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I recently checked howmanyleft.co.uk to try to gain an idea of how many Morini 500s there are in the UK. The website is unfortunately none too helpful with such older models as you'll see if you take a look. Please does anyone have any idea how many 500s there are in the UK, taxed or SORN?

Those websites are pretty hopeless I think. There are probably more in the UK now than Harglo imported anyway.
Why are you asking though? Just wondering...

JonnyP wrote: ↑25 Apr 2021 15:06 I recently checked howmanyleft.co.uk to try to gain an idea of how many Morini 500s there are in the UK. The website is unfortunately none too helpful with such older models as you'll see if you take a look.

That site is generally useless, particularly for bikes. It works off the model noted on V5s which rarely says anything more coherent then "motorcycle".

Just asking out of general curiosity. The website advises that there are 202 licenced 'older' Morinis in the UK, plus another 151 on SORN. Naturally this will include all variants, probably mainly 350s. How accurate this figure is, I have no idea!

These results can also depend on how it Is described on the V5.
With my two I have a MOTOMORINI and MOTO MORINI, while a former colleague has simply MORINI on his.
Regards, George.

Ive got two, have owned and sold on at last two more over the years and have a 350-framed 507 Special ready to build more plus a spare 478 engine!

The misspelling of MOTO MORINI by the DVLA is legendary
To add to the list I know of MOTO, MOTOR MORINI and MOTO MARINI - anyone got any more!
And it appears to be easier to change your own name than change the make on DVLA.

500s with homologation drawing W (roadsters) were made from 1977 to 1985,
as far as we know the total production did not exceed 3000 units.
If anyone has higher than W 05899 we would like to know it for the machine register.
(numbering starts at W 03001)
This makes the 500 pretty rare compared to more than 20,000 350 roadsters,
but very far from the rarest of modular Morinis.

Of these 3000, many if not most were exported from Italy as the taxation class for 500s was not at all
reasonable compared to a 350. They certainly went in number to the USA and Germany as well as the UK
How many were or more accurately have been imported into the UK is not known.

How many are left is not data that can be obtained easily from the DVLA and howmanyleft is
no better guess than saying based on machine records that we (MRC) think there are X or Y left.
Bikes that no longer exist as a whole are listed on the DVLA presumably
because they have never been officially reported as scrapped.
One I used to own is not on SORN having been off road since before SORN was ever a thing i suspect there are
many more of those. There are also track only bikes too.

The more important point is how many are roadworthy or being restored to roadworthy condition,
a Morini on the road is way more interesting than how many derelict unroadworthy machines
rotting in garages/sheds/barns/carports there may or may not be.
Use them while we still can!

Cheers
mark

Very interesting, I have W 0322.
Regards Pete.

I have W 0322.

Hi Pete
that would be W 0322x - missing a digit?
Anyway best not to share complete numbers on a public forum.
Mark

Hello Mark,
Very probably, but as the light was not good and nether are my eye that was all I could see.
Regards Pete.

Thanks everyone for your replies, and particularly Mark. Much appreciated!