1975 Moto Morini 3 1/2 Sport - overview & ride
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- Опубліковано 21 лип 2024
- In this video we meet John Oakes and he tells us about his gorgeous 1975 Moto Morini 3 1/2 Sport.
John is a classic motorcycle enthusiast and collector and goes into a bit of history with the Moto Morini brand and how this Moto Morini Sport 3 1/2 all came about.
In the video we talk about the bike, take it for a ride and learn some of the detail behind what makes this such a special machine.
The video is almost 13 minutes long so feel free to use the chapters below to skip to the part of the video that interests you most:
0:00 Introduction
0:19 Brief history of Moto Morini
3:31 Introducing the Moto Morini 3 1/2 Strada
2:00 Now onto the Moto Morini 3 1/2 Sport
2:18 Interesting features on the engine
4:15 Front brake and wheels
4:51 Aesthetics
5:09 Ergonomics
6:10 Cockpit
6:45 Steering damper
7:06 Quirky fuel tap
7:33 Rarity of Moto Morinis today
8:22 Italian components used
8:42 Handling
8:52 Frame design
9:11 Riding the bike
9:39 Reliability
9:55 Under the seat
10:25 Starting
11:56 Moto Morini community and final thoughts
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- John and Paul Oakes for taking the time out of his day to film with us.
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// Moto Morini club website in the UK is:
www.morini-riders-club.com/
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Used to lust after this bike as a teenager, big poster on the wall and read every test that I could get my hands on. A teenage budget was never going to afford it though....They weren't widely available in Australia I think Ron Angel in Melbourne was the distributor, certainly there were no dealers anywhere near where we lived. In the end a second hand 750 GT Ducati took my money!
I'm loving this channel guys, these are really good reviews of interesting bikes by knowledgeable owners. Top job!
Hey Dan, thanks for letting us know what you think and taking the time to write some interesting comments!
Likewise saw my first Moto Morini as a teenager in the '70s, a 31/2 on the Kew Boulevard Melbourne and fell in lust (not least because it had a gorgeous young lady at the bars) but could never afford one. Have wanted one or a 500 ever since.
@@chrisheggie952 Ha a gorgeous young lady will do that every time.....!! Recently I was lucky enough to spend 3 days at Giro Australia run out of Woodford in Qld and there were some very nice Morini 3 1/2's there. No gorgeous young ladies though - only 60 and 70 year old blokes that haven't grown up....
Saw a Morini 3 1/2 Sport only 2 times in my life, it's quite a small built motorcycle but a great bike :) ... a really "fine piece of Italian art"
I have owned two Strada 3-1/2 Moto Morinis at two different times and I have to admit to them being two of my all time favorite bikes. They were reliable. The wiring was sensible. The power was usable and the bikes were oh so much fun to ride.
Brilliant, thank you John, I recently sold my 1975 Sport because I have too many bikes, regretted it the day I sold it, and still regret it today, wonderful bikes.
I have owned 4 or 5 3 1/2 Sports from 1975-81. All fantastic machines but my 250 2V twin really stole my heart…
ride moto guzzi now, but have had cagiva, ducati, laverda as well as the 500 cc moto morini camel dual-purpose bike. it was like a 10-speed bicycle with a 500 cc twin engine. loved it. i am 70 years old and have owned bmw, zundapp, indian, triumph, bsa, kawasaki as well as the models above. love the guzzis--mike battle
So glad to see an Italian bike reviewed from abroad. A friend of mine, an old dude, has owned it for decades and the bike has marked over 190.000 km, while the engine was rebored only not to long ago. Awesome machine. Weight, power, fuel consumption perfectly balanced.
Once in a while, we got to ride together and the Moto Morini always captures the scene.
Hate to say it, but they don't do bikes like it anymore.
