1974 Laverda SF

This Laverda 750 SFC is one of 222 production racers built for the 1974 model year and is powered by a matching-numbers 744cc parallel twin mated to a five-speed transmission. The bike is finished in orange and features a Ceriani front end, Borrani wheels, triple Brembo disc brakes, an adjustable Tommaselli handlebar, and fiberglass racing-style bodywork. Reportedly delivered new to Toronto dealer Franco Romanelli, it then spent time with collectors in Missouri, Wisconsin, and New York before being acquired by the selling dealer two years ago. Recommissioning work is said to have been carried out in the last year, and the bike has been kept on static display since. This Super Freni Competizione is offered with an owner’s manual and a clean California title. The bodywork is finished in orange over a zinc-plated frame that uses the engine as a stressed member. Features include a 6.6-gallon fuel tank, a center stand, rearset foot controls, and head- and taillights. The bike is not equipped with turn signals or mirrors. Borrani wire-spoke wheels with shouldered aluminum rims are mounted with Bridgestone tires. Suspension consists of a Ceriani fork as well as dual shocks fixed to the swingarm. Braking is from dual 280mm Brembo discs up front and a single version at the rear end, which also features a magnesium wheel hub. Adjustable clubman-style Tommaselli handlebars feature a cable-operated choke lever on the left. Nippon Denso gauges consist of a tachometer with a 6,500-rpm redline, a 150-mph speedometer, and a five-digit odometer showing 250 miles, a handful of which have been ridden by the selling dealer. Total mileage is unknown. The air-cooled 744cc parallel twin produced 75 horsepower when new and drives the rear wheel through a close-ratio five-speed transmission, which was strengthened for the 1974 model year and is shifted on the right. Additional updated components for 1974 included twin 36mm Dell’Orto carburetors, a lightened and balanced crankshaft, polished connecting rods, a higher-capacity oil pump, and modified valves and springs. Serial number 17148 is stamped on both the frame and the engine case, the latter of which can be viewed in the gallery. An owner’s manual is included in the sale. A start-up and riding video is provided below.