The frame geometry is the result of countless laps at the Varberg Monark test track. Sten worked very closely with the Monark engineers to come up with these specs. This is the original frame made in 1960 at the Monark factory. In those days you repaired the original frame if something broke and this one was no different. If anything got bent or flattened, it was repaired. The massive gussets that run down the length of the front down tubes were put there by the MV Agusta road race shop after Sten broke the frame at an International race in Gallerate Italy. Sten did have an idea to lower the motor and a frame was made to test his idea. After testing the lower model, it was decided that the original frame was better.

   These forks are the first ever Ceriani motocross forks. After Ceriani made these forks for Sten, they went on to produce front forks for many production bikes. This particular set is all hand made and the internals are all machined from billet aluminum. The stone chips in the lower sliders from all the years on the Grand-Prix circuit are still there.

   The front hub was made by Pranafa and had a lot of stopping power. Ceriani combined the forward axle lug to the front backing plate stay all with one piece. A special front brake arm was made that wrapped around the right fork slider. This front wheel was used in 1960 and 1961 but Sten opted for a smaller conical hub in later years.

   Several sets of triple clamps were made (in Italy with the forks) and tested offering different off-sets. Sten settled on a parallel set with a 36mm off-set. You can remove the entire set (top and bottom) with out removing the steering stem. Check out the massive steering head. You can see the stamping in the top clamp written in Italian.

   The swingarm is very special and reduced unsprung weight was the goal here. It is made from the highest grade Swedish chrome moly tubing available at the time and the tubing is tapered for less weight. The chain adjusters are very unique and all handmade from billet. Very trick parts! The rear brake uses a wire instead of a solid rod. The wire was chosen because if another bike happened to hit it during a race, it would go back to it's original form whereas a rod might get bent and cause the brake to lock up. Much thought and attention was paid to every detail when designing this bike.

   A massive conical rear hub connected to the rim by 40 spokes features a British Dunlop 400x19 inch rear tire that was responsible for putting the power to the ground. Rear shocks are Girling and the pipe has no muffler. The sound that this bike makes has to be heard to be believed.

    The rims were made by Dunlop in England out of a very strong and light weight tensile steel. These rims were very expensive to produce and were for factory riders only.

    The handmade foot pegs mount to the frame and the engine cases with large bolts and have non-slip cleats made from weld. Note the small tab welded to the left peg to keep the brake pedal from bending out. The right peg is nicely cut away to allow the pipe to go through. Everything on this bike is very compact and well thought out.

    The fuel tank is completely hand pound out of sheet aluminum as seen by the hammer marks on the surface. This tank was used in every race that this bike competed in. Lito made a special tank sticker just for Sten with the tallest building in Helsingborg inside the "H". Helsingborg is the city where the Lito factory was located. The tank was held to the bike with the strap in the picture below. This is the same strap that broke at Namur Belgium in 1961.

                                                   The original green paint from 1961 can still be seen inside the tank.

    The aluminum bar that is bolted across the bottom of the tank is there to keep the tank from splitting due to the vibration from the motor. The bar was not there at the infamous race at Namur when the tank came loose.

      The handlebars are an original set that Sten himself made back in 1961. How many riders actually helped make their own bike?

                                                          The Lito was restored and signed by the Champion himself.

                                                                                                  Swedish magazine with Sten on his production Lito.                                                     Hakan Andersson archive

                                                                                                        Lito Ad with Sten on his modified production Lito.                                                       Hakan Andersson archive

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