Beautiful bike and very well restored! Congratulations! Not many videos available talking about these jewels. My dad gave me his Moto Morini 500 Sport from 1979 and I’ve been restoring it. The rare occasions she’s not being fixed (electronic issues mainly) I am enjoying like a child. Very rare bike in Madrid too
I have recently purchase a 1981 3 1/2 here in NZ thankyou for this post very helpful
I lusted after one of these when I first saw one in the late 70's , I’ve spent the best part of 50 years on two wheels and in all that time I have never lost my enthusiasm for motorcycles, but for reasons I wont bore you with in recent years I'd lost my enthusiasm for riding them regardless of what machinery I bought in an attempt to reignite the passion for the open road. That was until I bought a 1975 - 3 1/2 sport earlier this year at the end of the first lockdown. To give what I'm about to say some perspective, I'm fortunate enough to drive Ferraris, Porsches, Lamborghinis, plus a variety of other high end and high performance cars for a job on a daily basis. After buying my 3 1/2 I couldn't wait for the working day to be over just so I could get home pull the cover off the Morini and ride. It may be small in capacity but it's huge on smiles. The instant you kick the compact V twin in to life everything about the bike from it's beautiful looks, the rattle from the dry clutch as you squeeze the lever, the light nimble handling you'd expect from an Italian sport bike, right down to the growl of induction noise that resonates through the fuel tank when you grab a handful of throttle and accelerate down the road, this bike doesn't disappoint and delivers every bit as much as it's cafe racer looks promise. The Morini takes pride of place in my garage. When not riding it I'm finding excuses to go out to the garage to tinker, or even just to look at it. It's a bike I'll never part with it. You can call me a sentimentalist if you like and they say you should never meet your heroes, but in this instance that saying couldn't be further from the truth. If like me you lusted after a Moto Morini 3 1/2 in your youth and up till now have never owned or had the opportunity to ride one do yourself a huge favour, track one down, (In my opinion the 74 and 75 models are the prettiest) and buy it, Un pezzo d'arte Italiana......
PS.. Pete, I'm sorry I pestered you in to selling me your bike (I don't mean this disrespectfully but, not sorry)
Just got two words for you;
Lucky bugger.
So simple, so pure. Strada all day!
Bought my 74 350 sport a few years ago. Needed a bush on the crank, simple to work on. Well made engine, engine casings held together with M6 Alen screws but M6 nuts on the other side, no threads in alloy to strip and makes for a strong oil tight clamping. Massive roller mains strong motor and so fuel efficient 65mpg thrashing it! Yea this bike grows on you it just all works so well, always come back with a smile on your face after a blast. In reality you only get the best out the front drums when your on it, its a bit of an on/off monster but how cool is this little gem. Hint if you store one, drain fuel run paraffin through it protects seals, alloy and jets from todays aggressive fuels, turn it over now and again to keep the toothed cam belt from taking a set and breaking in use later on.
Good to hear your perspective on the Moto Morini Graham! Thanks for your comments :)
Re the right hand gear change, I have no problem swapping between right hand and left hand gear changes - my 74 3 1/2 Sport is my only right side change, but no problem swapping to my 80s and 90s Guzzis, and my 2017 MV Agusta. Just seems like muscle memory kicks in for each bike…
Beautiful - you have two excellent examples - great to see . . .
Absolutely gorgous, I have never seen one in real life, only in pictures. This is a real treat for me, John thank you for a great review.
Thanks for sharing - lovely video. Have owned so many bikes over the years I’m entering the autumn of my life and have to reduce my collection. But I think three is the magic number and my ‘new’ and, sadly, final collection, when I offload two old BMWs, will be a Guzzi V7Sport, a Morini 350 Sport (or Strada if cannot source the Sport) and a Guzzi V85TT for the miles.
A very well done review of a real beauty. One of these tops my most desirable list. Just look great and are clearly well thought out and built....
Very nice review. I had a 3 1/2 Strada back in the day and my mate had a sport. The exhaust and carb rings tended to unscrew but not much else went wrong. Took it to the TT in 1980 👍
I had 3 of these all Strada s...no problem s but I knew of people with sports who had problems with the bottom ends .....I tried the 500 but it just wasn't the same I will probably buy a K2 model next year they had most of the problems sorted and are still beautiful....lovely bikes Morini s
First bike I ever rode up Mt Dandenong was a friend's 3.5 Morini - blew my socks off! Fantastic handling. I almost came off coming down the tourist road. Beautiful bike.
