Among the guests of Laverdamania, I know that there exists many who ask the question to know why Laverda engines and more particularly why the 1000 180 ° exercises such an influence on their spirit, and why the simple act of riding these bikes conditions them for ever ...
This problem did not fail to engender multiple exchanges of opinions among the victims of the "Laverdistic"syndrôme , notably among "non-members"of the Laverdamania "non-club", who could point to this single, fundamental question: : " Is it serious, Doctor? "...

It is to relieve their spirit and try to bring a scientific explanation to their symptoms that I deliver below, in world exclusivity, the unpublished extracts of fundamental Laverda theories, almost biblical works maintained in the greatest secrecy and only came to light after enormous works of restoration and deciphering.

First chapter: On the origin of the 3 cylinder 4 stroke engine:

Beyond pseudo technical considerations, three cylinder 4 stroke is obviously the perfect engine, because it was wanted by God. For the reason, it is necessary to learn History.

Symbol of the Saint-Trinity, the number 3, in a catholic country such as Italy, can be obviously only perfect. Long and patient searches in Italy, sanctioned by the Vatican, an extremely rare thing, who opened its archives to the researchers, established that towards the end of December 1964, thinking about the new racing bike that he was going to study, the conte Agusta was blinded by a mystic vision, during which the Christ, surrounded by a whirlwind of lighting and flame, said to him: "You will win with a 4 stroke triple, and Giacomo Agostini will be my pilot". Very satisfied with the results obtained, Jesus went away, and rested.

Even longer and even more patient searches, for which the help of the personal doctor of the Laverda family was extremely valuable, allow us today to determine that, towards the end of 1969, looking for a technical solution which would allow him to fight the Japanese by building the best road bike of the world, Massimo Laverda woke up in the middle of the night with a white light invading his bedroom. The Christ appeared to him and said: "You will build a 4 stroke triple 1000 cc engine, and Luciano Zen will be my prophet".
Very satisfied with results obtained, Jesus went away to rest, and has not returned since.

And an unconfirmed rumour says that the engineer Doug Hele, of the BSA-TRIUMPH research department, endured a period of grave nervous crisis in 1966-7, frequently making strange comments about a tall, brown-haired guy, with a big beard and a white dress, who came at night to say to him "cut it in two and make there three." In spite of the slight cryptic character of this message, it became clear that the TRIUMPH TRIDENT and BSA ROCKET 3 were extrapolations of the bicylinder Triumph 500 Daytona which came out in 1968

All this allows us to conclusively assert, without possible discussion, and on the basis of the scientific investigation of the results, in the most rigorous historical methods, the divine origins of the 4 stroke triple engine.

As you could see, I was already able to advance a certain number of solidly argued hypotheses concerning the 4-stroke triple engine's genesis. I had not however wanted to weigh down my previous message by entering into details, but the reception given to my previous mail incites me to report some ideas in which I successfully addressed 2 points which remain little studied: the birth and the disappearance of the sole 180° engine ever produced.

Concerning the disappearance, it is apparently a problem for the health service, with a very serious risk of epidemic, which would have precipitated a health disaster. It is under pressure from the anxious families and the friends of the 1000 Laverda owners that an epidemiological study was begun, by an independent organisation at the beginning of the eighties. From a representative sample of these motorcycle owners this study established that some subjects exhibited an initial period of stability during which remission could occur. However these remained statistically very minor. The progression of symptoms of the subjects were characterized by a progressive dive into a state of deep bliss, which quickly leads to an irreversible dependence. As this motorcycle does not look like any other, the infected subject quickly loses any vital spirit. The body becomes anaesthetized by vibrations, spellbound by the ears having recieved the unique and very particular noise of the engine (which belongs only to this motorcycle). The subject becomming totally consumed, he loses all perspective, and he quickly fails to offer any more resistance. He then sustains only one single idea: to ride, ride, and ride again. By this stage, it is often toolate, and this pathology can then progress further ... in a strictly uncontrolable way.

