Brad The Bike Boy: Booking lead time, parts and a Laverda

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Booking lead time, parts and a Laverda

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Even though it's the middle of winter here I'm getting about a 2 week lead time for bookings. So please keep this in mind if planning some work. I can often fit in a small job (ie, 1 hour or so), but precedence always goes to booked in work.

I'll have an expanded products page up very soon, with mostly Ducati parts - lightweight steel clutch baskets, Barnett clutch packs, changeover 4V opening rockers - and the generic efi fuel filter that suits most BMW, Ducati and MV and some Guzzi and Aprilias. While I'm not trying to start a large parts business, it does help to move more of the regulars where possible. Especially when I can offer bits at better prices.

I've got something different in at the moment - a Laverda Formula 650. I think that's what it is, it hasn't got any bodywork at this point. I haven't worked on one before, but it seems pretty straight forward, if a little unusual. Apparently an excellent handling bike, it's cetainly specced up chassis wise with WP at both ends and Brembo floating cast iron discs. And a big fabricated aluminium fuel tank under the seat, which looks surprisingly 'one off' for a production bike. Hopefully I'll get to go for a ride on it when it's all back in one piece.
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The 851

The 400SS

I bought this 400SS (genuine 93 model Australian delivery! Woo hoo huh.) after seeing it in Ebay for what was possibly an good price. As ever, good was too good to be true. Badly repaired and rusted out fuel tank, badly repainted side panels, lots of km (83,000 of the bastards), etc. You know, the usual. Purchased in October 2012, as of now (Jan 2014) I've nearly finished a major service. The cam timing is done with some of the Madasl adjustable pullies that have been drilled in 4 different settings for easy dyno testing. And I have some 900 headers to try a 40mm dual exhaust set up on it (ala M400). Not a great deal of progress for 15 months, so it's taking on a long term feel. There's an F1 endurance style seat base (more taper at the rear) and front fairing sitting around, which will require frame mods to fit. It's a bit of a mental sticking point as this time. But hey, it's not like I can devalue it much more.

The Mighty KR1S 250

How it looked the rainy night someone came to take it away. Painted all black when I bought it, at some point later I realised i could rub the black off and have much of the original colour scheme underneath. Although the main fairing was originally from a red KR1 I think, and definitely badly repaired more than once, so it stayed black. And the tail panel shown was bought to replace the one I smashed the only time I crashed it and the last time I rode it at a Sandown track day. A sensational little bike, holed pistons and frequently failing stator windings aside. The first bike I rode on a race track and the first bike I had my knee down on. And a great commuter too I found. It's sometimes nice to have a bike that won't wheelie past the city speed limit in first gear.