New 500 Sport owner...

[Jaydub]

Hi, As a newbie to the forum I thought I'd just quickly introduce myself.
I've just bought a 500 Sport for my other half, a 1984 with about 40,000 miles on the clock. It's very tidy and just needed some light fettling. Due to a damaged leg from a past 'bike accident t'other half needs the electric start so that was this weekends project - sixty five quid and two days work later it fires off the button, let's just hope I can keep it that way... She's yet to ride it as I only picked it up Saturday and wanted to sort a couple of things, but loves it on looks alone! I've disabled the flip up sidestand as, like the kickstart, it's awkward for her to use so it's now down to whether or not she finds the footrests okay, if not it'll be a short lived affair...
I'm not new to 'bikes, previously owned old Brit's, chops, a BMW cafe racer and a sreet legal Zed Thou' drag bike among many others, currently run (between us) two Evo' Harleys, a Zed Thou', a Hinckley Bonnie, a '55 Ariel 500 single as well as a kit car, Subaru pick up and a hot rod.

Here's her new toy (the flyscreen and heatshield have been removed since the pic') -

[Daddy Dom]

That is a b-ea-utiful example, she's a lucky lady.
Cheers from NZ,
Dom

[Jaydub]

Thanks, I keep telling her that.

It is a nice example, everything works now and it looks gorgeous in the sunshine - shame it keeps snowing...

[Morizzi]

Remove the heat shield? I'm not sure how she will go with that.

I've got rear sets on my 500 S and it regularly burns through the inside leg of a pair of jeans or melts my textile pants. My shield is much larger than the one in the pic but the 2 attachment points still get hot. I do like loose flappy jeans though.

I just sacrifice a pair and keep patching them. I don't get stressed by it. Never burned my leg just the pants.

Hope she likes it. I'm always a bit uncoordinated on mine due to the RH gear shift. My other bikes are Guzzis with linked brakes so the RH foot is the king of brakes on them. I've got the gear changes sorted but there is absolutely no way I can effectively meter the rear brake with my left foot. I've long ago decided to pretend it just doesn't exist.

Mine doesn't like finding neutral when stationary. I've adjusted it up and down but like a lot of wet plate clutches the drag can hinder changes. I've got a big red and green spot on the ignition kill switch now. If I get to somewhere and the damn thing won't go into neutral and my hand is stuck on the clutch and unable to get to the key I just use the kill switch. The red and green spots are there to remind me to make sure it is on run when I go to restart. I have forgotten before and wondered why it wouldn't fire.

Enjoy.

Rod

[EVguru]

I'm always a bit uncoordinated on mine due to the RH gear shift. My other bikes are Guzzis with linked brakes so the RH foot is the king of brakes on them. I've got the gear changes sorted but there is absolutely no way I can effectively meter the rear brake with my left foot. I've long ago decided to pretend it just doesn't exist.

From a neurological point of view, having the front and rear brakes on opposite sides of the brain should make it easier to modulate them sperately. That's one of the reasons for some racers using a thumb brake for the rear. I learnt to ride on left foot shift bikes, but once I'd adapted to a right foot shift I much preferred it. These days I can swap between my Gilera CX and the Sport with no problem even between sessions at Cadwell. Morinis carry a lot of weight on the rear wheel compared to modern bikes, so being able to use the rear brake is a good idea.

What I've found works is to ride just one bike until everything feels natural, then swap back and keep swapping regularly for a while.

Mine doesn't like finding neutral when stationary. I've adjusted it up and down but like a lot of wet plate clutches the drag can hinder changes.

If your Morini has a wet clutch (and it's not a 125 or 250) then you've got a problem. Being an unventilated dry clutch they do need cleaning out from time to time and there are some tricks to getting them set up really well. Neutral selection is not the best on Morinis, but you shouldn't have significant drag.

[Jaydub]

Hi, we're going to tax and insure from the beginning of the month so we'll soon find out how she gets on...
I've replaced the heat shield with a strip of ally that I drilled to make it a bit "holy" - the one in the pic's doesn't look too bad but it caught on the kickstart jamming it in the down position, mine is just a temporary fix until I can find or make a decent replacement.
Hopefully t'other half won't struggle with the gear change/brake set up and the dodgy neutral - we've got a '55 Ariel 500 with right change and had a couple of 'bikes that are not only right change but also "one up. three down". The Morini is so different in every respect from the Harley that she normally rides that I think she's going to have to treat it like learning all over again!
At the moment I've managed to get it so that it fires off the button, runs cleanly and everything works as it should so here's hoping for a good summer...

[Morizzi]

oops, I stand corrected. Its my Laverda that has the wet clutch. Not important as both my Italians with a whatever side mounted clutch are a pain to find neutral no matter the adjusting. The guzzis on the other hand seem to be able to produce that little 'do nothing' spot whenever you call upon it.

The Morini is the only bike I have that I use the kill switch. The rest just stay on and I use the key. The switch's location under the tank on the LH side and the clutch lever on the same side that can demand full attention of the left hand make it so.

If you have other bikes with different controls then at least you are aware of the issues.

Hope she likes it.

