Out and About on your Laverda.No bull,Just photos

[Ian Short]

Yeah, geez! Oil thread!!!
Yeah it’s a great oil, but a couple bikes I have run very hot, and in the Honda XR650L’s case, very hot and very small oil capacity. Full synthetic ester based 20w-50 is the only way for this machine. The RC30 engine is magnificent, but horrifically expensive should something go wrong, so it gets ester full synthetic 15w-40. Norton needs thick oil, non synthetic 20w-50, as does the Laverda.

 

[Jo]

Friend unearthed some old pictures from the past - my SF1 in spring 1981:

 

[piranha-bro2]

Absolutely in our element. 600km on the SFQ over the weekend, most of it on stuff like this. What an incredible bike to ride!

 

[hooksey]

Absolutely in our element. 600km on the SFQ over the weekend, most of it on stuff like this. What an incredible bike to ride!

View attachment 100762

Great photo Q man prowling the rds for an easy kill carving up the punters no doubt!

 

[Jo]

Sounds like a spot-landing to me Q, if you can summarize it that way based on the kilometers you've done so far!

 

[chrisk]

The lift is now occupied with the Norton, checking head torque and valve clearances.

Ideal for British bikes ….. way less surface area to catch oil drops.

 

[Steve G.]

Ideal for British bikes ….. way less surface area to catch oil drops.

No, it does a poor job of British bike oil drips!

 

[Adam K]

Up at Mount Glorious on Sunday - Must of been 300 Bikes on the Mountain - What an Engine Red Built - This thing Goes

 

[motoddrob]

Probably goes better than it stops!!!

 

[Adam K]

Probably goes better than it stops!!!

Your not wrong there - Thinking of putting a Don Pender TZ Replica on the Front

 

[motoddrob]

mate sent a photo of your bike up there. definitely stands out. Same as my lavs in the pits with all that modern rocketships

 

[piranha-bro2]

Your not wrong there - Thinking of putting a Don Pender TZ Replica on the Front

I went through two genuine TZ 4LS brakes on the front of my SF1. The first was pre-owned and quickly showed its age with hot spots where the alloy had started coming away from the cast-in drums. So I scored a brand new old stock one and laced that in - it actually went stright into the Boranni rim with (from memory) a bit cut from the spokes. It was a fantastic brake, good feel and power when it was running newish shoes, but eventually the same thing happened and it also became very grabby when cold if the shoes had a little wear.

I gave up and went to double Brembos. Maybe the Don Pender repros are less fragile - I be they're not cheap!! I always lusted after a big Fontana (or Grimeca?) as seen on the early 70s SFC factory bikes.

 

[Paul Marx]

I went through two genuine TZ 4LS brakes on the front of my SF1. The first was pre-owned and quickly showed its age with hot spots where the alloy had started coming away from the cast-in drums. So I scored a brand new old stock one and laced that in - it actually went stright into the Boranni rim with (from memory) a bit cut from the spokes. It was a fantastic brake, good feel and power when it was running newish shoes, but eventually the same thing happened and it also became very grabby when cold if the shoes had a little wear.

I gave up and went to double Brembos. Maybe the Don Pender repros are less fragile - I be they're not cheap!! I always lusted after a big Fontana (or Grimeca?) as seen on the early 70s SFC factory bikes.

Fontana or Ceriani. 230mm.
Paul

 

[Adam K]

I went through two genuine TZ 4LS brakes on the front of my SF1. The first was pre-owned and quickly showed its age with hot spots where the alloy had started coming away from the cast-in drums. So I scored a brand new old stock one and laced that in - it actually went stright into the Boranni rim with (from memory) a bit cut from the spokes. It was a fantastic brake, good feel and power when it was running newish shoes, but eventually the same thing happened and it also became very grabby when cold if the shoes had a little wear.

I gave up and went to double Brembos. Maybe the Don Pender repros are less fragile - I be they're not cheap!! I always lusted after a big Fontana (or Grimeca?) as seen on the early 70s SFC factory bikes.

Thanks for that info - Hub in the QLD Laverda Club Grew up with Don Pender and is still good friends with him.
I will ask Hub to speak to Don and see if he has got these problems sorted.
Don Pender is the Guru of Nortons - If you get a chance, check out his website
From Memory I think Hub said that they cost about $2,500. for a complete wheel + cables +Lever and Axle
Cheers Adam

 

[piranha-bro2]

Sounds good! I'd love to see one. If i'd been able to make mine reliable and long wearing I would definitely have been happy to keep it. Very light wheel, so big benefits in unsprung weight. Hub? What a great nickname for someone with break connections!

 

[piranha-bro2]

600k done and dusted.

 

[Otto]

Winter in Europe, time to tinker with the bikes

 

[Adam K]

There not Laverda's but a few years ago I picked up a Parilla for a Mate and this is what was in his mates Shed.

 

[Vince]

87 is a famous number in Oz for Vincents, that was Eric Debenham's number. Saw his Norvin demolish the Inup at Amaroo Park back in the day. It was Superfast

 

[Corn]

Just found this picture from 2004 ore something like that, with a very rare gathering in my former garage ...