What did you do to or for or with your Laverda today?

[Paul Marx]

Started this one up. Last used in 2015 as a paddock bike at the event in Francorchamps to celebrate the 10 years of Massimo's passing. Then in 2016, it was burnt.
I restored it but didn't even start it up, it was impossible to register in France since it didn't have any documents. Now it's registered in Belgium, which means I can at last register it in France, motivation has come back.
It started after 3 or 4 kicks but I'll have to wait for a ride, the petrol tap is leaking. I've ordered some Viton sheet and another tap, just to be sure.
Now to change those rear wheel bearings on the 75 Sport, which miraculously wasn't burnt. It was on it's stand, next to the bonfire, covered in soot. Both it and my 1951priest's bike are also registered. The 125 Sport is taking longer.

Took the 3C with another starter motor and a new sprag clutch out for a short ride. It starts on the button though there's the occasional clunk from the sprag clutch and after filling up, the starter motor appeared for a fraction of a second to struggle to turn the engine over.

Paul

 

[Diablo Loco]

Thought you'd sold one of those red things.

I sold both those red things in the pic. Kept one 1098R. Helped the new owner replace his 1098R starter clutch. Successfully

 

[CLEMTOG]

"the starter motor appeared for a fraction of a second to struggle to turn the engine over"
after filling up you say, did you turn off the fuel taps? left on side stand?
#minor hydraulick lock#, check the float valves and seats are ethanol proof (red rubber tips not black) and indeed ARE 100% closing off.Make sure the floats are black not white, the white ones never seem to work for me, maybe they are not genuine Delorrtto, Paddy?
CLEM

 

[Charley]

Started this one up. Last used in 2015 as a paddock bike at the event in Francorchamps to celebrate the 10 years of Massimo's passing. Then in 2016, it was burnt.
I restored it but didn't even start it up, it was impossible to register in France since it didn't have any documents. Now it's registered in Belgium, which means I can at last register it in France, motivation has come back.
It started after 3 or 4 kicks but I'll have to wait for a ride, the petrol tap is leaking. I've ordered some Viton sheet and another tap, just to be sure.
Now to change those rear wheel bearings on the 75 Sport, which miraculously wasn't burnt. It was on it's stand, next to the bonfire, covered in soot. Both it and my 1951priest's bike are also registered. The 125 Sport is taking longer.

Took the 3C with another starter motor and a new sprag clutch out for a short ride. It starts on the button though there's the occasional clunk from the sprag clutch and after filling up, the starter motor appeared for a fraction of a second to struggle to turn the engine over.

Paul

I knew nothing of these Laverda tiddlers, before I join in on this forum and I'm really taken with this little beast. Surprisingly modern looking engine, to my eyes anyway.
Pretty little bike.
I now know 'very little' about these little Laverda but it's a start.

 

[Paul Marx]

I knew nothing of these Laverda tiddlers, before I join in on this forum and I'm really taken with this little beast. Surprisingly modern looking engine, to my eyes anyway.
Pretty little bike.
I now know 'very little' about these little Laverda but it's a start.

Nice to see people discovering.
You'll find all the info you need in the various books on the marque.
These little singles, industrial production of which started in 1949, were what Moto Laverda was built upon. In 75cc first and then 98cc guises, they were the marque's most popular model ever, being built in around 35 000 units. They built Laverda's reputation with outstanding results in Italian long distance racing like the Milano Taranto.

Paul

 

[Charley]

Nice to see people discovering.
You'll find all the info you need in the various books on the marque.
These little singles, industrial production of which started in 1949, were what Moto Laverda was built upon. In 75cc first and then 98cc guises, they were the marque's most popular model ever, being built in around 35 000 units. They built Laverda's reputation with outstanding results in Italian long distance racing like the Milano Taranto.

Paul

This is all very dangerous as I've been considering a tiddler for a while and looked at Moto Guzzi tiddlers but have been put off by their perceived fragility.
Now I see these Laverdas, I'm smitten.
I could find room in the garage for one of these. Hmmm!
Room for thought.

 

[Paul Marx]

This is all very dangerous as I've been considering a tiddler for a while and looked at Moto Guzzi tiddlers but have been put off by their perceived fragility.
Now I see these Laverdas, I'm smitten.
I could find room in the garage for one of these. Hmmm!
Room for thought.

A couple of people on this forum know these small Laverda.
Bikes are easy to find in Italy and shouldn't be too expensive.
Parts are to be found through the grapevine.

Paul

 

[rodbargee]

Drained the tank of last years petrol and refilled with new today ( its stopped it exploding in the exhaust anyway ) the bike then went for a little local run which it dis beautifully its just waiting for an outing now.

 

[lavgert]

…water blasted away four layers of paint - first one was orange! So maybe the new paint of my 1972 750 SF will be orange again - sorry Paul. Ciao, Gert

 

[Tippie]

Road tip bike stripped for crankcase swap with de-commissioned race bike back to match frames and case numbers. Might as well paint the frame and do a freshening up while it is apart. Will be a much bigger job putting the race bike back on the road.

