wanted - moto giro bike

Paul,
I was offered this recently restored 1957 lav 100 last night. Its got matching frame and engine numbers. If interested I can put you in touch with the seller. UK based. Looks like it might need a chain! I do not know the age of the photo.
 

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Paul,

Given your health issues, what does your doc say? Is a fitness certificate not required?

Both Moto Giro and Milano-Taranto in Italy require a health/fitness certificate to be produced by all participants, probably to keep the organisers off the hook. Canadian climate may be a bit friendlier than the italian summer heat, but such an event is quite gruelling, no matter what the weather conditions. 10 hours in the saddle are 10 hours... unless you give up.

Breganze was first leg from Milan for the 2019 Mi-Ta, temperature was a sweltering ≈40°C at midday as the first riders arrived. Most tiddler riders were wasted (almost all old farts, just like us), with a couple of very close scrapes apparently happening along the way (quite a few damaged bikes). The event started in Milan at midnight before, something like 400km through the night and into the next day. Of course, it's part of the fun/challenge, but it's not to be taken lightly.

I rode the 2015 Mi-Ta on a Laverda 100 Tourismo. While it was a great once-in-a-lifetime experience for me, I really don't want to repeat it on such a demanding bike. There's guys that do it every year, younger, stronger and fitter than me, I'm a thankfully rather healthy 65 with no serious ailments. I'm currently waiting for my confirmation for the 2022 event, I'll be on my '60s 500 Matchless. Easy to get on with and truely comfy compared to the Lav tiddler.

My advice would be to use the physically largest, most comfortable bike you can find. Reliability is far more important than speed. Chook chasers fit the bill perfectly, 250 Ducati Scrambler maybe? SL/CL Hondas also spring to mind. I actually had intended to enter the Mi-Ta on my 250 Laverda Chott, but regulations changed, a 1967 cut-off was introduced.

piet
 
Last edited:
sfcpiet said:
Paul,

Given your health issues, what does your doc say? Is a fitness certificate not required?

Both Moto Giro and Milano-Taranto in Italy require a health/fitness certificate to be produced by all participants, probably to keep the organisers off the hook. Canadian climate may be a bit friendlier than the italian summer heat, but such an event is quite gruelling, no matter what the weather conditions. 10 hours in the saddle are 10 hours... unless you give up.

Breganze was first leg from Milan for the 2019 Mi-Ta, temperature was a sweltering ≈40°C at midday as the first riders arrived. Most tiddler riders were wasted (almost all old farts, just like us), with a couple of very close scrapes apparently happening along the way (quite a few damaged bikes). The event started in Milan at midnight before, something like 400km through the night and into the next day. Of course, it's part of the fun/challenge, but it's not to be taken lightly.

I rode the 2015 Mi-Ta on a Laverda 100 Tourismo. While it was a great once-in-a-lifetime experience for me, I really don't want to repeat it on such a demanding bike. There's guys that do it every year, younger, stronger and fitter than me, I'm a thankfully rather healthy 65 with no serious ailments. I'm currently waiting for my confirmation for the 2022 event, I'll be on my '60s 500 Matchless. Easy to get on with and truely comfy compared to the Lav tiddler.

My advice would be to use the physically largest, most comfortable bike you can find. Reliability is far more important than speed. Chook chasers fit the bill perfectly, 250 Ducati Scrambler maybe? SL/CL Hondas also spring to mind. I actually had intended to enter the Mi-Ta on my 250 Laverda Chott, but regulations changed, a 1967 cut-off was introduced.

piet
Click to expand...
I plan, if I'm still around, to do the Mi-Ta in 2025 to celebrate my 70th birthday.
On my Falcone with my wife in the modern category on her 500 Lav.

Paul
 
Scrumpy said:
Paul,
I was offered this recently restored 1957 lav 100 last night. Its got matching frame and engine numbers. If interested I can put you in touch with the seller. UK based. Looks like it might need a chain! I do not know the age of the photo.
Click to expand...
quite interested in the 57 Lav 100. My direct email is pleclair at hotmail.com Thanks!!

on the other comments on going largest, comfiest bike possible, here max allowed displacement is 250 cc. At the moment trying to negotiate price on a 1967 Bultaco 250 Metralla, seller and I are rather far apart on price but bike has been for sale for a long time so I am not the only one thinks the asking price is overly high....

