i've ridden them all when they were new, and my favourite was the basic 1200 (not the mirage). it had the go of the jota, but wasn't so hard core.
Away with you soft lad! The 1200 was never as quick as the Jota. Buy a 1200 and you'll always have Jota envy
I rode Laverdas for the best part of 15 years. Mainly a Jota but a couple of 750's as well. Had a few friends with all the various models over the years (including the slower 1200's)
The early triples upto 78 had electrical gremlins with the ignitions (will all have been sorted by now) and used to crack the cylinder heads near the camchain tunnel and occasionally the combustion chambers. in 79 (78 for the 1200) they moved to the laid down shocks. In 79 they had the Marzocchi forks as well instead of the cerianis. This gave a much better ride.
To get round the cylinder head cracking issue they installed a skull into the combustion chamber but a lot of these sunk into the head loosing the valve clearances. These bikes were known as sinkers.
There was also a major problem with the main bearings breaking up (they switched them to C3 clearance bearings) most were done under warranty but a few slipped through - these bikes were known as crankers.
The quickest bikes were the 1980/81 machines. Lovely quick things with a real power band. They had a sticker under the seat saying "5 Star fuel only" this was a real issue even in the early 80's. After 81 they went all soft, lower compression, smaller valves and were very neutered compared to the earlier machines but were more reliable and easier to live with. the last 180's also had a hydraulic clutch fitted. Most of the softer bikes had painted front mudguards instead of stainless.
The 120° crank machines were much more civilised and easier to ride and live with.
Are you bored yet?
The main weak spot was the cam bearings, these are plain bearings that sit in the heads, the oil system only has a mesh filter and the bikes needed the oil changing frequently. I changed mine every 1000 miles and it was £12 or £13 a litre in the 80's.
Joking with cookie aside the 1200 is a much easier bike to live with than the Jota and the flat bars make for a really nice riding position. but it hasn't got the jota power band or rasp despite, in the mirages case, of having the same cam.
750's are massively over engineered and run to huge mileages. They use the same gearbox, clutch, conrods etc as the triples but have hugh bearings on everything. fecking heavy old lumps though.
I feel inspired to post a picture or two (no groaning at the back).
my Jota. The black downpipes and cast side panel badge mark it as a 79/80 bike. Non standard fork brace and front mudguard.
one of my 750's. It's a 1973 750SF2 with Jota swinging arm, wheels, rear disk fitted.
Pitted the cams. Apart from that no problems. Usual italian electrics but better than mates Guzzi and Ducs
