Rear-set adventures.

[tonup69]

Hello all. As some of you may know, turning a Strada into a Sport is a tall order when it comes to fitting the Tarozzi Rear-sets. I thought I would share some of my experiences from this past weekend, especially since I have (had) a left hand shift export model - so most of you will be unfamiliar with the shift linkage and brake tabs on the frame.

All in all, I really liked the quality of the kit. One problem was the brake cable abutment/stop. It would not clear the frame on the back side, so I had to weld the nut in place and grind it down to fit. That worked. Also, the brake light switch that comes with it is NOT going to work, so I made a brake cable from a new left hand cable w/ integrated switch. Of course, I had to cut the heat shield for the brake level to clear. I also had to use two washers as spacers behind the Allen head bolt:



I purchased the kick start lever extender from NLM and it works great. Looks ugly and bulky, but works great:



As for the shift side, I really only had to take the linkage/shaft and left side pedal off, then turn around the splined linkage so that the connection for the rose joint was closer to the outside of the bike. I also used two washers on this side behind the Allen bolt. The tabs for the brake stop and guide were not in the way, so I just left them in place:



I'm pretty happy with how it has turned out, but am still fixing the starter motor and putting in a new cam belt before I go for a test ride.

Cheers,

LTR - across the pond

[Highpiper]

Excellent post. Your pictures are helpful for showing how you overcame some of the challenges posed by converting the left-side shift to a right-side shift, along with the conversion to rearsets.

I will be doing a similar install on my '79 sport once the weather warms back up here in Illinois...hope it goes as smooothly as yours!

Peter

[robint]

Must concur on rear brake cable issues as well as that little nut for the brake tab - got away (just) with not welding mine on.

When I wrote the Tarozzi bit in tech tips ( http://www.morini-riders-club.com/thebi ... rozzi.html) I didn't have a digital camera to hand so very useful to have some pics.

Did you need to trim the brake pedal to get clearance for the kick start - looks longer than mine.

Welcome to the "I got the Tarozzi to fit eventually" club!!

[tonup69]

Must concur on rear brake cable issues as well as that little nut for the brake tab - got away (just) with not welding mine on.

When I wrote the Tarozzi bit in tech tips ( http://www.morini-riders-club.com/thebi ... rozzi.html) I didn't have a digital camera to hand so very useful to have some pics.

Thanks, here is one more "fashion" shot of the brake side with the pipe installed.

Did you need to trim the brake pedal to get clearance for the kick start - looks longer than mine.

Welcome to the "I got the Tarozzi to fit eventually" club!!

I just went ahead and bought the kickstart extender from NLM, so I did not have to trim the brake pedal at all. It is a bit bulky, but it works fine.

[John Bunting]

Hi Tonup,
I am surprised your kick start lever is not touching the brake peddle, I had to make mine fold up to clear even with the extender block in place, I will try to snap it at the weekend and post a picture.
Regards
John

[spub]

I had to do the same due to brake pedal fouling. I used a Kawasaki dirtbike folding foot peg as a replacement for the toepiece. The threaded end goes into the pedal and is secured by a bolt on the backside. I removed the round rubber piece covering the rod of the peg, then cut this down to toe piece length. I have an extra peg in case anyone out there needs one for this type of conversion. There is a long forgotten website that details this conversion, but do not know the address. I cannot take credit for this idea, it came from this website.

[tonup69]

OK, I spoke too soon. Now that I have everything back in place and the brake cable hooked up - you are correct, the kicker still hits the brake pedal! I was thinking of just short kicking it (like my Bultacos), but then I decided to hack just a bit off the pedal. Now it just clears and the pedal is one rubber ring shorter. Not a big deal. If it every stops raining and snowing here I will go for a test ride soon!

LTR

[EVguru]

I never did like the Tarozzi cable mount/pedal stop, or the angle it put the cable at. My kit was 'borrowed' off a K1 with rear disc and had a 1/4" spacer behind the pedal to help with clearance over the heat shield. I replaced the round spacer with a piece of alloy plate that incorporated cable mount, pedal backstop and brake light switch (a working original!). It had the additional benefit of allowing the cable to exit horizontally, rather than in a tight curve. I think I have an extra long extender along with the pedal shortened by one ring.

Incidentally, J.J Cables, who always have a stand down at Kempton, sell in-line brake switches for £7.

[72degrees]

Posted on behalf of John Bunting:

"Please can you do me a favor and post these 2 photo's on MRC Tre e mezzo rear set adventures Tarozzi rear set thread, showing my Strada with Kano made clevis folding brake pedal using the rubber bush as the detent spring."

Tarozzi2.jpg (182.96 KiB) Viewed 11320 times

Tarozzi1.jpg (171.02 KiB) Viewed 11320 times

[400Sprot]

I had the kick start lever / break pedal interface problem about fifteen years ago, displacer blocks and swan - neck kick start levers were not available at the time. So after experimenting with a custom cast aluminium off-set kick starter which was so industrial looking that I felt it had no place on a Morini, coupled with that, it was so awkward to use because it swung out so far the leverage was all wrong. I came to the conclusion that a different solution was required, especially after still managing to snap my last Tarozzi; I designed a stop block which I had made out of dural which fits to existing mounting points. I also took out most of the free play in the kick start, by (I think) preloading the return spring. Now when you use the kick start it has roughly 15 degrees of movement before engaging. The action is short and sharp like kicking over a two stroke, more of a stabbing action. But it works and I've covered thousands of miles without incident.
The beauty of it is it's discretion, unlike most other solutions.
I'm attempting to upload a couple of photo's showing it in relation to the kick start.