1974 LAVERDA SF2
1974 LAVERDA SF2 CUSTOM
— Text by Chris Lesser —
Ten years ago this SF2 was in sad shape to say the least.
It’s brake calipers were seized to the rusty rotors. It’s frame had been hammered open to fit a tractor battery and a hole in one piston had relegated it to a basement for who knows how long before it was dragged out to a swap meet in Ohio.
Peter Boggia of Moto Borgotaro saw promise in the pile of parts. He bought it and hauled the project home, where it incubated as an idea for a long time before he touched it again. And then slowly, over the course of the last three years, the SF2 was brought back to its former glory, and then some.
The engine was torn down to the block and rebuilt with the guts of its high-performance older sibling in the Laverda lineup: The SFC—Super Freni for ‘super braking’ and Competizione, for its racetrack DNA.
A lightened and balanced SFC crank and performance pistons and cams replaced the originals, and Carillo connecting rods complete the package. The cylinder heads were modified to accommodate a 38-millimeter Dell’Orto carburetor—throatier than even what the SFC came equipped with. Everything other major engine component was replaced as well: timing chain, clutch, cables—as well as every last nut and bolt.
“A custom goat leather seat suggests a hint of luxury, and re-laced wheels with heavy-duty Borrani replica rims and stainless steel spokes offer rock-solid confidence in corners.”
Controls have been boiled down to a new-old-stock vintage C.E.V. headlight switch on the left, and a small stainless steel starter button built directly into the handlebar the right, with all wires cleanly hidden from view. Two solitary LED’s built into the headlight shell serve as neutral and oil-pressure indicators, and the whole simple system is tied together by a custom wiring harness. And there is no key, instead a wireless RFID-enabled key fob passed in front of a sensor hidden on the bike toggles ignition on and off.
The bike’s battered frame tubes were brazed and reformed. The brake rotors were milled and drilled, and the brake calipers and master cylinder were rebuilt and plumbed with new stainless steel lines.
The stock air-box was replaced with velocity stacks and the original SF side panels were modified to mimic the lines of the frame, while consciously keeping the original aesthetic intact.
PHOTS BY: MATIAS COREA
DISCLAIMER
Every single bike I buy and sell, I personally go through—not someone else. I am the owner operator of my small business, and I take what I do very seriously. I work on the bikes, I ride the bikes.
If you are serious about buying a true collector piece from someone who not only has a passion for these bikes, but works on them, rides them, and collects them then call me. Jokingly people say to me, “these bikes don’t seem so rare as there are so many in your shop” well... I consider myself a custodian for these machines, they should go to people who will love, and appreciate them.