Laverda

1000 V6 Endurance – 1978

The first V6 motorcycle

Undeterred by growing financial problems, the brothers commissioned Guilio Alfieri - designer of the famous V8 Maserati power unit - to create one of the most dramatic racing motorcycle engines ever. Alfieri's experience with two- wheelers, however, was woefully limited.

A Flawed Prototype

Despite Alfieri's inexperience, it wasn't long before his magnificent V6 power unit was installed in a bike frame. The prototype was unveiled at the 1977 Milan Show. Initial tests displayed an alarming lack of rigidity. A year later, the frame design had changed drastically, but the Laverda V6 entered in the 1978 Bol dOr race looked as though it had been thrown together at the last minute. Ridden by Cereghini and Perugini, it was fast and powerful but heavy and tricky to handle. Despite the shortcomings, it qualified well and survived almost ten hours before it was put out of the running by transmission failure. It was the first and last race for the v6 Laverda. The company went into a slow decline in the Eighties.

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 996cc (65x50mm) four-stroke dry-sump 90 degree v6

Power output: 140 hp @ 11,000 rpm

Fuel system: six 32mm carburetors

Valves: two overhead camshafts per block. 4 valves per cylinder

Transmission: 5-speed gearbox and shaft final drive

Suspension: (front) telescopic forks; (rear) swinging frame

Brakes: (front) twin disc; (rear) single disc

Wheels: cast magnesium

Weight: 485 lb

Maximum speed: 177 mph

Too long and all wrong for its frame, the Laverda V6 engine was superbly unrestrained