Laverda

Infobox_Company
company_name = Laverda
company_
company_type = Subsidiary
slogan =
founder =
foundation = 1873
location_city = flagicon|Italy
location_country = Italy
key_people =
num_employees =
industry =
products = motorcycles
revenue =
parent = flagicon|Italy Piaggio & Co. SpA
owner =
net_income =
homepage = [http://www.laverda.com/ www.laverda.com]

Laverda is an Italian manufacturer of Combine harvesters and one-time a manufacturer of high performance motorcycles. The agricultural equipment brand is famous for quality, simplicity, and efficiency; while the motorcycles in their day gained a reputation for being robust and innovative.

The Laverda brand was absorbed by Piaggio, when in 2004, Piaggio absorbed Aprilia. Since, Piaggio has elected to quietly close all activities related to the Laverda brand, and has publicly stated that they would be willing to sell the rights to the brand if an investor should appear. Today, despite a parking website by Piaggio at Laverda.com, the brand is no longer in use.

Moto Laverda

History

The roots of the Laverda Motorcycle company go back to 1873, when Pietro Laverda (1845-1930) decided to start an agricultural engines enterprise in the small rural village of Breganze.

Almost exactly three quarters of a century later, with a spirit of enterprise and feeling the need to improve the situation of an economically underdeveloped region which had suffered badly from two world wars, in October 1949, Pietro's grandson Francesco founded, Moto Laverda S.A.S - Dottore Francesco Laverda e fratelli.

Assisted by Luciano Zen, and after hours of running the normal agricultural business, Francesco had started in 1947 to design a small motorcycle. Word has it, that some engine parts were cast in Francesco's kitchen, confirming that at least initially, the project was not regarded as a serious business proposition. What most likely started as an evening pastime garage project of two technical enthusiasts was to become one of the most successful motorcycles in history. A simple four stroke 75cc bike with girder forks and a fully enclosed drive chain.

However, the little bike showed promise and so on October 13 1949, the statutes of Moto Laverda were officially submitted to the Chamber of Commerce of Vicenza.Over the next several years, Laverda became well known for building small capacity machines of high quality, durability and relative innovation for the time. To prove this, right from the beginning they modified their bikes in order to race them in distance and endurance events like the "Milan-Taranto", the "Giro d'Italia" and the "Cavalcata delle Dolomiti".In 1951 upon their first entry in the "Milan-Taranto", the 75cc Laverdas finished 4th, 5th, 6th and 10th in their class, racing against renowned marques like Ducati, Moto Guzzi, Alpino, Verga, Cimatti, Navarra, Arditto, Capriolo and Ceccato.Inspired by these results, and after once again improving their bikes, Laverda entered 20 bikes the following year in the 15th running of the "Milan-Taranto" in 1952. In this race which covered a distance of 1410km they took the first five places. The winner was Nino Castellani, L. Marchi came second and F. Diolio came third. In total they had 16 bikes amongst the first 20 of the classification. Laverda motorcycles thus became a firm favorite among racing clubmen due to their record for reliable performance.

Over the next two decades, Laverda would go on to produce new models of ever increasing capacity and capability, in different sectors of the market. Off-road, trial and motocross machines were developed in conjunction with other manufacturers like Zündapp, BMW and Husqvarna, and were successfully raced. But the real development came in street models, which began to earn a good reputation as classy, low maintenance and quiet motorcycles. From that first 75cc single, they eventually went on to produce different bikes ranging from scooters, the "Laverdino" commuter and eventually to the 200cc twin.

The big twins

By the late 1960s, Francesco and brothers began sketching out a new breed of large motorcycles that would be built around an all new 650cc parallel twin engine. The brand was now sufficiently strong and well known, and Francesco's son Massimo had just returned from the USA where it was clear that sales were dominated by large capacity British and American hardware. Above all this, was a desire to produce a prestigious and powerful machine that could conceivably take on the best and finest from Moto-Guzzi, BMW and the rapidly emerging Japanese.

