I might have a lead on a '76 Laverda cl3 1000 a friend of a friend of a friend kinda thing... However I don't know anything bout the things. Can someone educate me here? Do I want one? Should I have one? Do they suck or are they as cool as pinguin's balls? Ballpark figure? (Hasn't run for about 6 years - all original parts and paint) Why is it never a guzzi lemans I-III that pops up like this eh...
plenty popular. I don't think they drive as nice as a guzzi, but actually have a higher value... a buddy is selling a lemans III in the DC craigslist for $3100
3CL? Lovely, lovely, lovely contraption. I'd love an early 3CL to go with my late SFC1000 There's every chance it'll find interesting new ways to frustrate, irritate & bankrupt you but you'll most likely not care Pretty good spares availability & there's a lot of knowledge n experience in the various Laverda forums & clubs. Most of the common problems are easily sorted & there are any number of upgrades for the period shortcomings (eg better ignition & uprated alternator). Forgot the ball park figure - in the UK you'd be talking 3000 - 5000 pounds, possibly more depending on condition. If you decide it's not the bike for you then there's always someone (usually an Australian) looking for one.
My brother has one (1976 I think) for sale about 10 miles from Edinburgh in Scotland.....he's owned it for 30+ years. Currently a non runner but ripe for restoration.....needs a good home. If interested pm me and I'll put you in touch..
The L in 3CL denotes cast wheels obviously the 3C means 3 cylinders. I rode Laverdas for 15 years or so, a Jota and 2 750's, they are lovely well built machines that were miles ahead of just about everything in their day. The ignitions can be a problem on the earlier machines and caused a problem in the 80's because there were no alternatives but apart from that they are massively over engineered. The oil filtration system is just a wire mesh so regular oil changes are needed. I've seen filter conversions but these used to be frowned upon because the bike uses a low pressure pump There were a lot of issues with the 79/80 bikes but the one your talking about is earlier so avoids the worst problems. If you do get it a pair of Jota silencers is a must. Nothing beats the sound of a pair of Jota pipes on the overrun.
Do I want one? Absolutely Should I have one? Absolutely Do they suck or are they as cool as pinguin's balls? Cooler than penguins balls Ballpark figure? (Hasn't run for about 6 years - all original parts and paint) Probably 10 large minimum, do what ever it takes to acquire it, they are going up in value at a rapid pace.
They are great machines. Very solidly built. Laverda bought the best parts packages available, so, 1976, Nippon Denso guages and switchgear, Bosch electronic ignition [the very first bike with non-points ignition]. Uber kewl. Becoming recognized by collectors, so if you buy it, you will sell it for more. The 180 degree cranks [ 2 outer pistons up, single centre piston down] make hauntingly cool exhaust noise. Parts are suprisingly easy and reasonable[I live close to the best supplier]. Exceedingly rare compared to a Moto Guzzi of same vintage. You'll have the only one. Price? Has very much to do with where it's being purchased, and what it's condition is. If it's been stored improperly, of course rust plays no favourites, exotic, plane jane japanese, they all suffer. Very good condition in North America, 10KUS. Europe,,,9K euro. Australia, New Zealand,,,16KAuz. Deduct value from there based on what it needs. Good luck, the things are great, long legged, big, loud, proud. BTW, I leave my buddies WAY behind on their '76 Lemans 850 and Lemans Mk111 in every performance catagory.
Thanks all, will go and check it out. Sounds like I better bring some cash as well according to your comments Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk
I would not worry too much about the electrics as I run an ignitech on my BMW and from my seaches at the time they are fitted to all manner of Italian bikes. The alt is most likely similar to a Ducati of the same era and a modern regualtor sorts them out. Switchgear is only an issue if you need to keep it original looking....unless its like Ducati who used Jap stuff.Rode one once in the ealry 90's.....still on my wish list..... you know you want to....
Redax in Queensland OZ do a 240watt altinator conversion for 180 Laverdas,No flat batteries,run heated gear,whatever you like.Post some pics if you can.
Please elaborate... If you mean the shitty pothole infested roads in the luzon area, I might agree, but VisMin? Beautiful blacktop most of it now... Not to mention that speedlimits are not existing.... Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk
Easy to soften it,easy to get them stearing quicker,the roads around Wisemans Ferry out of Sydney are far from GP standard but with some work my 3c handles the bumps like a gooden.Some of the fun is fixing them to go better
I always preferred the later chassis with the angled shocks and marrzochi forks. About time we had some photographs My old Jota a 79/80. Had a few issues with it. It was a "sinker" - Some of the early Jotas were prone to cracking cylinder heads, to get round the issue Laverda fitted steel skulls in the cylinder heads Unfortunately these tended to sink into the head loosing the valve clearance. Roger Winterburn, in the UK, fitted new valve seats but there was a spate of these dropping out wrecking the engines. Mine was also a "cranker" where the main bearing broke up. Laverda went away from the C3 clearance bearings for some reason and fitted standard tolerance bearings, these would break up. It all sounds horrific but once sorted out it was a hell of a bike. I had it for years and loved every minute of it and rode it like a lunatic (got a six month ban for some ridiculous speed). I made the mistake of tuning it at one point; bored out the carbs, Ported the head, ricky racer big bore exhaust and a few other mods that completely screwed the bike up, gained little in terms of performance, killed the lovely power band and used lots of fuel doing it. I then spent a few months tracking down a set of standard carbs and other parts to put it back to standard. The last I heard the bike had been exported to Australia. So if you have a bike with documentation referring to a UK reg GPG 320V it's my old bike. I know the history and most of the owners of this bike from 81 through to the early 2000's One of my 750's, a 73 SF2, Fitted with early Jota wheels/swinging arm.
