1972 Laverda 1000
Introduced in 1972, the three-cylinder Laverda 1000 (top) was the bike the boys at Breganze were really hanging their hopes on. Although a little heavy for track work, the big triple was successful in the European endurance circuit. More importantly, it was an excellent high-speed touring machine, equally at home blasting across the U.S. desert Southwest or carving corners in the Swiss Alps. Dual front discs were new for 1974.
1974 Laverda 750 SF
The Laverda 750 SF was Laverda’s bread and butter bike, a well-engineered, well-made parallel twin. European buyers tended to favor low bars, while American bikes, like the one shown here, carried taller bars to suit our presumably longer rides. Bosch electrics meant reliable starting and charging, and Nippon Denso gauges provided clear information. 1974 SF2s sported dual-disc front brakes and a new exhaust with a balance pipe.
1974 Laverda 750 SFC
At the top of the heap was the 1974 Laverda 750 SFC. Although very limited in production, they were highly touted in company ads. While all Laverdas were more handmade than most, the SFC took that to a different level, with each engine assembled by one person. Finished engines were then tested on the factory dynamometer to verify output. Each bike was road tested, usually with an older gas tank to avoid damaging new parts.
Here is a video demonstrating the magnificent sound of the 1974 Laverda 750 SFC:
