Timing chain for Laverda 500

C

carstensorensen

New member
Location
Denmark
I will be very grateful, if someone can help me with a timing chain for the laverda 500,
i can understand it is no so easy to find such a chain,
but if someone could help me i will be very gratefull.
Best regards from Carsten
 
Pages and pages on this Carsten ... good luck with it! Why oh why the factory chose some bizarre size is utterly beyond me. Time for someone to make new crank centre joinung pieces with a workable cam sprocket pitch.
 
piranha-bro2 said:
Pages and pages on this Carsten ... good luck with it! Why oh why the factory chose some bizarre size is utterly beyond me. Time for someone to make new crank centre joinung pieces with a workable cam sprocket pitch.
Click to expand...
The chain was readily available at the time, it was not made especially for Laverda. Secondly, space restraints. Both drive and driven sprockets are considerably smaller than for the chain used in the larger twins and triples, despite same tooth count, making for a more compact package. It's part of the basics laid down at the start of a design, making use of what's available. At the time, nobody knew it would be obsolete 30 years on.

Yes, it may have been wiser to use the 05B size, or some other popular size which still in widespread use today. But, hindsight and all that...

Norms and standards change and evolve over the years. Try finding crank main bearings for the 75 and 100s! These have long fallen out of favour, despite being in widespread use pre-60s and readily available into the 1990s. There remain less than a handful of manufacturers that still have them in their portfolio. The roller main bearing used in my Matchless G80CS crankshaft is simply unobtainable these days, sporadically, some bloke in Perth or Adelaide will make a batch and chuck them on the global market at a truely eye-watering (but probably justified) price. They were still available off the shelf in the 1980s. M8 bolts with 14mm AF... the list goes on.

piet
 
Having raced a 500 ten years ago something in the mist of my mind says a Mercedes cam chain is the right pitch which would need to be made the right length. You will have to do research.

the-chain-man.co.uk has been very helpful in the past and supplied me chains through six years of racing and engine blow ups!

It was Andy Forsdyke (I think) who ran this but now it is Jason, his son maybe.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100037636432945

On the Zane web site http://www.breganzane.com/workshop/chains_cam.php

Good luck.
 
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Robin - your post is incorrect. I think you are getting confused with the triple primary chain alternative. Others have identified that supplies of 500 camchain are pretty much non existent.

A quick search will show that the topic of obsolete 500/Zane camchain has been fully explored although not necessarily answered.

For example, it's a very long thread that occasionally shoots off at a tangent but try this post and read onwards...

Future for Zane bikes?

Well it's not looking too good on the chances of Regina making any more chain, so the alternative of an engine makeover or parking your bike up is now becoming the favoured options. However, there is still an outside chance of changing Regina's mind if enough owners pester them to make some more...
laverdaforum.com laverdaforum.com
 
Rob said:
Robin - your post is incorrect. I think you are getting confused with the triple primary chain alternative. Others have identified that supplies of 500 camchain are pretty much non existent.

A quick search will show that the topic of obsolete 500/Zane camchain has been fully explored although not necessarily answered.

For example, it's a very long thread that occasionally shoots off at a tangent but try this post and read onwards...

Future for Zane bikes?

Well it's not looking too good on the chances of Regina making any more chain, so the alternative of an engine makeover or parking your bike up is now becoming the favoured options. However, there is still an outside chance of changing Regina's mind if enough owners pester them to make some more...
laverdaforum.com laverdaforum.com
Click to expand...
Hi Rob, it’s been ten years since I had a 500 so may be in the mist of my mind, I’ve had a lot of anaesthetic in between times.
 
