New Laverda owner

F

Franco58

Junior member
Location
New Brunswick, Canada
Hi folks,

I'm new to the forum, but I've been riding for over 42 years now. I've had several bikes over the years ranging from dirt bikes, a 72 H2 750 (my first street bike!), a few Hondas, a Triumph Silver Jubilee, a Ducati ST4, and currently riding a 2008 Ducati S4Rs Tricolore, but knew very little about Laverdas.

I haven't picked it up yet, but I just bought a project bike. The bike is a 1974 750 SFC and I've known about it for over 40 years.

It was bought in 1977 and has been stored, under less than ideal conditions, since 1981. The owner passed away 4 years ago and I recently bought the bike from his wife. Seized brakes, surface corrosion and a ton of dirt, but everything is there, including both exhaust systems. An internal camera inspection shows a very clean engine with the usual carbon build up.

The bike odometer is showing just over 4000 miles!

A friend I met through our Ducati club several years ago actually sold the bike when new and still has the papers documenting the sale in his files. 

So...I'm pretty excited about getting it, and I'm looking forward to getting started. I have a feeling that it will be fun project. I'll  be taking lots of pictures and documenting the restoration as it progresses.

Does anyone know where I could locate a parts and service manual for it? 

Cheers,
Franco58
 
Welcome fellow Canadian. 750 SFC is great bike if you have not figured that out yet.  Wolfgang Haerter in Nakusp BC for parts and advice is your man to help get it back on the road. As well as the folks on this forum of course for how to advice. A few us Canadians have or have had 750 SFCs as well. 
 
Lucky you! There've been a few on this forum who've scored SFCs that haven't gone through the usual 'museum piece' seriously expensive route.

Sounds like minor stuff required - I'd go rubber (brakes, engine seals, carbs, tyres etc) and not worry too much about natural patina (discussed at large recently re another 74 SFC). It's going to feel as raw as hell to ride after the other bikes you've owned (except the H2 Kwaka maybe  :D . ), believe me!
 
Thanks folks!

@HenryWillms; I've been chatting with Wolfgang, looking for parts availability, but not since I bought the bike. I think we will be talking more often now! It's great to see fellow Canadians in here!  8)

@Piranha Brother 2; thanks, I cant wait to start cleaning it up (DEFINITELY needed!) to see just what needs to be looked at first. Thanks for the great advice too! I think I'll be giving it a thorough check over to identify the work needed and will definitely be including all rubber components!

@lavgert; thanks, it's definitely a stroke of luck that everything came together for it. Well, it's rough, but I'll see if I can post up a photo or two after I resize them!
 
Piranha Brother 2 said:
Rough is cosmetic, Franco. SFCs were never made to look pretty  :D

Have a look at some of the pics of them in 24hr races - function personified!
Click to expand...

Haha, good point! I do want it to be clean and functional. I likr patina, but most on this bike will likely disappear with a cleaning!

@helicopterjim; thanks very much! I'm in NB, roughly 4000kms away! ☺

Any suggestions from the board for freeing up stuck brake pads? Rotors will need a proper clean up, but it would be great to be able to roll the bike to my trailer instead of having to get help to carry it there! Padd seem firmly welded to the rotors at the moment and freeing them for movement is step one when I go to pick up the bike.

As mentioned, I'll post a few pictures when I can get to my pc to resize them.

Cheers,
Franco58
 
Not too much heat. You don't wanna set fire to the bike!

I'd just give them a clout (without heat) to jar them loose. Take the plastic covers off the tops of the calipers and use a hammer and drift to knock each pad away from the disk. Presumably they haven't been super-glued to the disk so they should break free pretty easily.
 
Wouldn't use WD40 or any other lubricant - the cast iron will absorb it. I'd remove the caliper bolts and give the pads a gentle whack with a brass drift - they should come away without too much drama.
 
well I would'nt do any of that!

I have been here before with stuck calipers, first "crack" the bolts which fasten the two halves of the calipers together, go maybe a turn and a half, (this is normal for the start of a calliper rebuilding process) then "crack" the hydraulic hoses, next unbolt them from the legs./swing arm, they will then come off the discs, maybe with a wallop from a mallet, remove the hose connections and you can put them straight in a box, any fluid that drains should be washed immediately with plenty of plain old water, which kills it dead as a light bulb on a lightening conductor.

If the chain looks to be any kind of grief, just cut the thing in two places, with an angle grinder (4" cordless would be usefull) and free the wheel.

You lucky bastard, I was once told about a 5,000 series SFC (the most desirable IMHO) in a garage in Germany, but I poo poo'd it because the engine and chassis number were a bike I already new of in Holland!, it transpired that the bike in Holland did not have matching engine and chassis numbers which was common after about three months of race use, in those days, and the bike in Germany had had the engine number changed to match the chassis, or was it around the other way, I cant remember exactly, but for sure both bikes are genuine SFC's, bloody hell, should have driven over night from UK and bought it, I wonder where it is now?

You know what I am talking about Marnix, did that bike ever show up?

CLEM
 
Thanks CLEM, much appreciated!
One way or another, or another after that, I'll get the pads to let go of the rotors. My friends suggested that we could carry it from the storage shed to my trailer using a couple of 2x4s, but if I can get it rolling, then I think it would be much safer for everyone. 

Sorry to hear that you missed out on the bike! I know how much missed opportunities can haunt you.

I hesitated at a chance to buy a 1973 Ducati 450 "Silver Shotgun" from a guy who was the second owner. He had all the original parts stored overhead in his garage, right down to the original tires, and the bike hadn't been ridden in almost 20 years.

BUT, while I was thinking about it, the bike sold.

Lost.loves...

Thanks again to all for the advice!

 
CLEMTOG said:
You know what I am talking about Marnix, did that bike ever show up?

CLEM
Click to expand...
With so few 5000 batch SFCs around there are not many possibilities Clem, so yes I'm pretty sure I know the bike. It's frame number was the same of my 5000 SFC, so I was very interested to learn more about it. The frame stamping was done in a clumsy way, so clearly was not original and stamped over another number, genuine 5000 batch too, revealed by X-ray.
Never knew why 'my' number was stamped in that frame..
The engine was unnumbered and many details screamed 'works engine!'.

Bike is Switzerland now.

Hope this doesn't make you even more frustrated, Clem..

Marnix
 
Tippie said:
Have you lifted the calipers off and left the pads stuck on the discs?
Click to expand...

I haven't been over to pick the bike up yet (tomorrow PM), but that thought crossed my mind as well, Tippie! My first goal will be to get it rolling so I can trailer it home. Then, the fun begins!

Photo attached of the original owner on the bike circa 1978.
 

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Calipers are off now, without a lot of thrashing.

I removed the top plastic covers and put a short blast of WD-40 on the pins, etc. I loosened the bolts holding the calipers to the fork and swingarm and gave each a couple of raps with a dead blow hammer. I then tapped on the bottom edge of the calipers and they lifted off without a lot of problems! I know some of you may not agree with the WD-40 approach, but the rotors will need a thorough cleaning to return them to operational condition, which will include a derusting bath.

The bike is now sitting on a trailer in my yard while I make space in my shop for it.

Oh, to have a garage right now...
 
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