Classic Bikes Custom Bikes Individual Racing Bikes AJP AJS Aprilia Ariel Avinton / Wakan Bajaj Benelli Beta Bimota BMW Brough Superior BRP Cam-Am BSA Buell / EBR Bultaco Cagiva Campagna CCM CF Moto Combat Motors Derbi Deus Ducati Excelsior GASGAS Ghezzi Brian Gilera GIMA Harley Davidson Hero Highland Honda Horex Husaberg Husqvarna Hyosung Indian Jawa Kawasaki KTM KYMCO Laverda Lazareth Magni Maico Mash Matchless Mondial Moto Guzzi Moto Morini MV Agusta MZ / MuZ NCR Norton NSU Paton Peugeot Piaggio Revival Cycles Roland Sands Royal Enfield Sachs Sherco Sunbeam Suzuki SWM SYM Triumph TVS Ural Velocette Vespa Victory Vincent VOR Voxan Vyrus Walt Siegl Walz Wrenchmonkees Wunderlich XTR / Radical Yamaha Zero Video Technical
Complete Manufacturer List

Norton Commando Ala Verda 860

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,

Source Daniel Delfour’s Vintage Motorbikes