Laverda jota 1000

[rebeltaz83]

Saw this Italian motorcycle in cashiers NC. Today while out touring the mountains with my father. The owner was more than happy to tell the tale about it. It was an 84 model, and apparently the last year they built them. Very nice looking motorcycle.... Cue firemedic with some history. Lol.
Just a joke FM, I like your posts about the history of motorsports, and car and motorcycle brands. Keep posting!!

 

[Fire-medic]

One of my fellow firefighter friends has one, he's had it since new. I've often admired it. Laverda was an Italian company like MV Agusta. They made small numbers of bikes with their own engine designs, premium suspensions and brakes, and racing histories. The engines were two and three-cyl SOHC and DOHC designs, large displacements, and sporting seating positions. If you looked at the Laverdas carefully, you saw that the engine layout and design (parallel-twin SOHC) favored some-other company's design (Honda's), look at the Honda 305 SOHC, except more-than double the engine displacement (750 SFC). I never-rode his Laverda but I was impressed by the walnut-cracking squeeze the clutch required. Other guys at the warehouse where these guys worked on their bikes had Moto Guzzi V-twins and Ducati V-twins, so his bike had plenty of Italian company.

https://www.motorcycleclassics.com/classic-italian-motorcycles/laverda-jota-1000

 

[rebeltaz83]

His was like the top pic. But a full fairing up front, and hard bags. It looked like a sport bike looking at the gauge cluster, triple tree. Chain drive on the right, that was unusual to see.

 

[02GF74]

interesting reading about Laverda on Wiki - they even made a V6

 

[Fire-medic]

Without googling, I suspect that was a non-production endurance racer. from the early 1980's. Water-cooled, Marzocchi suspension f & r, Brembo brakes, cast or forged 5-spoke wheels, uses the engine as a stressed frame-member, w/a semi-monocoque seat/tailpiece, downdraft induction, I wonder if it's fuel-injected? Probably built for something like the Bol d'Or endurance race. Looks-like a 90 degree engine, to provide enough room for the induction, wonder if it's fuel injected?

 

[VMAXXIMUM]

I sure would like to take it for a spin.

 

[Fire-medic]

I sure would like to take it for a spin.

Have you seen a Motus? Similar configuration & probably 2X the BHP. Four cyl crankshaft inline w/wheelbase-V. https://www.motusmotorcycles.com/mstr

 

[Fire-medic]

The 1972 Laverda 750 SFC twin, a SOHC endurance racer.

https://www.oldbikemag.com.au/1972-laverda-750-sfc-tangerine-dream/

 

[desert_max]

I have a thing for six-cylinder motorcycles. However, that Jota is the Holy Grail - or darn close to it.

 

[VMAXXIMUM]

I have seen the Motus. Bad to the bone, it is. Closest sound to our bikes. I'd be pretty happy on one. I'm not sure my wife would approve of me selling our house to get one though. LOL

 

[Tony.H]

Its still a Laverda but in a spondon frame

 

[Fire-medic]

That's "Spondon", mate. A beautiful pair of jugs on that chassis!

Next-time, turn-off the flash, for a better pic.