American Eagle 750

[canuck750]

American Eagle (Laverda) 750 Craigslist Chicago

https://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/mcy/d/berwyn-1968-american-eagle-laverda-750/7026955949.html

1968 American Eagle Laverda 750 GT, complete, engine turns. - $5500 (Berwyn)

It's an American Eagle 750 GT with matching numbers and only 4,896 miles



Not a bad price for a rare and complete early Laverda twin

[oldbike54]

 Evel Knievel used the American Eagle/Laverda for a brief period of time , seem to remember it was about 1970 . Weird how I can remember that but can't find a 10 MM wrench that has been missing for a week 

 Dusty

[moto-uno]

  Look Mom , a Honda Supersport !  Peter

[SIR REAL ED]

Evel Knievel used the American Eagle/Laverda for a brief period of time , seem to remember it was about 1970 . Weird how I can remember that but can't find a 10 MM wrench that has been missing for a week 

 Dusty

Dusty, 

If you had a bit more foresight, you woulda lost a bunch of 10mm wrenches in 1970 rather than just one last week. 

I hope this helps.

[tazio]

.......... but amazing what is still out there.

[oldbike54]

Dusty, 

If you had a bit more foresight, you woulda lost a bunch of 10mm wrenches in 1970 rather than just one last week. 

I hope this helps.

 

 Dusty
 

[JJ]

American Eagle (Laverda) 750 Craigslist Chicago

https://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/mcy/d/berwyn-1968-american-eagle-laverda-750/7026955949.html

1968 American Eagle Laverda 750 GT, complete, engine turns. - $5500 (Berwyn)

It's an American Eagle 750 GT with matching numbers and only 4,896 miles



Not a bad price for a rare and complete early Laverda twin

Agree 100% - Good, fair price for a rare 750 Laverda!!

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

One of those sat in front of a house on a side street in Hagerstown, MD for years back in the early '80s. When I finally "became aware" and realized what it was, it was gone. 

In case anyone needs it, I have a rear fender for one. Bought it a few years ago at a swap meet, all I wanted was the CEV 9313 taillight.

[Daniel Kalal]

Evel Knievel used the American Eagle/Laverda for a brief period of time , seem to remember it was about 1970.

in the Topeka Knievel museum:

[guzzista]

From  a  recent Evel Knievel documentary it seems Mr Knievel never quite got along with the Laverda and had a few too many crashes in too short a period of time so he kicked it to the curb and moved on to XR750's

[JJ]

Read this book, about two young Italian riders back in 1971 who RODE their two virtually stock 750 Laverda's from Patagonia to Alaska!!!  

A great adventure and a testament to the Laverda marque!!

[JJ]

Back in 80's I owned and rode an orange 75' 750SF like this one. It was a very cool bike...would love to own another one...but in this condition, you are looking at $8K-$12K easily.😳😱😉 ("*** SIGH ***)

[Furbo]

It's cool fer sure...

$5500 "engine turns".....Think I'd want "engine runs" for that price. If it were an SF - yeah, ok, or even an S (my fav would be the early SF with the sculpted tank of the S). But I think $5500 is about all the Grimeca braked low compression GT is gonna bring.

YMMV

[Testarossa]

The starter uses a centrifugal clutch that's easy to fix -- just disassemble, clean and lubricate the rollers. "Engine turns" doesn't guarantee that both ends of the camshaft turn (there's a separate shaft for each cylinder, mated at the cam sprocket).

[canuck750]

The starter uses a centrifugal clutch that's easy to fix -- just disassemble, clean and lubricate the rollers. "Engine turns" doesn't guarantee that both ends of the camshaft turn (there's a separate shaft for each cylinder, mated at the cam sprocket).

