Newbie to Laverda ownership

MarnixSFC said:
The seamed Lafranconis were fitted to late 180 Jotas, orange bikes with no fairing that looked like Jotas and were badged as such, but which in most cases had 3CL spec engines.

Marnix
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....... and here`s a crap picture of such a bike , finished in black to match the downpipes .......... Some green Mirages came with black downpipes , but with large bore collectors and Jota pipes in chromed steel put on later of course ........ In some cases it seems if it was to hand , and fitted , then on it went .........

I understand machines were produced in batches of 50 at a time , not necessarily in strict numerical order ......... That may partly explain why a late 3C , produced late `75 , but then stored and not despatched from the factory until sometime in `76 , may , by the time it arrived and spent more time sitting in a UK warehouse / showroom , explain why it didn`t end up getting UK road registered until `77/`78 ........

" S " registrations were anytime between 1 Aug 1977 till 31 July 1978 , so the time lag may not be quite so great as it first appears ......

The fact that Richard Slater seems to be unaware of it`s existence does make you wonder by which route it arrived in the UK ........ would Alan Bell have any info on it`s previous history ?

It looks very nice .......... Only steps I would take , given service history may be sketchy , would to fit new primary and cam chains ( having a quick look at valve clearances , and state of the cams and cam carrying blocks at the same time ) , new oil and look at the sump strainer obviously , and keep an eye on all the fiddly little wires that lead from the coils on the Bosch ignition unit , and the generator pickups .... quite possibly well past their best by now ..........

A replacement DMC ignition unit will simplify and get rid of a good 50 % of all the crap old wiring ( although not the generator pickup wiring , although I believe there are other systems that would deal with that ) ......... including that multi connector between tank and seat ........

................... and get a copy of the Green Book ............ Laverda Repair and Tune Up Manual ............ Although nearly 50 years old , that will provide you with answers to most of the questions you may have , whilst at the same time avoiding running the risk of having to put up with sarky comments ...... :) ........


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Best of both worlds. Early style. Check. Different and interesting colour. Check. A proper regulator, provision for control choice. Check check check. I think you ought to think about getting an Ignitech box and Nology coils. Much smoother advance curve. The old Bosch system cannot be relied upon.
 
MarnixSFC said:
The seamed Lafranconis were fitted to late 180 Jotas, orange bikes with no fairing that looked like Jotas and were badged as such, but which in most cases had 3CL spec engines.

Marnix
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Jota 120s too, I think. Can't have been very many though Marnix. They also had 1200 style frame side covers if memory serves me right. In any case, either exhausts or wheels are definitely wrong... amoung other stuff.

Cannot imagine the Breganze factory actually incorporating a 3C into the production line while 3CL production was in full swing! According to JLOs registry, 3CLs kicked in at #3522. Lots of crashed bikes were rebuilt with a later type frame, perhaps some later bikes recieved an early frame.

I'm not knocking the bike, the original question was about the history of a 3C with a #5000 engine. History can only be murky, at best...

piet
 
The Sock said:
People always seem surprised by the 'Choc block' connector, at the back of the tank. I've never had a problem with mine, in 48 years of ownership. It's a handier way to separate the engine mounted from the frame mounted wiring than Lucar or, heaven forfend, bullet connectors and much less prone to problems.
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On my 74 pre-oil cooler 3C the block was mounted on the frame under the air filter. In heavy rain the bike would stop because it was all full of water. That's when I discovered the joys of WD40. A couple of squirts and it always started.
 
rocketonarail said:
....... and here`s a crap picture of such a bike , finished in black to match the downpipes .......... Some green Mirages came with black downpipes , but with large bore collectors and Jota pipes in chromed steel put on later of course ........ In some cases it seems if it was to hand , and fitted , then on it went .........

I understand machines were produced in batches of 50 at a time , not necessarily in strict numerical order ......... That may partly explain why a late 3C , produced late `75 , but then stored and not despatched from the factory until sometime in `76 , may , by the time it arrived and spent more time sitting in a UK warehouse / showroom , explain why it didn`t end up getting UK road registered until `77/`78 ........

" S " registrations were anytime between 1 Aug 1977 till 31 July 1978 , so the time lag may not be quite so great as it first appears ......

The fact that Richard Slater seems to be unaware of it`s existence does make you wonder by which route it arrived in the UK ........ would Alan Bell have any info on it`s previous history ?