So it is not so easy to find a new timing chain, i dont know how often the chain should be changed, the laverda i rebuild have only 37000 on the counter, so maybe it can run a little more,
i my opinion the best way to solve the problem, will be to make a centertap with a standard chain sprocket and sprocket wheel for the camshaft, it will be a more expensiv solution.
 
carstensorensen said:
So it is not so easy to find a new timing chain, i dont know how often the chain should be changed, the laverda i rebuild have only 37000 on the counter, so maybe it can run a little more,
i my opinion the best way to solve the problem, will be to make a centertap with a standard chain sprocket and sprocket wheel for the camshaft, it will be a more expensiv solution.
Click to expand...
Hi Carsten, being very hard to get, you better use your own chain when it is in good condition. I have some used chains in good condition from a 500 and 650, but probably not better then yours. Every time I check valve clearance I check the chain visible.
 
So how can a simple punter measure if the chain is past it's service life.. sure there is replacement schedule information but klm used etc. can't be reliable over several owners..
Is there a way of measuring Piet..?
 
When all the adjustment has gone :) then throw the bike away.
Didn't someone locate a manufacturer in the Czech Republic at one time?
 
with the introduction (and serious failure issues) of the so called "wet" timing belt getting more common in cars over the last (aprox) 17 years and the subsequent development which can get Transit diesels to 100,000 miles (but much better and safer to change at 60 or 70,000 miles, Ford initially stated 150,000 miles, just done that and at 67,000 the belt was showing early signs of failure) maybe now its time to explore the conversion for such a wet belt for 500's and the Zane twins? the pulleys might be small enough to be accomodated in the existing architecture and think of how quiet they would be, just a thought,
could it be made to work?
problems that would kick in before you start would as likely as not be the limited (relatively) few kits that are needed and belt length availability limiting the first mentioned problem as well, special belts = costly kit, available stock belts would keep the cost down.
CLEM
 
CLEMTOG said:
with the introduction (and serious failure issues) of the so called "wet" timing belt getting more common in cars over the last (aprox) 17 years and the subsequent development which can get Transit diesels to 100,000 miles (but much better and safer to change at 60 or 70,000 miles, Ford initially stated 150,000 miles, just done that and at 67,000 the belt was showing early signs of failure) maybe now its time to explore the conversion for such a wet belt for 500's and the Zane twins? the pulleys might be small enough to be accomodated in the existing architecture and think of how quiet they would be, just a thought,
could it be made to work?
problems that would kick in before you start would as likely as not be the limited (relatively) few kits that are needed and belt length availability limiting the first mentioned problem as well, special belts = costly kit, available stock belts would keep the cost down.
CLEM
Click to expand...
the advantage of a chain here is that (when available) you can split and replace the chain without a total dismantling of the motor necessary in the case with the crank centre drive of the belt.
 
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sfcpiet said:
They're just as knackered as their chains... only ever seen total, run-into-the-ground wrecks emerging from Espana. :rolleyes:

piet
Click to expand...
Yes I have just rebuilt two ex Spanish bikes and yes they were used and abused and left to rot.... They now however have a new life.... and will be cherished - even though the designs have some issues.....
 
Hello everyone
I haven't been a Laverda owner for long. I have owned 2 and a half 750 Laverdas for a year.
While searching for a timing chain I came across the company CaTOR. WWW.CATOR.IT
I wrote to Italian company Cator in May because they still had the chain on their list.

Hello company CATOR
I would like to ask if you have the C107HC timing chain available?
For a Laverda 750 Zane built between 1998 and 2001, or sold by the meter.
I hope for a positive answer.
Best regards
Josef ....
Germany
---------------------------------------------------------------------
That was their answer
DEAR,
I'M SORRY BUT THIS A CHAIN OUT OF PRODUCTION.
BEST REGARDS
---------------------------------------------------------------------
I wrote to them again:
Hello companiy CaTor
Thank you for your quick response.
There's nothing you can do about it, but that's a real shame and I think it's a shame for the manufacturer Regina.
Regina neglects owners of Laverda and Moto Guzzi motorcycles.
This motorcycles are part of Italy's cultural heritage.
Redina could have sold this chain by meter lenght for various retailers (or in 10-50 or 100 meters), which they can then cut to the appropriate lengths yourself.

