Question about forks

**Spuds1234** · 4th August 2007, 17:52

My father has a 77 Laverda 3CL. Its in pretty good nick but the dust seals on the forks have been held on with masking tape for a while now and he has finally gotten around to putting the new seals on.

He has run into a few issues though and he has asked me to post this on the "Laverda help thingy." Hes old fashioned and doesnt really understand the internets. Makes for some interesting conversations, however I waffle on. Here is his question.

"How easily should the damper assembly at the bottom of each fork leg move in the fork leg without the spring fitted? I had to drive the assembly out. I suspect this is not correct"

Any help would be appreciated in getting this classic bike back on the road.

**Coldrider** · 4th August 2007, 19:16

Is that one of those 1000cc triples, jota or something, If you don't get a reply I know I guy who has what I have described, don't know if he has done fork work on it but I'll ask him. I can't imagine too many of those things being around.

**T.W.R** · 4th August 2007, 19:27

The 3cl had Cerriani (sp?) forks if I remember rightly.
The separating the slider from the outer tube takes a bit of effort but shouldn't require excessive force.

also to replace the dust caps you needn't take the fork apart anyhow

**Spuds1234** · 4th August 2007, 19:28

Yip. Its a thou alright.

Great bikes to ride. Pity there are no Laverda's being made now

It would be much appreciated if you could ask. I have a vested interest in the bike. I hope to one day inherit it lol.

My father says that the bike was on blocks before he bought it (it was imported from Italy and had done 10000 odd kms) and it is possible that the forks may have seized up or something at one stage or another. Since he has owned it, the forks have moved up and down, but not to any great benefit to the handling of the bike so he says. I didnt notice this when I rode it. It just like the bike was going to fall over around every corner. Its one heavy mofo.

**Spuds1234** · 4th August 2007, 19:30

Originally Posted by T.W.R

The 3cl had Cerriani (sp?) forks if I remember rightly.
The separating the slider from the outer tube takes a bit of effort but shouldn't require excessive force.

This sounds about right. He had to drop a broom handle down the forks and tap it out with a hammer.

So does that mean things are all normal and dandy then?

EDIT: Man you really know your bikes T.W.R Your correct. It does have Cerriani forks.

As for not having to take the forks apart to do replace the dust seal, I think he decided to take them apart because the bike is 30 years old and its never had any front end work done. Hell as far as I know it could have the original fork oil in. I doubt it though.

**T.W.R** · 4th August 2007, 19:35

Originally Posted by Spuds1234

Since he has owned it, the forks have moved up and down, but not to any great benefit to the handling of the bike so he says. I didnt notice this when I rode it. It just like the bike was going to fall over around every corner. Its one heavy mofo.

That's a Laverda for you

even when set up properly they don't start working till excessive speeds are reached

they hate going slow, and at 520lbs and being fairly top heavy they take a bit to handle, this was the ultimate Bitch at anything legal

**Spuds1234** · 4th August 2007, 19:39

Originally Posted by T.W.R

That's a Laverda for you

even when set up properly they don't start working till excessive speeds are reached

they hate going slow, and at 520lbs and being fairly top heavy they take a bit to handle, this was the ultimate Bitch at anything legal

Heh that definatly sounds about right.

That pic is almost exactly like my Dads bike cept his in Laverda orange and has a custom built fairing on it.

They certainly are beautiful bikes and I nearly bought one for my first real bike. The only thing that stopped me was the fact that parts for them are next to impossible to find in NZ, and just to get the dust seals and some handle grips it cost 70 Canadian. Also right hand dice style fuel petcocks are rarer than hens teeth.

**T.W.R** · 4th August 2007, 19:40

Originally Posted by Spuds1234

So does that mean things are all normal and dandy then?

EDIT: Man you really know your bikes T.W.R Your correct. It does have Cerriani forks.

As for not having to take the forks apart to do replace the dust seal, I think he decided to take them apart because the bike is 30 years old and its never had any front end work done. Hell as far as I know it could have the original fork oil in. I doubt it though.

without actually seeing the bike and the forks it may be just because they've never been a part.

check the link in the last post

best idea if there's any doubt on the service history is to check things thoroughly. mmm 30yr old fork oil yum

**T.W.R** · 4th August 2007, 19:47

A lot of 3CLs came out in plain colours

quite a few in flat green. there are a couple getting about in the area, 1 in Rolleston & another in Ashburton. my old girl lives in Oamaru now.
Getting parts was a right test back 15yrs ago so now would be a hell of a job finding things. most of the stuff I needed came ex-Australia at the time

**Spuds1234** · 4th August 2007, 19:52

Yip. I found quite a few laverda sites from Aus.

All the Laverda stuff used to come into Christchurch via Eric Woods as they were the Laverda people at the time. My Dad still has a list of parts that they could get when he bought the bike printed out on about 20 pages of continuous paper that they used to use in the old Dot Matrix printers.

Also the Slater brothers over in England are still dicking around with Laverda's from what I hear.

**riffer** · 4th August 2007, 19:52

Originally Posted by T.W.R

30yr old fork oil yum

It's not the oil buddy. It's the shit in it...

but I think you may be right about them not being apart in yonks.

**T.W.R** · 4th August 2007, 19:56

Originally Posted by Spuds1234

Yip. I found quite a few laverda sites from Aus.

All the Laverda stuff used to come into Christchurch via Eric Woods as they were the Laverda people at the time. My Dad still has a list of parts that they could get when he bought the bike printed out on about 20 pages of continuous paper that they used to use in the old Dot Matrix printers.

Also the Slater brothers over in England are still dicking around with Laverda's from what I hear.

Eric the Hood is where my one came from

in boxes from upstairs

for $8g and spent another $8-10g on it over a couple of years

went good though

mmm Slater brothers ! Slater Brothers 120 JOTA

**T.W.R** · 4th August 2007, 19:58

Originally Posted by riffer

It's not the oil buddy. It's the shit in it...

the oil actually breaks down over time and collects the swarf from the continuous friction happening

**Spuds1234** · 5th August 2007, 16:17

I have gotten a little more information about the problem that my Dad is having.

One of the dampers is moving up and down relatively easily inside the slider without a spring in fork, the other is quite stiff and very hard to move

This obviously isnt correct. What can he do to correct the stiffness in one of the forks? I suggested swapping parts over to see if that changed anything but he said that you have to keep the parts from each fork separate.

And the reason why he took the forks apart was because when he took the dust seals off, he found that some circlip or another was rusty so he had to replace those.