Cat Fancy

CAT FANCY

ROUNDUP

WITH THE REFLEXES OF a feline, Laverda has reacted to the success of Ducati’s best-selling Monster 750 and created a V-Twin naked bike of its own. Called the Lynx, the Suzuki SV650-powered machine is meant to fill a perceived void in the Italian company’s lineup.

As Aurelio Lolli, commercial director of Moto Laverda, explained, “We are working on a 900cc Triple, but we needed something new in the interim, so we created the Lynx using a readily available engine.”

Like the Miguel Angel Galuzzi-designed Monster and Cagiva Raptor, the Lynx, designed by Alberto Capella, is sparsely styled, a blank canvas for owners to customize. Its Telaio Scomponibile Perimetrale (or “Decomposable Perimetric Frame”) plays a twofold role in the bike’s appearance in that it is distinctive looking, yet easily dismantled for refinishing.

The Lynx isn’t just about looks, however. With a claimed 374-pound dry weight and 55.5-inch wheelbase, it is 18 pounds lighter and 1.4 inches shorter than an SV650. And its high-rise stainless-steel exhaust with equal-length headpipes is said to boost low-end and midrange power for better around-town performance.

Unfortunately, the Lynx won’t be sighted in any North American towns. Says Mike Rollins of Moto Laverda USA, “The bike isn’t right for this market. What we need is the 900cc Triple.

How much better can it be than an SV650, anyway? And for a thousand dollars more? I don’t think it would sell.” cat fanciers.

Brian Catterson