Letter From Europe

LETTER FROM Europe

Laverda loses control

It came as a shock to learn that a Milan-based financial investment house, Prinefi S.p.a., has taken over control of Laverda. For the time being, Piero Laverda. will remain on the board of the firm as an active director, but without any direct shareholding.

The Prinefi deal ensures the continued existence and development, at least for the present, of Laverda as a motorcycle marque. According to the company’s new Prinefiappointed Marketing

Director, Paolo Colla, the company will divest itself of its non-motorcycle businesses, which Prinefi believes are preventing the bike company from becoming solvent again. So the Laverda aircompressor and fourwheel-drive vehicle sidelines will be sold off very shortly, leaving only the motorcycle production line in the factory.

Laverda’s new ow ners are pinning their hopes on a new' liquid-cooled, 90degree V-Twin fourstroke. In its present form, the eight-valve 750 is designed to have its crankshaft sit crossways in the frame, Ducati-style, rather than longitudinally like on a Guzzi. “We feel the 90-degree V-Twin has become a uniquely Italian engine configuration that has great appeal in both home and export markets,” says Colla. “I am certain we will have a full range of prototypes on display at the Milan Show in November of 1987.” That range includes the trademark 1 OOOcc Triples in limited production. “So long as people want enough of them. I expect w'e shall continue to build the big Triples,” says Colla, “but we basically see Laverda as a manufacturer of 125 Singlesand middleweight 350-750cc machines in the future.” Laverda had tried to rejuvenate the model line and increase its production efforts; but the company w'as one of the few Italian bike manufacturers not to benefit from the country’s 1 985 “miniboom” in motorcycle sales, because it still didn't have the models buyers wanted.

Alan Cathcart