Moto Laverda book - Alan Cathcart

Rob

Rob

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Midlands, UK
I've always enjoyed Alan Cathcart's writing, particularly when it is Laverda flavoured. Made me a sucker for his book on the marque.
It's a lavishly illustrated A4 sized tome of some 175 pages and includes his test reports on several standout race machines -
750 SFC, spaceframe, V6, Ogier 600, Cutler 915 SFC and the RGS TT1 in addition to pieces on Laverda's history and the museum.

If you're interested in acquiring a copy they're available here. Extraordinarily well packed and a week for delivery to UK.
And no, I'm not on commission!


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Cathcart had been chasing a test ride of Chris Cutler / Steve B's superfast race-winning twin for years; he was very excited to hear the bike was at Easter Creek in Sydney for The Barry, the year the V6 came to Oz. He was chatting with a bunch of us from the NSW Laverda Club, both Chris and Steve are members, sadly, Chris is not about anymore and was so excited to finally get a leg over that bike. It had a spine-chilling exhaust note. Such a one-off exhaust design. I also remember reading his test on the Ogier 600. I think it was when he was racing it at Daytona. I think the RGS TT1 test might be on one of Scott's bikes, another NSW Laverda Club member. Usually, I pass on books these days, but this one will be an exception.
 
Vince said:
the year the V6 came to Oz
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You sure Vince? I was in Sydney for the V6 but pretty sure Batto's bike was in bits back in his workshop back then. I would have remembered it being in Sydney (and I've visited Steve at home but never saw the bike complete or heard it run - as much as I really want to!). V6 Barry, Piet had his factory works racer and House was riding an SFC replica.
 
My first experience with the Cutler Batto bike was at the return to Mount Pannarama Bathurst meet in 2000, I had been to every meet since 1978, and its sudden end. It was brought back for one year in 2000, and while spectating at Macphilmy we noticed 2 Laverda twins curclating in one of the races. Both sounded brilliant. Cathcart did ask where Steve was while approximately 10 of us were milling about the club merch tent in the pits. We were discussing who had ridden the V6 over the years other than Alan himself, and it was disclosed that a local had ridden it from the cargo container to its display spot in the big tent. That was a huge surprise. I was looking to read the test of Battos' bike for ages, and it was hard to find the article. I guess I was wrong about it being there that weekend. It's been 9 years.
 
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I met Alan on several occasions when he campaigned Paul Taylors' Saxon MkV Laverda. I remember epic battles at Zeltweg, now Red Bull Ring, with an extremely rapid Guzzi during the Ducati Speed Week. Must have been around 1994-5. That bike eventually found its' way on the Moto Witt dyno, together with the Haider-framed Laverda of Walter Prünner.

Uwe Witt invited Alan to ride a Moto Witt HD Sportster at Hockenheim where he came in 3rd., while forum member Stöggi won it for us with a failing chain on his final lap! Alan had qualified in 4th or 5th spot but had to start from the rear of the grid as a guest starter. He literally plowed his way through the field, despite only ever sitting on the bike before practice. Stöggi had qualified pole, led from the start and claimed fastest lap, while he was at it.

I approached Alan at The Barry 2017 and showed him my dossier on the Bimota-framed (now confirmed) 750 with the rare '73 works engine, he showed absolutely no interest, simply shrugged it off. I was pretty pissed...

piet
 
Whilst I tend to agree with Paul the book essentially repeats information already published elsewhere, it’s still quite nice to have it all pulled together in one place, and it will look good on the ‘coffee table’, along with a few other similar publications.
 
lavgert said:
… this book is sold out now. A reprint is already organized and will be ready mid of July! Ciao, Gert
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I received the same message, which begs the question if it was supposedly a limited run of a 1000 numbered copies, did they only print a few to start with or is it a case of it's not exactly a limited edition? :unsure:
 
Andy J said:
I received the same message, which begs the question if it was supposedly a limited run of a 1000 numbered copies, did they only print a few to start with or is it a case of it's not exactly a limited edition? :unsure:
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Just like the Borghesi SFC book.
Paul
 
Rob said:
I've always enjoyed Alan Cathcart's writing, particularly when it is Laverda flavoured. Made me a sucker for his book on the marque.
It's a lavishly illustrated A4 sized tome of some 175 pages and includes his test reports on several standout race machines -
750 SFC, spaceframe, V6, Ogier 600, Cutler 915 SFC and the RGS TT1 in addition to pieces on Laverda's history and the museum.

If you're interested in acquiring a copy they're available here. Extraordinarily well packed and a week for delivery to UK.
And no, I'm not on commission!


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For now, don't rush.
 

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Thanks for the heads up on this, just ordered and got the cagiva 500 gp bike book while I was at it. Figure I really should have a copy of this, even if they are 'just' recycled AC articles (mostly) from way back.

I found AC to be a terribly nice fellow and super enthusiastic and supportive of oddities like laverdas and (how I got in touch with him back then) Ian Drysdale's creations. Odd he wasn't interested in Piets very special 750, must have caught him at a bad moment.

Re earlier conversation, I did have the 917 at eastern creek 2017 but it was a static display only as the crank was (and is) kaput. One day...

Presently on tour in Austria, did the Brno gp the other weekend (awesome!) and soon head to Berlin, then down through the old east, maybe do Sachsenring if I can get a ticket, then make our way to Frankfurt and home.
 
Just read ACs article on the (then) 915 racer, Steve. Ian lent me the July 24 Classic Bike Guide. Had never seen the article - plenty of info on the original Vasella SFC and the journey through Ken Watson, Chris Cutler, Pete Campbell and finally, you and Drmsby.

In the article, it seems the 915 was a modified SF frame? I reckon it already had the custom frame in it by the time AC rode it.
 
I was searching online for that test for ages, never saw it published in any oz mags back in the day. Australian Motorcycle News used a lot of Alan's stuff, including his annual test rides of 500cc GP bikes.
 
No, the '915' orange bike always used the sf based frame, as tested by AC a long time ago, perhaps 2006. It got some more development once it was properly raced again by drmsby 2011-12, so had quite a few differences to the bike AC rode, but generally the same.

The '917' black bike used the same engine but aimed mainly at weight savings, with the custom frame and lots more (less). It lost another 16kg to be 152kg ready to race (no fuel). I felt another few kg were possible even without the crazy ideas.

I had it at Broadford in 2013 and AC was there and we talked about taking it for a run but it went off song after just a few laps with me on board which turned out to be bits of the crank centre pin cracking off and running through the camchain, breaking half of it and jumping a couple of teeth! Lucky escape.
 
Vince said:
I was searching online for that test for ages, never saw it published in any oz mags back in the day. Australian Motorcycle News used a lot of Alan's stuff, including his annual test rides of 500cc GP bikes.
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It got printed a few times (and again now). Was in both AMCN and MC trader back in the day, then occasional reprints in other mags over the years.
 
Ian Drysdale has been trying to line up AC to ride one of my race bikes to see what he thinks of the Slipper clutches
May or may not happen, I don't have an issue, just depends on if timing lines up
 
Pretty sure Alan's son works at V2 in West Oz with Brook Henry, or at least he did. I guess with an Oz connection, he is about in the country, on occasion.
 
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