In November 1966 Laverda exhibited the result of its thinking with the 650 prototype at Earls Court in London. While not an extreme sport bike in any sense, it exhibited all the virtues that Laverda had become synonymous with. At the same time its appearance disrupted the concept of a big bore parallel twin being "British built". After this first appearance, Luciano Zen and Massimo Laverda retreated until April 1968, working hard in order to prepare the bike for production. By now they had developed a 750cc version too. They were confident enough to enter four examples in the prestigious "Giro d'Italia". Two 650 and two 750 machines provided Laverda with victory for the 650 in her class, with three bikes finishing in the first 6 and all in the top 10! Two weeks after this victory the first 650 cc production models left the factory. The bikes carried the finest components available at the time, from British Smiths instruments, Pankl con-rods, Ceriani suspension, Mondial pistons, to Bosch electrical parts and (revolutionary at the time!) Japanese Nippon-Denso starter, thus eliminating the one problem plaguing nearly all contemporary British and Italian motorcycles at the time: their electrical unreliability. The 650 cc offered superior comfort and stability with its handling at least equivalent to the competition. Of course, it also carried a high price. It is difficult to quantify production quantities since frame numbering was shared with the 750 launched in May 1968 - as few as 52 or up to 200 Laverda 650 cc were produced.

750

The true birth of Laverda as a serious big bike brand occurred with the introduction of 750cc; its appearance halted sales of the recently introduced 650. Many of the first bikes were produced for the American market under the brand "American Eagle", which were imported to the US from 1968 until 1969 by Jack McCormack. The 750 was identical to the 650 except for the lower compression and carburettor rejetting. In 1969 the "750 S" and the "750 GT" were born, both equipped with an engine which would truly start the Laverda fame. Both engine and frame were reworked: power was increased to 60bhp for the "S". 3 bikes were entered by the factory at the 1969 Dutch 24 hour endurance race in Oss, the 750S was clearly the fastest bike until piston failure left just one machine to finsh fourth.Just like the agricultural machinery made by the other family business, Laverdas were built to be indestructible. The parallel twin cylinder engine featured no less than "five" main bearings (four crankcase bearings and a needle-roller outrigger bearing in the primary chaincase cover), a duplex cam chain, and a starter motor easily twice as powerful as needed. Of course, this made the engine and subsequently the entire bike heavy, heavier than, say, a Ducati 750 of the same vintage, but they were reliable and stable. The SF evolved to include disc brakes and cast alloy wheels. Developed from the 750S road bike was the 750 SFC ("super freni competizione"), a half-faired racer that was developed to win endurance events like the "Oss 24 hours", "Barcelona 24 hours" and the "Bol D'Or" at Le Mans. This it did, often placed first, second and third in the same race, and dominating the international endurance race circuit in 1971. Distinguished by its characteristic orange paint which would become the company's race department colour, its smooth aerodynamic fairing and upswept exhaust, the SFC was Laverda's flagship product and best advertisement, flaunting pedigree and the message of durability, quality, and exclusivity. The SFC "Series 15,000" was featured in the Guggenheim Museum in New York's 1999 exhibit "the Art of the Motorcycle" as one of the most iconic bikes of the 1970s.

The triples

In search for ever more power and in the face of increasingly sophisticated and powerful Japanese competition, already by the time Laverda was just launching their new 750 cc model range in 1968 they were already thinking about a revolutionary project. A new three cylinder power plant was shown as a prototype at the Milan and Geneva shows in 1969. It took however a lot of testing, modifications and mechanical engineering, before, having once again entered a bike prior to production in a prestigious race, this time in Zeltweg in Austria, in 1972 the all new 1000 3C model went into production. Immediately recognisable as a motorcycle of the modern era, it was still configured in a conservative layout, sharing some of the features of the SF/SFC such as the high quality alloy castings and distinctive styling. The 981cc triple provided more power than the outgoing twins, with not much more weight. Its heavy clutch and tall seat height helped develop its reputation as a "Hard Man's bike". British importer Roger Slater helped the factory to develop a high performance version named the "Jota" which gained the accolade of the "World's Fastest Production Motorcycle" after it was road tested at 140mph. It won many production class races in the UK and impressed the motorcycle press enough to guarantee its place in Laverda's history. A unique factor regarding the three cylinder engines up to 1982 is that they featured a 180 degree crankshaft arrangement, whereby one piston would be at the top of its stroke, and two at the bottom. This purposefully out-of-phase design gave the 1000cc Laverdas a unique and appealing [http://www.thecreeper.net/laverda/jota1000.wav sound] , a special riding character and a brutish behaviour. The engine evolved into a smoother, rubber mounted 120 degree configuration in 1982.

