The Laverda engine has pistons that move up and down alternatively, unlike British bikes and this helps to minimise vertical twin vibration without the use of balance shafts. The out of phase pistons are noticeable below 3000rpm, but this is felt as a distant roughness that fades into the background with use and has become no worse with age.
Between 3000 and 6500rpm the engine was very smooth, becoming smoother still for the first 30000 miles and thereafter becoming a little rough, but having little effect on the rider. Beyond 6500mm (80mph in sixth) the engine vibrates rather badly — and this has gradually become more intense, until after 45000 miles I only ventured Into such regions when I needed some very rapid acceleration.
DOHCs control four valves per pot through buckets and shims. The exhaust valves needed adjustment every 800 miles. Due to poor oil supply, at 16000 miles two valves on the left pot were burnt away and I found a crack between the stud hole and the combustion chamber on the right hand side. Luckily, I picked up a new head off a nearly new bike from the local breakers for only £60. This seems much better, and I've only had to adjust the valves every 2500 miles, although I do check them at 5000 miles. Because of the shims from the spare head, I've even avoided having to buy any shims.
The crankshaft is a rather odd and unique piece of engineering. It's a built up job with three main ball and roller bearings. Unlike the Jap twins where there's a bearing each side of the central camshaft drive, one side on the Laverda is unsupported. This may look strange and I had to replace the original crank at 22000 miles, again due to poor lubrication (shot mains and big-ends) and the new crank is now making some knocking noises! I know one chap who went through three cranks in 35000 miles, definitely worth listening to carefully.
I had to replace the camchain and tensioner at 20000 miles (again from the breakers) and again at 45000 miles. I could have probably left them for a few thousand miles but I found the rattle rather annoying and it wasn't worth risking wrecking the engine. Amazingly, the engine is still on the original pistons and bore. Helped by 1000 mile oil changes and the fact that I've never thrashed the thing. I've talked to a few owners and a re-bore around 20000 miles seems quite common, so I've been very lucky.
Primary drive is by helical gear (unlike the 750SF) - this whines a little and from 52000 miles onwards there has been some jerkiness in the transmission - it used to be very, very smooth right down to 20mph in sixth, now I have to have forty on the clock for smooth riding.
The multi-plate clutch was fine for the first 17000 miles - very light and plenty of feedback. For the next four thousand miles it dragged after half an hour in a traffic jam. Then it started slipping above 6000rpm. A new set of plates solved the problem for the next ten thousand miles. Then I had to replace the body (breakers again - £20) and I haven't had any problems since. Clutches are dodgy on this model.
The six speed box has a very direct action and it's quite possible to take off in second if you're not in a hurry. First gives some very rapid acceleration that'll have some more racy bikes wondering just what hit them. From forty thousand onwards the change between second and third, and third and fourth, became vague and unless the engine's under power it's easy to find a false neutral.
The engine displaces 497cc from a bore and stroke of 72 x 61mm, it gives 45hp at 8000rpm. Twin 32mm Dellorto carbs have accelerator pumps that turn the motor on at six grand, but there is also plenty of torque at lower revs. The engine lets the bike potter along like the old British stuff or you can rev the heart out of the engine like a Jap twin, coming close to 110mph at 9000rpm - but the vibes have always discouraged me from holding more than a 80mph cruising speed. As I always take the back roads I find this no problem.
This neatly brings us to the chassis. Despite its Italian parentage the suspension has always been supple, not quite up to BMW standards, but it doesn't twist or dive, so it's an excellent compromise. It maintained its performance for the first forty thousand miles, then gradually deteriorated until I felt compelled to replace the rear shocks at 52000 miles (yet again from the breakers £25/pair). My only complaint concerns the swinging arm bearings which were replaced under warranty at 5000 miles, and were out of action by 12000 miles. Even from new, there was free play at the back wheel. The bearings seem to be made of some hard rubber, so this isn't so surprising. I talked a mate into making some phosphor bronze items up on his lathe.
I had a lot of trouble making these fit, but the improved rigidity of the rear end has removed a slight shimmy from the bike in fast corners and I'm still on the original set, although I do have some spares sitting on my shelf waiting for them to wear out.
This also improved the chain wear. It used to wear out by 8000 miles despite regular lubrication and adjustment every 400 miles. It now lasts between 14 and 18000 miles with adjustment required at 650 miles. I should have tried to find a full chain enclosure but could never convince myself that they really did improve chain life by enough to justify its cost.
The bike weighs under 400lbs and is easy to manoeuvre in town and down country lanes. My one reservation concerns the cast alloy wheels and discs. Removing these for fitting new tyres I noticed that they were very, very heavy. The three discs are solid cast iron which helps explain this. As this is all unsprung weight it could have an effect on the handling - in fact, the only time I notice it is when the bike whitelines or follows indentations in the road, it‘s very reluctant to change direction. Oh, on the one or two occasions when I really rode the bike on its limits, it didn't like trying to switch direction. but the speedo did read 110mph and any Jap twin would have been bouncing and twisting.
The twin ten inch discs with Brembo calipers worked In wet or dry conditions, as did the single rear disc. I have to strip down the caliper every 15000 miles, but my real complaint is pad wear - 4500 miles on the front and 6000 miles on the rear. I've tried numerous different makes and they seem to make no difference so I fit the cheapest I can find (£7.25 a set).
Tyre wear was reasonable with Pirellis lasting 7500 miles on the rear and 10500 on the front. These give the bike great confidence in both wet and dry weather - the Alpina is one of those bikes you can leap on and ride off on in complete confidence, and one on which you're always aware of the reaction of the tyre to the road. In 70000 miles I've never fallen off, so that speaks volumes for the bike.
The electrics held up well for the first 20000 miles. The electronic ignition was replaced at 33500 miles. I rewired the bike at 22000 miles and replaced all the switchgear at 3000 miles with BMW stuff (£30 from breakers). Rear lamps blow every six thousand miles but it's still on the original and excellent Bosch headlamp! The indicators were removed at 38500 miles. The alternator has been rewound two times and I'm on my second rectifier and regulator.
Fuel has averaged 60mpg which I've found quite reasonable. I want to keep it the bike until there's 100000 miles on the clock. It hasn't been trouble free, but it's been easy and cheap enough to repair and has never failed out on the road. The finish is still reasonable, but I've put a lot of elbow grease into it. I'm still very happy with it.
Pete Brooks