Palmelli SFC

rocketonarail said:
View attachment 101413

A Pamelli 878 as seen ( just ) through Slaters shop window ... ( now a private residence ) .... around 25 years ago ...........

A think there may be a difference to be drawn between the 750 featured at the top of this post which you would describe as a replica ....... and the 878 with 270 degree crank as seen in the pic above , which Palmelli would have regarded as a modern take on a " classic " styled Laverda , rather than a replica as such .

Note the upswept exhaust , and twin headlight fairing ... ( not so clear here ) ... which would distinguish it from the 750`s that Palmelli built as replicas .

Palmelli also turned out " refreshed " triples , to virtually as new condition .... and with ignition upgrades as well I think ..........

Richard had a Palmelli Jota sitting in his showroom , which MotorCycle Sport magazine borrowed for a road test .

The feature " beautifully showcased the bike " , as Richard put it ....... but unfortunately the article failed to generate any interest in the bike from the buying public ...........



BTW ....... I remember Steve Elliot , in an article in LVV , defending the 270 degree bikes from criticism by SFC purists who thought it devalued the idea of a " proper " SFC........

Elliot raced a " proper " SFC in Battle Of The Twins type races during the late `seventies / early ` eighties ........ and he reckoned the 270 degree represented a better option for riders who actually wanted to use the bike on the road .

I remember Phil Todd writing in to defend Elliot from the criticism he was receiving ...... saying " Don`t worry Steve , they just don`t get it ... " ...... :) .........
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My old girl is a Palmelli Jota. From the old paperwork and what I can see they fitted lower compression pistons ( 9.5:1 Akrolite ) but retained the 4C cams. Braced the headstock and fitted an extended clutch arm . They also fitted an extended a rear master cylinder mounting bracket and some odds and sods like rubber inlets and braided hoses along with Koni shocks. They also retained the BTZ ignition ( now gone ).
I think they were very expensive at the time and this section of a road test I have won't have helped sales.

" Finish let the bike down in several places. The paint on the tank and side panels lacked any luster and the badges were retouched poorly. A fork seal blew and a mystery electrical fault sent the bike home on a trailer. Most worryingly of all, when the Jota arrived the swing arm spindle was loose "

I believe this particular bike had to be rushed out to meet the deadline for the road test but very unfortunate all the same.
 
Is there any time that a just-finished full rebuild doesn't require some fettling? There are always teething issues. I learned very early on not to attempt running in new builds on long trips unless you really love fucking about and seeing. Another phurfy is bikes going together like clockwork. Subbing out bits arriving on time is another.
 
Perry said:
My old girl is a Palmelli Jota. From the old paperwork and what I can see they fitted lower compression pistons ( 9.5:1 Akrolite ) but retained the 4C cams. Braced the headstock and fitted an extended clutch arm . They also fitted an extended a rear master cylinder mounting bracket and some odds and sods like rubber inlets and braided hoses along with Koni shocks. They also retained the BTZ ignition ( now gone ).
I think they were very expensive at the time and this section of a road test I have won't have helped sales.

" Finish let the bike down in several places. The paint on the tank and side panels lacked any luster and the badges were retouched poorly. A fork seal blew and a mystery electrical fault sent the bike home on a trailer. Most worryingly of all, when the Jota arrived the swing arm spindle was loose "

I believe this particular bike had to be rushed out to meet the deadline for the road test but very unfortunate all the same.
Click to expand...

I don`t have the MCS test ( or more accurately road impression ) article anymore , but it was very complementary , and the bike looked very nice in the pics ......... Interesting to hear about the slight mods from original ..... I know some were mentioned , but couldn`t remember exactly what they were ..........


If I remember , the road impression was written by a Geoff Allen , who also wrote a series of " survival " articles for the magazine ...... written with some input / contribution from a serving West Mercia Police patrolman ......... It was basically a How To Stay Alive series , with some additional comparison reflections on the varying merits regarding BMW v Laverda v MZ .........

GA`s articles in MCS also featured a red SF twin he had obtained from Richard Slater ...... he had owned one before , as mentioned in his survival skills series ...... and wanted to repeat the experience .

Sadly his contributions to MCS came to an end rather abruptly ......... due to a set of personal circumstances which Richard related to me ..... ( and which I won`t go into here ) ........ which was a shame , as I always enjoyed his contributions to the magazine .
 
Great work Red. Now can some SF riders enjoy the experience of the motor done this way. Great rideable bikes, instead of these ergonomically challenged SFC bodywork "replicas" with standard motors.
 
rocketonarail said:
View attachment 101413

A Pamelli 878 as seen ( just ) through Slaters shop window ... ( now a private residence ) .... around 25 years ago ...........

A think there may be a difference to be drawn between the 750 featured at the top of this post which you would describe as a replica ....... and the 878 with 270 degree crank as seen in the pic above , which Palmelli would have regarded as a modern take on a " classic " styled Laverda , rather than a replica as such .

Note the upswept exhaust , and twin headlight fairing ... ( not so clear here ) ... which would distinguish it from the 750`s that Palmelli built as replicas .

