Triple cylinder motorbikes have made a bit of a comeback in recent years with the excellent offerings from makes like Yamaha and MV Agusta but this unique powerplant saw fairly widespread use in a number of bikes before inline fours and twins became the standard, and among the triples of the past the Laverda Jota 1000 is legendary. Produced from 1976 until 1982, the Jota 1000 was for a brief period in time the fastest production bike you could buy in the mid 1970’s.
The Laverda brand has a long history dating back to its founding in 1873 as an agricultural engine company, but it really cemented its high-performance reputation during the late 1960’s when it released larger 750cc variants of its twin cylinder bikes following increased competition from other makes, notably the Japanese builders. The triple cylinder bikes that would follow in the early 70’s were spurred on by the British Laverda importer Richard Slater, who urged the Italian firm to produce the bike and worked closely with the factory to develop a high-performance version of the bike. These early Jota’s were offered only in the UK in 1976 and they quickly set the high speed record for a production motorcycle using high compression pistons, performance cams and less restrictive exhausts.
The early Jota 1000 was noted for its unique 180 degree crank that gave the bike an almost rough but dramatic feel and noise, this was later changed to a smoother running 120 degree phasing crankshaft setup in 1982. The engine has a total displacement of 981cc with its 3 cylinders and makes 80 horsepower. Featuring dual overhead cams and air cooling, the engine was updated to electronic ignition in 1981. In the last year of production, the Laverda Jota 120 was introduced – named as such because the crankpin phasing had been adjusted to 120 degrees, helping to make the bike smoother compared to the original 180 degree arrangement. Some sources claim over 130 incremental changes were made to create the 120 model, all of which were designed to make it easier to live with – lower vibration, rubber mounted engine, and left side gear change.
This example is VIN: LAV10008358.
During his ownership, the seller has covered 40 miles. The odometer shows 23,622 kilometers (14,678 miles).
“It was part of an estate sale. An older gentleman owned this bike along with a 1976 Laverda 750 SF3 that I purchased as well. My intentions were to keep it but now it is time to part ways with them.” It is a Euro-spec bike that was imported to the US from Italy and was in California as of 2017.
Maintenance:
“Just regular things such as fluids.” The seller states that there are no known mechanical issues.
Modifications:
Brembo RCS brake/clutch master cylinders.
Brembo calipers.
Velocity stacks, fuel filter.
Oil filter.
Inside of the tank:
It is riding on Pirelli MT09 Match tires that have aged out.
The sale includes three keys.
Cosmetic Blemishes: please see the album in the “Photos” tab for all known cosmetic blemishes. Here is a selection:
Currently located in Conway, Arkansas, this Laverda is offered on a clean Arkansas title. Have any Jota 1000 stories or questions about this listing? Let us know in the “Comments” tab!
