Zane 750S Formula reliability - the cold hard truth?

R

Rob205

New member
Location
Oxfordshire, UK
Hi All,

Having purchased a blue/orange five spoke 750S Formula from Volki back in 2013, I've now just purchased a second Laverda 750S Formula - this one a silver/orange three spoke model.

My blue/orange model (chassis 1609 - was this your bike once Lothar?) was sold with the engine work all done and (shame on me) I haven't done much mileage since so it's around 23,000 Kilometres.

However my new silver/orange bike (chassis 1582) has a believable 8,500 kilometres on the clock but no evidence of any engine work being done. It's been owned by the same person since year 2000 but had two owners before him so given that it was built in 2000 it must have gone through two sets of hands very quickly.

Chassis 1582 was used on the road until 2007 by which time it had done 8,200 kilometres, then it was taken off the road and used on a five or six track days over the next few years to accumulate the next few hundred kilometres. It hasn't been used now for several years (I think 2009/10 last used) and needs recommissioning to make road worthy and road legal.

Is there any truth in the rumour that that the last Zane 750S Formula bike engines were built to a better standard than the earlier ones and so did not suffer the same crankshaft issues? Am I just living in hope that chassis 1582 is not going to need the OCT treatment?

Also, does anybody know whether chassis 1582 is one of the very last run out models like my 1609 chassis? Is it right to wear 3 spoke wheels rather than 5 spoke like 1609? I know that 1582 had replacement wheels early in its life due to road damage but I don't know whether this was to remove 5 spoke and replace with 3 spoke.

Many thanks in advance for all help.
 
Rob205 said:

Is there any truth in the rumour that that the last Zane 750S Formula bike engines were built to a better standard than the earlier ones and so did not suffer the same crankshaft issues?
Click to expand...

No.

I'd rather believe the contrary...

piet
 
I have been watching this 99 Formula 750 S on eBay with 26,671 miles, looks like a very nice bike, and I would really like to own one. However, I keep getting scared off these late Zane bikes due to all the comments about crank issues. No indication in this eBay listing as to any crank repairs or any service history.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Other-Makes-Laverda-Formula-750S-/331868896069?forcerrptr=true&hash=item4d44ed7b45:g:M1MAAOSwie5XTMoM&item=331868896069

Paul LeClair
 
Paul LeClair said:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Other-Makes-Laverda-Formula-750S-/331868896069?forcerrptr=true&hash=item4d44ed7b45:g:M1MAAOSwie5XTMoM&item=331868896069
Click to expand...

:o The rear sprocket on that Formula is huge, it looks like the bike may have been used to drag a plough through rocky fields.

This picture shows what I mean.
http://www.sportbikerider.us/Index.cfm?P=ShowPicture&ID=20431

 
I have chassis No. 1628. Its silver and orange and running the 3 spoke wheels. I would imagine these last few bikes where fitted with what ever parts they had left.

The later bikes had the type 3 crank, which means the ignition pick up on the end of the crank shouldn't snap off like it can on the earlier ones, but I believe they still suffer the same wear issues.

I don't know what the costs of an engine rebuild is at OCT?
 
yes, they do.

Crank rebuild at OCT is roughly 3.500? - 4.000?. But it is not only the crank, it is basically a complete engine modification. Most of the engines have issues also in the valve area and other parts. Also keep in mind, getting the engine out is a PITA and involves several hours of labor, not talking about getting everything in again correctly, space the engine right so the chain is in line etc. etc. etc.

These bikes are not the easiest to service. However, once fixed...

mine has Chassis No 1602 and was the first 2000 Model that went to Germany, featured in several bike magazine tests and first registered to the importer at that time, Stein-Dinse. It has 5-Spoke wheels.

I know of 1634 as the highest number I have come accross, that one had 5-spoke wheels, too. So - if yours has 3-spoke, I assume that someone has taken the 5-spoke off and changed them to 3-spoke...

@Chris: the big rear chain wheel makes halfway sense if you think of the bike being in USA, where acceleration is more important than top speed...
 
Hi Lothar

4,000 Euro, bloody hell. That converts at present exchange rates to roughly $4,600 USD or $5,700 pitifully weak Canadian dollars. On top of the price of the bike. Plus shipping the bike from North America to OCT and back.....

Looks like I am out of the market unless I can find one with the crank and engine properly modified and properly documented that it has been done.

Still gorgeous bikes........ :(

Paul LeClair
 
Paul, OCT is not the only company to doing the modification and 4.000 is - I think - covering almost anything that could go wrong. If the bike is in good condition and has low millages, maybe it is cheaper. You will only know though after they opened the engine...

Volki btw. on this forum does it, too, and I think he asks for less money. If you take the engine out yourself or better: if you buy f.e. a bike from Volki that has the modifications, that could be available for less than 10.000?, especially if it doesn't have to be a 2000 5-spoke wheel modell. The black/orange ones come quite balanced on pricing, but then to get to the same 2000 spec engine, you would need to change some parts which add to the cost.

Let's put it that way: if you want to have a well sorted Formula with 2000 specs, 10.000? is the budget you should have available. Plus shipping.

But then - the price for these bikes do go up since 5 years, slowly but constantly. 5 years ago, you could get Formulas in good condition but without the modification for 3.500 - 5.000?. This price has gone up to roughly 7.000 - 8.000? now.

Bikes with modifications were 6.500 - 7.500 at that time, now they are around 10.000?. Not saying that will go up further, but there is a chance it will. Far away though from catching prices like 750 SFC's...  ;)

We have several people around here that are 6 foot or taler (1,85 - 1,95), but I agree, you need to be very skiny then to have somewhat fun with the bike. Between 1,70 and 1,80, that is what the bikes are made for.
 
Hi Rob if the crank hasn,t been modified get it done , I thought I could manage it ie no revs above 3thou till warm ,regular oil change ,not thrashing all the time . Still went bang luckily Oct managed to salvage some of the crank pieces to rebuild me a usable crank and were brilliant helping with engine rebuild . I had to reweld the engine case and refab splash plates in the bottom below crank.
NOW 1year latter engine sounds sweet as , feels like it has just bedded in ,it never used any oil and still doesn,t puts a smile on my face everytime .
 
No alternative but to get the engine done then - especially to save one with such a low mileage.

The Zane I bought off Volki has such a sweet engine I'll be sending this new motor his way if he can fit me in later this year...
 
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