difference between 3cl and jota?

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budgienutz

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Hi guys im new here,My name is Matt and im from Australia
I ve searched and searched but cant find the answer
so im going to ask here
what is the difference between 3cl and jota?
thanks for any help
 
Matt

Where in Oz are you? If you're new you need to start connecting with your local Laverda club informal association of owners, info available on this site in various places.
But to answer your question, the easy answer is a 180 crank triple high compression pistons, 4c cams, and noisy exhausts. There were several "official" "Jotas", starting with the wire wheeled Slater hotrods (3ces, very rare now) with 4" exhausts and flat-topped high compression Asso pistons. By the time the cast wheel 3cl came along the Jotas available were maybe a tiny bit slower, somewhere along the line the mufflers got a bit smaller, and the bikes were essentially standard 3cls but still with the above performance mods. A bit later the factory starting selling thewir own branded Jotas, then came the Jota 120s and the Jota Americas (which didn't have any of the hot rod mods). Then there was the 120 RGA Jota.... so the question really isn't as simple as it seems.
There's a few good books you ought to try to find, one by Jean-Louis Olive but almost impossible to get an English language version, one also quite good by Ian Falloon (The Laverda Twins & Triples Bible: 650 & 750cc Twins * 1000 & 1200cc Triples), still available on Amazon, also Tim Parker's Laverda Twin and Triple Repair and Tuneup Guide. These books, plus Jean-Louis Olive's Laverdamania.net site, will give you a lot more information than you needed.

Ken
 
$5000  :D :D :D

Sorry, that was really mean....

It is a question that has often been asked and the answer is pretty simple:

A Jota has higher compression pistons, more aggressive camshafts (4C on a Jota, A11 on a 3CL) and a free flowing exhaust (nothing whatsoever in the "silencers" and a bigger bore collector). Oh, and a couple of Jota badges/decals. There are a couple of variants with bigger valves in a particular year, but not sure that was Jota only.

These days, so many 3CLs have become Jotas that I doubt it really matters about how they started out....unless someone is a collector or investor.

Hard to find new 3CL pistons these days, so most fit Jota CR pistons anyway. 4C cams are pretty brutal, F1 profile probably better (ask Keef).  No-one sells 3CL exhausts, only Jota.

Pete
p.s.(oh, and I think the very early Jotas had a higher first gear, but everyone wants an orange one, so that doesn't seem to matter  ::)
P
p.p.s. These smileys are pants  ::)  (see, that one didn't work  :P )
 
with 4" exhausts and flat-topped high compression Asso pistons
Click to expand...

Eh??? Sorry Ken, don't mean to be contrary, but the early HC pistons were neither flat top or Asso (had a '76 Jota and saw them) and not sure what part of the exhaust was 4"  :o ) Maybe the collector, but not really 4", but 2 x roughly 2" welded or pressed together.

Like you say - books are good (but not  always gospel...)

Pete
 
Im from a little town called Bonalbo (approx 100km west of byron bay)
so the closest club would be Brisbane(about 3 hours away)
i did notice from the pics ive seen that the jotas "seem" to have silver frames,the rear shocks top mounting point looks to be moved forward and or corse the rear sets
the year in question is 1978 as i know of a 3cl 78 model that the owner wants to make into a fair dinkum jota in every aspect
thanks for the help guys
 
"Jotaised" '78 3cl? Just like mine! In 78 the frames were still black (silver cam in '79), Jota tanks were gold with no stripes, and the Corte e Cossi shocks were either near vertical or laid forward, depending on what Verlicchi delivered in a batch of frames. Some had both mounting points and whether the shocks were vertical or angled seemed to have been up to what Luigi the assembly worker felt tlike doing on that bike. Footpegs were forward mounted (rearsets began to appear also in '79), left or right shift depending on what market it was made for, but the '78 left shift ones used a diabolical linkage that wore out and was a buggar to fix.
So lots of people paint their frames silver, their bodywork orange (with or without stripes), and fit rearsets (if you can get/afford them, they're not cheap anymore ::)). The point is, there's no reason not to. Your mate isn't restoring the bike to concourse original, so he should consider the popular upgrades that are readily available as well as cosmetic changes. There are several digital ignitions that replace the 33 year old (not very good and now dying) Bosch HKZ system, Red in Brisbane even sells one with an alternator upgrade as well. Mikuni RS36 carbs work a lot better than the Dell'ortos ever did, and the Dells aren't new any more either. You wouldn't use original Dunlop K81s, there's a few (not a lot) of modern tyre choices, all better than original. Upgrading the wheels and brakes to wider and lighter Suzuki GSX-R1100 wheels and 4 piston Brembos with Teflon brake hoses is also popular and quite cheap, and you can use radial tyres then, handle better and last longer. F1 cams produce as much or maybe more power than the 4cs, but without the loss of power at low revs. Better swing arms are available, quite a few options for much better shocks, a RaceTech cartridge emulator and better (or maybe just new) springs gives the old damper rod forks (could be Ceriani or Marzocchi on a '78) a new lease of life.
Or you could just keep it standard, it's still pretty good without all the other stuff.