The SF twin is one tough motor, my 73 SF1 sat for a very long time exposed to the ocean in Halifax Canada under a tarp. After I disassembled the engine and sent it to Wolfgang Haerter (the north american Laverda guru) at Columbia Car and Cycle in Naksusp B.C. he inspected everything and reported that he only had to clean the sludge traps, recommended new piston rings and replacing the timing chain and it was good to go for another 30,000 plus miles! If I didn't have a SF1 I would grab this one.
Wolfgang has everything one would ever need to rebuild and/or maintain this bike and his prices are very good.

[Testarossa]

The SF twin is one tough motor

For all the crap we hear about Guzzi tractors, Laverda actually did start, in the 19th century, making agricultural engines. They came to motorcycles late, after WWII.

[oldbike54]

 As a bonus , if you ride a vintage Laverda much , you will develop a really strong left hand 

 Dusty

[canuck750]

I believe Laverda harvesters are still being manufactured in Italy



Laverda was (is) an agricultural equipment manufacturer that as a side line made some fine motorcycles.

[Rough Edge racing]

Here's a period road test:

http://www.yeoldecycleshoppe.com/roadtestlibrary/2017/1/4/1970-american-eagle-750-super-sport-road-test?rq=Eagle

 About the same acceleration as a 650 Triumph....

[JJ]

About the same acceleration as a 650 Triumph....

As I recall, my '75 Laverda 750  SF2 was solid, but heavy....it was definitely NOT light and nimble like a 650 Triumph...but once you got it moving fast, it felt steady and very good! Brakes were fine as well. 

[jas67]

How are the vibes from the Laverda twin?
360 crank?  180 crank?

Not that they're mechanically related, the 305 Honda Superhawk motor that the Laverda modeled their visual design off of had a 180 degree crank ( while, the single carb version of it in the Dream had a 360 degree crank).

[JJ]

How are the vibes from the Laverda twin?
360 crank?  180 crank?

Not that they're mechanically related, the 305 Honda Superhawk motor that the Laverda modeled their visual design off of had a 180 degree crank ( while, the single carb version of it in the Dream had a 360 degree crank).

From this link:  https://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/Laverda/laverda_750sfc%2073.htm

[Rough Edge racing]

As I recall, my '75 Laverda 750  SF2 was solid, but heavy....it was definitely NOT light and nimble like a 650 Triumph...but once you got it moving fast, it felt steady and very good! Brakes were fine as well. 

  Yes,  they were built to a high standard of durability...

[JJ]

  Yes,  they were built to a high standard of durability...

Yes!!! - - Mentioned multiple times in the book above about their trip from Patagonia to Alaska on two stock 750's!!

[Moparnut72]

Some V twins also. Can you say Harley. As the years went on they just raised the tolerance for run-out..   
kk

[Aaron D.]

Laverda twins are among the worst vibrators I ever rode.

[Furbo]

How are the vibes from the Laverda twin?
360 crank?  180 crank?

They were 360 crank. Did they vibrate - hell yeah. Put one on the center stand and rev it, it'll literally move backwards. But for me, they were far more tolerable than the early triples. 

[JJ]

They were 360 crank. Did they vibrate - hell yeah. Put one on the center stand and rev it, it'll literally move backwards. But for me, they were far more tolerable than the early triples.

Put one on the center stand and rev it, it'll literally move backwards - - - I remember that distinctly about mine!!

The only twin that was worse, they tell me, was the Benelli 650 twin!!

[LAV3CL]

The only twin that was worse, they tell me, was the Benelli 650 twin!!

JJ, "They" tell you correctly, I've owned both [still own the Laverda, 1972 SF].
I had a 1972 Benelli 650 Tornado which would literally shake the filings right out of your mouth!

Pete in Maine

[canuck750]

Put one on the center stand and rev it, it'll literally move backwards - - - I remember that distinctly about mine!!

The only twin that was worse, they tell me, was the Benelli 650 twin!!

My 73 SF1 on idle up on its centre stand slowly walks backwards across the drive way. Once on the road at speed its not bad.

Still have not started my 74 Benelli 650 to see what its like but I bet it shakes and the engine is bolted to the frame at multiple locations with fat steel plates and large diameter bolts, have not seen anything like it before.