Laverda Jota

Originaly Pietro Laverda founded the identically named machinery plant in 1873 in the city of Bregenz. His company successfully produced various agricultural vehicles, tractors and harvesters. In 1981 Fiatagri took over the agricultural vehicle producer, who later belonged to CNH and afterwards to the ARGO-Group who still hold a 50% share as of today.

In 1947 his Grandson Francesco Laverda founded the vehicle manufacturer Laverda in Bregenz too and began with the production of vehicles round about in 1950 with the motor cycle Laverda 75. In 1955 the Laverda 100 was added.

Massimo Laverda (? October 26, 2005), the son of the founder, released the Laverda 650 in 1968. Moreover the manufacturer produced special twins, among others the 1970 Laverda 750 SF, whose distinctiveness was a downwards open frame and the supporting engine. Later on a three cylinder 1000 bike was introduced. The first prototypes simply had one more cylinder added to the two cylinder engine. The engine layout with single overhead camshafts was adopted. The three cylinder engine went on commercial sale in a modified version with double overhead camshafts. The first series had spoke wheels and two drum brakes, the second series had a double disc brake in the front and the third series (1000 3CL) had cast aluminium rims and three disc brakes. The Laverda 1000 RGS was released in 1981.

Laverda additionally produced smaller bikes between 75 ccm and 500 ccm.

A striking turnover and financial crisis followed. It was especially attributed to the product diversification that was in non conformity with the market. After bankruptcy and production stop at the end of the 1980s, the brand returned in the middle of the nineties with a new developed two cylinder engine, which was at first air and later water cooled.