Editor’s Note: Reader dnaj has just picked up another bike featured on Bike-urious, and this time he’s sharing the entire story himself! I enjoy these posts because they make my life worth living. =) Hopefully you enjoy them, too.
This was my second time I purchased a bike featured on Bike-urious. The first one was an MZ1000S which, although no fault of Bike-urious, I really hated. The MZ was big and heavy like an early Hinckley Triumph 4 but ugly. It didn’t help that I crashed it while riding much too soon after a lumbar fusion. After fixing it once, I fell off a second time, so it went away!
So when this Laverda came up, I was more coy. I know very well the hardship in finding parts for orphan bikes. I’ve believe that modern orphans are even more problematic, especially Italian ones.
I didn’t know squat about modern Laverdas, but it was on Craigslist for only $3,500. Gee wiz, a Benelli triple easily brings 6K, and maybe more for a Tornado. So I called the owner.
The owner was in the military. His friend answered the phone. His friend was very knowledgeable. He explained about Zane era Laverdas. Some folks don’t think they are real Laverdas but they do trace their roots to the original design, sort of, albeit at a different factory. Funny, I’m thinking Triumph again.
So, I decided to pass. Besides, I have a rule. I don’t buy yellow bikes.
A month or so went by. Then the seller phoned out of the blue. He made me an offer I could not refuse. So down to Fayetteville, NC I went. A new yellow Laverda entered my trailer. Scratch that old rule. That rule stinks anyway!
The owner gave me the lowdown. He owned the bike 14 years and put about 9,000 miles on it. The odometer now shows 19K. He had trouble locating a starter for it, so he had it rebuilt. The starter turns over slowly, then it starts. He said it always did that. So no wonder he needed a starter. He since put a lithium battery to make it better. I’m guessing fatter cables will fix that entirely. That’s how my Benellis triples were. The Benelli triple were birthed at Laverda, so why not?
This bike was dingier than expected. A can or two of S100 fixed that. You’d think a seller might wash a bike. It made all the difference. There are a few modifications, an under-tail kit, goofy turn signals, a painted sport screen but that’s typical of old sport bikes, even exotic ones. People do stupid stuff.
The gas tank is under the seat with a fill spout in the tail. The tank on the frame is faux. So even then, they were experimenting with weight distribution.
I haven’t yet taken it for a spin. There is a slow air leak in the front tire and I want to go over the bike. The motor sounds good with Termignoni pipes, and the components are top notch. The seating position is not good on my old wrists, but it looks like I can adjust the bar height; and with fuel injection, six speeds and a 9,000rpm redline, I probably won’t care about the seating position anyway.
Three years later, David gave us an update on his Carenata experience…
Have you bought a bike that was featured on Bike-urious? I want to know about it, so please drop me a line: abhi AT bike-urious.com.