The first motorcycle raced by Giancarlo Morbidelli was a Laverda, and the make has always been of special importance to him. Founded in 1873, Laverda started out making farm machinery, only turning to motorcycle manufacture in the immediate aftermath of WW2. Its first product, the 75cc four-stroke Motoleggera (lightweight motorcycle), helped meet the unprecedented upsurge in demand for basic motorised transport, and modified versions were soon winning their class in the long-distance road races popular at the time. Foremost of these was the famous Milan-Taranto, which Laverda first entered in 1950. That first venture ended in retirement for the factory's single entry but the following year all four machines entered finished the race. The following year Laverda's new 'MT' (Milan-Taranto) sports model crushed the opposition, filling the top five positions in the 75cc category, while in 1953 there were 75cc-class wins in the Giro d'Italia and Milan-Taranto again. A four-speed model, this Laverda 75 Sport was formerly ridden by Benito Boiani, a friend of Giancarlo Morbidelli, who is one of a trio of riders (including Giancarlo) pictured with their machines in 1956 (photograph on file). Presented in restored condition, the machine also comes with some other photographs, some marque-related literature, and an old Italian registration document (issued 1958).