Laverda Jota

[MILLE_RIDER]

My mate was bidding on a Slater Brothers 180 Jota a week or so ago, he stopped bidding at 8700 it went for 8800. He has just had a call from car and classics (?) to say the winning bidder has gone silent so it looks like he has the winning bid on the bike if he wants it. Amazingly his wife gave him permission to bid. He has just called me in a state of excitement, I suggested he go and view the thing to check it was as advertised. Can anybody recommend a good source of knowledge for him to peruse, a sort of UKGSER for jotas. He is not going into this completely blind he has built a moto guzzi cafe races in the past from an 850 T3 including a big bore kit and is generally mechanically competent.

 

[casper]

My mate was bidding on a Slater Brothers 180 Jota a week or so ago, he stopped bidding at 8700 it went for 8800. He has just had a call from car and classics (?) to say the winning bidder has gone silent so it looks like he has the winning bid on the bike if he wants it. Amazingly his wife gave him permission to bid. He has just called me in a state of excitement, I suggested he go and view the thing to check it was as advertised. Can anybody recommend a good source of knowledge for him to peruse, a sort of UKGSER for jotas. He is not going into this completely blind he has built a moto guzzi cafe races in the past from an 850 T3 including a big bore kit and is generally mechanically competent.

LaverdaForum

laverdaforum.com

 

[Robbieben]

The Jota wasn't a terrible bike but did suffer from vibration due to the high compression of the engine & a light crank. Electrical issues in true Italian fashion aren't uncommon, valve train wear issues due to lack of valve guide seals, there is a modification to fit them, valve spring failure on early bikes, some blame this on valve guide wear. I've had a couple, they need TLC but are lovely to ride although typical of the era the handling isn't the best.
Forged pistons are a must for longevity & reliability, check engine castings & frame for cracking due to the vibration of the engine. Check gear selector for sloppiness, the return springs on the drum fail. Cam chain tensioner issues. A long list TBH but if the bike has been looked after & had the required modifications Jota lovers carry out, at the price its a good buy. I sold both the ones I owned for a lot more.

 

[Oldrat]

Five years ago I was looking at a pristine perfectly restored Jota at 17k.
A wet gasket at the bottom of the barrels put me off.

Even with classic prices being down all around, it sounds like a low price if it’s a well cared for machine.

 

[EKIMYRF]

My mate has just picked one up non running but in great condition looks like timing is way out

Also my mate Dave (LDG) is rebuilding his and is very knowledgable and has a lot of contacts will get him to respond here

His Jota is featured here

Dave's workshop update Summer 2026

 

[ThreeDawg]

I've had two Laverdas, a 180 and a 120RGS. They are tremendous fun, but they need a LOT of TLC. The 180 can be very smooth (mine was). There are a great many things to check on an unknown bike, but new cam and primary chains are a must, and they really need a Witt or similar ignition to run right. The carb brassware should be completely replaced, especially the needle jets and probably the slides. The heads give lots of problems and so do the cranks.

Unfortunately the most knowledgable Laverda engineer recently passed away my good friend Keith Nairn at Laverdascozia) so if it turns out the bike needs major work this could be problematic. If the engine needs a rebuild I would contact Redax engineering in Australia (seriously!) The ILOC club and forum can be useful.

 

[MILLE_RIDER]

I will pass all of those responses on. Thank you

 

[Robbi]

Wonderful machines, I've had two, a 180 and a 120, wish I still had them.

 

[seahorse]

That's tragic news about Keith Nairn. All the other specialists are long gone. There are fixes for pretty much all the known issues but it's finding someone to do the work now. Something to bear in mind now when buying one unfortunately

 

[wavey_davey]

I've owned 4 triples, a 1200, rgs, sfc1000 and my current jotarised 3CE. My experience not quite as described above.
I agree they need checking carefully as reliability can be determined on who last screwed it together. But can't say any of mine have been a lot of trouble, compared to say, a bevel Ducati, they are very reliable.
The wiring is Italian (and ancient by now) but the components are mostly Bosch.
Sachse is another good digital ignition.

Handling is way better than any comparable Japanese bike of the period, but more about stability than flicking through the bends and legends about scary handling and "3 steering dampers needed" was mostly at 10/10ths on the track.
They can vibrate as has been said (my 180s have both been smooth up to well above the ton) but my personal take is variability was more about how well the crank was trued at the factory? Frame cracking at the headstock is common due to braking forces through it and the high CofG?
Ged at GCS has a good reputation but presumably will be very busy with the sad passing of Keith Nairn.