medical fitness is an interesting issue, with my pancreas having been surgically removed I am insulin dependant as a result. I wear a Continuos Blood Glucose monitor that transmits by Bluetooth my blood sugar readings every 5 minutes to my phone https://www.dexcom.com/en-CA/en-ca-dexcom-g6-cgm-system , and I have my new C4Pro helmet equipped with the bluetooth and communicator so I get the blood sugar readings right in my helmet on an ongoing basis. That is how I have been able to go for longer and longer ( and faster!!) street rides this past summer as I have continued to recover from the cancer surgery. Oddly enough, other than the pancreatic cancer I am actually quite healthy otherwise, the surgery just kicked the shit out of me and and it has been taking a long time to get back to somewhere near normal levels of energy and stamina, but I continue to improve. I suppose I shoudl have a chat with my doctor before I throw a bunch of time and money into buying and preparing a bike, bloody hell

The local Moto Giro is a 300 km ride on the Saturday to qualify for the racing portion on the Sunday, then the racing part on the Sunday is 14 kms up a tight twisty mountain road timed for best time in each of the various classes. The 14 kms racing bit I would be fine with, but riding 300 kms on a small displacement bike is something I would have to do trial runs with to see if I am actually up for it or not. Here the event is run mid September, which is coolish, no issues with ultra hot temps, did rain for the event this year which caused a lot of the bikes to struggle with electrical issues.

Paul LeClair
 
Good luck getting a Metralla for an attractive price, Paul. Those have become very dear over the years.
My belief is that something from the land of the rising sun would be more practical, if not terribly sexy.
 
sfcpiet said:
Breganze was first leg from Milan for the 2019 Mi-Ta, temperature was a sweltering ≈40°C at midday as the first riders arrived. Most tiddler riders were wasted (almost all old farts, just like us), with a couple of very close scrapes apparently happening along the way (quite a few damaged bikes).
Click to expand...
Yeah, I caught up with a bunch of them only to see one fall over at a congested pedestrian crossing in town. Don't think any great damage was done, but my heart went out to the guy.
 
Still think the Lav 200 is the way to go Paul. I’ve had good feed back from the owners I’ve met about the ride quality compared to the 100.
 
last Bultaco Metralla 250 I saw sell publicaly was on Bring a Trailer in April, 2021. It went for $7,400 USD, had been totally rebuilt every nut and bolt by an acknowledged long time Bultaco expert, and came with a pile of spares including a fresh complete spare 250 engine and a fresh complete spare 360 engine. I am seeing Bultaco Metralla asking prices all over the map, but as I dont care about cosmetics I am looking lower in the price range. The Metralla 250 was the fastest thing in its class in 1966 ish, apparently over 30 hp from the two stroke motor and apparently could pretty much reach the fabled ton, while its competitiors were half the hp or less and nowhere near the top speed.

anyway, at the moment the current Bultaco seller is asking way more than I am prepared to pay for the Bultaco, the seized 1964 Honda Benly 125 twin local to me remains on the table. Looking for 1959 - 64 Honda Benly parts listings on eBay, astonishing how many gazillions of claimed Original New Old Stock Honda Benly parts are available from Thailand, brand spanking sparkling new. I find myself wondering about possible quality of required replacement pistons and rings....:cautious::cautious::cautious:

Paul LeClair
 
I wouldn't be too concerned about the quality of stuff being produced in Thailand. From my experience the quality is top notch.
There is a reason many major manufactures have set production in Thailand. I'm also somewhat bias as that's my 2nd home.
An old mate from Sausalito has been living there for 25 plus years and set up a small M/C accessories business and I'm amazed at the quality of the stuff he sources and sells. It all came about when a set of CNC rearsets he brought out of Italy for a considerable fortune broke on one of our rides through the mountains. He sourced another set manufactured in Thailand that looked way better then the Italian ones and a fraction of the price and 15 years later are still as good as the day he fitted them. He ended up buying several sets and flogged them on ebay and before you know it he's selling all sorts of parts all over the world and is making quite a handsome income out of it. Some really nice CNC stuff available.
 
Andy - supercharging is allowed under local Moto Giro rules, I already checked. Turbo charging is not. Turbo charging would be a lot easier.

Rob - great to know re likely high product quality for motorcycle parts from Thailand. Seems strange they feel compelled to claim the parts are all New Old Stock in their eBay listings

Paul LeClair
 
Paul
From what I'm aware most small capacity hondas came out of Thailand anyway. I know that all the smaller capacity Hondas sold in Thailand are manufactured locally.
Have seen some small 150cc race reps in Repsol colours in Oz and they have Thai script on them
The VFR400R I had was an Japanese import.
 
I recently ordered a box of Honda stuff for an old CB125 from CMSNL in the Netherlands. All parts came in genuine Honda packaging, some older, some brand new, recognisable from the stage of fading of the labels. Places of manufacture ranged from all over Asia, mainly Japan and Thailand. Reckon if it is commissioned or made by Honda in one of thieir many plants, it will be made to the original requirements.

piet
 
Gilera singles are also quite suited to that sort of caper.
Son n°2 bought a running 175 yesterday for €600.
Morini singles are also well suited.

Paul
 
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