It looks very nice .......... Only steps I would take , given service history may be sketchy , would to fit new primary and cam chains ( having a quick look at valve clearances , and state of the cams and cam carrying blocks at the same time ) , new oil and look at the sump strainer obviously , and keep an eye on all the fiddly little wires that lead from the coils on the Bosch ignition unit , and the generator pickups .... quite possibly well past their best by now ..........

A replacement DMC ignition unit will simplify and get rid of a good 50 % of all the crap old wiring ( although not the generator pickup wiring , although I believe there are other systems that would deal with that ) ......... including that multi connector between tank and seat ........

................... and get a copy of the Green Book ............ Laverda Repair and Tune Up Manual ............ Although nearly 50 years old , that will provide you with answers to most of the questions you may have , whilst at the same time avoiding running the risk of having to put up with sarky comments ...... :) ........


View attachment 91962
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Thanks for all your advice, I've done the following...
Changed engine oil (Valvoline VR1)
Oil filter checked, new O ring
New plugs
Valve clearances checked OK
New Bridgestone BT46's
Front brakes checked,
New brake fluid (the old stuff was bad)
One fork leg oil seals
Both forks, new oil
New Suzuki throttle tube/grip and cable
Spare clutch cable
One airbox to carb rubber tube
Fuel lines
LED tail and side lights
Foot rest rubbers, tank badges, bar end mirror
🤑
Mr Bell told me when I went to view it there was no history and that he owned and maintained it for the last 13 years.
Did check on DVLA site, last taxed 1988.
 
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sfcpiet said:
Jota 120s too, I think. Can't have been very many though Marnix. They also had 1200 style frame side covers if memory serves me right. In any case, either exhausts or wheels are definitely wrong... amoung other stuff.

Cannot imagine the Breganze factory actually incorporating a 3C into the production line while 3CL production was in full swing! According to JLOs registry, 3CLs kicked in at #3522. Lots of crashed bikes were rebuilt with a later type frame, perhaps some later bikes recieved an early frame.

I'm not knocking the bike, the original question was about the history of a 3C with a #5000 engine. History can only be murky, at best...

piet
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Wire wheels were announced as optional in France when the 3CL came out. I should think that if true, that was soon dropped nobody would have wanted them.
I believe that the SF2 was made alongside the SF3?
Paul
 
pf1 said:
You seem to be such a bitter man sometimes Paul, why do you always try to deflate peoples happiness? There is sod all wrong with aitches bike that can't be easily sorted so just let him enjoy it.
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Will you quit whining whilst looking for a lynching party?
If the man has something to say about my few to the point comments, which he hasn't apart from liking my posts, he'll say so.
Paul
 
I think the Italian factories of the seventies used whatever was in the parts bin or was available at the time. Then of course you get interim/ changeover models, which are effectively factory bitsa’s . Fred Warr Harley Davidson would chop and change old stock bikes that weren’t selling by swapping tanks, seats etc- so you could buy a brand new Harley from an official dealership that was not how it left the factory. I built a ZXR 750 out of a crate with one Tokico and one Nissin caliper on the front wheel, must have run out of one half way through this particular bike. My old mate Goddard , who runs a bike business told me all British bikes were Bitsas back in the day because everything fitted and people weren’t bothered- it’s only now it’s frowned on. Much rather see a bike being worn out than pushed to shows with hairy tyres .
 
Aitch said:
Thanks for all your advice, I've done the following...
Changed engine oil (Valvoline VR1)
Oil filter checked, new O ring
New plugs
Valve clearances checked OK
New Bridgestone BT46's
Front brakes checked,
New brake fluid (the old stuff was bad)
One fork leg oil seals
Both forks, new oil
New Suzuki throttle tube/grip and cable
Spare clutch cable
One airbox to carb rubber tube
Fuel lines
LED tail and side lights
Foot rest rubbers, tank badges, bar end mirror
🤑
Mr Bell told me when I went to view it there was no history and that he owned and maintained it for the last 13 years.
Did check on DVLA site, last taxed 1988.
Click to expand...
I’m sorry Aitch you clearly haven’t done enough !!! Have you got it into any part of your house yet - have you last thing given it a pat and spoke sweet nothings to the tank ?
 
pf1 said:
You seem to be such a bitter man sometimes Paul, why do you always try to deflate peoples happiness? There is sod all wrong with aitches bike that can't be easily sorted so just let him enjoy it.
Click to expand...
French residency can do interesting things to mannerism.
 
Love my Jota, but that bike looks really great to me..love the colour, wire wheels, seat...hope it runs well for you.
 
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