350 Sport with Strada-esque features

[GerardJPC]

Hello, I have recently joined the Club. I've had a 350 Sport since 2017, but haven't been riding it a lot because I was working overseas for a chunk of the last three years. Now I am ready to ride the bike again. I'm not planning any major adventures - just some moderately paced enjoyment of the bike friendly roads of south Oxfordshire, where the Morini lives in a barn along with some 60s and 70s Lancias and a 1982 Moto Guzzi V50 Monza.

This 1982 bike is an import that came to the UK in the 90s and lived in the West Country for many years. I bought the bike from NML. The Strada-esque features of the bike are that it has a front fairing and leg guards, a luggage rack, and I think that the riding position may be a bit more upright than it is on most Sports. The exhaust is a two into one. The bike has been reliable while I have had it, subject to some starter issues that have now been fixed. It once blew over and needed a new clutch lever and mirror, but it is in fairly reasonable condition overall. I really enjoy the bike - it's such an easy handling machine. The bike flatters my mediocre riding skills.

[mbmm350s]

Hi Gerard
Welcome to the club.

When conditions permit the Berks Bucks and Oxon section will be meeting again, we have a monthly meets at the Bell Inn Aldworth
The Bell Inn, Aldworth, 3 Ambury Rd, Aldworth, Reading RG8 9TL Third Wednesdays from 8 ish. See ATG for contact details
Also we have regular ride-outs in the West Berks/South Oxon/Wiltshire areas.

Sports, and this is very likely a K1 sport (3FD tre Freni disco) as it has the rear disk, of this era could be ordered with the fairings,
the bars have been replaced as you say, whatever it looks really good , and I do miss my 2:1.

Cheers
Mark

[julianharty]

Hi Gerard,
Similarly welcome to the club. I live in South Bucks so not too far from you and I owned VBC745X for a while which was a standard K1 sport initially before I first monoshocked it (using Yamaha LC parts) and then created a hard-tailed simple chopper bike I rode around C. London and beyond in the mid 1980's. I've a small collection of Morinis and looking forward to riding them this year.

Your bike looks excellent and I hope to hear it on-song in the near future with your 2-1 exhaust (it looks a bit like an RMS one which I'd love to either have or recreate). I'm close enough to join the monthly meets Mark mentioned and hope we'll have ride outs soon.

PS: There's is (or at least was) another Moto Morini owner who's a lock-keeper near Oxford, so he may be worth tracking down too.

All the best

Julian

[3potjohn]

I have a K1 which still has its clip ons. Included when I bought it was a fairing and rectangular headlamp, though this was not fitted, as it had a concave Cibie unit which works very well. The fairing and light have gone to new owners.
In my case without any rear rack I have to be creative when packing for camping with that tail unit. Not sure how kind the rack is to the rear frame though.
The only things I have had trouble with in 14 years is one transducer failed just after an engine rebuild on its maiden run whilst at the bottom of a large hill and a niggly full beam, which was I think the left hand rocker switch. Much electric cleaner and its gone.
A very good bike. If I had not moved from North Wilts like an idiot I could have met up.
John

[GerardJPC]

Thanks, all. I will try to get to a meeting when normality resumes. Many thanks for the helpful info about this variant of the 350.

[GerardJPC]

The Invisible Man has been perving my bike.



My neighbour's enormous modern bike lives in my garage. Look how it dwarfs two early 80s sporty Italian bikes.



In other news, it appears that the indicator switch on my Morini is knackered , so off to the internet shops I go.

[GerardJPC]

Well that was quick: found one. Viva eBay Italia.