When you think “high speed touring” the usual suspects usually begin with BMW and then taper off quickly towards some muted, former sportbike, Japanese road missile (think Connie or otherwise). All good choices, to be sure. But if I challenged you to narrow your answer to cover the 1970s and 1980s, what would you say?…
In 1974, the Laverda SF2 was roughly equivalent to an R1M, though at the time, twin disc brakes sufficed for high technology. Over-engineered and powerful, the bike in its day was as fast as it was premium. They aren’t easy to find in any condition, let alone fully restored. 1974 Laverda SF2 for sale on…
Update 4.23.2018: We’ve updated most of the listings below with their sale prices, and estimates from Bonhams were very close in most cases. Their showcase pieces did very well also. From Bonhams: Bonhams Spring Stafford Sale took place this weekend (21 and 22 April) at the International Classic MotorCycle Show and saw an incredible 92%…
When a mid-nineties Ducati just ain’t cutting it as far as style, panache, build sheet, rarity and dubious build quality are concerned, it’s hard to do better than a contemporary Laverda. Sure, you could go Bimota and snag Japanese reliability with the sex appeal only Italy can muster, but you couldn’t be too much more…
The 1974 Laverda SFC is the high-water mark for 1970s Italian sportbikes, representing the pinnacle of Laverda’s race bike development and the final SFC offered in the states, as the US mandated left-side shift after September of ’74. The Laverda’s big parallel twin made about 75 horsepower, heady grunt for an era where 100 ponies…
Update 2.13.2018: We first posted this Mirage last April and it was bid to $11,500 and then relisted and removed. It is back on eBay with a different seller and current bid is $7,700 reserve met. Links are updated. Thanks Donn! -dc On the block today is one of Laverda’s best kept secrets: The Mirage…
Named after a Spanish dance conducted in triple time (triple, get it?), the Laverda Jota was an Italian superbike designed for high speed travel. Featuring a 1000cc inline three cylinder, the Jota line ran from 1976 through 1982 – and witnessed the inception of the downfall of this iconic motorcycle (and farm equipment) manufacturer. By…
Today’s Featured Listing Laverda 750 SF2 is definitely more of a classic sportbike, but it’s definitely rare and such an icon we couldn’t help but publish! For fans of the site who aren’t really familiar with low-production Italian bikes of the 1970s, you could probably think of Laverda as “the Lamborghini of motorcycles,” since they…