Laverda 500 Montjuic MK II
| File:Laverda-Montjuc-MKII-82--2jpg | |
| Laverda 500 Montjuic MK II | |
| Manufacturer | |
|---|---|
| Production | 1982 |
| Engine | Four stroke, parallel twin cylinders, DOHC, 4 valve per cylinder |
| Compression ratio | 10.2:1 |
| Top Speed | 113 mph |
| Ignition | Electric CDI |
| Transmission | 6 Speed |
| Suspension | Front: Marzocchi forks Rear: Marzocchi shocks with 5-way spring preload adjustment. |
| Brakes | Front: 2x 260mm discs Rear: Single 260mm disc |
| Front Tire | 3.00-18 |
| Rear Tire | 3.25-18 |
| Weight | NA (dry), |
| Fuel Capacity | 11.5 Liters / 3.0 US gal |
| Manuals | Service Manual |
It could reach a top speed of 113 mph.
Engine[edit | edit source]
The engine was a Air cooled cooled Four stroke, parallel twin cylinders, DOHC, 4 valve per cylinder. The engine featured a 10.2:1 compression ratio.
Chassis[edit | edit source]
It came with a 3.00-18 front tire and a 3.25-18 rear tire. Stopping was achieved via 2x 260mm discs in the front and a Single 260mm disc in the rear. The front suspension was a Marzocchi forks while the rear was equipped with a Marzocchi shocks with 5-way spring preload adjustment.. The 500 Montjuic MK II was fitted with a 11.5 Liters / 3.0 US gal fuel tank. The bike weighed just NA.
Photos[edit | edit source]
Laverda 500 Montjuic MK II Laverda 500 Montjuic MK II Laverda 500 Montjuic MK II
Overview[edit | edit source]
Laverda Montjuic MKII
The 1982 MY Laverda Montjuic MK II is a more balanced successor to the MK
I.
It has been fitted with a larger, fork-mounted fairing which improves its
handling and offers better protection against the elements, and a revised
engine, which now has a smoother power delivery. Standard features include a
Marzocchi telescopic fork and dual shocks with five-way spring preload
adjustment, as a suspension package, plus a Brembo braking system, composed
of a dual 260 mm discs in the front and a single 260 mm rear one. At its
heart lies an air-cooled, four-stroke, 497cc, parallel twin cylinder engine
mated to a six-speed manual transmission.
The Montjuic name ranks alongside other legendary bikes in the story of
Laverda twin and triples, such as 750SFC and Jota. With its Café racer looks and
bright orange paint job, the Montjuic looked like a scaled-down 750SFC, and an
enlarged version of the final Ducati Desmo single. Both were bikes with a
special place in the hearts and minds of sportsbike enthusiasts.
As with the Jota, it was Roger Slater who was instrumental in the creation of
the Montjuic. Heavily involved in production racing at the time, Slater had a
natural ability to sniff out a marketable product. He had imported a Formula 500
and, realizing that it would not be a viable competitive racer in British
events, he decided to use it as the basis for a middleweight Laverda twin that
he (correctly) believed British enthusiasts would want to own. He must also have
realized by then that the Alpino was never going to make the grade, hampered by
a combination of lacklustre styling and a high price tag.
The Montjuic was named after the famous parkland road circuit in the heart of
Barcelona, where Laverda had often enjoyed success. It was essentially a Formula
500 for the street, refined just enough to be legal under the British Road
Traffic Act. Its styling was gorgeous, as was the bark from its two-into-one
matt-black exhaust system note that there is no mention of the word
'silencer'! The Montjuic looked as though it was speeding even when it was
standing still, and it was impossible to ignore. It grabbed sales in a way that
the less adventurous and far more sober Alpino had never been able.
Using the standard Alpino tank, Slater commissioned Birmingham-based Screen
and Plastics to manufacture a batch of suitable handlebar fairings and hump-back
single saddles, together with more sporting mudguards, Jota-type bars posed as
clip-ons and rear set foot controls; the latter were mounted on triangular alloy
plates.