Palmelli also turned out " refreshed " triples , to virtually as new condition .... and with ignition upgrades as well I think ..........

Richard had a Palmelli Jota sitting in his showroom , which MotorCycle Sport magazine borrowed for a road test .

The feature " beautifully showcased the bike " , as Richard put it ....... but unfortunately the article failed to generate any interest in the bike from the buying public ...........



BTW ....... I remember Steve Elliot , in an article in LVV , defending the 270 degree bikes from criticism by SFC purists who thought it devalued the idea of a " proper " SFC........

Elliot raced a " proper " SFC in Battle Of The Twins type races during the late `seventies / early ` eighties ........ and he reckoned the 270 degree represented a better option for riders who actually wanted to use the bike on the road .

I remember Phil Todd writing in to defend Elliot from the criticism he was receiving ...... saying " Don`t worry Steve , they just don`t get it ... " ...... :) .........
Click to expand...
There was also that after a get off, Steve Elliots SFC burnt and that was when it was rebored to 880 if I remember rightly, and rephased to 180°. And raced.
It's a story by instalments.
Paul
Paul
 
Paul Marx said:
There was also that after a get off, Steve Elliots SFC burnt and that was when it was rebored to 880 if I remember rightly, and rephased to 180°. And raced.
It's a story by instalments.
Paul
Paul
Click to expand...

Yes Paul ....... Now that you mention it I do recall something about the SFC being burnt and rebuilt ......... All going by memory now .........

.......... but there was a feature in Bike magazine back in the `eighties with Steve Elliot and ( I think ) the bike in question ........ There was a large colour photo showing it as being rebuilt minus the headlight fairing ...... the tank and bodywork had been finished in a sort of deeper red / orange , instead of the normal SFC orange ..... and the entire motor finished in a gloss looking black finish , presumably to cover up the fire damaged casings ............

There was also a black and white pic of a long haired Deep Purple Ian Gillan lookalike Elliot apparently attacking the SFC in a fit of rage , with a hammer in hand ........ All in good fun ... ( I think ) ...........

The work had been carried out in a normal lock up garage if I recall correctly ........ and presumably sowed the seed for the subsequent Palmelli resto / rebuilds .

Unfortunately I no longer have the magazine in question .


I have a vague memory of meeting a slightly older , shorter - haired version of Steve at Slaters Collington premises ...........

Tony
 
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rocketonarail said:
Yes Paul ....... Now that you mention it I do recall something about the SFC being burnt and rebuilt ......... All going by memory now .........

.......... but there was a feature in Bike magazine back in the `eighties with Steve Elliot and ( I think ) the bike in question ........ There was a large colour photo showing it as being rebuilt minus the headlight fairing ...... the tank and bodywork had been finished in a sort of deeper red / orange , instead of the normal SFC orange ..... and the entire motor finished in a gloss looking black finish , presumably to cover up the fire damaged casings ............

There was also a black and white pic of a long haired Deep Purple Ian Gillan lookalike Elliot apparently attacking the SFC in a fit of rage , with a hammer in hand ........ All in good fun ... ( I think ) ...........

The work had been carried out in a normal lock up garage if I recall correctly ........ and presumably sowed the seed for the subsequent Palmelli resto / rebuilds .

Unfortunately I no longer have the magazine in question .


I have a vague memory of meeting a slightly older , shorter - haired version of Steve at Slaters Collington premises ...........

Tony
Click to expand...
Yep, that's the bike magazine with the article entitled "........from hell" or something.
I have the magazine in my pile of Laverda related paper.
Paul
 
Vince said:
The BSA bloke would be Mark P, brother of the ex-Radiators drummer Fes. I met him in Sydney years ago; he has a Triumph triple in a Honda Fireblade frame as well.
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Interesting. I saw a Norton Rotary engine fitted into an Aprilia RSV rolling chassis on a visit to the Isle of Man Grand Prix a few years ago.I've also seen a BSA A65 engine fitted into an RGV rolling chassis. It's amazing what engines people will shoehorn into other manufacturers chassis.
 
RGS1000RGS said:
Interesting. I saw a Norton Rotary engine fitted into an Aprilia RSV rolling chassis on a visit to the Isle of Man Grand Prix a few years ago.I've also seen a BSA A65 engine fitted into an RGV rolling chassis. It's amazing what engines people will shoehorn into other manufacturers chassis.
Click to expand...
Exactly. And I cannot understand why they banned exactly that for classic racing here. Back when the "classic" bikes were current that is what was done by anyone and everyone, and made for some great innovation.
 
RGS1000RGS said:
Interesting. I saw a Norton Rotary engine fitted into an Aprilia RSV rolling chassis on a visit to the Isle of Man Grand Prix a few years ago.I've also seen a BSA A65 engine fitted into an RGV rolling chassis. It's amazing what engines people will shoehorn into other manufacturers chassis.
Click to expand...
Wonder what will happen with Clems
Rotax powered Zane project?
 
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