3CL newbie with a couple of basic questions

Freebird

Freebird

Full member
Location
Surrey, UK.
Hi Everyone

Last Friday, I finally realised my dream of owning a Laverda after 37 years of biking when I bagged a rather nice 3CL of 1981 vintage very locally.

I do not yet have a maunal, so have a couple of simple questions:

1. The indicators packed up on the epic 3 mile ride home, I suspect the flasher unit but don't know where it is!
2. First job will be to change the oil, so what do people recommend?

That's all for now.

Cheers

Glen.

Merstham
Surrey.
 
Hi Glen good to see someone living their dream, your indicator issue may be just a bad earth or the blinker can may have failed if your bike maintains any originality you may find that blinker can supported in a little rubber strap on the rear guard behing the RHS side cover. As far as oil goes don't waste money on complex oils your bike will be quite happy with a good quality 15-40  -10-50 multigrade Penrite have a good one.
Best of luck,
M.
 
Dunno about Penrite availability in the UK- try Silkolene Comp4 20/50 or Miller V-Twin 20/50 and change it every 1500 miles.

Get a genuine (photocopied) manual from Slaters and definitely Phil Todd's 'Green Book' from Amazon.  The relay shouldn't be difficult to find...
 
Thanks Guys

It's totally original, so I will have a look under that side panel.

I read on here somewhere that fully sinthetic oil is not good for the clutch - Comp4 is fully sinthetic - I just filled by Ducati up with it - then traded it in for the Laverda.

Glen
 
You're probably right about synthetic not being so good for the clutch, bet the main thing is that it's too good for the motor.  Comp4 is semi synth, and probably still too good- the engine would have been designed to run mineral.  One problem with fancy oils is that they are full of detergent and can dislodge crap in the motor.  I've run Comp4 in my Laverdas for years, it's OK.

One thing about Miller V-Tiwn is that it's designed to run in low pressure oil system roller bearig engines (ie Harleys)  But everyone has a different opinion on oils :D
 
Reggie3cl said:
One problem with fancy oils is that they are full of detergent and can dislodge crap in the motor.
Click to expand...

I think just about all oils are detergent oils these days regardless of what it says on the tin...
 
Freebird said:
I read on here somewhere that fully sinthetic oil is not good for the clutch - Comp4 is fully sinthetic - I just filled by Ducati up with it - then traded it in for the Laverda.
Click to expand...

Hi Glen,
This Synthetic v Mineral thing is bigger than Ben Hur.
Thousands of words have been written by the informed and ill-informed (that will be me then). For some reason the USA seems to be a hotbed of debate, with many myths created and then exploded.
There is not even one type of Synthetic, so how can we judge?

Luckily there is a wealth of experience here and on the ILOC forum. After a great deal of handbags and sulking it seems that Synthetic is more durable than Mineral, but if changed regularly the mineral fine. The synthetic should be suitable for wet-clutches though.

Two winners for me were Morris 'V' Twin Mineral (designed for roller bearing air cooled engines) and Silkolene Comp4 Semi-Synthetic. However many people swear by all sorts, especially considering local availability.
Anything developed for Harleys usually gets a nod as our engines share a lot of similarities in concept.
 
Hi Glen,

Welcome to the very satisfying world of Laverda ownership. There's a wealth of knowledge on here (and a very handy Search function too), so feel free to ask away!

Valvoline 20/50 Racing oil for me, used in my RGS for the past 130000+km (and the motor is untouched) - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/371067065415?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

HTH,
Alan :)
 
For some reason the USA seems to be a hotbed of debate, with many myths created and then exploded.
There is not even one type of Synthetic, so how can we judge?
Click to expand...

Venture, if you dare, onto the technical part of Adventure Rider dot com.  Nothing, and I mean NOTHING is straightforward there.  A ten minute job generates reams and reams of drivel, most of it leading back to 'should I lube the splines each time I change the oil, or more often..?
 
Freebird said:
Hi Everyone

Last Friday, I finally realised my dream of owning a Laverda after 37 years of biking when I bagged a rather nice 3CL of 1981 vintage very locally.

I do not yet have a maunal, so have a couple of simple questions:

1. The indicators packed up on the epic 3 mile ride home, I suspect the flasher unit but don't know where it is!
2. First job will be to change the oil, so what do people recommend?

That's all for now.

Cheers

Glen.

Merstham
Surrey.
Click to expand...

Lucky beggar !!!.  :(
 
a14rgs said:
Hi Glen,

Valvoline 20/50 Racing oil for me, used in my RGS for the past 130000+km (and the motor is untouched) - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/371067065415?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

HTH,
Alan :)
Click to expand...

I use VR1 in my Triumph Vitesse which gets regularly thrashed round Spa, well once a year...........so that's what I will plump for I think.
 
Freebird said:
Thanks Guys

It's totally original, so I will have a look under that side panel.

I read on here somewhere that fully sinthetic oil is not good for the clutch - Comp4 is fully sinthetic - I just filled by Ducati up with it - then traded it in for the Laverda.

Glen
Click to expand...

Good move... :D

For general tootling around in a mid-european or similar climate, any half-decent mineral 20W50 should do fine.

Highly-strung blue-printed race engines might want something a little "better" to keep things as they are, I use either Agip or Liqui-Moly (depending on availability) 10W60 race synthetic in the track 3C, no issues at all.

piet
 
[/quote]
Reggie3cl said:
Dunno about Penrite availability in the UK
Click to expand...

European Head Office
Penrite Oil Co. , Forest Lubricants UK
Hang Hill Works, Bream,
Nr Lydney, Glos.
GL 15 6HT
Website: www.penriteoil.co.uk
Email: penrite.uk@penriteoil.com
Ph: +44 (0) 1594 562357
Fax: +44 (0) 1594 564234

Monday to Friday - 8am-5pm
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top