The middleweight twins

Laverda launched a smaller 500cc twin cylinder 8-valve entry-level machine named the "Alpina" in 1977 (quickly renamed "Alpino" due to trademark infringement and "Zeta" in the USA). It come with a six speed gearbox and balancer shaft. A 350cc version of the Alpino was also available from November 1977 - primarily designed for the home Italian market where a high tax was payable for machines over 350cc. This was followed by the improved Alpino S and Formula 500 racer in 1978, to support a single model race series. Its import into the UK led Roger Slater to develop the Montjuic in 1979 which was a road legal F500 with lights, sidestand & instruments. It evolved into the mk2 in 1981 & was a cult bike due to its radical appearance & extremely noisy exhaust. EEC noise restrictions saw its demise by 1983. Tellingly, Massimo Laverda said that each Alpino sold lost the factory money.Then somewhere in the mid eighties an enduro frame was built, fit with a 500 engine.It was liked so much that it was decided to build it in series: the Atlas was born, a bit longer stoke compared to the 500 so its capacity grew to 570 cc and with improved oilcooling.In 1986 around 300 white frame bikes were built, then 100 blue framed ones until 1988.After the rearranging of the company about 50 red frame machines were built in 1989.

The beginning of the end

By the 1980s the European motorcycle industry as a whole was reeling from Japanese competition, causing many companies like NVT (the amalgamated surviving British companies Norton, Triumph, and BSA), Moto-Guzzi, and many others to struggle or disappear completely. Laverda attempted to update their product line by introducing the RGS sports tourer in 1983, a stylish and modern looking machine with clever features like unbreakable Bayflex plastic mouldings; fuel filler in the fairing; integrated but removable luggage (Executive version), and adjustable footpeg position. In 1985 came the SFC 1000 sports model - a badge engineered attempt based on the RGS to reprise the hallowed SFC name.

Underneath the new skin were engines and technologies that were 10 years out of date, and worst of all, over priced when compared to the lighter, faster, cheaper and more advanced Japanese bikes. As an example, in 1983 the Montjuic mk2 cost the same as the 4 cylinder, 100bhp Kawasaki Z1000J. On the race tracks too, victory on anything other than a Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki or Kawasaki was if not impossible, a kind fluke.

Flirtations with a highly complex aluminum framed, 350cc 3 cylinder two-stroke and the famous but unsuccessful V6 endurance racer were exciting to see but sucked up enormous resources that the small factory could not afford. To make matters worse, the motorcycle industry in general was in trouble as sales dropped, and as the two Japanese industry giants engaged in what is now known as "the Honda-Yamaha War" in a bid for global supremacy by unleashing unbelievably advanced new models at a furious rate, often at a loss. In these conditions, the Laverda family bowed out by 1985.

Takeovers and rebirth

Laverda faded into obscurity as one hokey "saviour" after another filed through, from a Japanese investment company who wanted to sell apparel and other merchandise under the name; to a local government initiative which tried to run the factory as a co-operative. Each of these failed and it seemed as though yet another great Italian brand was done for good.