Very interesting review of a great Italian motorcycle. Hope to see more such personal reviews. Interesting that the reviewed bike has a solenoid controlled fuel tap. Another example of a bike with this feature is the Moto Guzzi V7 Sport.
Really enjoyed your vidéo ,always loved the Morinis faultless 70s styling
I owned a 1976 MM 3 1/2 back in 1981 to 1984. It's also in my "My motorcycle history" video.
I owned one of these from new. I fitted the optional second front disk brake. It handled brilliantly around tight corners. Had terrible electrics typical Aprilla rubbish at the time. It also had square throat carbies I think Dellorto after a few miles they had worn you would pull up at the lights and find the motor was revving at 3 thousand revs I had to give the carbies a kick to drop the slides. Nice motor brilliant frame crap electrics and carbies. It had from memory a magneto ignition you could take off the lights remove the battery and go cafe racing. The trouble was the electrics would fail no BRAKE lights you had no idea because the engine kept running. All-round lovely handling nice motor crap accessories.
When the 3 1/2 Sport was introduced at the Salone di Milano in 1972, many skeptics (and one-cylinder nostalgics) complained about the risk of the rear cylinder heating up. Lambertini himself explained that this issue had been addressed by the 72° offset of the cylinder and by the position of the rider, whose legs acted as a kind of air deflector. As a matter of fact, the rear cylinder presented a lower temperature than the front one by approximately 2-3 degrees. This might explain the advanced position of the pegs, even if as you said it was common to replace them with a rear Tarozzi set.
Briefly had a 3 1/2 strada in the late 70s it had ace bars and cornered like it was on rails top end wasn't all that but great fun nice to see one again cheers
The Kawasaki importers were the local agents here.There was one on the floor and I drooled over this beautiful machine !! It was expensive and whenever I came into the shop I would sit on it and drool....trouble was the gear lever was on the 'wrong" side.......I eventually bought an SR500 Yamaha with clip -ons....my cafe racer ! Years later my brother (who collected) acquired one but I still have never ridden one. Still a beautiful motorcycle today !
Nice story Peter, thanks for sharing :)
Very performing engines, still very enjoyable bikes today.
My twin brother and I had the red sport we took the Mufflers off and put the Shorties glass packs it sounds like a little Harley. Are dad had a motorcycle shop call Cycles Unlimited we sold them Indians bonelli's Norton's BSAs. Then we went to Kawasaki and Suzuki's last but not least Hondas. That's why we were called Cycles Unlimited in Alabama. We had the shop for 42 years and finally closed down after Dad got Alzheimer's. Great video thanks brings back some memories😉🍻🍺
Yes beautiful bike, one I have always hankered after having seen a few well kept ones around Edinburgh when I had my Ducati 350 cafe racer. Guzzi 750 S3 next in that evolution.
Sounds magic
Great video fantastic bike getting parts must be a nightmare stay safe 🇬🇧👍🏻
These were always a beautiful little bikes.
The 500 sport did give you just that little bit more go though, but lost some of its appeal with disc brakes etc.
I used to own a 1976 Benelli 650S2 Tornado Nuova twin.
It was the cafe racer version with the flat bars and single hump seat with Perplex handle bar fairing. Quite rare, and good for 57 bhp and a top speed of 126 mph with fettling to the Dellortos and gearing.
What thje Benelli and the Morini had in common though was all those magnificicent Italian engineered components. The Morini parts list virtually duplicates those of the Benelli.
Lovely bike.
Nick
Australia
Nice one Nick, good to hear from you and thanks for your input. I'm sure John will be checking in on the comments and will find your input very interesting. Some good knowledge of Italian bikes over there in Australia!
I bought a 74 Strada when I was 18 I saved up and worked all hours it was 4 years old but looked new - it was probably the best bike I have owned and apart from a rear wheel bearing and sometimes being a pig start in the winter didn't give many problems I even used it as a motorcycle courier bike one winter - the clutch did complain ! My brother then built a 500 in a 350 frame which was the dogs nuts. Unfortunately mine got totalled after a car ran into when it was parked and the engine was used for a race bike. The Strada I still on my list to buy again
Saw a lovely model at the Burt Munro Classic 2021
Had one back in Australia, when I was an apprentice. Gorgeous Grimeca front brake. Sold it to buy a car. Only bike I ever regret selling. It was absolutely beautiful. Had a 500 Sei V sport later on, nice , but no cigar. Only thing i changed was a great set of rear sets. Great video.
