New member intro and 1984 350 K2 questions/reveal!

[Ming]

Would you like to clean my carbs?
As far as the electric starter goes, I have a K2 like yours with an ES. I find that the kick start is really easy - easier than my A3 Strada - so tend not to use the electric foot (and I'm in my 70s). I'd get what you have running before you spend time and money looking for a somewhat problem prone accessory that you may not need.

[R1100purist]

Haha sure thing Ming, send them on over.

Seriously though, my ultrasonic cleaner is worth its weight in gold. Very helpful!

Now on the starter. I think I’m agreeing more and more with that mentality. It’s enough to sort out everything else and it seems from Ming’s post and others that the kick starter is more than sufficient to start the bike.

[Stubaker58]

On my ‘79 sport I always use the kickstart when off the bike but if I stall I use the starter. I can’t get used to kicking left footed!

[R1100purist]

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Made some more progress. I continued to strip down and clean the bike as my schedule with 2 small kids allows. Mostly soaking things in evapo-rust and the I’ll drop off parts at the platers/powder coaters.

[Vitesse]

Must have moved to Australia!

[R1100purist]

Ha! Just saw that. How do I fix that? It was right side up when I posted it.

[R1100purist]

So still disassembling and cleaning. A few outstanding questions I have are: where to get the appropriate brake pads in the US? I’m having trouble finding K2 specific brakes from the various venders. Secondly, does anyone have a good off the shelf color match for the red frame? I’m looking to get into just spray a couple areas that are worn through, but don’t think a full respray is called for at this time.

[Ming]

I'm pretty sure there was a topic on replacement pads a short while ago, if you can find it. As for colour match, have a look at VW Mars red.

[themoudie]

Be very careful when ordering pads for the K2 brakes. After buying my '86 K2 I had a 'close shave' whilst riding through Crieff in the rain. They didn't retard at all!

Of cause the Morini factory pandering to the American market to 'hide' rusting discs with chromed ones doesn't help matters and various solutions have been proposed and used and then written about on the forum to make the brakes effective.

When trying to source correct pads, I found that many of the manufacturers catalogues listed the wrong pads for the K2, both front and rear! The error has been copied across many printed and digital resources. Now that the genie is out of the bottle the results could be expensive for some of the brake pad manufacturers if they were to be sued for negligence!

I have since sourced pads that do retard the bike in the wet and work under dry conditions as well.

This is the link to the thread that 'Ming' refers to in his previous post to this thread: "1986 350 K2 front brake information."

Good health, BillR

[3potjohn]

On another related topic I found I could get FDB696AG pads from M and P in Swansea. These have the same backing plate design with a tang that I usually use. Likely will not fit till next year.
John

[R1100purist]

Thanks all! So I am now smarter on brake pads thanks to themoudie’s excellent post. I couldn’t find SBS pads (or really any of the others) but did find a US source for Vesrah pads. I was hoping for ceramic like the cool kids were getting but again wants and needs etc.the vesrah pads I got are “organic” but couple with steel braided lines and a 13mm master cylinder I think it will be okay.

I had harder of a time sourcing the rear brake pads and had to order from eBay.uk at an above average price. Maybe I will find them “locally” next time.

For paint I found “sunrise red” by Rust-oleum and I think it will be a pretty good match. I’ll report back!

[R1100purist]

Spent the day scrubbing the engine cases, So much caked on grease. I don’t know how it ever gets that bad. Any advise for cleaning up the alloy? I scrubbed with scotchbright pads but still have dark/oxidized area.

The sunrise red is pretty close but still a bit too bright red/yellow red. Needs to be a bit darker? I’ll see if I can source some VW “mars red” locally.

I’m also looking for a tool to undue the clutch nuts as I want to take a look inside the clutch pack.

[Ming]

...I’m also looking for a tool to undue the clutch nuts as I want to take a look inside the clutch pack.

I made one from an old sawblade (mechanical workshop hacksaw) with a small notch cut in it to fit over the stud. I've also ground down a socket to leave 2 tangs, or if you have a big old screwdriver you can cut a notch in that. Give the nuts a soak in easing oil first, though they should not be tight, just light contact with the face, as the springs keep them in tension.

[mbmm350s]

Hi
I spent a little while recently convincing an owner of a very nice 350 sport not to open up the clutch uneccesarily.
He understood that the clutch screws can become seized and about the risk of unscrewing the studs from the clutch centre and the expense of fixing that.
Unless the clutch oil seals are leaking very badly or the clutch is slipping or very noisy I would leave alone.
Mark

[R1100purist]

Hi
I spent a little while recently convincing an owner of a very nice 350 sport not to open up the clutch uneccesarily.
He understood that the clutch screws can become seized and about the risk of unscrewing the studs from the clutch centre and the expense of fixing that.
Unless the clutch oil seals are leaking very badly or the clutch is slipping or very noisy I would leave alone.
Mark

Good call after reading some horror stories, I’ll leave mine until I get it back In action and evaluate it properly.