Rod

[Daddy Dom]

This may help in getting used to the gearchange: from a musician's perspective, it is acknowledged by many that going through the motions while just sitting at home, on a kitchen stool, while watching TV, does just as much as when you have the instrument in your hands - or in your case, actually sitting on and riding.

You just mime everything you would when riding, thus teaching your right foot gearshift and LH clutch to work in unison. To take it one step further, try watching riding videos shot from a rider's POV and go through the motions while viewing.

It really does work - you are training the brain to strengthen these new pathways.

And so does the heatshield. After a fortnight without mine (while getting it rechromed) and a burnt ankle, I wouldn't be without it again!

Incidentally, are you trying to select neutral while still on the move? Mine 3 1/2 is a little easier then, not to mention the two clicks I feel for, not just one, as it engages.

Cheers,
Dom

[Jaydub]

Well, after some faffing about with the DVLA who "couldn't locate the vehicle record" despite issuing a new V5C a couple of days previous...
I have taken it for a spin - what a shock to the system. The last time I rode anything that felt remotely like this was a GT250 with a Stan Stephens kit. After years of big Jap' fours and Harleys this felt like a pushbike, and an incredibly fast one at that - I looked down at one point and clocked just over a hundred then realised it's in km/h - still felt fast tho'...
First impressions? Incredible brakes, sharp handling, more comfortable than I expected and you go everywhere in your own individual world of noise - not a rumble like a Harley, or the wail of a high revving four... no, just noise! Lots of it. It surrounds you and you can't leave it behind... Everything worked as it should tho', fired off the button, stopped, went and handled like a thoroughbred (even if I was in the wrong gear half the time) so I can let the other half out on it just as soon as the weather improves.
Just one little thing, despite all the comments above - approaching a dog walker I casually slowed down, went to nudge it down one and promptly locked the rear wheel by stomping on the brake instead of the gear lever... it's like learning all over again.

[MarkB]

Welcome to the wonderful world of Morinis!

[MickeyMoto]

Sounds like my experiences with the 500 - a very underrated motorcycle.

and when you fill up you will have an wider smile, too - mine does over 60mpg.

[Jaydub]

Well finally got 'round to the other half taking the Morini for a spin... I gave her some advice and pointed out how different it would be from her Harley and a few tips on how to ride it, she looked a little apprehensive but was looking forward to the ride. A couple of miles down the road she pulled over and I thought "that's that then, she obviously can't get on with it", but no, quite the opposite! She loves it. Admittedly not getting the best out of it yet but enough to put a silly grin on her face...
Following it I noticed it did blow a little smoke out occasionally but this is pretty much the first time it has been anywhere since 2005, and it did seem to be settling down as the ride went on - neither of the previous two owners used it and it has done less then 5000km since being imported in 1997. The only other problem seemed to be a bit of rubbish in the tank that gave the impression of fuel starvation at one point and a sticking float at others. Hope fully good signs for the future...

One happy lady...

[Jaydub]

Not posted on here for a long time. T'other half still loves her 500 Sport but has lost a little confidence in it recently due to a recurring problem with the carb's overflowing and fuel starvation. She has been stuck at the side of the road a couple of times until I've been out to rescue her. It looks like old tank sealer breaking up may be the culprit so the fuel tank is now off awaiting a spot of desealing and resealing - taking the opportunity to tidy a few bits and bobs as well while it's laid up...
Had a few memorable trips out with her on the Sport and me on either my Bonnie or Sportster. It's remarkable how many blokes she attracts nowadays! Quite a few folk have admitted to it being bedroom wall poster material when they were young. It even managed to upstage a few of our mates' hot rods at one do, one chap saying how fantastic it sounded despite me protesting that it was more akin to a lawnmower than a motorcycle, "Yeah, but one f*ckin' sexy lawnmower" was pretty much the reply...
I will admit to never having got on with it, preferring my vee twins in slighter larger helpings of around eighty cubes, what I lose on the bendy bits I usually regain on the straights. I have decided to give it another go when it's sorted tho', I think I need to find the right road for it as it's not suited to our local lanes (Landrover territory). I'll keep you posted...

[Daddy Dom]

Remember that recommissioning is like going round in circles but they do eventually get m-u-c-h wider!

If you haven't already, I suggest replacing the needle valves in yer carbs and, in fact, everything you can in there. Buy a pair of Dell Orto carb service kits and some new needles and new jets. It makes a world of difference. BTW, the service kits carry extra parts for a few similar carbs so you should have stuff left over.

Good luck with the tank!
DD

[Jaydub]

Cheers for that, I gave the carb's a quick spoodle and replaced various bits when it started misbehaving and it was fine for a while. I think the real problem is the ethanol in our modern fuel is breaking up the old tank sealer that's in there, each time I get it all cleaned up it's only a matter of time until it gunges up again. The only option is to remove it all and start again with a clean tank, not the nicest of jobs but needs must... The big worry is why a previous owner found it necessary to use tank sealer in the first place. T'other half does love it tho' so it'll have to be done and other than this (touch wood) it has needed nothing since I first sorted it, still starts first kick every time (if I start it, Julie struggles) then off the button after that and runs near perfect... there, that's asking for it!

As for going round in ever increasing circles - very astute!