"Scooter Talk"

MartinLogan Audio Owners Forum

Help Support MartinLogan Audio Owners Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Since we're sharing,:D here's a pic of one of my favourite bikes, my '98 BMW K12RS. This pic was taken in VA.

28612625_KNdee-M.jpg


Ah heck, while I'm at it, I might as well include an action shot. This one was taken on route 33 in western Va or in eastern WVA (not sure which side of the border I was on at that precise moment). It was only about 36 degrees F when this pic was taken and I was wearing about 4 layers of clothing! That was the ride that finally pushed me into buying a heated jacket liner!

28612578_tBLbS-M.jpg
 
Ok, Here's my former love, before the Blackbird:
"Bub" Jota cans, "Witt" ignition, "executive" handlebars, 42 tooth rear sprocket, I forget who aftermarket rear springs & shocks, tweaked fork dampening and those loud Italian aftermarket horns Not shown: Slater Bros. full floating front disks.
Sorry, no 4C jota cam but the Ducatisti still didn't know what hit them.
 

Attachments

  • Laverda 2.jpg
    Laverda 2.jpg
    64.2 KB · Views: 118
Suzuki School

Since we are going "Hog Wild" on pictures, here's one of me taken at the Kevin Schwantz Racing School at Road Atlanta.
 

Attachments

  • LowReslean.jpg
    LowReslean.jpg
    61.7 KB · Views: 106
Beakman said:
Ok, Here's my former love, before the Blackbird:
"Bub" Jota cans, "Witt" ignition, "executive" handlebars, 42 tooth rear sprocket, I forget who aftermarket rear springs & shocks, tweaked fork dampening and those loud Italian aftermarket horns Not shown: Slater Bros. full floating front disks.
Sorry, no 4C jota cam but the Ducatisti still didn't know what hit them.
Click to expand...

Beauty. I really liked Laverdas, but never had the opportunity to ride one.
 
Beakman said:
Ok, Here's my former love, before the Blackbird:
"Bub" Jota cans, "Witt" ignition, "executive" handlebars, 42 tooth rear sprocket, I forget who aftermarket rear springs & shocks, tweaked fork dampening and those loud Italian aftermarket horns Not shown: Slater Bros. full floating front disks.
Sorry, no 4C jota cam but the Ducatisti still didn't know what hit them.
Click to expand...

Wow. Love that Laverda. A couple of Questions, did they use 120º cranks and were they counterbalanced like the new Triumphs? I'm thinking it might not have been by your comment about getting beat up.

Action shot: this is me on Cherohala Skyway. :D

2005_0514gap050072.JPG
 
MotorToad said:
Wow. Love that Laverda. A couple of Questions, did they use 120º cranks and were they counterbalanced like the new Triumphs? I'm thinking it might not have been by your comment about getting beat up.
Click to expand...

Mr Toad,
The RGS series (~1982-1986) had a 120 crank, but I can't recall how well the counterbalancing was configured. It would sound almost like a Jaguar V-12. The bottom end was developed from a Fiat 3 banger car engine and overall, bulletproof. Mine was a bit beasty overall from stiffer rear springs and shocks, higher viscosity fork oil and brace and a little trick with the venting, and racing grade clutch springs. Some relief came from mounting the higher handlebars in place of the Marquis de Sade original units, designed from some cafe racer's crack-addled pipe dream. When this near 600 pound freight train was underway at speed or being flogged it was very compliant, but god pity you if you had to go downtown.
All this was nothing compared to the first Laverda I rode, my brother's 3C, which my daily transportation for about a year. Take most of the above but with a 180 degree crank, cable clutch instead of hydraulic, right side shift and no fairing. Add on the bonus of the Hieronymus Bosch ignition that let you push the bike home once in a while. But that engine, ripping through the near open jota pipes, sounded absolutely magnificent.

PS: The other comment, yes , that is a direct analogy for riding a Laverda. I left out the part about throwing expensive baubles at her on a regular basis for the privilege
 
Last edited:
Beakman said:
Ever have a good looking woman beat the crap out of you? ;)
Click to expand...

Ha ha, no, not yet, but I did own and ride a '70 BSA twin and I know what it's like to be numb from the waist to the knees. (Not really that bad, but you did lose all feeling in a certain "nether" region. :eek:
 
slowGEEZR said:
Ha ha, no, not yet, but I did own and ride a '70 BSA twin and I know what it's like to be numb from the waist to the knees. (Not really that bad, but you did lose all feeling in a certain "nether" region. :eek:
Click to expand...


Steve, I know you're tougher than that !!! My '58 "Pan", rigid frame, 18" Ape hangers.....now ride that thing for more than a half hour when the weather is cold and there is NO blood left in your hands ! LOL !

Regardless.......I do miss that bike.
 
The sad thing, it wasn't the owner that wrecked it. He loaned it to a track newb because some girl was passing him (he on a Monster, she on a Buell) and his 1098 was in the shop... with accident damage! Nothing to do with cold tires, just an idiot and an idiot. :)
 
VanDaRo said:
Ouch !! Target fixation will getcha every time !!

~VDR
Click to expand...

Ouch is right, I can feel his pain just watching it.

See it happened on a curve.
I was reading somewhere that 80% of all motorcycle accidents happen on curves, could it be because we like to accelerate through the twistys.
 
theWB said:
Ouch is right, I can feel his pain just watching it.

See it happened on a curve.
I was reading somewhere that 80% of all motorcycle accidents happen on curves, could it be because we like to accelerate through the twistys.
Click to expand...
I think it's mostly because a great majority of people out there haven't the faintest clue wtf they're doing but think they're the most talented riders in history. :-\

I never thought I was really the best rider in the world, but man, I remember my newb days... I shouldn't have survived!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top