Best regards
Josef .....
----------------------------------------------------------------------
They answered me the following

DEAR,
I THINK THE SAME BUT REGINA...
I CAN SUPPLY THE CHAIN WITH THE SAME MEASURE OF C107HC BUT I DON'T KNOW
IF IS IT OK FOR THE MOTORCYCLES.
I GAVE A SAMPLE OF THIS CHAIN TO A CUSTOMER LAST MONTH AND I'M WAITING AN ANSWER
FROM HIM.
IF ALSO YOU WANT TO TRY ON YOUR MOTORCYCLE I CAN GIVE ALSO TO YOU.
FOR EXAMPLE THIS IS THE OFFER:
N. 1 CHAIN PITCH MM. 8X5,7X4,77
LENGHT 48 PITCHES CLOSE WITHOUT CONNECTION LINK (MM.384,00)
IMPORT
INDUSTRIAL FIELD
EACH € 160,00 (THIS IS THE PRICE FOR THE SAMPLE BUT I HOPE IN THE FUTURE
TO REDUCE IT WITH A BIGGER QUANTITY).
BEST REGARDS
UMBERTO SACCONE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unfortunately, due to time constraints, I didn't have the time to pursue this further, or order a sample chain.
Has perhaps a member of this forum ordered the sample chain??
I will contact company CaTor again over the winter when I do a service on one of the Laverdas.
I may also order a sample chain and compare it with the original chain.
I will report how things continue.

Greetings Josef
 
jogant said:
Hello everyone
I haven't been a Laverda owner for long. I have owned 2 and a half 750 Laverdas for a year.
While searching for a timing chain I came across the company CaTOR. WWW.CATOR.IT
I wrote to Italian company Cator in May because they still had the chain on their list.

Hello company CATOR
I would like to ask if you have the C107HC timing chain available?
For a Laverda 750 Zane built between 1998 and 2001, or sold by the meter.
I hope for a positive answer.
Best regards
Josef ....
Germany
---------------------------------------------------------------------
That was their answer
DEAR,
I'M SORRY BUT THIS A CHAIN OUT OF PRODUCTION.
BEST REGARDS
---------------------------------------------------------------------
I wrote to them again:
Hello companiy CaTor
Thank you for your quick response.
There's nothing you can do about it, but that's a real shame and I think it's a shame for the manufacturer Regina.
Regina neglects owners of Laverda and Moto Guzzi motorcycles.
This motorcycles are part of Italy's cultural heritage.
Redina could have sold this chain by meter lenght for various retailers (or in 10-50 or 100 meters), which they can then cut to the appropriate lengths yourself.

Best regards
Josef .....
----------------------------------------------------------------------
They answered me the following

DEAR,
I THINK THE SAME BUT REGINA...
I CAN SUPPLY THE CHAIN WITH THE SAME MEASURE OF C107HC BUT I DON'T KNOW
IF IS IT OK FOR THE MOTORCYCLES.
I GAVE A SAMPLE OF THIS CHAIN TO A CUSTOMER LAST MONTH AND I'M WAITING AN ANSWER
FROM HIM.
IF ALSO YOU WANT TO TRY ON YOUR MOTORCYCLE I CAN GIVE ALSO TO YOU.
FOR EXAMPLE THIS IS THE OFFER:
N. 1 CHAIN PITCH MM. 8X5,7X4,77
LENGHT 48 PITCHES CLOSE WITHOUT CONNECTION LINK (MM.384,00)
IMPORT
INDUSTRIAL FIELD
EACH € 160,00 (THIS IS THE PRICE FOR THE SAMPLE BUT I HOPE IN THE FUTURE
TO REDUCE IT WITH A BIGGER QUANTITY).
BEST REGARDS
UMBERTO SACCONE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unfortunately, due to time constraints, I didn't have the time to pursue this further, or order a sample chain.
Has perhaps a member of this forum ordered the sample chain??
I will contact company CaTor again over the winter when I do a service on one of the Laverdas.
I may also order a sample chain and compare it with the original chain.
I will report how things continue.

Greetings Josef
Click to expand...
 
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