The Kneeslider

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Ala Verda 850 – Norton Commando Laverda Hybrid

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Ala Verda - Norton Laverda hybrid by Daniel Delfour

The British have long mixed and matched motorcycle engines and frames, the Triton, Tribsa and similar mongrels have been running the roads for decades, leave it to a Frenchman to bring Italy into the mix. Daniel Delfour liked Nortons quite a lot and thought about building a track day special with Norton power, something like a Seeley or Rickman. Coming across a Laverda 650 trellis frame he liked it immediately and wondered if a late model Norton Commando 850 twin would fit. It wasn’t easy, but the bike you see here is the cross bred result, the Ala Verda 850.

The Laverda frame accepts the engine with no room to spare. The Commando engine has been massaged to yield 72 horsepower, the upside down Paioli forks and rear shock do the suspension work with Brembo discs all around. Total weight comes in at a very svelte 341 pounds.

The bike’s a beauty and certainly no “add a part” special, this is a handcrafted piece that looks right. Daniel heard about the Legend of the Motorcycle show from several friends who suggested he bring it to the U.S. and enter. He did just that and the bike was a hit and it has been featured in several publications, I found it myself in the Nov/Dec 2008 issue of Motorcycle Classics.

After seeing this Laverda frame, those old featherbed Nortons suddenly look a bit dated. Nice work Daniel, very nice!

Link: Daniel Delfour’s Vintage Motorbikes via Motorcycle Classics magazine

Ala Verda - Norton Laverda hybrid by Daniel Delfour

Ala Verda - Norton Laverda hybrid by Daniel Delfour

Comments

  5. You had me when you said, “Norton.” However, a little Italian spicy frame from Laverda makes this ultra cool. It reminds me of the Yetman chassis for the Honda 305 Superhawks and such. Send us more like this.

  6. thanks! I saw this on the newsstand on the cover of motorcycle classics, and have been trying to get a few good photos of it online… awesome build!

  9. Now why don’t any of the manufacturers build a bike like this? The Ducati Sport Classics are close but not nearly as well done or good looking.

    -todd

  14. Great vision and great execution…. good find Paul.

    As an owner of several Nortons I’m a big fan of the engine response in the big twins. I’ll bet this bike is an absolute rush to ride.

  16. That looks great. I’d love to see someone do a Laverda triple powered Norton now to complement this bike.

  17. That has got to be the best looking specials I’ve seen on here. There isn’t a bad angle.

    Now if it just had a modern powerplant – say TRX850/TDM900…

  18. Outstanding machine. Has he incorporated the Norton’s isolastic engine mounts, or does he just let it vibrate?

  19. Hands down one of the coolest bikes to hit this site. This bike is the definition of what a motorcycle is, clean classic lines and purpose built, no extra garb. This is the direction the biker build off guys should attempt, it would be great to see the manufacturers build bikes like this.

  21. I’m totally with Curt here. I would love to see usable motorcycles like this in biker build-offs. Anything but choppers…please dear god, not more choppers!!

  22. I have ridden on of those 650 laverdas and it was a brilliant handling little light bike and it weighed 400 pounds. Shaving weight off and making it incredibly good looking can only be a good thing. On the other hand British and Italian mixed bikes must mean two set of tools.

  24. We have seen this before but every time I see it again I stop and take note – there is not one detail that is wrong!! Well done – a true modern classic

  28. Found this on a site a while back and have been lusting over the pics ever since. For me, the absolute, most beautiful bike on the planet.