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Laverda 1000 SFC model 2003 (V)

More than a name

Surprise coup from Italy: Laverda is back ?? with an exclusive athlete in the best tradition.

We almost thought we would never see the orange racers from the Veneto again or only in the distant future. In 2000, the Aprilia Group took over Laverda after a long case; only the name remained of the once glorious manufacturer. For Aprilia boss Ivano Beggio the brand hardly seemed to play a role: »Guzzi and Aprilia are more important. Laverda has to be patient, “the entrepreneur explained in an early summer in an interview with MOTORRAD.
In Beggio, "a little" seems to mean only a very short period of time. At the motor show in Bologna, he now surprisingly presents the first Laverda after the zero hour. A return with timpani and trumpets, because Beggio relies on a bike made from the finest components, which is initially only available as a monoposto. At the end of 2003, the Laverda 1000 SFC, the memorable name, is to be built in a limited edition of 300 to 500 copies.
Outwardly a clear case: pure Laverda. This is ensured by the flaming orange paintwork and the Marchesini wheels in royal blue, which is also steeped in tradition. The exclusive Monoposto only allows a little disdainful plastic to get close; noble materials such as carbon fiber, aluminum and titanium dominate. A small half-shell with hoods for the air supply to the airbox is supposed to protect the driver.
The rigorous design, incidentally by the team already working at Laverda, reveals the large V2. It is the heavily revised Rotax engine with a 60 degree cylinder angle, which only made its debut in 2004 in the new Aprilia mille. Thanks to an injection system with lush, 57 millimeter large throttle valves, but only with single ignition, it should keep up with the two-cylinder competition with 133 hp and accelerate the SFC 1000 to an impressive 280 km / h. The composite frame made of tubular space construction and milled aluminum parts, the massive aluminum swing arm and the banana-shaped rear silencer made of titanium give the Laverda an independent appearance. Supported by the fact that the framework is only clear varnished after welding.
Even the supporters of the sports faction do not have to despair in view of the tight half disguise. Laverda has a special solution ready: With quick-release fasteners, racing fans can attach side panels to cover the engine.
When it came to the components, the developers were spoiled for choice and donated a fully adjustable chassis with an Ohlins fork and a shock absorber directly attached to the swing arm. The position of the swing arm bearing can also be varied using inserts, which opens up further possibilities for individual coordination. Laverda proudly refers to the “state of the art” brake system from Brembo with a radial pump and radially screwed brake calipers. Also noteworthy are the forged aluminum wheels and the tank that hugs the airbox.
W.hat the rebuilt Laverda should cost remains the secret of company boss Beggio. With so many classy parts it will definitely not be cheap. But consolation beckons in the near future: In 2004 the bike will go into series production in a somewhat simpler version, i.e. without titanium and carbon fiber? unlimited and as long as demand continues.

Laverda – rise and fall

The Laverda family originally came from a hamlet of the same name at the foot of the Dolomites, around 60 kilometers northwest of Venice. In 1873 Pietro Laverda founded an agricultural machinery factory in nearby Breganze. The company got into two-wheelers after the Second World War, when the motorcycle enthusiast Franceso Laverda designed a 75cc single-cylinder four-stroke engine. Many small-volume models followed, in the sixties also a few scooters. Laverda started building larger motorcycles from 1968. The big breakthrough came in the seventies with the 72 hp, 220 km / h super sports car 750 SFC, whose numerous successes in endurance races him soon became a myth. Production ceased in 1976, but the following 1000 and 1200 twin-cylinders did not achieve its popularity. In 1977 the water-cooled 1000 V6 with cardan caused a sensation, but only made one appearance: in the 1978 Bol d’Or 24 Hours, it managed 265 km / h on the Mistral straight. Because the regulations only allowed a maximum of four cylinders in the following year, Laverda’s ambitious six-cylinder disappeared. In the business area, partnerships with Husqvarna (from 1975) and Zundapp (from 1977) came to an end due to the sale or collapse of these companies in the early 1980s. Then it went steeply downhill. The production of an off-road vehicle to save the company turned out to be a financial disaster. In 1984 the Laverda family sold the agricultural machinery factory, the motorcycle factory was bobbing about. Five models were still produced in 1986: the 600 Atlas, the 1000 SFC and three small two-cylinder units for the Italian market. Laverda eventually changed hands several times; in 1993, a group of regional industrialists, led by Francesco Tognon, took over the brand. They moved production to an industrial hall in nearby Zane and tried a new start with 650 and 750 twin-cylinder engines like the Ghost. But at first the motorcycles lacked quality, then there was a dispute between the shareholders; tea company seemed paralyzed. The last successful appearance came in 1999 at the Paris Salon with the Lynx 650 with a Suzuki engine; but it no longer went into production. In autumn 2000, the Aprilia Group finally took over the brand.

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