Bike of the Month - February 2011

[Scrumpy]

It's that time of the month again (are feminie jokes acceptable on this forum or will I be asked to leave the building?) when you have the chance to vote for the best resserection (no religious or sexual comments pleae). Unusually this month I have not had to scour the net looking for images I have received a lot of high quality submissions, so please keep them coming.

Happy voting - Srumpy

Option 1: Alex Ozzard-Low's 1977 original UK Jota to 3C restoration undertaken by by Scott Potter

Apparently the story is that the bike was owned by (and perhaps imported by) Lance Weil to Albuquerque, New Mexico, one of three Jotas from Slaters. The first picture, which was scanned from an original photo in David Ill?s possession, was taken in June 1977. Apparently Lance modified it some months later adding an SFC fairing, TZ Yamaha front fender, and custom paint job.  Then there?s a bit of a gap, and I bought it in 2007 from a fellow called PJ who was racing it.
The original intention was to get Scott to do a reasonable cosmetic restoration, but as usual with these things it all got a bit out of hand, so what we have is the beautiful machine in the photos.
My bike is one of three consecutive serial numbers, the other two are owned, I believe, by David Ill (who supplied the early info and pictures) and Bill MacCracken.

So that?s the story?

Alex

Option 2: Kev the Trout Bishop's Series 2 Jota

Option 3: Scott Potters 1974 SFC 750

Option 4: Red Cawte's Tricolour 1976 3CL

Now 1175 cc, Mikuni 36mm Flatslides, 4C cams, Redax/Sachse ignition/ alternator system, Kevlar Clutch plates, Dyna Coils, complete engine rebuild
GSXR wheels, Redax Brembo brake upgrade front and rear, Redax Fork Brace, JMC Swingarm, Wilbur Shocks, Racetech Fork internals, GSXR Steering dampner
Paint by owner.

Option 5: Bevelman's RGS

 

[LaverdaIan]

Srumpy..
Goin' racing this month, so it's got to be the SFC.. and what a classic looking lass it is hey...

Ciao

 

[Scrumpy]

Good luck mate. I'll be checking on the OzLaverda site to monitor your progress. Still undecided where to put my mark.

Scrumpy

 

[3patC]

Bloody Hell Scrumpy, this one is difficult!

 

[drikko]

Lost track of the bike colours in Reds option 4!! Which one is it or did the white bits get polished out?

 

[Scrumpy]

Lost track of the bike colours in Reds option 4!! Which one is it or did the white bits get polished out?

The white engine is the before shot.

Scrumpy

 

[Cosi]

twould b wrong of me if i didnt vote for the tricolour

the last 2 shots are the finnished product

Reds creation, owned by my uncle, currently residing on the sunshine coast and heading to tassie when he retires

lookout Cam 

 

[Dellortoman]

I've seen the tricolore in the flesh metal at the last Story Bridge concourse. Nice looking bike. Your uncle will be welcome here in Tassie, we're a friendly bunch. Where is he planning to live?

Cheers,
Cam

 

[Cosi]

He owns the  Carrick Mil Inn, been doing it up for a while now, dunno if its open yet, my Aunty lives there, call in if your up there

 

[Allan R]

Got to be the SFC, I just luv em. 

 

[Dellortoman]

He owns the  Carrick Mil Inn, been doing it up for a while now, dunno if its open yet, my Aunty lives there, call in if your up there

Yeah I know it well. It's quite a landmark on the Bass Highway and a nice old building. I'll drop in next time I go past, which will probably be on the way to the Eastern Creek weekend.

Cheers,
Cam

 

[troutbishop]

Hi Chris thanks for that this took a lot of work to get it right i was told it was stolen recovered when i bought it it had been in bits like this for years a toss up to sell the bits or rebuild i can't believe i am on par with an RGS (no disrespect bevelman)but this was a wreck with half the bits missing and useless
                                        Kev

 

[lemonjelly]

Kev

Plumped for yours as its what I call a honest traditional resto nothing fancy and a beautiful result thats saying something from a 120 owner!  Nice one.

Shaun

I have to say the tricolor makes me feel queezy too vulgar for me ( no offence meant.)

 

[troutbishop]

cheers LJ i must say i thought the same about the tri colour one but if if you alternate which side of the garage you park it it looks like you have two bikes

 

[redax5]

the Tri-Color was the owners request
not my cup of tea but I must admit I preferred working on the green side of the bike as opposed to the red side of the bike
everyone has their preference
and I liked the finished result a lot better then what it was when it arrived

 

[Cosi]

cheers LJ i must say i thought the same about the tri colour one but if if you alternate which side of the garage you park it it looks like you have two bikes

That was actually the idea, the theory behind it is if the cops see one side of the bike they think its green the other well red, may have worked for him in the 70s when the cops wouldnt be able to tell the differenc between a Zed or a cbx, but it sort of stands out a little too much now, i dont like the red, its too pink

 

[Laverdalothar]

The color of a bike does not matter, as long as it is black.

 

[lemonjelly]

the Tri-Color was the owners request
not my cup of tea but I must admit I preferred working on the green side of the bike as opposed to the red side of the bike
everyone has their preference
and I liked the finished result a lot better then what it was when it arrived

Youre right Red, the green is good. does that make sense!!!

LJ

 

[springsoft]

Although I am mid-way through the restoration of an early Jota, and the second option - described earlier as a resurrection rather than a restoration - is very similar to what I am working my way through, I went for option 1 as it (for me) defines what a Laverda should be.  There's no bling in the form of drilled discs etc, it's just the engine and the paint dominating the visual cortex.  Beautiful.

There will be a new post on http://thejotaproject.blogspot.com/ shortly as I have made some more progress.

Dave

 

[tstrainer]

Well I like the Tricolour more than I thought I would but The Trout gets my vote absolutly bang on. I couldn't bear to use it and get it dirty though