Yep, an early 70s Yamaha XS2.
Now I know from previous comments that I’ve read that at least one or two on here don’t think that much of them , but that’s not me- my old man bought the ex-press test bike back in 1973, I have many enjoyable times on the back of it, and a few years after that, rebuilding the motor with my dad when the gearbox went pop, I thought it was such a cool bike and as a result they've always had a sepcial place in my heart
I nearly bought a US import one from those DK bandits a year or so back, but it didn’t work out, I’ve kept an eye out for a half-decent one ever since, but TBH the ones that have come up have been a bit shit, and (IMO) also significantly over-priced, so it hasn't happened
So I’d sort of stopped looking, until by chance, a couple of weeks back something came up that caught my eye, and I also have a childhood fondness for ( even though I’d never sat on one) and TBH was perhaps even more desirable to me, this one has most excellent provenance and history and I decided I had to have it
And here it is, and I absolutely love it, even though I’ve not made it more than a couple of miles around the lanes on it yet
Spoiler
For anyone that doesn’t know, it’s a 1975 Laverda 750 SF2.
People that do know, will know that the motor is a bit of a big-bore copy of the 1960s Honda 250/305cc CB72/77.
The CB77 is a bike close to my heart, as my brother Kev will testify, my having (not particaulrly well ) rebuilt his CB77 in the 70s, and the SF's big brother, the 3-Cyl Jota was one of my poster bikes back then, if not THE bike I lusted after beyond all others as a 13 or 14 YO, so this one was off to a good start, even if it rode like shit.
But it doesn’t ( well, apart from some rough low-speed running from some gummy carbs currently which is easily solvable) - it is a cracker.
A very fecking heavy cracker, admittedly, but well, I can forgive it that as I absoloutely love how it looks and sounds.
I have a bulging history file with it, including the original dealer purchase receipt ( the original owner was allowed £500 part-ex against his Velo Venom back in 1975), and a thick wad of receipts that make me smile just looking through them (there’s a dealer bill to remove and re-fit rear wheel to fix puncture in 1975, grand total was £20.50 that included a new “ heavy duty Dunlop” inner tub @ £3.50
)I picked it up the day before I went away on holiday, so haven’t had a chance to do anything with it yet aside from that very breif run around the block before I went- It’s last owner had it some 15 years and looked after it and on the face of it , is in very nice original and unrestored condition. It starts on the button sounds gorgeous, and runs very well with the choke on, but knock the choke off and it dies low down so needs a good carb clean ( fuel in there stinks too) but that’s easily sorted.
I’ve given it a quick once over and TBH it really doesn’t need much but current jobs I have on my list are:
- Cure poor low-speed running off choke (clean pilot jets)
- Check and adjust if necessary valve clearances, points, and ignition timing
- Replace tyres- it’s got decent nick BT45s on, but me no like and it’s getting Conti Classics
- Properly secure the (new) battery
- Fit smaller bore front master cylinder ( brake feel is rock hard , far too wooden)
- Re-build /cosmetically refurb the (Koni) rear shocks
- Cad plate a few bits (wheel spindles/nuts/spacers etc), and polish all the lovely 70s ally!
Oh and the absoloutely fecking ginormous cherry on the top of this purchase was, I have taxed, MOTd and insured (fully comp with no excess) it for 12 months for the grand total of £71 - old bikes rule!
Here are a few more pics of my beautiful big girl in the meantime, more to follow as our relationship progresses and I get time
