The Bikes - V6 1000cc
The V6 is a truly revolutionary motorcycle and is undoubtedly the star attraction of the Laverda Corse collection. Initially conceived as a development test bed the V6 has been dubbed the ‘world’s fastest labaoratory’, and with good reason. On it’s debut track appearance at Paul Ricard it thundered down the Mistral straight at 283KPH, a figure barely credible at the time. The V6 has more in common with a contemporary Formula 1 car than the other works racing machines of the day. The V6 was and still is, an extraordinary machine.
The engine was designed by Giulio Alfieri who had recently resigned his post at Maserati and the bike’s 90 degree motor has many features in common with the advanced V6 engines found in the Citroen Maserati and the Maserati Merak. Alfieri was an acknowledged expert on combustion chamber design and the V6 test bed sessions yielded an effortless 160bhp. This was a very impressive figure in the 1970s for a naturally aspirated 1000cc four stroke and in fact the engine was subsequently detuned for testing purposes.
The V6 bristles with design solutions which were ground breaking in their day and it’s influence can be seen in many motorcycles introduced after the V6s launch. Of particular interest is the simple but very clever way Alfieri overcame the torque reaction which is a problem with longitudinally installed motorcycle engines. By using a contra rotating clutch assembly the torque reaction is virtually cancelled and the bike remains uncannily stable when the throttle is blipped at standstill. The shaft drive was similarly ingenious and the usual rear end lift which is a characteristic of shaft drive bikes is completely absent.
But perhaps the best aspect of the V6 and the one which has endeared it to every Laverda enthusiast who has seen it on the track; it is the sound, or ‘ the voice ‘ as Piero Laverda prefers to call it. As the six throttle bodies are opened the engine note builds from a gruff rasp into a full blooded Formula 1 style wail. Taking into account the era in which it was created the V6 is, without question, one of the most exotic racing motorcycles ever created and all the more remarkable for coming out of the workshops of a relatively small [in automotive manufacturing terms] family business in Breganze.
Technical Specs
Type; 1000 V6
Year; 1977
Displacement ; 995.5cc
Engine type; DOHC 4 valve, 90 degree V six cylinder, liquid cooled
Frame type; cromoly open cradle with engine and gearbox used as stressed members
Transmission; 5 speed
Power output; 145bhp
Maximum speed; 280kph
Number produced; 2
