In the 90s, it was foolish to take the Japanese Big Four head on: they were on a roll, and if you wanted to compete, you needed to offer something else, something different. They had the high-tech theme down cold, but no one can be all things to all people, and there has always been…
Laverda was already reeling from overseas competition in the early 1980’s, but had the gumption for one more design project. The RGS was based on their recent 1000cc air-cooled triple and rode more like a Beemer than a finicky Italian exotic. This one has been enjoyed, but is quite original and well maintained. 1983 Laverda…
The first generation of Triumph’s new line of motorcycles that followed their resurrection by John Bloor seemed calculated to avoid direct comparison with products from the Japanese manufacturers. They’d obviously learned from their past mistakes trying to match the high performance and low cost of their Big Four rivals, and the new lineup filled in…
By 1983, Laverda was on a slow, downward slide as the company made incremental improvements to their charismatic, but outdated machines to keep them marginally relevant: by that point, the Japanese offered bikes with handling, power, and reliability, all at a significantly lower cost. They couldn’t match Italian bikes like the Laverda Jota for style,…
Update 2.13.2018: We first posted this Mirage last April and it was bid to $11,500 and then relisted and removed. It is back on eBay with a different seller and current bid is $7,700 reserve met. Links are updated. Thanks Donn! -dc On the block today is one of Laverda’s best kept secrets: The Mirage…
Named after a Spanish dance conducted in triple time (triple, get it?), the Laverda Jota was an Italian superbike designed for high speed travel. Featuring a 1000cc inline three cylinder, the Jota line ran from 1976 through 1982 – and witnessed the inception of the downfall of this iconic motorcycle (and farm equipment) manufacturer. By…
In the annals of US-based motorcycle motorsports, we are in a rare period of ascension. Driven by the goal of delivering US talent onto Europe’s doorstep for inclusion in WSBK and MotoGP championships, MotoAmerica has one of America’s top pilots at the corporate helm: Wayne Rainey. Today’s bike comes from the MotoAmerica series, and is…
A bit of a throwback, this brawny Laverda Jota was built in the 1980s but has its roots firmly in the 1970s. Big, powerful, and uncompromising, the Laverda Jota had plenty of speed available, but made you pay for it with heavy controls and vibration that could shake your fillings loose. With the 981cc…