Wolfgang Haerter is superb for spares but in Canada
All of these and more in the "Suppliers" section of the laverda forum already posted.
Laverdamania a good source of reference material.

Laverdamania — The reference site on Laverda motorcycles

Laverdamania — the reference site on Laverda motorcycles: models, technical, registers and value guide of the legendary Breganze marque.

uk.laverdamania.net

Get a good one, change the oil regularly and enjoy!

Great bikes, not for everyone

 

[jonnie comet]

My mate has just picked one up non running but in great condition looks like timing is way out

Also my mate Dave (LDG) is rebuilding his and is very knowledgable and has a lot of contacts will get him to respond here

His Jota is featured here

Dave's workshop update Summer 2026

ANOTHER good romp around Dave's workshop....

Nice NOS tank for his Jota. I winced big time when (in the earlier video) Dave talked us through THAT prang at Cadwell.... .....Glad he shrugged it off better than the Jota did ......

 

[theoneandonly]

i had a late 180 , for 2 years .
there are 2 sorts of lavatory ( yes , that is what i said )
1 , goes like a train , bloke b4 me spent a fortune , runs great .
2 got a shitter , spent loads of money ... goes like a train.

http://www.laverdascozia.co.uk/ best man i knew for Lav's , died a couple of weeks ago !

mine vibed at speed , enough that i would carry a spare H4 lamp.
twice coming from Margate to Epsom , it shed the rear light , once just the lens , the next time the whole thing.
DO NOT DRIVE IT DRUNK OR TIRED , it will get the better of you.
i had a Monty at the same time , a Jota needs a firm hand to get the best out of it , you will be able to get your feet on the floor when riding . tell it where it is going , and it will do it , you just have to grow some balls.
a bit of " body english " helps , moving forward accelerating , and backwards under braking.
do not expect Japanese performance , at a track day ... i struggled to pass a zzr600 on the straights .
a friend was on her KR1S , a 250 2 stroke , she followed for 3 laps , passed me on the straight , i was revving to 9k , she just walked away from me .
chatting at lunchtime she said it looked like i was wrestling a buffalo , and she could see it weaving ( not much ) as i placed it for a corner . NEVER BACK OFF IN A CORNER , it will bite you !

it may take a year to learn to ride it properly.

my lightbulb moment came on the A281 from Guildford to Brighton a friend on my Gamma ,( he hadn't ridden for 6 months ) following . i jumped over a small bridge to discover the road went to the right , landed , hit the brakes, chucked it in the corner . arrive at friends house in Brighton , he asked what happened , i can't keep up anymore !
on the return journey , he struggled to keep up cos i had learnt to ride it .

i had use of an RGS for 3 years , no drama's of any kind, other than it drank fuel , cos i rode it ALOT.

 

[ThreeDawg]

I put GSXR slabby wheels and radial tyres on both mine. Fixed the shite brakes with Gixxer discs and Brembo 4 pots, but fat modern tyres (which looked ace) tied the 180 in knots at speed cos the frame is rubbish. The RGS is a much better bike than the 180 in every way, and mine had a 1200 motor in it so it was quite fast, but of course Laverda's reputation was forged by the 180 so they are the ones people want. Think I had Laverdas for nearly 20 years and I met some great people, but my Falco was just sooo much better.

 

[landmarkjohn]

By coincidence I know the guy that has this one for sale. Concourse or close. Just for ref. It’s in ROI BTW

 

[cbritton]

DO NOT DRIVE IT DRUNK OR TIRED , when riding . tell it where it is going , and it will do it , you just have to grow some balls.
a bit of " body english " helps

chatting at lunchtime she said it looked like i was wrestling a buffalo , and she could see it weaving ( not much ) as i placed it for a corner . NEVER BACK OFF IN A CORNER , it will bite you !

it may take a year to learn to ride it properly.

Some excellent advice above. Jotas are a handfull, you have to be a confident rider to get the best from them and all of the comments above ring true. I always thought it must be a bit like riding a raging bull. It belows, vibrates and charges out of corners but what an experience to tame it. I’ve had mine since 1998.

 

[MILLE_RIDER]

This is the one he has bought himself

https://www.carandclassic.com/auctions/1977-laverda-1000-jota-gZmkL8

 

[MILLE_RIDER]

I have passed all of your comments on, thanks for posting.

Must admit I'm looking forward to having a go on the thing myself