A Sulzbacher LAVERDA 1200SC on Sylt/Germany

In December 2015 I get a call from Ulli from Sylt in which he claims to have taken over his brother's Sulzbacher LAVERDA 1200SC. Dear Ulli, every Austrian registration paper from the 70s and 80s states the company Sulzbacher as general importer! The 1200SC - at the time the highest tuning-level, with 112 hp - is an extremely rare motorcycle. Ulli scans his papers and sends them to me. I can barely believe it, it is indeed a Sulzbacher LAVERDA 1200SC, no. 16 in my 1200 SC-Register.

Since Ulli is keen to bring the 1200SC back on the road after it had been sitting for such a long time, we quickly set up a restoration plan. Ulli will take care of the chassis and paintwork, engine and carburettors are sent to our specialist "Hirschi", Jan in Lübeck (www.moto-italia.de) will do the electrics and I am to look for missing parts. And off we go.

When it comes to deciding on the paint job, Ulli asks me whether I was fine if he painted fairing, tank, side-covers, hump-seat and wheels in white, but of course I don't and a twin sister to my white Sulzbacher LAVERDA 1200SC develops.

After many months of work in Sylt, Lübeck and Gloggnitz, on 14. 4. 2018 body and soul get reunited and the beast is resurrected. Ulli and his brother Heinz have travelled 1.300 km from Sylt to Gloggnitz. Their van contains the body, the freshly rebuilt chassis of his 1200SC, waiting for the soul, the engine. In the early afternoon the beast roars for the first time in Hirschi's workshop creating a blissful grin on every face. A quick test-ride proves the excellent work of everyone involved: All good!

Of course we had to celebrate this sensational German-Austrian co-operation at a typical cosy Austrian cider-tavern. We all had a real ball resuscitating a Sulzbacher LAVERDA 1200SC.

Ullis first riding impressions on Sylt: "To hear my 1200 SC there with you in Austria for the first time was already very impressive, but to ride her again was something special yet again. Unfortunately I don't have a Höllental but only 36 km of island outside my garage-door, but the first test ride was still absolute genius! I was blown away by the excellent chassis and the stunning torque, absolutely unbelievable for a bike over 40 years old. Thanks so much again for everything - I am so grateful to have met and come to know you all."

Gert Schnögl