New Project - Long Road Trip

[Scout63]

I drove round trip to Halifax Nova Scotia this weekend  to pick up this project bike.  It doesn’t look like much but buried in the boxes is a 1982 Laverda Montjuic 500 from the original owner.  He put a rod through the cases many years ago.  It came with new unstamped crank cases as well as spare heads, cranks, tank, wheels, etc. Also an almost complete Zeta 500.  I’m stashing it all at the office for a future build.

It was a long road trip pulling my enclosed trailer.  I left Friday evening and drove 250 miles from the Cape to Augusta, ME.  Saturday 500 miles to Halifax, loaded parts for an hour then 450 miles back to Bangor, ME.  Yesterday 325 miles home to unload.

[fotoguzzi]

Wow, what a score!

[kballowe]

Wooo Hooo !!!

 

[Dirk_S]

Did you hop on the CAT, or drove through New Brunswick? Regardless, I think I heard you driving by. Did you hear me shout ‘Ello?

[huub]

wow , the montjuic used to be one of my all time dream bikes.
Have fun rebuilding!

[Scout63]

Did you hop on the CAT, or drove through New Brunswick? Regardless, I think I heard you driving by. Did you hear me shout ‘Ello?

I took the Trans Canada Highway through New Brunswick.  Beautiful views. I waved on the way through.

[Aaron D.]

Montjuic is an awesome score!

[cliffrod]

Very cool.  Great bike to add to the group.

I’ve had a lot of bikes stored in a lot of places but never thought about storing project bikes at the office..  that opens up a whole new bunch of options for the slippery slope.

[s1120]

Nice!!  I used to love those long road trips for parts/cars. Been a long time though now.

[Roebling3]

Nice that you got through it all w/out a scratch. Likely 45 years ago I'd be flying or driving to Dartmouth, Halifax, Fredericton, et.al. If it were not for the great folks, who live there, who knows where I could have wound up. Tussled with a bear one time. Came out of a restaurant to find a Bear 'patting' the hood of my car. Destroyed another car hitting a Mouse, on the Maine Tpk. It was ther hottest summer recorded. In the late 60's, IIRC.  R3~

[Tomkinney]

That is a big ride,  i grew up near Woodstock NB near the border.  Last summer i rode my bike to Cape Bretton and the Cabot trail.  I hope you dont have any missing parts,  but you will likely have to scrounge for a few items.  Good Luck with it

[Vagrant]

Nice that you got through it all w/out a scratch. Likely 45 years ago I'd be flying or driving to Dartmouth, Halifax, Fredericton, et.al. If it were not for the great folks, who live there, who knows where I could have wound up. Tussled with a bear one time. Came out of a restaurant to find a Bear 'patting' the hood of my car. Destroyed another car hitting a Mouse, on the Maine Tpk. It was ther hottest summer recorded. In the late 60's, IIRC.  R3~

That must of been one hell of a mouse!

[Dirk_S]

That must of been one hell of a mouse!

Punchline of the week, and it’s only Monday!

[Dave Swanson]

Nice score!   

My longest non stop drive (except to load the bike) was a 1500 mile round trip in 26 hours to pick up my Griso in Atlanta.  I am in no mood to ever repeat that. 

[Roebling3]

I've done big miles for many years. It started being in the long haul business - then ferrying motorcycles for guys, + one woman, to rally sites, vacation spots or a new home. Some, on this site may recognize 'Doug Grosjean numbers'. (Google Doug). As in watch your odometer for interesting numerical sequences.       

I used to do the yclept 'Bunn Burner Gold' + 100 = 1600 miles in 24Hrs. Adding 100 to the challenge always put up more interesting number combinations and great excuses to visit friends - coast to coast or visit my son, on a week end.

BTW: Do it by yourself. It's far more rewarding.    R3~

[Stretch]

That's a nice acquisition, Ben.

I like your taste in motorbikes.....

Fettling THAT ought to keep you out of Sara's hair for a little while.....   

                                                 -Stretch

[Scout63]

That's a nice acquisition, Ben.

I like your taste in motorbikes.....

Fettling THAT ought to keep you out of Sara's hair for a little while.....   

                                                 -Stretch

It will Stretch. She comes and drags me back in after a few hours though.

[Pescatore]

I thought I was going to read about a bike ride.
Instead, Ben has another girlfriend.
You up the ante again. Starting from pieces this time.
I just read about the Montjuic. Sounds like a fun ride.
I will watch for the build thread.

[aklawok]

I thought I seen something about this before...
https://www.motorcycleclassics.com/classic-italian-motorcycles/laverda-montjuic-zm0z14mazbea/
Very few stateside and an apparent Canadian source, coincidence?

[Scout63]

I thought I seen something about this before...
https://www.motorcycleclassics.com/classic-italian-motorcycles/laverda-montjuic-zm0z14mazbea/
Very few stateside and an apparent Canadian source, coincidence?

I’m not sure whether there were Canadian imports.  My seller bought it new in Scotland and brought it and the spare with him to Canada when he emigrated.  Since everything was in totes with a couple of frames I was able to get the two bikes across the border without paperwork.  I’ll have to register in Vermont I’m sure.

[Roebling3]

Sadly - much to my surprise VT has suddenly gotten cranky regarding out of state registrations. I had 4 bikes + a trailer registered with them, for several years. Cuz they aren't dirt bikes they refused to re-up 2 two strokes.   R3~

[Tom]

I'd like to see where this goes on out of state registrations for non-residents.  "Mining for tax revenue."   

