RealClassic – August 2019

82 I AUGUST 2019 More old bikes online: Real-Classic.co.uk

T

he 500Laverdatwinscome
in variousflavours,based on
the sameextremelyrobust
engine.InUKthe civilisedroad
versionwascalled theAlpino.For reasons
no oneseemsto understand,other thatthe
Americantendencytoavoid anything NIH
(Not InventedHere), thevery same model
morphs into the Zeta in the USA.Thehotted-
up versionwascalled theMontjuic afterits
race success held in Barcelona’s Montjuic
park. Then came theFormula500 which
is the same thing with fullrace fairing and
completely openexhaust.
Last butcertainly not least thereist he
lovely 350version.This wasanItalian tax-
dodgeexercise wherebya350 attrac ted
consid erably less purchase tax.We sold a
handfu lof3 50sinEngland but theycost
the factory as muchto build as the 500 with
larger pistons,sot here wasverylittle interest.
Allwerebuilt like Swiss watches and havea
well-earnedreputationforbeing bulletproof.
There’sproof forthese claims–the small
twin holds the fastest lap on the Isle ofMan
by aLaverdaat105mph.So reliablewere
thesetwins thatthere wasaraceclass in
Italy solelyforprivateers running theirown
Formula 500s.Itw as a40-bike sea of orange
on the startline.The 500twinswerefirst
and second in their class in the Barcelona 24
hourrace ,not oncebut ontwoconsecutive
years.The twobikes involved werethe very
same onesforboth years; theywerenot
replacements orrebuilds.The winning bike
wasriddenby my old palPete Davies and
AgustoBrettoni.Iwas partoft he factory
team on both occasions as timekeeper,

so the 500 had personal significancefor

me.Afew days afterthe race,thatactual

winning bikewasdeliv ered in one of the

regular shipments from the Laverd afactory

to SlaterBrothers in the UK,along with 40

new Laverd as.Massimo Laverd apersonally

presentedmewith the bike.

This little treasurelatercame us when

we movedtothe USA. It wasput under a

blanket,never turningawheel until several

years laterwhenCliffCarr asked me if I

would be interested in entering anew road

race eventhewas organising inMexico.

Meanwhile,PeteDavies had alsorelocated

to this side of theAtlantic.Although he’d

longretired from motorcycle racing,Pete

wasdefinitely interested .But whatcouldwe

use foraracebike?

Time to dust off

the Barcelona bike.

As the 500 had not been run sinceits

Barcelona victory,Ithought it prudentto

check itover before the long trekto Mexico.

It neededapairofDunlop endurancetyres to

replacethe bone-hardworn-out ones.While

etition trim. Here he isat the

Isle of Maninthe 1978Formula2TT

er e

fo

ein

PeterDavies enjoyedconsiderable

success aboard Laverda’s 500 twin in

competition trim. Here he isat the Isle of

Maninthe 1978Formula2TT