Very early 350 Strada?

[texaskitty]

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Moto-Morini- ... 2252412908

The petrol tank has the electronic fuel tap on the forward RIGHT side and the reserve tap on the rear LEFT side. An early factory brochure shows a blue/white drum brake Strada with the same fuel tap positions. The brochure Strada has a fully polished right side engine/alternator cover (99% of the bikes I have ever seen have only the outer surface polished), a curved gear change lever instead of a straight one and a couple of other bits that seem to indicate it is a very early production bike.

[Papa Lazarou]

Bit pricey, tho

[Papa Lazarou]

Bit pricey, tho

[norbert]

The "carrier" of the clocks ad the tail light are not from a 74 model. The bike looks good an the tank is curios, but it´seemes to be a componend of several models.

norbert

[texaskitty]

The instrument bracket/warning lights and the tail light are 'wrong', but the front mudguard and the headlight are early and the instrument needles suggest 'early'. It is difficult/impossible to know when the bike was manufactured but the fuel tap positions suggest that the tank, at least, could be very early. Anyway, although early production might add value to a Ducati 750 bevel, the same probably doesn't apply to a Morini 350.

[EVguru]

It's mostly a first series GT (Strada was Harglo's name), the 'bevel edge' tank is quite distinctive as are the external stays for the front mudguard.

The drum braked bikes do attract a premium from 'collectors' and the price is not out of line for a trade sale.

[72degrees]

It's mostly a first series GT (Strada was Harglo's name), the 'bevel edge' tank is quite distinctive as are the external stays for the front mudguard.

The drum braked bikes do attract a premium from 'collectors' and the price is not out of line for a trade sale.

It looks pretty much like a red version of my first (official Harglo imported, purchased from Devimead in March 1975) Strada. The 'what we have got in the parts bins today?' approach was probably even more relevant then.

[tobydmv]

Rubber intake stubs look like 2nd series to me. My early strada has aluminum intake elbows and hoop rings to hold the gauges. Despite that its still lovely and the rubber intakes might be an improvement.

[72degrees]

Rubber intake stubs look like 2nd series to me. My early strada has aluminum intake elbows and hoop rings to hold the gauges. Despite that its still lovely and the rubber intakes might be an improvement.

Ah, I didn't spot the intakes. I just sold a pair of alloy ones in very good nick on Ebay. Some claim that the early intakes gave more torque.

[EVguru]

Converting to rubber inlet manifolds is quite common. They alloy versions can be difficult to keep tight in the head and transmit vibration to the carbs, causing accelerated wear to the slides, if not mixture problems.

I think the metal manifolds are potentially better from a flow point of view. I'd replace the phenolic heat isolator with a resilient O-ring version.

[texaskitty]

I contacted the vendor (Dave) of the 350. The frame number is A/2 03901.

The Dutch club has a page on frame numbers, which for the 350 (GT/Strada) apparently started at A2 3000. 1973 production was 2125 bikes, so the ebay bike is probably from 1973. Last night I was looking at internet pics for 350 GT/Strada and I saw a pic of a blue/white 350 with the same fuel tap positions (electronic tap on right) but I am not sure I can find that same pic now.