 

[ozijotati]

Unusual rear hubs there Tippie, what are they off?
Tom

 

[Tippie]

The loose wheel is a Z1000 Kawa hub. The Kawa disc carrier only needed to skim a scrap off to to fit the Brembo standard Lav disc.
The racer rear is some MX hub I bought from a wrecker in Melbourne, I thought it was Suzuki but apparently not, no cush drive but very light.
I have to decide what do put where, I won't be running a road bike without cush drive, and not really keen on working out footpeg setup for drum rear.

 

[The Sock]

Re-fitted my tank cap, which Malcolm Cox kindly posted to me.
I'd had a "senior moment" and forgotten to pick it up with the rest of my re-chroming.
Very shiny it looks, too!

 

[Charley]

I've set the float heights, 18 mm +_ 0.5 as per the book, measured from the bottom of the floats to the sealing face of float bowl to carb body.
Am I correct?
Both sides of each float set checked.
Accelerator pumps set to 4 ml. per 20 pump strokes.

Spilt a bit of fuel and smelt far too much fuel.
Now to set the three little beauties up on the bike.

Please let me know if I have any details wrong.

Thanks to Ducati Paddy for good efficient spares supply, parts and advice.

 

[stevepm2011]

Tried to start the RGS yesterday, with the intent of taking it to the local test emporium and getting it certified as a oldtimer...
Checked the battery and turned the key.
Nasty screeching noise, no action . All the symptoms of starter sprag clutch failure. Bugger, as the Toyota New Zealand marketing guys would say.
So I whipped the cover off and removed the alternator rotor. Sure enough, four out of six rollers had flat spots, and the bearing journal on the big gear behind it looked pretty rough. Thankfully, the sprag clutch outer housing was intact, as were the plungers and springs.
Off to OCT with the knackered bits, conferred with Piet regarding the diagnosis and cure.
Six new rollers, new springs on principle, and substituted another, somewhat less shagged gear from my spares hoard. And a new thrust washer, the old one was looking a bit thin.
The RGS now cranks perfectly. All told, a two beer job.
Thanks to OCT for having the spares to hand, and thanks to Piet for the tips on how best to re-assemble.

Steve

 

[Laverdalothar]

Steve, if you have an ignition installed with the pickups still there, you might run into that problem again sooner or later. I had a lengthy discussion with Uwe Witt about it and unless the pickups are PERFECTLY set and aligned, this can cause unsteady ideal which can cause issues on the starter sprag clutch. mine had even the plate broken that holds the rollers in place...

Also, if the starter sprag clutch is damaged, you might want to give the starter a service, too. Sometimes the clutch remains engaged if worn and pulls the starter with it, which results in worn contacts and bearings. I had that on my 1000 SFC... (actually found that the starter sprag clutch was worn after the starter did not want to turn the engine... Called OCT, Roger asked me how many kilometers the bike had on and recommended I bring it in for a starter clutch service/repair; saved me from another starter repair...). So - if you face starter related starting issues in the future, this might be the root cause.

 

[Jo]

Picked up my 3c seat from repairs (the old seat cover was badly damaged at the front). The saddler only renewed the side parts, the rear part and the upper surface of the seat remained. No 100 percent match of the grain of the replaced side parts unfortunately, but I can live with that. Hard to believe how "naked" and boring the seat looks without the trim:






Unfortunately, two of the four screws that fix the trim strip in place broke, but I assume that after 49 years the warranty has expired ...

 

[Charley]

Picked up my 3c seat from repairs (the old seat cover was badly damaged at the front). The saddler only renewed the side parts, the rear part and the upper surface of the seat remained. No 100 percent match of the grain of the replaced side parts unfortunately, but I can live with that. Hard to believe how "naked" and boring the seat looks without the trim:
View attachment 70162



View attachment 70163

Unfortunately, two of the four screws that fix the trim strip in place broke, but I assume that after 49 years the warranty has expired ...

Jo,
would you mind telling me where you got the work done.
I've a saddle I'd like reupholstered and am struggling to find anyone with the time to do my saddle.

I'm sure you know where to get the bolts you need for the trim, but just in case, see link below.

Screw for the trimstrip-seat with rail, /5, /6, /7 models

Screw for the trimstrip-seat with rail, /5, /6, /7 models

www.bmwbayer.de

Thank you.

 

[Scout63]

I dropped my Jota heads and cylinders off at my machinist. Center piston is oil fouled on top. It was reported that two owners ago stripped the engine out of the bike due to a cracked center piston, and that the engine sat at a repair shop for 15 years before being retrieved. It looks as if it was a valve guide. The original hi comp pistons look serviceable and the cylinders fine. I’m hoping everything will be within spec.

 

[Jo]

Jo,
would you mind telling me where you got the work done.
I've a saddle I'd like reupholstered and am struggling to find anyone with the time to do my saddle.

I'm sure you know where to get the bolts you need for the trim, but just in case, see link below.

Screw for the trimstrip-seat with rail, /5, /6, /7 models

Screw for the trimstrip-seat with rail, /5, /6, /7 models

www.bmwbayer.de

Thank you.

Charley,
this was done by Autosattlerei Bresgen in Bonn, OCT recommended them. Not sure, if it's worth to ship a seat through Germany though as I understand you live more north.

And thanks for the link - I'd already ordered some!

Cheers,
Jo