Laverda 650 Twin
The ‘modern’ Laverda story
By Phil Aynsley
What we have here is the beginning of the “modern” Laverda story – the 650 twin.
![Laverda branched into larger capacity offerings with the 650](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/PA-Laverda-650GT-003-1024x648.jpg)
It was after a meeting with John McCormack in the US (who later distributed Laverdas under the American Eagle brand name), that Massimo Laverda saw the need for a large capacity model, particularly for the US market.
![Laverda 650 with Phil Aynsley](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/PA-Laverda-650GT-010-1024x706.jpg)
Prior to its debut late in 1966 at the Earls Court Motor Show in London, Laverda was best known for its range of small capacity singles (although they did produce a 200cc parallel-twin in 1961).
![Laverda 650 with Phil Aynsley](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/PA-Laverda-650GT-013-1024x676.jpg)
That changed after the 650 went into production in May 1968, just in time for the superbike boom.
![Laverda 650 with Phil Aynsley](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/PA-Laverda-650GT-008-877x1024.jpg)
Massimo and engineer Luciano Zen had taken 18 months to bring the design to production ready status.
![Laverda 650 with Phil Aynsley](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/PA-Laverda-650GT-001-1024x605.jpg)
The end result was a high-quality motorcycle, fitted with the best components available at the time – Pankl con-rods, Ceriani suspension, Bosch electrics and a Nippon-Denso electric starter.
![Laverda 650 with Phil Aynsley](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/PA-Laverda-650GT-012-1024x620.jpg)
The 650 made 50hp at 6800rpm and was good for about 175km/h. They also enlarged the capacity to produce a 750cc version.
![Laverda 650 with Phil Aynsley](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/PA-Laverda-650GT-011-1024x700.jpg)
Two bikes of each capacity were entered in the ’68 Giro d’Italia with all four finishing in the top ten outright and a 650 winning its class.
![Laverda 650 with Phil Aynsley](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/PA-Laverda-650GT-006-756x1024.jpg)
When production began both capacities were offered but only 50 of the 650s were built before Laverda decided to concentrate on the 750.
![Laverda 650 with Phil Aynsley](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/PA-Laverda-650GT-004-1024x683.jpg)
This bike has chassis number 1017 was built in the first week of production (the 650s and 750s shared numbers).
![Laverda 650 with Phil Aynsley](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/PA-Laverda-650GTbig-007-1024x720.jpg)
It was restored by the company in 2005 and photographed in Cor Dees’ Laverda Museum in the Netherlands in 2015.