What happened to C.E.V.? (Not necessary Laverda content)

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MotoJouni

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Finland
I have some bikes, Laverdas and others that have some CEV electrics.
As far as I know CEV is (or was?) a big Italian manufacturer for vehicle electrics.

Sometimes I have had needs to buy spares, but I have found almost nothing.
Furthermore, I haven't found a homepage from internet for CEV or resellers;
all companies I have found are some small shops retailing some specific spares for certain
bikes they are familiar with.

Do someone know what happened to CEV? Does it exist anymore?
 
For original and repro CEV stuff, lookie here...

http://www.vtmricambi.com/

Haven't seen any new CEV products for ages.

piet
 
Dingocooke said:
http://www.zadi.com/group/
Click to expand...

Thanks. The answer is on their brochure here on page 2:
http://www.zadi.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Brochure-Zadi.pdf
"CEV entered the Zadi Group in 2001..."
It is also said that Neiman belongs to Zadi Group also today.

I guess that Zadi is not manufacturing any spares to old bikes anymore. "Traditional lighting equipment" is still mentioned on their product range at page 4.

I have bought some CEV light switches to bikes from 1980's and 1990's that look like manufactured yesterday.
I'm not shure are those New Old Stock, replicas or what.
 
I would guess that the tooling for the old stuff will be elsewhere or scrapped, if you look at the photo's of their modern tooling, nicely automated with vac cup/robot take off, 2K and 3k mouldings etc. A giant leap from the mouldings that CEV made in the 70's
The old tooling would probably be with a trade moulder doing it more manually.
Add to that chrome plating of parts (like the CEV indicators) and it gets more complex.
I guess it depends on the market for them?
I just bought some twist grip rubbers for my XR750 mile bike, and the original rubbers are being re done by Arriette; I didn't think I'd find any as they were only 500 odd bikes built (about 80 per season), but the same (ugly) rubbers were fitted to a host of Aermachi's so worth tooling up; stroke of luck really.
I bet somebody somewhere has the tooling, it's just if there is demand, and the willingness to take the risk!!
 
MotoJouni said:
Does someone know what happened to CEV? Does it exist anymore?
Click to expand...

CEV = Costruzioni Elettromeccaniche Venegonesi.  The company was originally based in Milan and belonged to the Pagani brothers (Fratelli Pagani).

Ercole Pagani started things off in 1906, becoming the first Italian battery manufacturer.  He was soon joined by his brother, Eugenio.  Between the wars, the business moved into the manufacture of portable lamps and also accessories for bicycles and motorcycles, especially headlights and instruments.  CEV itself dates from 1937, when a plant was opened at Venegono Superiore (Varese) for the production of aeronautical equipment.  In the 50s, production at Vengono was re-focused on motorcycleinstruments and lighting equipment.  In the 60s,  this activity was transferred to Milan (and, in turn, the manufacture of portable lighting switched over to Venegono).

As previously pointed out, it's now a marque of the Zadi Group.  I see no indication of any interest in reproducing any of the old stuff.  But then, neither did the old CEV ...
 
Found this in a newsletter article about CEV.  It might make some of us smile ...  :-*

"Le esigenze degli anni ?60 e ?70, con gli alti e bassi che caratterizzarono il mercato di un?Italia nella quale i consumatori rivolgevano il proprio interesse sempre pi? alle "quattro ruote", erano tipiche di una produzione di massa nella quale veniva privilegiato l'aspetto quantitativo rispetto a quello qualitativo."

The needs of the '60s and' 70s, with the ups and downs that characterized the market of an Italy in which consumers increasingly turned their interest to "four wheels", were typical of a mass production in which priority was given to quantity rather than quality.
 
Ventodue said:
Found this in a newsletter article about CEV.  It might make some of us smile ...  :-*

"Le esigenze degli anni ?60 e ?70, con gli alti e bassi che caratterizzarono il mercato di un?Italia nella quale i consumatori rivolgevano il proprio interesse sempre pi? alle "quattro ruote", erano tipiche di una produzione di massa nella quale veniva privilegiato l'aspetto quantitativo rispetto a quello qualitativo."

The needs of the '60s and' 70s, with the ups and downs that characterized the market of an Italy in which consumers increasingly turned their interest to "four wheels", were typical of a mass production in which priority was given to quantity rather than quality.
Click to expand...

Funny, could be said about any number of Italian companies at the time I think, Fiat, Magnetti Marelli, Ducati etc.

I recall a story about Ducati gearbox failures (it may have come form Mick Walker, who knows long time since), the failed gearboxes were analysed, and a report written, seems the profile was wrong, dogs of a poor design, clearance issues caused by wide tolerances etc. The report made recommendations how to correct it all, and found it's way onto Taglioni's desk, and he pulled up the drawing from storage, and the design was all as per the recommendations, parts had been simplified and tolerances opened up for production expediency!
 
Seems to be lots of NOS kicking around, loads to be found at italian jumbles.  Bosatta of Brescia apparently reproduce a variety of obsolete CEV lens and complete lighting units.

piet
 
sfcpiet said:
Seems to be lots of NOS kicking around, loads to be found at italian jumbles.  Bosatta of Brescia apparently reproduce a variety of obsolete CEV lens and complete lighting units.

piet
Click to expand...

Good spot, some CEV stuff there http://www.bosatta.it/en/prodotti/vintage-en/
 
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