‘Right from its first competition appearances (1971), the SFC proved its worth, winning the Vallelunga 500 km, the Oss 24 hours in Holland, Zeltweg in Austria and the Barcelona 24 hours. It was a sturdy, easy-to-maintain race bike suited in every way to private riders. Laverda: The Story of a Passion, Bruno Tamiello/Paolo Palma (PPS Editore, 1997.)
A simultaneous co-development of the 750 ‘Honda lookalike’ single overhead cam, 360-degree, over square (80mm bore x 74mm stroke) parallel twin, street bike, the SFC – Super Freni Competizione (freni is Italian for brake) – was a handmade, batch production, street legal race bike based on Laverda’s street 750 (even retaining the electric start!) Built between 1971 and 1976 in Breganze, in northern Italy’s Dolomite foothills, Moto Laverda produced only 550 examples of this stunningly beautiful machine. All examples came in a color close to Volkswagen’s period Brilliant Orange.
The 750 SFC is arguably ‘one of the two most evocative 1970s superbikes’ (a new category at the time.) The other was the Dr Taglioni designed so-called ‘green frame’ Ducati 750 SS. Both models were remarkably ‘equal’ in every sense… high performance, high quality, high price and cumulative racetrack success.
All Laverdas were built in batches, the 750cc SFC going through five ‘serial number’ batches roughly tied to model years and plucked out of the contemporary street bike series. Laverda always matched frame and engine numbers. There were three drum-brake batches (drums front and back, that is) defined as ‘5000’, ‘8000’ and ’11000.’ Then two disc brake batches (again, discs front and rear) ‘15000’/’16000’ and ‘18000.’ All sequential from 1971 to 1976.
The 1975 model year SFC received an upgraded engine, a Bosch BTZ electronic ignition system, hence the nickname Elettronica, and an oil cooler but was otherwise was substantially a 1974 model. These 1975 modifications made the engine both more reliable and a tad more powerful. Around 130 Elettronicas were made between February and June 1975. Production continued in April 1976 with 33 more bikes this time with Laverda’s own FLAM cast aluminum, thin web, wheels (taken from the SF3 and 1000 triple production line.) Some of the 33 had white decals on both the tank and side panels and a new bolt-on front fender, as does the offered bike.
A racing two-into-one megaphone (as on this example) accentuates the lean, racer-on-the-street profile, and the claimed power for the 1976 750 SFC was 75 horsepower at 7,500 rpm. The right-side gear shift remained as did the Ceriani suspension front and back.
‘When production ended, so did one of the greatest motorcycles ever created. If any one model of Laverda typifies the marque it is the 750 SFC, a motorcycle built for purpose and not to a price.’ The Laverda Twins & Triples Bible, Ian Falloon, (Veloce, 2007.)
This wonderfully presented and very rare 1976 Laverda SFC was originally purchased by Laverda enthusiast, Robert Hall of Caister, Norfolk, UK, after some delays, on June 19th, 1976 from Slater Brothers, the UK importer of Bromyard, Herefordshire, trading in a Laverda 3C. The SFC was purchased for £2,250 with a £1,750 trade in allowance for the 3C. Sounds like a pretty good deal!
While in Mr. Hall’s possession on March 1st, 1983, a personal friend of us here at Classic Avenue and Laverda guru, Tim Parker, wrote to ask for photographs of the bike for inclusion in a pictorial history of Laverda motorcycles to be published through Ampersand Press. A thank you letter with mechanical tips also accompanies the paperwork file. An MOT test receipt in the UK on June 9th, 1981 shows the mileage to be 5,246. And then another MOT test on February 19th, 2007 shows the mileage to be 5,930 miles. Or 684 miles in 26 years! Since then the speedometer was removed.
At some point in the late 1990s, ownership passed to Paul Stephen Bisby of Brough, near Grimsby, UK.
The motorcycle was then imported to the US by a collector of Italian motorcycles before being purchased by Robb Talbott for his MotoTalbott Museum in Carmel, California. In his custodianship, it was shown at the 2018 Amelia Island Concours and Quail Motorcycle Gathering. It is accompanied by a substantial history file and its original owners manual.
Now, having been on static display in the museum for some time, the bike has been re-commissioned to ready it for sale, on the road or racetrack.
Engine no. 18432
Frame no. 18432
Location: Ventura, California
SOLD
