1982 Moto Morini 350 Sport

1982 Moto Morini 350 Sport

Author
Discussion

gregs656

11,295 posts

188 months

Sunday 24th January 2021
quotequote all
That Dart is awesome.

morini_tom

6 posts

46 months

Monday 25th January 2021
quotequote all
Thanks for the comments, it’s always nice when other people appreciate the work that’s gone into the dart!


And Slopes- Morinis have never been very common but they do come out of the woodwork from time to time. In my mind (and I know I’m biased) they are massively underrated and comparatively cheap compared to a lot of their Italian counterparts.

The UK Morini Riders Club has a forum which is worth keeping an eye on for any for sale and wanted ads too.


Fundoreen

4,180 posts

90 months

Monday 25th January 2021
quotequote all
I like em. The older the better. All manufacturers had the same brain fade in the 80s and ruined the stying of thier bikes with harsh angles.
KTM are still doing it.


Pothole

34,367 posts

289 months

Monday 25th January 2021
quotequote all
slopes said:
I always wanted a Morini 500 Sport but they are rarer than hens teeth nowadays apparently
As well as the forum suggestion, if you really want one, have a chat to https://www.lussoveloce.com, fomerly known as North Leicester Motorcycles...they often have Morinis in and have a good network of suppliers etc.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

61 months

Monday 25th January 2021
quotequote all
I am glad to hear that they are still going! I heard a rumour that they had shut.

Pothole

34,367 posts

289 months

Monday 25th January 2021
quotequote all
Breadvan72 said:
I am glad to hear that they are still going! I heard a rumour that they had shut.
NLM morphed into Lusso, AFAIK.

Pat H

8,058 posts

263 months

Monday 25th January 2021
quotequote all
Breadvan72 said:
Very pretty.

I bought a small block Guzzi to take to the IOM a couple of years ago whilst my BMW was in the sick bay.

Mine was the lumpy 750, which didn't like revs and had been hit very hard with the ugly stick.

Still, it was supremely comfortable, sounded nice and only cost £1400.

I should probably have kept it, as it was quite a pleasant thing to bimble around on.


anonymous-user

Original Poster:

61 months

Monday 25th January 2021
quotequote all
I venture to suggest that both bike and rider look well in that photo.

The V50 seems quite revvy and quick, especially for a scaredy cat like me. I haven't checked the numbers, but it feels lighter than the Morini.

citizensm1th

8,371 posts

144 months

Monday 25th January 2021
quotequote all
Pothole said:
Breadvan72 said:
I am glad to hear that they are still going! I heard a rumour that they had shut.
NLM morphed into Lusso, AFAIK.
They are about five miles from me if anyone needs anything collected, I belive the son took over when the father retired but I could be dreaming about that.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

61 months

Monday 22nd March 2021
quotequote all
Colossal faffing yesterday in attempt to ride Morini for first time since last September. End result: failure, but trying again today. I will not go into to the comedy that ensued when I attempted to fit into unforgiving bike clothing after some months on the pies. Also, my best boots and gloves have hidden themselves somewhere. This was expert level fking about.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

61 months

Monday 22nd March 2021
quotequote all
Success. Bike needs a wash.




Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 22 March 17:28

spoodler

2,186 posts

162 months

Tuesday 23rd March 2021
quotequote all
I always found, due to the lack of needing any sort of battery power, that ours would start first kick regardless of how long it had been left. Ours was a late 500 Sport that I bought primarily for my better half... unfortunately, like most Italians I've ridden (there must be a joke in there), I didn't get on with it. I eventually replaced it with a Triumph T140ES as t'other half never had that much faith that it wouldn't strand her by the roadside.

A lovely looker tho'....



A not so lovely looking Italian, and one that I only managed to endure for about a week. If I want an agricultural old lump, I prefer my (faster, quicker, better handling and nicer to ride) twenty year old Harley.



And my current Italian, Laverda SF750. Absolutely love this bike. Rides and feels like an unbreakable Brit' twin, and sounds glorious doing so...


anonymous-user

Original Poster:

61 months

Tuesday 23rd March 2021
quotequote all
I think that Laverdas look fab but I cannot afford one, and also I am not tall enough for a Laverda Jota, the one that I drool over the most.

spoodler

2,186 posts

162 months

Tuesday 23rd March 2021
quotequote all
I still hanker after a Jota (or similar Lav' triple), but the prices have gone up something incredible in recent years.
My SF twin was bought via Ebay for a very similar amount to what I got for the Morini 500. Admittedly, it was a lot less than I was expecting... been told since by quite a few folk that it may be down to the colour. Seems strange as it had recent receipts for more than I paid (new wheels, stainless pipes, expensive bits of trim, restored suspension, respray etc.), and was only really in dire need of setting up (engine, wheel alignment etc.).
The Morini was also a good deal at the time, I think they are a bit "under the radar". I never took to it, could appreciate its handling brakes and gorgeous looks, but wasn't a fan of the power delivery or the racket it made. Blasphemy, I know, but I thought it would have been a fantastic bike with a tuned single or a Jap' two stroke motor. T'other half loved it, but it let her down a couple of times before I'd had a chance to properly sort it which was enough to dent her confidence in it.
The Laverda feels more old fashioned, heavier, slower handling and much less flickable than the Morini, but solid as a tractor, more stable at speed and far lazier and less demanding to ride..

kev b

2,724 posts

173 months

Tuesday 23rd March 2021
quotequote all
I rode a mates Jota years ago, it was a big beast, smooth and just kept pulling, didn’t seem that fast until you looked at the speedo.

I didn’t give it any stick in the bends but I suspect it would need a firm hand.

No oil leaks or finger numbing vibration though and nothing fell off, unlike the Brit bikes of the time.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

61 months

Wednesday 24th March 2021
quotequote all
Here is a picture of an old Italian bike being molested by the Invisible Man.



carinaman

21,977 posts

179 months

Thursday 25th March 2021
quotequote all
As a self confessed wobbler BV I thought you may like that video. It also contains a Jota getting a bit out of shape:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvsDIq3WwVA

Reminds me a bit of your 'Which biker tribe do you belong to?' thread.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

61 months

Thursday 25th March 2021
quotequote all
Cool! I had no idea that Murray Walker was a biker!

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

61 months

Thursday 25th March 2021
quotequote all
I like the idea that being a fat pie eating lardbucket is a bonus if you want to do illegal stuff.

carinaman

21,977 posts

179 months

Thursday 25th March 2021
quotequote all
It's a good job motorcycles and motorcycle tyres have improved otherwise I may have been in the market for a combined additional ballast back protector to insert in my jacket lining. But perhaps that may've resulted in the mass being rather too high up.