Thanks for your nice comments Martin!
@@TheClassicMotorcycleChannel electrics were awful, though. I'll have another one before i leave this earth.
In the early 1980's at a time when Japanese bikes were all the rage in the USA, I almost bought a new Moto Morini 3-1/2. I loved the idea of owning a ride that was totally different than what all the other guys were riding, especially with its V-twin config. The reason I didn't buy was because the only dealership in my region (Pacific Northwest Washington) was about 100 miles away; notwithstanding the ride home on the freeway would've been a real kick. Also I worried that Italian mechanicals / electrics would have me stranded from time to time (read: Fiat cars in the 1980's), so I'd likely be trucking my bike for distant repairs on a regular basis. Too bad I didn't know I was completely wrong ... well, not so wrong the electrics. But if such items as the tach failed, that still wouldn't have stopped the bike. And I would've had good reason to enjoy a pleasant 100 mile ride!
Hi Shannon, I have relatives in Washington state and have been fortunate to spend a lot of time overthere with them, a truly beautiful part of the world. As a Morini fan and currently an owner of 3 x 3 1/2 sports (74, 77, 78) and previously sold 3 others which I regret, I would be interested to know where the dealership would have been back in the day for you, just curious to know. What bike did you buy instead of the Morini?
Great presentation. I've always wanted to know more of Moto Morini history and you've provided that. It definitely deserves to be a Classic. I always mix it up with MotoBecane but I guess that's of French origin.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Hi, you mentioned the Heron heads, but a very unique feature about this engine was the use of a "Desaxe" crankshaft layout which was supposed to increase torque and had an effect on the compactness of the engine. Although I preferred my Dukes and Guzzi`s I always felt the the original Morini Sport in was the most beautiful looking bike ever built
I had this one in standard or Strada version...It was Italian: Light,temperament ,beautiful and very ,very noisy...!!
Great bike! My Ducati Pantah 600TL also has such a solenoid operated fuel tap so I suppose most Ducati's from the 70 / 80 ties period have them as well.
They sound great for the displacement. I remember the turbo which had such a sleek design and with the exhaust hidden, but unfortunately never was launched.
Cracking bike, although I'd argue that the Laverda Montjuic was the last of the old-school cafe racers
Great bike, one of the real unsung Italian heroes, I have a slightly later sport as well as a 450 Desmo which although nice, is no match for the Morini as an all rounder.
The one thing which always surprises me about the sport is their performance, more like a 500 than a 350 really. At one stage I had an RD400 and although the Morini was slightly slower off the mark it made up for it in handling and sure footedness. Just an all round great bike without the fussiness of other Italian brands.
very good review and enjoyed it. Hope you don't mind me saying , but try to keep the revs down when cold. The valve train relies on splash and mist from the bottom end.
Good advice P.I! Thanks!
Well that answered something about my '76 Strada. Back in the day it would sound like a bag of nails until warmed up. I always warmed it gently a lower revs. Unbelievably good on the corners , just dropped and picked up treat. True 90mph top speed - clocked by the Old Bill after cornering @ 85 LOL
What great bikes they were. I never quite got one and ended up buying a Guzzi in the day. Maybe one day......
My dad has a 1980 3/2 Sport that is currently being restored, it's a beautiful bike but a bit too rough on the wrists for me.
Absolute Beauty...!
really nice one. That's called "Tamburone". You should try a 2in1 Valentini or Tarozzi exhaust, then the sound change ;) ciao
Great suggestion Bernardo!
@@TheClassicMotorcycleChannel Sound ( and performance , also ) with a 2in1 Tarozzi is simply amazing . Back in 80's i think there was a club and a magazine in U.K. , called " Α tutto gas " . Really don't know if still exists ...
Yes the club and magazine are still going ..a.tutto gas ..a twist of the throttle ....I think ...
