10-30-2020 Update: Two years later, this Laverda racer is back up for sale with a much lower asking price – but is it low enough? Find it with a BIN of $65,000 in Canton, Georgia here on eBay.
Post Listing Update: this Laverda did not get any interest at the opening bid of $150k or BIN of $195k.
Upon its debut in 1971, Laverda’s 750 SFC quickly proved itself on the track, winning a myriad of elite races (Imola, Zeltweg, Vallelunga, Barcelona, Bol d’Or, Modena, etc). Built by hand in small batches from ’71 to ’76, only around 550 examples were produced in total. As evidenced by its success in endurance competition, the SFC was not only fast as hell, but it was also bullet-proof reliable. Originally, 20 units were produced for factory competition use, though by November of ’71 plans changed and the factory churned out another 80 units which were made available for sale to private buyers/racers.
At the heart of the SFC was an air-cooled, 744cc, OHC parallel twin that put down between 70 and 75hp at 7,500rpm (each example was dyno’d to ensure a minimum of 70 horses) and with a wet weight of 420lbs, the road-legal racer was reportedly capable of a top-speed of 135 mph. The 750’s “SFC” moniker stood for “Super Freni Competizione” which translates from Italian as “Super Brakes Competition”.
The race-bred three-quarter-liter twin boasted more than just trick braking hardware though, featuring revised cylinder heads with bigger valves, different cam profile, the rockers, crankshaft, and rods were all polished, and the 30mm Dell’Ortos carbs were replaced with 36mm Amal concentric units. The SFC’s frame was also beefed up to help compensate for the extra power.
The bodywork on the SFC — which was clearly designed long before flush lighting was in fashion — was comprised of (6.1 gallon) hand-formed aluminum fuel-cells and fiber-glass monoposto tails and half-fairings. The limited production racer was adorned in a bright orange hue which was reportedly selected to make the SFC easier to pick out at speed.
This particular 1974 model (MK2) was reportedly purchased new at the dealership in Florida. It was then raced all around the East Coast and Mid-West up until 1984 when medical problems prompted the original owner to sell. The ad says following this example’s last race the engine received “a complete overhaul” from Megacycle in San Rafael, California, though after speaking with the shop (which says it does not do engine rebuilds), it seems like maybe the seller is referring to having the cams hardfaced (not sure if same goes for the rocker arms).
The entire bike has reportedly been cleaned/detailed, and the brakes have been rebuilt, though it’s been left in its track-trim (including period stickers). This might be because the bike doesn’t have a title and is sold with a bill of sale and Georgia Sheriff’s Department inspection certificate. Considering these were built to be raced, I really like seeing this example in race-ready form.
According to the seller — who claims to be this SFC’s second owner — only 100 (MK2) examples were produced in ’74, though Motorcycle Classics says 222 units were built that year, and they tend to know their shit. When new in ’74, MK2’s supposedly carried an MSRP of $3,520 – a figure that equates to approximately $19K in 2018 dollars. In the 44 years since leaving the factory, SFC examples have increased quite a bit in value. Bonhams estimates the 750’s value to be around $50-60K, though a clean example sold for $44K in 2017. Either way, I’m gonna point out this example’s asking price is laughably optimistic. This is undeniably an extremely elite motorcycle, albeit not six-figure-elite.
You can find this 1974 Laverda 750 SFC for sale in Canton, Georgia with a starting price/bid of $150,000 and a BIN of $195,000