Do UK Laverdas Get Ridden?

M

Matt H

Junior member
Location
Salisbury
We spent the day at the VMCC / Taverners Founders Day at Stanford Hall, England, today. An outdoors event which had many different club and marque stands with many interesting motorcycles most of which seemed to have been ridden there. Perfect weather. Loads of Guzzis, Morinis, Ducatis etc. from the same era. But I didn't see a single Laverda and certainly no club presence.

None of my business of course (I was on a modern BMW!)...just wondering. Is there a spares issue or something?
 
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Cat amongst the pigeons!......I would say due to relatively low/exclusive production , Laverdas have historically been a rare sight out and about anyway,compared to volume manufacturers such as BMW,Guzzis/Ducatis etc.
Attending the old BMF rallies in the `seventies and `eighties which attracted 80,000 or so visitors ,probably half of those on bikes,I can`t recall spotting more than about a dozen or so Laverdas,at the most,in the parking area.
 
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Don't think it's a spares issue just simply that there are not that many about. You can see one morning and evening on the A29 every day at the moment and that's me commuting to a painting job in Petworth.
Other than at local meets the last Laverda I saw on the road was a green Mirage about ten years ago. I think in a way we get a slightly distorted view of just how many are out there because we are constantly reading about them on this and other forums. They are a very rare beast but I rather like that.
 
Mine does!
6,000 miles since Jan '20, during which travel has suffered some restrictions.
We've seen six, and more, at our local South London/Kent/ Surrey/Sussex weekly meet up.
We've even had one win a prize at the Annual Bike show, there.
In fact since the re-opening of the pub recently Laverdas have accounted for half the bikes there.
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The Sock said:
Mine does!
6,000 miles since Jan '20, during which travel has suffered some restrictions.
We've seen six, and more, at our local South London/Kent/ Surrey/Sussex weekly meet up.
We've even had one win a prize at the Annual Bike show, there.
In fact since the re-opening of the pub recently Laverdas have accounted for half the bikes there.
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View attachment 57971

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Just to clarify the prize winner was the unfaired Jota in the first photo . Sorry to open up an old wound Steve. 😂
 
I recently looked on the DVLA database for the number of registered Laverdas. Fewer than 700 in Q4 2020.

Chances of seeing one randomly on the road are pretty low. I think the the last time I noticed one other than at an event attended by ILOC or owners known to me was about 6 years ago at the Meldreth Manor show. At big events which one would anticipate Laverdaisti to attend, aside from possibly being on another bike, spotting a lone bike of a specific rare marque in the parking area it can be easy to miss.

I ride about 3000 miles/year on my SF, mainly around mid and South Wales where there are such brilliant roads to ride. Other than vintage events, don’t see many non contemporary bikes at all.
 
I think it is as RobinSF1 said its down to the rarity and numbers registered. Statistically depending which data base you use you are twenty times more likely to pass a Ferrari on the road and surprisingly twice as likely to be passed by a Maclaren.
 
Total production of 750 twins was about 17,000, triples maybe 12,000, a few thousand 500's. To put it in perspective, Ducati makes 50% more than that in a single year. The law of averages says you'll not see many about.

Mind you, whenever I go to a bike event it's often 75+% Laverdas, the things are bloody everywhere. Same when I visit a mate's place, usually chockers with them. Odd.... :D
 
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breganzane said:
Total production of 750 twins was about 17,000, triples maybe 12,000, a few thousand 500's. To put it in perspective, Ducati makes 50% more than that in a single year. The law of averages says you'll not see many about.

Mind you, whenever I go to a bike event it's often 75+% Laverdas, the things are bloody everywhere. Same when I visit a mate's place, usually chockers with them. Odd.... :D
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Yep, when someone comments, " you dont see those around very often..."
I always reply with a smile, "Thats cause your hanging around with the wrong people"
There bloody everywhere.....
:)
 
I like to turn up to club rides early, hate riding in traffic. So usually I am sitting at Petrol Stations waiting and inevitably someone comes up and says, you don't see many of them around anymore. My reply is wait 30 minutes and there will be maybe 10 more turn up.
 
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