all major issues fixed. If you know of someone wanting one in Orange/blue, very rare year 2000 model with history as a test bike in a magazine, you know whom to contact. I am not shy of selling to US ;)
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Way too much hassle importing it here, and yes, I know all of that. I disagree that everything was resolved in the last 50. I know of two owners who had just as much trouble with those last ones as any other version
 
I did not say it was solved on the last 50, mine is just one of the last 50 and I got it solved before I bought it with 7.000km on from the local Laverda Dealer that actually found the issue and got oversize rollers made to fix it. Those fixed engines last seriously longer. Mine got also other upgrades, like removal of the regulator plug, which tend to overheat and burn the bike ( on mine, all cables to the regulator were soldered), much thicker cables for the starter, the 4 bush starter motor plate, different starter gearing for better/easier starting etc. etc. etc.) and some other necessary upgrades.

But - enjoy yours, it is really a lovely bike! My first experience with a Zane was with a 750 S (not the Formula, the half fairing bike) in black, uphill of Monte Grappa in Italy. I droped my bike in heavy rain the day before and was quite frustrated. The guy that borrowed me his 750 S was a dealer and the bike had full insurance, so noting to worry about if I should drop it. I was followed by two enduros, I think it was a BMW and Honda Trans Alp? After the first meters, the bike just felt like I had never ridden anything else and so I pushed it quite hard uphill, shifting, accelerating and braking hard. After 5 or 6 serpentines, the two enduros were not behind me anymore... Man - that bike was handy... Or maybe the two others were just shit on hairpin bends - not sure. Maybe they just wanted to give me a good feeling or enjoyed the nice views. But I was really far ahead of them when I came to the hang glider ramp, half way up the hill... I am not the most talented rider and I am heavy, but the bike was just impressing me... compared to the old aircraft-carrier-alike, heavy Triples, it felt really like dancing up the hill...
 
Laverdalothar said:
I did not say it was solved on the last 50, mine is just one of the last 50 and I got it solved before I bought it with 7.000km on from the local Laverda Dealer that actually found the issue and got oversize rollers made to fix it. Those fixed engines last seriously longer. Mine got also other upgrades, like removal of the regulator plug, which tend to overheat and burn the bike ( on mine, all cables to the regulator were soldered), much thicker cables for the starter, the 4 bush starter motor plate, different starter gearing for better/easier starting etc. etc. etc.) and some other necessary upgrades.

But - enjoy yours, it is really a lovely bike! My first experience with a Zane was with a 750 S (not the Formula, the half fairing bike) in black, uphill of Monte Grappa in Italy. I droped my bike in heavy rain the day before and was quite frustrated. The guy that borrowed me his 750 S was a dealer and the bike had full insurance, so noting to worry about if I should drop it. I was followed by two enduros, I think it was a BMW and Honda Trans Alp? After the first meters, the bike just felt like I had never ridden anything else and so I pushed it quite hard uphill, shifting, accelerating and braking hard. After 5 or 6 serpentines, the two enduros were not behind me anymore... Man - that bike was handy... Or maybe the two others were just shit on hairpin bends - not sure. Maybe they just wanted to give me a good feeling or enjoyed the nice views. But I was really far ahead of them when I came to the hang glider ramp, half way up the hill... I am not the most talented rider and I am heavy, but the bike was just impressing me... compared to the old aircraft-carrier-alike, heavy Triples, it felt really like dancing up the hill...
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What serial numbers would be within the last 50?
 
You weren't imagining things, Lothar. Everything I've experienced or heard or seen of a Zane is that they are incredibly secure on the road and dead easy to ride fast. The 668 I rode however briefly was the best handling bike I've ever ridden. I'm gladdened to read that JPQ has bought the bike and fully intends to enjoy it on the road.
 
piranha-bro2 said:
You weren't imagining things, Lothar. Everything I've experienced or heard or seen of a Zane is that they are incredibly secure on the road and dead easy to ride fast. The 668 I rode however briefly was the best handling bike I've ever ridden. I'm gladdened to read that JPQ has bought the bike and fully intends to enjoy it on the road.
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Thanks, I will never understand people who allow special machines like this to sit in their homes like immobile sculptures. I put 20k miles on my 1984 Lamborghini Countach in one year. I put 14k miles in one year on my 1999 Diablo Roadster. That is unheard of. I will do the same with my Bimota, Laverda and Cagiva
 
good on you, jpq! There are investors/collectors and there are enthusiasts that simply enjoy them. I am not a collector at all, I ride all my bikes once in a while, just not as much as you. Might change again when I am retired (should I be fit enough by then).
 
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Laverdalothar said:
Well - the italian market was different as they faced immense import taxes for foreign bikes with larger than - I think - 350ccm, still keeping that after joining the EU in 1959 I think.

Therefore, riding a bigger capacity Guzzi or a Ducati (or even a Laverda) was much cheaper for them until somewhere end of the 80's I think. When these tarrifs were phased out in the 80's slowly, jap bikes became much cheaper, they were more powerfull and had even better suspension and brakes than the italian bikes, who were missing inovation for a long time. The result was, that Guzzis, Ducatis, Laverdas etc. were "just used/old bikes" in the 90's that were sold cheaply.

With the loss of the home market, many of the brands struggled. Used italien bikes were of almost no value (there were to many of them available while demand shrank). Used Jap bikes though were still selling in high numbers, as the italian customer wanted them for very long and now finally could afford them, while the Dealer-Network wasn't established yet which still made them a bit "exotic" and with that, rare. The loss of money between a new bike and a used one wasn'd as high as today, which overall made them the better deal and many italiens sold their "outdated" used local bikes to other countries, who had a "classic" scene already and even were looking for "Retro" bikes, like Honda Clubman, a new edition of the Yamaha SR500 or similar.
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Fascinating...
 
I have always wanted one, but here in the US, all I have ever seen for sale had a bad crank. Back about 10 years ago there was a formula for sale near me for $1500 that was a basket case due to the crank. Bike had I think 2200 miles before it died and still looked new.

As for Laverda pricing in the US, yes they are usually more expensive here as there are so few for sale.

A very nice bike but without it having the problems fixed, I feel you over paid as it will soon become a $25,000 purchase when you have to fix the motor.

And your comment about garage queens. Yes I have a few but as I have over 30 bikes, I can't keep them all running but wish I could.
 
jpq said:
I spent $75k all-in on my Bimota Tesi H2, not worried about the cost of the crank, but yes I'm sure that repair will become necessary at some point. You don't own Italian machines... you're married to them. I've been living that truth for 40 years
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OK then, you appear to have your eyes open and know what you are getting in to. And the fact you are willing to throw money at it when it goes bang is a very good thing. There are too many dead Zane bikes because no one wants to spend the money to fix them.

But, I would fix the problems now rather than later. I don't think I could have fun thrashing the bike while wondering how long before it goes bang!

Anyway, you got a nice bike, have fun and good luck!
 
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