In 1993, millionaire Francesco Tognon bought everything, thus saving the company and setting up what looked like the first serious attempt in a decade to relaunch the brand. Over the next 5 years, they launched a small selection of new sports models based on a thorough redo of the bulletproof DOHC 650cc parallel twin derived from the old Alpino, upped to 668cc and clothed in contemporary superbike livery. These bikes were outfitted with Weber-Marelli electronic fuel injection, Brembo Gold Line brakes, fully adjustable Paioli suspension (White Power on some models), state of the art hollow spoke Marchesini wheels and a modern beam or trellis frame. The series were the equal of their direct Italian competition from the likes of Ducati, but much more exclusive. With 65 bhp available at the rear wheel and a very rev-happy engine, these bikes were nothing like traditional parallel twins. Within a year and a half, a larger, water cooled 750 appeared with a new engine in an aluminum beam chassis developed by frame specialist Nico Bakker, which boasted very fine handling and finish quality.

At successive international motorcycle shows, Laverda displayed mockups of new models they were planning to build, including an all new, 900cc liquid cooled 3 cylinder engine; The 750 roadster variants "Ghost" and "Strike"; the "Lynx", a small, naked roadster with a Suzuki 650cc V twin motor; and finally the "800TTS" trail/enduro, which aimed to take on the likes of the Cagiva Grand Canyon and Honda Transalp. Tantilizing promises, but in the face of fierce competition and under-powered engines, the venture failed after only five years. This time, at least, not for lack of trying and with some decent hardware to show for it.

The Aprilia takeover

Along with historical rival Moto-Guzzi, the Laverda motorcycle brand was purchased by Aprilia S.p.a (another Italian motorcycle manufacturer based in the same region) in 2000, restructured and incorporated into the Aprilia Group. Several projects that had been in development and the existing two motorcycles in production, were cancelled. Aprilia founded a new Laverda division business unit which shortly after began importing low cost Asian scooters and quads and selling them under the Laverda brand name, a development which upset traditional Laverda fans, who felt it diluted the prestige and quality of the original motorcycle company. It seems clear that this was an initiative designed to fund development of new motorcycles, but it ultimately didn't work, most likely because they were sold only in the scooter saturated Italian market, and because the brand name didn't resonate with buyers on that level.

In 2003, Laverda presented a new SFC prototype, based on a heavily revised Aprilia RSV1000 at the Milan EICMA motorcycle show. While stunning in many aspects, in particular the attention to component and mechanical detailing, it did not generate enough positive interest to merit further development. Traditionalists scoffed at the re/use of the Aprilia engine and cycle parts, nicknaming the machine the "Laprilia". The thread connecting this ultra-high cost and exclusive superbike with garden variety scooters of Asian origin was also unclear, confusing the brand image further still.

By this point, the Aprilia Group was in dire financial condition and would itself be sold to Piaggio, the giant scooter manufacturer of Vespa fame and longtime Aprilia rival only one year later. Piaggio elected to quietly close all activities related to the Laverda brand, and has publicly stated that they would be willing to sell the rights to the brand if an investor should appear. Today, the brand is no longer in use.

References

*"Laverda - Twins and Triples", Mick Walker, 1999, The Crowwood Press Ltd., ISBN 1-86126-220-5
*"Laverda Twin & Triple Repair & Tune-up Guide", Tim Parker, Ampersand Press, ISBN 0-906613-00-0
*"Laverda", Raymond Ainscoe with Tim Parker, Osprey Publishing, ISBN 1-85532-183-1
*"SFC 750", Tim Isles & Marnix van der Schalk, privately published
*"Legendary Laverda 1949-1989", Jean-Louis Olive and Stephen Battisson, ETAI, ISBN 10:2-7268-8702-3, ISBN 13:978-2-7268-8702-8

External links

* http://www.laverdaF500.co.uk/
* http://www.laverdaworld.com/
* http://www.laverda.it/
* http://www.aprilia.it/
* http://www.piaggio.com/
* http://www.euronet.nl/~wschalk/ 750 SFC Owners Registry
* http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/zanelist/
* http://www.naloc.net North American Laverda Owners Club
* http://www.laverdapedia.com Laverdapedia
* http://www.laverdamuseum.nl/ Laverda Museum in the Netherlands
* http://www.laverdacorse.it/ Laverda Corse - Piero Laverda's site
* http://www.iloc.co.uk/ International Laverda Owners Club