A Dance In 3/4 Time

Jota (pronounced 'ho-ta') is a Spanish dance in 3/4 time. I guess the Laverda guys wanted to emphasise that this superbike was a 3 cylinder 1000, rather than a 4.

This example is a 180 degree crank Jota. Big on rumble, and even bigger on vibes until they climb onto the cam and start to roar like a whole pack of Ducatis. These babies were the first real superbike - a genuine 140mph in the late 1970s.

Here's a like to the wiki article on Laverda. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laverda

Marty has had the engine out and rebuilt. Rebuilt - yeah, right! The bike has done about 160,000km (100,000 miles) and all it needed was a new timing chain and tensioner. After the mechanic broke open the engine cases, he looked at Marty like he was weird and asked him why he'd brought the bike to him. It didn't need a scrap of work. Laverda makes tractors as well, and this thing is about as tough as a tractor. Mind you, given that the engine was out of the bike, a decision has been made to purchase a new cam chain and tensioner from Slater Bros in the UK, so it can be ready for another 100,000 miles or so.

I haven't started on the Laverda yet, but the plan is to remove every item from the chassis and then have it sandblasted back to bare metal and then powder-coated. The Jota will then be subject to a full nuts and bolts restoration, with the objective being a concours condition bike befitting the title of 'first Jota the Laverda factory ever rode'.

Yes, we have seen the letter from Massimo Laverda introducing the original owner (a mad Yorkshireman named Derek), and the provenance of this bike is that it was purchased by Derek from Slater Bros - who developed the Jota variation from the original Laverda 3CE 1000. It was ridden from the UK into Europe where Derek had some engine problems when relatively close to northern Italy. He rode the bike to Breganze and went to the factory for assistance. He was greeted like a long lost cousin and the factory went to great lengths to assist and accommodate him. When he returned to the factory he was greeted by the roar of a motorcycle racing along their test route. He enquired about the bike making all the noise, only to be told that it was his repaired bike being test ridden by Signor Laverda. He was told by the engineers that this was the first time Massimo Laverda - who was no slouch on a racing motorcycle - had ever ridden a Jota.

Derek brought the bike with him when he came to Australia, and after languishing on consignment in a dealership with little or no interest, Marty bought it on a whim, and it has given him wonderful service over the years.
When we finish, it might look something like the above photo, but in the rare silver colour in which it was originally purchased.