Post Sale Update: This Laverda sold for $11,200 after 17 bids on eBay in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Predecessor to the Jota, the Laverda 3C was the Italian firms’ first three-cylinder engine. Dry weight was just shy of 500 pounds, and it was the bike that introduced the 180 degree cylinder arrangement that gave certain Laverda triples a noise that passionate fans yearn for.
The 981cc engine produced 85 horsepower, good for a top speed of 133 miles per hour – must have been fun without a fairing. When Roger Slater, the UK importer of Laverdas hopped this bike up with some racing parts, it was the impetus for Laverda to release the instant classic Jota. For more on this powerful triple, check out this article from Motorcycle Classics.
The seller of this example (VIN: 1501) bought it in 2006, right after the tank and side covers had been repainted. He cleaned the carbs, replaced the “usual replacement parts (tires, tubes, rubber parts)” and kept it mostly original – it has a Jota exhaust collector and mufflers. The chain guard, fender braces, and headlight ears were rechromed as well. Everything is said to work, the compression is 143, 142, and 142 psi across the three cylinders, and the only cosmetic flaw is said to be a crack in the paint of the left side cover.
Find this 3C for sale in Knoxville, Tennessee with bidding up to $10,321 here on eBay.