These behavioural problems are accompanied by secondary physiological pathologies. This same study has indeed revealed that the subjects developed a totally abnormal increasein the muscular mass of the left hand, the weight of which can succeed in destabilizing subject, producing scoliosis, collapse of vertebral discs, and erratic mobility. In certain accute cases, one was able to observe that the weight achieved by the left hand could even succeed in producing an elongation of the left arm. One also noticed irreversible changes of the lateral process (body asymetry), due to the presence of a gear selector lever on the right-hand side of the motorcycle, with the first gear below, which causes the subject to experience greater difficulties maintaining their capability to ride other motorcycles (with the exception of Morini of the same period). This severely limits the chances of a possibly successful remedial therapy.

Regrettably the continuation of the process is well known, and I will not dwell on it there, because in the profile of the "perfect non-member", we have perfectly described the stateof physical and mental collapse of the most seriously affected subjects in the terminal phase.

And one sees even today, almost 30 years after the end of marketing this motorcycle, numerous subjects still suffering the grave behavioural problems connected to this syndrome of dependence which prevent them from having a normal motorcyclist's life. In particular, one was able to notice that certain particularly seriously affected subjects went on to buy several 1000 Laverdas to ensure they had enough.

Realizing the extent of the damage done on the Laverda owners health, the Laverda factory decided wisely to remove such dangerous bikes from the market, and returned them in a more classic configuration - a 120° engine on rubber mountings. From this point of view, one can only praise the clear-sightedness and high degree of social conscience of the Laverda factory, which it applied of its own initiative, and without any intervention of the authorities of time (the principle of precaution often neccessitated by the currentgovernments).

In the genesis of the 120° engine, one sees clearly now that such purely technical considerations often advanced here and there, played only a secondary role. Concerning the disappearance of the Laverda 180° 1000 engine, one can today advance some other reasonably argued hypotheses. I on the other hand, have to admit that the previous history of this engine remained incomprehensible, until the reading of the list of the new members in the Laverdamania non-club, and especially the comments from each of the non-members.
And without your brilliant intuition, dear Jean-Louis, this mystery would have probably remained for ever unresolved...

And nevertheless... recalling events at the station of Perpignan, in hindsight it is clear...
"The most reassuring moment in the History of painting took place on November 17, 1964 in the centre of the station of Perpignan, when I discovered the possibility of oil painting in the third spatial dimension. Arrival at the station of Perpignan is the occasion of a real mental ejaculation which reaches one's greatest and most sublime speculative height"
(Salvador Dali - 1994)

Third spatial dimension... but how did I not think of it earlier? Obviously, it is necessary to explain a little ...
First of all, a disturbing element: Salvador Dali does not speak only of painting, but of oil painting. Furthermore, he doesn't explain if it is about vegetable, mineral oil, about synthetic, monograde or multigrade. It is indeed the proof that there was, in aid of future generations, a meaning hidden in its message, a clear allusion to a mechanical object, and besides, an obvious concern to protect the future, considering the public image of petrochemistry in 1964. From there, everything seems ok. Moreover, the whole composition of the picture goes in this direction. Four diagonal rays of light symbolize apparently a 4-stroke cycle. The third spatial dimension is evidently an allegory and, considering the date, a premonition of the 180° Laverda engine, with the two outer pistons in identical positions at bottom dead centre, opposing, in the tridimensionnel configuration, the central
piston in top position, which confirms the composition of the picture, with the placement of people and objects, in reference of the "Angelus of Millet" obviously only being there to confuse idiots.