One of the major problems that beset the first-series Montjuic machines was
that the fairing was fork-mounted and caused weaving at high speed. This was
largely rectified on later machines (series 2), which employed a frame-mounted
fairing designed by the Italian Motoplast concern, but manufactured in Britain.
Of course, a really critical rider could find much that was wrong with the
Montjuic in comparison with other five-hundred twins of the same era - Moto
Guzzi V50, Ducati Pantah, Yamaha XS500, Honda CX500 or even the Morini 500. All
of these were relatively civilized, quieter and, in most cases, faster too.
However none of them had the same sort of character, none were so compact and
none enjoyed quite the same sort of relationship with its rider. The Laverda was
far from ideal for any form of commuting or touring, but for pure enjoyment,
fast road work or even a touch of club racing, or 'track days', in 1980 no
half-litre machine could compare with the Montjuic. Its nearest rival was
probably the 350 LC Yamaha water-cooled two-stroke twin, which was very slightly
larger and heavier than the Montjuic. Both gave the feel of a 250cc, and, as I
found out one day at Snetterton in summer 1984, virtually identical on lap
times. The Yamaha twin was a shade quicker, but the Laverda made up lost ground
on the corners and braking areas.
The 'Monty', as it became known, soon had me hooked. By the time I got to
ride one, production had long since ceased; otherwise I might well have gone out
and bought one!
Source Mick Walker
Overview
Montjuic MK2
The Montjuic MKII is undeniably an improved machine over the MK1 but to some the MKII aesthetics lack the purity of the original machine. A larger, frame- mounted fairing [modelled on the Motoplast unit fitted to the 1977 Barcelona entry ] located on a substantial tubular steel subframe cured the alleged handling issues which affected the MK1 . Longer outer cylinder head studs facilitated the use of more robust cam caps, alleviating the problems of crushed cam bushes experienced on some machines. Prior to the launch of the MK2 the Montjuic had somewhat unfairly gained a reputation for being fast but fragile. This was probably more as a result of ham-fisted maintenance rather than a design problem. Due to the willing engine its also very easy to over rev a 500 and prolonged running at high revs can also contribute to an early demise if the crank or camshaft . Montjuics would invariably lead a hard life and an unsympathetic owner could wreak havoc with the engine if it wasnt warmed up correctly. If the cam bearing caps were over-tightened during routine maintenance then seizures could result, but this of course isnt a fault of the machine. As the saying goes, theres no such thing as a bad dog...
The 500s outstanding performance in the Barcelona 24 hour race and subsequently at the IOM TT confirms that there was nothing inherently wrong with the design of the twin, far from it in fact.
Summary
The official Montjuic production figures ran to less than 250 units, thus making them a very rare machine, rarer even than an SFC. Due to the Montjuics scarcity, prospective purchasers are unlikely to have a wide choice of bikes available to them and therefore I would advise picking the best from whatever is on the market, MK1 or MKII. The MKII is undoubtedly the better bike and probably more civilised over long distances due to its larger fairing.
Source
| Make Model | Laverda Montjuic Mk II |
|---|---|
| Year | 1982 |
| Engine Type | Four stroke, parallel twin cylinders, DOHC, 4 valve per cylinder |
| Displacement | 497 cc / 30.2 cu-in |
| Bore X Stroke | 72 x 61 mm |
| Cooling System | Air cooled |
| Compression | 10.2:1 |
| Induction | 2x 32mm Dell'Orto PHF carburetors |
| Ignition | Electric CDI |
| Starting | Electric |
| Max Power | 58 hp / 43.2 kW @ 9500 rpm |
| Transmission | 6 Speed |
| Final Drive | Chain |
| Front Suspension | Marzocchi forks |
| Rear Suspension | Marzocchi shocks with 5-way spring preload adjustment. |
| Front Brakes | 2x 260mm discs |
| Rear Brakes | Single 260mm disc |
| Front Tire | 3.00-18 |
| Rear Tire | 3.25-18 |
| Dry Weight | NA |
| Fuel Capacity | 11.5 Liters / 3.0 US gal |
| Consumption Average | 49 mpg |
| Standing ¼ Mile | 13.4 sec / 87.5 mp/h |
| Top Speed | 113 mph |