Hello: new Mirage owner

I like it. Get a few things sorted and hit the road! It'll be great to see another one out there.
Personally, I like 'rat' bikes and 'sleepers'.
This forum and these retrobates / reprobates will help in every way to get you safely on the road 👍
 
Hi Chris,be good to see how this progresses in the mag and here on the forum.Mudguards are stainless , brackets are chromed steel..Compared to some of the projects you have been working on recently Laverdas are about as complicated as a housebrick , so it should make a refreshing change!
I`m sure you`re well aware,but ever more stupidly priced Laverda related bits and bobs on somewhere like eBay can bump costs up,something to steer around if you can.
 
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1200 JOTA said:
I like it. Get a few things sorted and hit the road! It'll be great to see another one out there.
Personally, I like 'rat' bikes and 'sleepers'.
This forum and these retrobates / reprobates will help in every way to get you safely on the road 👍
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It's a bit too far gone for that, to get it roadworthy would leave it with a mix of shiny and really tatty bits. I'm all for less than perfect, hard ridden rider's bikes, but this one is firmly in the complete rebuild bracket, not just a recommission. A bit of me does want to fit classic-style forged alloy wheels, AP calipers and flatslides, but I suspect I'll run with what's there for the most part, electrics aside. I'm assuming what wasn't inadequate to start with has probably deteriorated outside, so I may as well go for a new loom with an Ignitech CDI, better reg-rec, modern relays and so on. I'm not a total stickler for originality, so making it reliable and better functioning is a no-brainer. The Corte Cosso shocks will likely go in a box and get replaced with something more sophisticated, and I'll look at discreet fork internal upgrades, too. The standard of classic-fitment tyres is high enough that it warrants those, I feel.
 
rucksack said:
It's a bit too far gone for that, to get it roadworthy would leave it with a mix of shiny and really tatty bits. I'm all for less than perfect, hard ridden rider's bikes, but this one is firmly in the complete rebuild bracket, not just a recommission. A bit of me does want to fit classic-style forged alloy wheels, AP calipers and flatslides, but I suspect I'll run with what's there for the most part, electrics aside. I'm assuming what wasn't inadequate to start with has probably deteriorated outside, so I may as well go for a new loom with an Ignitech CDI, better reg-rec, modern relays and so on. I'm not a total stickler for originality, so making it reliable and better functioning is a no-brainer. The Corte Cosso shocks will likely go in a box and get replaced with something more sophisticated, and I'll look at discreet fork internal upgrades, too. The standard of classic-fitment tyres is high enough that it warrants those, I feel.
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Avon Riders on my Jota recently very positive ! And reasonably priced
 
Hello Chris,
your list sounds reasonable, many here have already taken this path, there are multiple solutions for everything.

You can replace the missing rear and side parts in the (original) Mirage or the (more common) Jota style. Many parts from the Laverda modular construction kit fit.

You already mentioned the ignition / alternator, the improved ignition is highly recommended, it improves the running behavior immensely.

With the wheels, some Suzuki GSX variants have made themselves suitable, these have the advantage of being lighter than the originals.

There are also plenty of brake updates, but you can also take a big step with the OE system and a smaller m/c.

Ultimately, it's all a question of taste, and of course your wallet. When it is disassembled, you will be able to estimate the effort better.

At first I was a little confused about the defective primary chain you mentioned, but when I saw the picture, it occurred to me that you could have meant the secondary chain.

I am curious to see how the story of your Mirage will continue.


Cheers,
Jo
 
Best of luck with the project Chris. Plenty to be done, but actually a pleasure to work on - rather like a high performance tractor!
 
As another Forum member already stated, "welcome to the nuthouse", no seriously this is a great forum for anything to do with Laverda and many other topics too. Thanks for posting a picture of your newly acquired 1200, yep definitely worth saving and you will find an answer and many opinions from forum members on how to solve/complete the repair- resurrection of your bike. I hope the crank and other internals are clean and dry(rust-free). 30 years parked outside uncovered, I just don't understand why, it is akin to cruelty to animals, there is no excuse. Welcome, Chris you are in the right place.
 
78jotadave said:
30 years parked outside uncovered, I just don't understand why, it is akin to cruelty to animals, there is no excuse. Welcome, Chris you are in the right place.
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Personal matters as far as I can tell. A somewhat sad tale. I guess all three were low in their value curve at the time: just obsolete old bikes with problems, but problems smaller than those in his own life.

He was offered money for them numerous times (they were in plain sight on a through road) and also the opportunity to at least house them dry, but never took them up on it. The Trident was wrapped in the remains of a tarpaulin that shredded and wasn’t replaced. The BMW was left to be fully enveloped by a bush.
 
pf1 said:
I sense a knackered 1200 competition coming together ;)
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More than likely. You have engines, I have a set of 1200 crankcases, barrels and a refurbed head plus a refurbed 1000 short donor engine for the internals. Fingers crossed that the internals are the same.
 
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