Good luck on the acquisition.    

[aklawok]

A quote from the article I mentioned above:
"fully restored by Eric Reeves at Moto Rivato in Simi Valley, Calif., with parts sourced from Canadian Laverda parts guru Wolfgang Haerter."
With imbedded link
http://laverda.ca/

Interested to know how your paperwork goes. Good luck!

[Scout63]

A quote from the article I mentioned above:
"fully restored by Eric Reeves at Moto Rivato in Simi Valley, Calif., with parts sourced from Canadian Laverda parts guru Wolfgang Haerter."
With imbedded link
http://laverda.ca/

Interested to know how your paperwork goes. Good luck!

Thanks Aklawok and Tom. I’ll figure out registration later when the bike is together. That could be years.  Worst case scenario I don’t register it. It’s way too small for me anyway.

Wolfgang is a wonderful resource.  He has a huge selection of parts and will get on the phone and share his knowledge anytime.  I’ve been sourcing Jota parts from him.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

If it's never been registered in the US... https://www.saintsengine.com/services/title-service/

To me it makes more sense to get it "legal" before investing lots of time and $$ into.

[Moparnut72]

100% agree with that. I once built an untitled truck into a hotrod. Friends when it comes time to registered just get a bond which I did. DMV wasn't buying it. I had many hours and $ in it. Solution, bought another beater just like it and switched VIN tags which on those old trucks was screwed to the firewall. Get the paperwork sorted out first thing. I did that with a Duster years later. I had the title but the paper trail was shakey, I had to do some chasing down of interim owners who never registered it. I had a lot of money in that build so I am glad I got everything straightened out up front.
kk

[Tom]

Ben good luck with the bike.  Cool beans.   I like your oddball resurrections.  Keeps motorcycle history alive.   

I can only input as a former Inspector and Agent in a different life.  First as an MVD Agent handling the paper trail for registration and titles then as a Motor Vehicle Inspector.  We worked for Maricopa County, Auto License & Registrations, Depart. of Finance contracted by the State of Arizona, DOT.  The guidelines/regs.  were similar to California's and Hawaii's.

The paper trail has to be followed for Western States and is stricter than states east of the Mississippi.  If there was a sketchy paper trail but in state the title is present but not titled in the person's name that sold it, the application would be rejected.  If out of state title is involved and being transferred by a resident, I would question why?  Standard confirmation of sales and tracking of taxes.  Part of the verbal and paper trail for the County revenue stream.

A bond on a title would be conditional upon any claims against the title.  Reconstructs were inspected with an extra eye on details - receipts for parts, title for frame & engine.  If there was no title...big problems. (California, Arizona & Hawaii)  IIRC  all states issued titles on motor vehicles after 1972 with the exception of Alabama.  They only had a registration.  No title.  The inspection would be rejected in the parking lot.  The information would be on a report to ADOT for future reference.  If the applicant for an AZ title was trying to transfer/obtain an AZ title in/on an out of state vehicle eg. trailered, van, truck.  That information would also be recorded with ID information.  This would prevent people trying to get a title under suspicious circumstances.  I would inform them in the parking lot after looking at their documents and inspecting their vehicle for VIN and required safety equipment that they would probably be denied a title.  This would prevent their time being wasted while waiting. 

Title services by private companies may work in other states but not all states.  YMMV.  This especially true for the Southern states where migration is heaviest from Northern states.

Every curve ball  and weird scenario has been tried by thousands of others for a title/registration in the aforementioned states.  Easiest out of state transfer was for my SP1000NT.  Me to me.  If it was from someone in ID to me in AZ.  Well it would be something different going on.

Hawaii has another requirement.  Shipping documents.  The Counties want to know when the vehicle got into the state and that's when your road use taxes start.  Some people will put motorcycles in CONEX boxes and ship with household goods.  No moto info on the waybill.  Good luck on that one.     

[radguzzi]

I thought I seen something about this before...
https://www.motorcycleclassics.com/classic-italian-motorcycles/laverda-montjuic-zm0z14mazbea/
Very few stateside and an apparent Canadian source, coincidence?

How coincidental...  I have this publication in print from 2014 and I was going to tell Ben about it...

I’m not sure whether there were Canadian imports.  My seller bought it new in Scotland and brought it and the spare with him to Canada when he emigrated.  Since everything was in totes with a couple of frames I was able to get the two bikes across the border without paperwork.  I’ll have to register in Vermont I’m sure.

Are you certain of the year...?  Giving the provenance of ownership I would guess that you do.  However, according to the article the Mk I was built from '79-81, is yours possibly the Mk 2...?

Such an amazing find...  BTW, you drove right by my place, twice...

All the best on the eventual resto. Just Wow...!

Rob__

[Scout63]

How coincidental...  I have this publication in print from 2014 and I was going to tell Ben about it...

Are you certain of the year...?  Giving the provenance of ownership I would guess that you do.  However, according to the article the Mk I was built from '79-81, is yours possibly the Mk 2...?

Such an amazing find...  BTW, you drove right by my place, twice...

All the best on the eventual resto. Just Wow...!

Rob__

Hi Rob. It’s a Mk 2.  I can’t register in VT unless it is complete. Kind of chicken and egg. I’ll do some research before getting too far into it.  I really have to do it twice since I got a second 500 frame and title.  Thanks everyone for the input. It really helps.