1981 Laverda 1200 Mirage – $17,500
SELLER SAYS: Own a piece of motorcycle history with this stunning 1981 Laverda 1200 Mirage, boasting an ultra-low build number of #0000018. With just 23,000 miles (≈37,000 km) on the clock, this fully original beauty is in excellent condition, making it a must-have for serious collectors and Laverda enthusiasts.
1981 Laverda 1200 Mirage Estimate: “Considering the bike’s original condition, low mileage (23,000 miles ≈ 37,000 km), and significant build number, the value is likely in the range of AUD 16,000–22,000. The upper end accounts for the premium of originality and the early production number, which could attract serious collectors. If the bike includes documentation verifying its originality and provenance, it could push closer to or above AUD 20,000, especially if marketed to enthusiasts via platforms like Raider Moto or international auction sites. Conclusion: For a fully original 1981 Laverda 1200 Mirage with 23,000 miles and build number 0000018 in good condition, expect a price in Australia of approximately AUD 16,000–22,000.”
Serious enquiries only. Contact Barry on 0404 306 285 (Wangara, Perth WA).
EDITOR TERLICK SAYS: The much-loved 981cc triple-cylinder Jota was the fastest production bike in the world when it was released in 1976. Perhaps even more remarkably, it was tough as an ox, reliable as an axe, and handled beautifully at speed. Over-engineered and under-stressed, the Jota was one of its era’s true superbikes. Faced with increasingly strict anti-pollution rules, especially in America, coming up with an encore was no easy task for Laverda, a company previously best-known for agricultural equipment including harvesters. The outcome was this bike – even bigger, even faster, and even stronger than the Jota. In Australia and the UK, it was known as the Mirage – a nod to the fighter jets of the time. But in the USA, it was released as the Laverda Jota America. With 73 horsepower and a top speed just north of 130mph (about 210kmh), the Mirage extended Laverda’s glory years and did Italy proud in the Everyone-versus-Japan motorcycle wars of the early 1980s. It also sounded magnificent. One moto journo of the time reported the Mirage sounded “like three Norton Manxes” – high praise indeed! This bike of Barry’s looks like a superb example, with the double attributes of being a very early bike and very low mileage. Definitely one for the collector.
