Laverda in the colonies
In Australia, two companies in particular, Stan Evans’
Stanco in Melbourne (the official Australian distribu-
tor) and Jim Eade Pty Ltd in Sydney (the NSW agents),
were the mainstay of Laverda sales and promotion
throughout the life of the 1000cc models, which
initially (in 1973) carried a price tag of $2,700. Its
triple-cylinder competitor, the Triumph Trident, was
priced at $1,795.
As early as 1973, Stanco provided a new 1000
for hard rider Jeff Curley to use in the increasingly
popular Production races. For the 1975 Castrol Six
Hour race at Amaroo Park, Stanco entered a 1000
for Bob Rosenthal and Ross Barelli, while Jim Eade
did likewise for the pairing of John Hughes and
Greg Byrnes. But even before the race began, there
were dramas, affecting not just the pair of Laverdas,
but the two Ducati 900SS models and the three
Triumph Tridents entered. The regulations stated
that 20 of the model to be raced had to be
registered in NSW by October 1, 1975, and none
of these complied. The promoters, Willoughby
District MCC, were understandably concerned at the
prospect of losing a large chunk of the entry, and
took the matter to the Auto Cycle Union, who ruled
that the regulations would be amended to require
20 of the model to be registered in the whole of
Australia, not just NSW.
As it turned out, the Laverdas were off the pace in
the dry, but in the second hour of the race, it began
to rain. In the slippery conditions, the Stanco Laverda
began a march through the field that had it up to
fourth place, but alas, the sky cleared and as the
track dried, the faster machine once again took over
the pace-making. Adding to their problems, the
Stanco bike’s exhaust system began to disintegrate
after the pipes (which converged from three into
one and then into two mufflers below the engine)
cracked and began emitting quite a racket.ENGINE 981cc DOHC three cylinder.
BORE X STROKE 75mm x 74mm
COMP. RATIO 9.0:1
POWER 80hp at 7,250 rpm.
CARBS 3 x 32mm Dell’Orto PHF32A.
LUBRICATION Wet sump.
IGNITION Bosch magneto.
TRANSMISSION Five-speed, triplex chain primary drive
to wet clutch.
FRAME Double cradle all-welded tubular steel.
SUSPENSION Front: Ceriani telescopic fork.
Rear: Veriani twin rear shocks.
BRAKES Front: Twin 280mm discs
with brembo calipers.
Rear: Laverda 230mm drum.
WHEELS/TYRES Borrani alloy rims.
Front: 410 x 18
Rear: 425 x 18
FUEL CAP. 7 litres
WET WEIGHT 235 kg
SEAT HEIGHT 770mm
CLEARANCE 120mm
MAX. SPEED 136 mph (220 km/h)1974 Laverda 1000 3C
Specifications
TOP Stanco advertisement from 1974.
ABOVE Pit stop for Lindsay McKay in the Surfers Three
Hour Race where he rode with Owen Hughes.
BELOW LEFT Jeff Curley on Stanco’s Laverda 1000
at Calder in 1973.Lindsay McKay on the Jim Eade Laverda at Amaroo Park.
OLD BIKE AUSTRALASIA: 63LAVERDA 1000 3C