Wheel bearings

[Hooli]

Manufacturers are experts in knowing the absolute minimum cost & quality that customers will accept.

[GSXKING]

Aprilia are known as motorcycle designers now.
They outsource every part of manufacturing and just have them assembled where ever labour is cheapest. Then charge full freight for the said assembled complete motorcycle.
All their warranties are worn by the manufacturer not Aprilia.
I'll never own another one.

[GSXKING]

I'm old enough to remember when Laverdas were hand built, by one technician, from motor assembly to wiring the entire bike. They didn't paint anything I'm sure.
Plenty of them still being ridden around south east Queensland as I think their club has most members.
Their TShirts say "A drinking club, with a motorcycle problem"although they're getting quite old like their bikes.
Most of the hardcore members were ex racers and thought they owned the roads. That's why there are two Memorials on Mt.Mee, one for "Rad" Colin Morton (I went to school with him) and "Shiney" Shine, both died doing stupid speeds on public roads ☠️☠️.
There's plenty of Bold riders but not many OLD Bold riders imho 👿

[Tony Nitrous]

I'm old enough to remember when Laverdas were hand built, by one technician, from motor assembly to wiring the entire bike. They didn't paint anything I'm sure.
Plenty of them still being ridden around south east Queensland as I think their club has most members.
Their TShirts say "A drinking club, with a motorcycle problem"although they're getting quite old like their bikes.
Most of the hardcore members were ex racers and thought they owned the roads. That's why there are two Memorials on Mt.Mee, one for "Rad" Colin Morton (I went to school with him) and "Shiney" Shine, both died doing stupid speeds on public roads ☠️☠️.
There's plenty of Bold riders but not many OLD Bold riders imho 👿

I knew the guy behind the Jota.
 
He and his brother shared a building with the local Harley dealership. Rodger and Richard were hotting up Laverda 3C's alongside his other Vincent and Egli business, (so successfuly that they were winning championships) that the factory later got on board.

The Jota was a factory bike but Richard and Rodger in the UK were the reason it existed.

The height of being young and foolish is walking by the Laverda's to put my money down at the Harley dealership next door.

Slater Brothers Laverda.
They did well for a while.

[KiwiCol]

Sometimes life is the best teacher.  If someone had told you not to buy the Harley, get the Laverda instead, and you listened to them, you' wouldn't know you made the right choice, you'd of always wondered . . .

[Hooli]

If someone told me that I'd laugh & direct them to an opticians, there's few things on two wheels out there uglier than a Laverda.

[GSXKING]

If someone told me that I'd laugh & direct them to an opticians, there's few things on two wheels out there uglier than a Laverda.

You're as usual Correct @Hooli.
I've never seen a Laverda other than their V6 racer that looked remotely acceptable. 💩💩💩

[Irish in Oz]

5x the cost seems fair when they last 5x as long.

My point was, as has been said. Suzuki buys Koyo and put a part number on it.
Building a GSX1400 from parts alone would cost in excess of $150,000 Aus by my estimate. 💰💰💰💰
The one thing I'm most impressed about my 25 yo motorcycle is it's travelled 180,000+ kms and still all original motor parts and clutch, including the plates. The tolerances they were built too were exceptional for that time. 🧐
I seriously never thought back in 2001 I'd still own and ride the same bike. 😳
Those of you who know me, know I don't mind reving the ring out of it either. There's the minorist amount of oil in the exhaust when I back off rapidly so I've been told. 🏍�💨
When they complain I tell them to overtake. I don't make it easy. "Irish"Jeff taught me that one 😂😂😂😂 on the Oxley.

Chris I only remember doing the Oxley with Snapey and Rogues plus BuddyNQ when he was riding my 14 and I rode my FJR, on the way to Dorrigo.