One could however object to this analysis in which there is manifestly a certain disproportion beetween the added weight of two pistons and that of the sole central piston; on the contrary, it shows a supplementary proof of the Salvador Dali premonition. Conscious of the difficulties of balancing such an engine, considering the cyclic irregularity and the bad balancing of primary forces, Dali suggested the idea that the central piston should owe to be much heavier than the side pistons. But such a technical plan, indisputably more noble than a addition of some hypothetical balancing shafts, was then very early on the technical possibilities of time, and it remains even probably today. The poor guy lost in the centre of the picture, it is obviously a pilot of the first 1200 Laverda models, with the big handle bars intended for America, market about that " Avida Dollars " (according to the André Breton's biting anagram), he had realized, in a premonitory way, a crucial importance for the survival of the European factories of prestigious motorcycles.

All the above is confirmed by the fact that Salvador Dali himself describes this phenomenon of mental ejaculation, amply observed in the 180° Laverda owners and, dare I say it, the associated secondary pysiological symptoms - the essential element of the addictive process leading to dependence. Besides, as you will have realised, a serious researcher can not miss the fact that the arrival of Salvador Dali in the station of Perpignan coincides with the study of the MV AGUSTA 350 and 500 cc triples. It's true, these were 120° triples, but anyhow, this does not at all contradict my other explanations exposed in my previous mail, but could help to indicate the speed these motorcycles were capable of.

Finally, the last element which should convince the most sceptical reader, Salvador Dali disappears in 1989, the year the last 1000 Laverda SFC rolled off the production line, son of the model for which he envisioned the radical design conscept. And without doubt, in the last years of the life of the "The Master" already deeply affected by the disappearance of his wife Gala, were still darkened further by the echo of the growing difficulties of the Laverda factory. There Remains the question, which will never be resolved in a rigorous
and indisputable way, of how a communication could be established between the research department of the Laverda factory and the trip of Salvador Dali at the station of Perpignan. On this subject, the field of the research remains completely open, and one can only advance some hypotheses.

An old worker from the Laverda factory told me that, in the 1960's, the girl of a cousin by marriage of the father-in-law of the great-uncle of Massimo Laverda had married (in her second marriage) the natural son of the cousin in the thrice removed, who was, at the time the stationmaster of Perpignan. But another worker at the factory, today seriously handicaped for more than 30 years by an incurable nervous shiver. He had been assigned to the very first bench tests of the 180° Laverda engine, and since then has qualified for a disability pension. He in fact told me that it was the nephew of the mother of the cousin of a brother-in-law of Luciano Zen who, sent to France at the beginning of 1960's to perfect his French language, had loved the girl of a friend of the chief porter of the station of Perpignan. But, for lack of conclusive evidence, all these hypotheses are still very fragile...

So it is, dear Jean-Louis, that your brilliant intuition has originated a decisive turning point in scientific research, and that on these bases one can reasonably conclude today that Salvador Dali can be legally considered the spiritual father of the 1000 Laverda. I believe however that, seeing the state of presentation of our works, the results of this research could be usefully communicated today to the other non-members.

Note of the webmaster: And still more - these discoveries are of a decisive importance: One knew of alchemist's talents of Salvador Dali since by immersing magnificent silverware in a barrel of tar in a procedure on the 4th floor of the Gaudi building in Barcelona (Spain) he multiplied it's value tenfold. But one did not know that these talents would be called upon in contribution to the creation of the 180° LAVERDA engine and, even less concievable, that the Station of Perpignan could have been its geographic origin. On the other hand, the episode concerning the cousin of Luciano Zen who would have slept with the girl of the stationmaster of Perpignan seems to me to be doubtful, because the last searches showed that in fact it was not the girl of the stationmaster but ... well his wife. It does not make it any more any doubtful that the origin of the Laverda engine is of erotic influence, which will naturally delight all the Laverdamania non-members...

This is, at the moment, the present state of our research on the history of the Laverda triple engine. The research continues and we'll inform the guests of Laverdamania of the latest results. Then, we hope to resolve another mystery concerning Laverda history - so why Jesus himself does not seem to have used Laverda for his wanderings, even though it seems already established that it's not possible to hold the max acceleration and in the same time to multiply bread rolls...