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building a racer

Posted: 18 Nov 2010 15:01
by andyroach
Hi all, this doesn't have anything to do with the customs, but I thought I would let you know that I have started a blog about me building a race bike from a Morini sport. The address is: motositaliana.wordpress.com
Hopefully I will see you there.
Cheers
Andy

Re: building a racer

Posted: 18 Nov 2010 19:13
by 72degrees
Erm. we get the message :wink:

Re: building a racer

Posted: 18 Nov 2010 19:27
by 72degrees
Do you fancy going cast wheel on the racer? I have some going spare ready with very little used pukka road race tyres on.

Re: building a racer

Posted: 19 Nov 2010 08:56
by andyroach
I am using the cast wheels that the bike came with, but have to use road tyres, which limits me to BT45's or Lazertec's, both of which I have used on the guzzi. I use lazertec's on my 850 guzzi and am very pleased with them, but they seem to go off pretty quickly so might try the BT's.
Anyone else got any suggestions?
Andy

Re: building a racer

Posted: 19 Nov 2010 09:10
by andyroach
By the way 72 degrees, I have been trying to look at your avatar and see what the bike is and what you have done to it, but can't get it to enlarge. Any ideas?
Looks like a race bike and if it was/is how does it go and what did you do to it?
Andy

Re: building a racer

Posted: 19 Nov 2010 18:36
by 72degrees
Image

It's a 'replica' of a bike I first prepared for speed hill climbs in 1981. This time I used cast wheels though.
77 Strada frame with a 350 motor bored out to 375 (I was never going to be competitive so nobody would mind). L5 cam, 28 mm carbs, WeeVee special valve springs and light alloy valve caps. Not sure of the provenance of the 2-1 - 'Ricky Racer' I think. NLM new style ignition 'transducer/coil unit'. Tank from a Puch Gran Prix 50 moped (the very same tank I used in 1981). Seat a glass fibre replica TZ350 unit. Tarozzi rearsets. Club race tyres. 520 chain conversion (Kanguro front and a custom *big* alloy rear sprocket to gear it right down for the hills).

I rode it for two years in the "Forgotten Era" NHCA speed hill climb championship. The best I could manage was within a second at Wiscombe Park of the times I used to do in 1981 (about 54 seconds when the hill solo record is 40.78 and the '350' 42.60. The Forgotten Era points go to the fastest eligible bike at the meeting regardless of capacity so you really have to have a 750 to get a look in.

Not competitive (the bike or me :wink: ) so I have put the motor back in the 2C road bike which it lived in from 82 until 2008. That bike will be out on the road again in the spring :D I now do the hills on a 'supermoto'd' 96 YZ250.

To be honest the only competitive 'Morini' I ever raced was a 250 frame, sporting 350 forks and rear wheel and most significantly a 250 Rotax disc valve MX motor from a 79 SWM. Went very well in the 250 singles class at short circuits in the late 80's. The shorter the better. At Three Sisters it got me a podium finish in an open 250 race against the TZs at one meeting.

Best of luck with your racer project.

Re: building a racer

Posted: 22 Nov 2010 17:12
by andyroach
Thanks for that insight. I can't see me winning any championships with the Morini, but having built a TR500 replica(I really don't want to think about the amount of money I threw at that and still never got to ride it) and then a Guzzi race bike (4.500GBP just in pieces) and then realising that I just can't afford to race a big bike. I thought sod it and at least the Morini will be cheap to race. At the end of the day there is a guy in the same class as me racing a 400 super dream(tell me he hasn't got a sense of humour), so I should be able to beat him(maybe).
Andy

Re: building a racer

Posted: 10 Dec 2010 20:39
by andyroach
Hey 72 degrees, I just found your bike on Youtube. Sounds really nice and crisp.
Cheers
Andy

Re: building a racer

Posted: 11 Dec 2010 16:57
by 72degrees
andyroach wrote:Hey 72 degrees, I just found your bike on Youtube. Sounds really nice and crisp.
Cheers
Andy
Not bad for a first start up. Sounds even better now I have the carburation set up better. When I get the 2C/375 back on the road in the spring and through the MoT test I'm going to try the NLM ignition pickup. Should be even crisper then :D

Re: building a racer

Posted: 12 Dec 2010 10:34
by John Bunting
72degrees wrote:
andyroach wrote:Hey 72 degrees, I just found your bike on Youtube. Sounds really nice and crisp.
Cheers
Andy
Not bad for a first start up. Sounds even better now I have the carburation set up better. When I get the 2C/375 back on the road in the spring and through the MoT test I'm going to try the NLM ignition pickup. Should be even crisper then :D
Hi Pete
I fitted on my 500 and can recommend the NLM (Denso) ignition pickup, easy to install and set, seem to work well.
John

Re: building a racer

Posted: 15 Dec 2010 02:35
by Daddy Dom
I can't see me winning any championships with the Morini
Tush and fie and never say never etc., etc! The last time I looked, NZ's own John Carter (Team Strega) was doing very well with his highly-modified Sport http://www.nzcmrr.com/results/2010
Cheers,
DD

Re: building a racer

Posted: 18 Dec 2010 05:21
by John Bunting
Daddy Dom wrote:
I can't see me winning any championships with the Morini
Tush and fie and never say never etc., etc! The last time I looked, NZ's own John Carter (Team Strega) was doing very well with his highly-modified Sport http://www.nzcmrr.com/results/2010
Cheers,
DD
Hi Dom
Do you know anything more about John Carter's bike or have any photo's? I googled but only came up with results, there seem to be plenty so he must be doing something right!
This should not really be in the customs section.
Team strega also seam to be involved in racing ex WW2 P51 Mustangs,
Regards
John

Re: building a racer

Posted: 30 Dec 2010 13:25
by andyroach
correct me if I'm mistaken. but isnt john carter the only person racing in post classic? If so he could come at the back of the field and still get the race winning points as there is no-one else in his class. Or is it a different points system?
Andy

Re: building a racer

Posted: 24 Feb 2012 21:52
by kangurada
This post caught my eye and of course it seems that John Carter was sometimes the only rider in the class. On the other hand, compare his actual times with other machinery - e.g. very impressive here http://www.marktime.co.nz/rfiles/110417/BEST.PDF