I can't really see the point unless you're a professional engine builder wanting to advertise your work. I guess it's possible that the guy is a well-known Laverda engine builder in France, and people look for engines with his name on them. But it seems unlikely otherwise his name would be familiar to readers of this forum. Am I the only person who's never heard of D DEBLAERE?
I have no problem with custom builders putting their name on parts they produce. That's perfectly normal product identification and marketing. But putting your name on a factory-built crankcase is akin to taking credit for someone else's work, and disrespectful to the manufacturer in my opinion. If it's really been so altered that it needs to be differentiated from other engines, surely a couple of letters as an addendum to the engine number would suffice, rather than a full name. But even that is unnecessary if it's well documented. The engine number itself is a unique identifier.
If he's a talentless nobody like 99% of us, then putting your name on it for no other reason that you owned it seems pretty stupid to me, and nothing more than self-aggrandisement. If that's the case, then can't help making the inference that the bloke is a wanker. By all means paint your name on the tank or side panels if that sort of thing appeals to you. It can be re-painted by the next owner. But a stamped crankcase is difficult to put right.
I'd never dream of defacing a crankcase by stamping my name on it, no matter what kind of custom alterations I'd made to it. With originality being worth something in the classic bike world, rightly or wrongly, any departure from original appearance is going to devalue a bike.
Anyway, it's just my opinion, but I can see that I'm fighting a losing battle here, so I'll make no further comment on the subject. Maybe pointless self-promotion is more acceptable than I thought.
