Laverda Jota

[gareth h]

I have a hankering to build an old school cafe racer, poss from a jota, I've seen one on e bay and it looks to have a left hand gearchange (1981 bike) anybody know if this is this normal?

[Beemer-5]

The 120 degree Jotas ( i had 2 ) were left hand change.
The earlier 180 degree bikes had right hand shift.

Both are awesome bikes.

[gareth h]

I had a 'jotarised mirage' I didn't think it had RH gear change (that would have really confused me).

[Beemer-5]

Was it the 1200cc engine then, (actually 1116cc if i remember correctly)?

[mywifeshusband]

Early Jota was right foot change then went to left foot - those damn yankees.

My first had non-standard rearsets and was one up four down on the right foot - good job I'd owned a Velocette at the age of 17.

SJH155S - where are you now? Last seen in yellow in a Motodd frame.

[gareth h]

Yep, 1200 with jota cams/exhaust/carb jetting if my memory serves me right, wish I still had it, looks like £3k to get an iffy one.

[Beemer-5]

I sold my 120 Jota for £4800.

[Nutskie..]

I have a 180 degree Jota
1979
Gear change is on the right hand side

[lawrence567]

Dont mean to sound stupid but what's a cafe racer?

[gareth h]

I think the term originates from the 50/60s when bikers used to race between cafes, they would modify their bikes alloy tanks/clip ons etc, take a look at teh Ace Cafe website, you'll get the idea.

[Beemer-5]

Yep, from my father's days of Velocette, BSA, Norton, Triumph, Matchless, Vincent. et al!

[gareth h]

I've been doing some research, and there looks like 2 different frames, early bikes seem to have upright rear shocks mouted to subframe, on later bikes the shocks are at an angle and attached to the frame.
Anybody know if there are many other differences between the early and later bikes?
ta

[mywifeshusband]

Early Jota had upright shocks as you say, thin web wheels and ceriani forks.
About the time the Mirage 1200 (actually 1,118cc? I like the Italian idea of rounding up) the shocks lean forward, thick web wheels (a sort of reinforcing web around the rim) and Marzocchi forks. Not sure if the ignition pack changed also but you'd be upgrading to a Witt or similar if not already done. With the change in forks came a change in front mudguard style.

Later 180's had the ignition pick up on the left - sort of a little top hat on chaincase in line with the crank.
Same arrangement on the 120's.

Was there a change in the bore of the exhaust collector box? I always ran a 3 into 1 "as fitted to factory racers" - according to Phil Todd.

Also the late bikes ran two simplex primary chains instead of a triplex chain - I think.

I'd recommend a good early 180. The positioning of the rear shocks didn't seem to make any difference in everyday use (mate had a Mirage). The forks will feel crude and look thin by modern standards anyway. The tyres will also look very skinny compared to today's bike.

But nothing else makes the same noise or feels quitee that raw.

[gareth h]

Thanks, I've been inspired by the Lav in this months Bike mag.

[Busamav]

The Jota ,

probably the only bike i really regret never having in its day.

In .75 I had a CB 750 and i was flat on the tank in the outside lane of the M1 , probably hitting a mind blowing 115 at best , then a Jota passed between me and the central reservation like i was standing still.

The jota really does have class and presence

[gareth h]

I had a memarable blat with a jota on the way home from the silverstone gp 1980 ish I would guess, I was on a 900f honda, both 2 up, riding through traffic like you're imortal, bloody stupid really lots of wing mirrors being twanged.