W/E 18th August

I’d ridden the bike into work from Monday onwards. It was nice to be back on the Atlas which in truth was a nicer re-introduction to Laverda than the RGS had been. Although the quality of the Atlas is questionable it is a joy to throw around, has a slim profile, light throttle and nice ‘buzzsaw’ exhaust note!

Wednesday and it was home on the back of a flat-bed. Bike cut out and was leaking oil on the left side. In a way I was pleased as my strategy had been to test the bike prior to leaving for Switzerland so better to break down in London than Basel! There is a noise in the motor which I can’t fathom. I’d found a loose exhaust guard which I’d wired in place but this didn’t stop the ‘clacking’ noise.

When the bike broke I thought ‘blown head gasket’ because of oil on the front left hand side of the engine and exhaust pipe – but now I don’t think so.

Home and the tank off gave good access to the engine to determine where the oil leak was coming from. I thought the culprit was the front left hand plastic cam ‘half-moon’. These are under the cam box and allow easy access to remove the cam. The half-moon looked brittle and slightly sunk. I also noticed a break in the cam gasket though this didn’t seem to cause a leak.

Anyways made a gasket out of gasket paper put some Hylomar round the half moon and tightened the cam box back down. Decided to try and ‘trim’ the carbs while I had the tank off so rigged up a way to start the bike without the tank in place. This showed the gasket was too thin (no worries a real gasket is on the way) and that now the other half moons on the right hand side of the motor where leaking!

The bike fired up and idled well – noted that it needed to be on reserve setting to start. I wonder if it would have started in London and that it just needed to be flicked to reserve – oops 🙂

Anyways looking round the bike as it got hotter and oil leaks began to appear I noticed the bottom of the left hand oil radiator was wet – this is most likely where the leak came from so it’ll have to be replaced or repaired. I’m already onto Alan Bell to see if a zane 650 uses the same part – fingers crossed. I also have access to a good welder so have two chances at fixing it. Let’s hope it can all be done in time for the Scottish National Rally so I get to complete the set on Laverda’s this year!

Nick 🙂