Ken
 
Funny you should mention the ignition system because its toast
so would you have any contact details to assist him on getting an aftermarket one? (Preferably in Oz if possible)
and thanks again for all the help
its VERY informative
 
Bonalbo huh, did we wake you up when we roared through there the other morning???

Actually roaring isn't the right word seeing as it was the BM club.......sigh....so boring.



 
drikko said:
Bonalbo huh, did we wake you up when we roared through there the other morning???

Actually roaring isn't the right word seeing as it was the BM club.......sigh....so boring.
Click to expand...
Nope i didnt hear you guys
usually there's heaps of bikes go through here on weekends,but since the road through yabra forest slid away its been quiet,im guessing the QLD boys are going round through kyogle

Next time let me know when you guys are coming through
or pull up @ the old bank(where i live) opposite the pub and bash on the door
ill come for a spin

and thanks heaps for the email link laverdakeith I will get onto those guys as i need a few bits

the laverda is my dads and its been sitting for easy ten years with very little done to it in that time as the ignition was cactus when he bought it
im sick of seeing it sitting there so im going to make him do it up
and if he wont... i will
 
mcnicol said:
"Jotaised" '78 3cl? Just like mine! In 78 the frames were still black (silver cam ein '79), Jota tanks were gold with no stripes,
Ken
Click to expand...

Silver frames were present in Oz from 76 for 3CL, and from memory early Jotas had black paint with gold stripes, but the memory is getting dim.
 
Hey Budgie welcome to the Laverdaforum from a fellow Aussie Laverda enthusiast in Victoria (the police state) how long has your father had his Laverda, I suppose she hasn't been going for some time. There are a few choices on ignitions but I have the sachse units that Red sells in 2 of my Laverda's and to be quite frank both bikes have never run so well, the Sachse ignition upgrade that suits the 3CL has an alternator upgrade something that is a "required" improvement if you do any night riding, the original alternators are very weak unless the engine is revving over 4000RPM. give me a yell if I can help. :D
Good Luck,
Maurice
 
drikko said:
Make sure he pays for the bits!!  :D :D

What are you riding in the meantime?
Click to expand...
Yeah hes gonna be paying for it lol
2005 zx6>>>>
file.php


"Silver frames were present in Oz from 76 for 3CL, and from memory early Jotas had black paint with gold stripes, but the memory is getting dim."
Thanks Davo
I like the silver frame so thats what i was going to suggest to the old bloke
 
mauricejota7604 said:
Hey Budgie welcome to the Laverdaforum from a fellow Aussie Laverda enthusiast in Victoria (the police state) how long has your father had his Laverda, I suppose she hasn't been going for some time. There are a few choices on ignitions but I have the sachse units that Red sells in 2 of my Laverda's and to be quite frank both bikes have never run so well, the Sachse ignition upgrade that suits the 3CL has an alternator upgrade something that is a "required" improvement if you do any night riding, the original alternators are very weak unless the engine is revving over 4000RPM. give me a yell if I can help. :D
Good Luck,
Maurice
Click to expand...
Thanks for the warm welcome
        Hes had the laverda about 15 -18 years now that i think about it and its never been running while hes owned it .
Im sure i will be asking you quite a few question
 
Hi Budgie,
Got your e-mail, will reply shortly.
Am travelling through Europe at the moment so don't be surprised if there is a delay.

Tchau
Red
 
poffer said:
..............but the early HC pistons were neither flat top or Asso (had a '76 Jota and saw them)
Click to expand...

HC pistons as available as spares from the factory were cast Mondials, Asso got into the game later and supplied forged pistons for the racers and to the SFC1000 production line.

piet
 
the pistons pete saw may have been accralights

the reason there aren't many 3CL pistons is not many really want them
but if a few people do i can have some made

yep, the jota collectors did look like a pair of pipes siamesed together
the 4" refers to the OD of the straight part of the <cough> silencer
taller first gear may have been left over 3C (2.618) stock rather than the 3CL (2.857)

have to agree with maurice about the sachse and red's uprated alternator conversion
a brilliant bit of kit

nice looking ride budgie
seems everyone goes for the laverda orange  :D

cheers,
scott
 
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