Franco Lambertini is a genius in a motorcycle world
And he is a beautiful person too. One of the nicest gentleman i met in my life.
Always wanted one of these, but unfortunately they are very rare in Australia. I was disappointing when they revived the brand, more recently, they went for big v-twin. Missed the point completely IMO.
The original was proof you can ride the world on well designed and build small capacity bikes.
In 86, I had privilege of caring for a moto morini for a week while a friends was out of town. For the last 35 years, I've trying to remember the exact model and year. All I recollect is that the bike was small, drop bars, racing clutch and possibly a single piston. It drove very smooth and fairly quiet. I think it was an inline-single piston configuration; possibly a 550? My friend mentioned that it was a racer for females. I fell in love with this bike with in the week, but alas, had to return it. Any info about this bike would be appreciated. Thank you!
Morini made the 350 V twin in the 70's later they made a 250 version along with 500 version . Not sure about singles , nothing bigger than 500cc until they were built much later
How tall are you, the bike seems to fit you quite well. I've got a 1974 Ducati 750GT that I'm thinking of selling with a view to buying a 3.5 Strada - I need something lighter at my age!
Has your bike been restored . I have the original sales brochure it shows tank decals different its much narrower black panels on the sport
A friend had a couple of these, first was same spec as this with the round tank and drum brake, then he had the angular tank and disc brake model. He moved to this from a 250 Desmo and I could never understand why. As you point out, the riding position is weird, it doesn't seem to have any performance advantage over the 250 and 350 Desmos myself and another friend had, and working on the engine with him I wasn't impressed with the quality of engineering in the engine. They do look nice though, and handle well.
As you mentioned, the riding position looks awkward and should have had rear-set's, however, it's a bike I'm not familiar with and found it interesting.
..clip ons But no rear sets !!!??? 🤔🤔😀😀..adore those big race brake drums though.😍😍
The left hand kick start was probably for ease of starting with a side car attached ( right hand side side car in Europe ) on the touring model..
You're probably right about that, good thinking!
@@TheClassicMotorcycleChannel BMW put a kick start on the left hand side for the same reason. Very enjoyable video, keep up the good work. Cheers.
Couldnt imagine a Morini with a sidecar
Always wanted one but never had the cash
These were never very popular compared to other makes of the day and I never really worked out what market they were aiming at they could not live with any of the 2 strokes on performance of course which only left Honda's 325 twin and 350 four which coincidently produced about the same amount of power the handling may have been better on the Moto Morini, I do not know for sure as I have never ridden one but it is Italian, but it would have to compete with price and Honda's much bigger dealer network so I guess if you had been in the market for something different maybe this would have caught your eye they also made a 500 by the way.
HI THERE JOHN, I AM WONDERING IF THIS COMPANY SELLS THERE BIKE IN NEW ZEALAND, AM FINDING IT A LITTLE HARD TO FIND OUT, BE GREAT IF YOU COULD HELP, REGARDS COLIN😎👍🇳🇿
My mate had one of the later models - swore it was the best handling machine he ever had - unfortunately his mechanical skills were no match for his riding ability, and as for the electrics? The slightest suggestion of rain would render it completely useless! (obviously never rained in Italy!) Beautiful bike on a perfect summer's day, but they are far and few, north of the river Tweed!
To be honest, they look and sound much bigger than a 350cc, with the performance to match.
Oh! yes I wanted one back in the day.Too fat and old now Lol. Nice video , well done.
LOL! Right on Dave :)
Many thanks for a great video on an iconic bike.. I also have an early 1974 Sport model, which I have owned and kept largely unrestored for 22 years. A very well engineered, and reliable bike with interesting and unique features. Classic cafe-racer styling and full of character! I added some Tarozzi rear-sets to improve the riding position. You can see a short video of her running here: ua-cam.com/video/McsJaaXroDQ/v-deo.html
It's a 1974, not 75.
Yeah well spotted it was registered in 74 - got my years muddled up 👍
The noise...
Left hand change forced on the world by Harley Davidson to restrict the sale of European bikes in the USA.
Falsche Sprache 👎👎👎