Buying an early 3 1/2 sport?

chippit · Post by **chippit** » 06 Sep 2009 17:27

Hi,
I have recently seen an early moto morini 3 1/2 sport with the drum front break. What are they like for buying spares? Do they come up for sale very often? and if so what sort of money do they fetch? Also is there any thing I should be looking out for when buying any common faults to avoid.

I have already started "My Morini fund" and would be glad of any advice as I would really like to own on eventually!

MarkB · Post by **MarkB** » 06 Sep 2009 17:52

I recently bought a drum-braked Strada and was greatly helped by an article in the September 2000 issue of Classic Bike on what to look for when buying a 3 1/2. If you follow the link on this site to North Leicester Motorcycles (NLM) you can download a copy from their website.

Stuart at NLM was very helpful with advice when I was looking for a bike, and I ended up buying it from him. It's a great bike and Morini ownership is an enormously satisfying thing!

Hope you find a good one.

Mark

chippit · Post by **chippit** » 06 Sep 2009 20:45

Thanks for that Mark, very interesting article.
I shall visit NLM
Regards Christine.

corsaro chris · Post by **corsaro chris** » 07 Sep 2009 08:33

Chippit;

Real drum braked sports - especially those in "good" condition (i.e. - close to original) are very collectable. NLM sell those for close to Â£4K - and so you'd need some fund! Beware a bike sold as a Sport but actually a Strada, if you are asked for that amount of money.

However, if you are just buying a run of the mill Sport from the early 70s, that has been modified and used, and maybe repainted, then check all the usual things - like cam belt changes, swing arm bushes and battery. Does it still have the original Fiamm horn (you'll know, because testing the battery should result in a fierce blast rather than the pathetic squawk of the usual type)? Real Sports from the UK have matching frame / engine numbers, and an S stamped on the crankcases

There are some good tips and bits of information on this site - so happy saving...

CC

EVguru · Post by **EVguru** » 07 Sep 2009 09:59

There was a very nice early Sport on ebay recently and the aution completed at around Â£3500. Good news for the Sport I've got in storage waiting to be restored, but it's a lot of money for a Morini.

The big front drum has a bit of a mixed reputation, some people finding it very 'grabby' and prone to lockup. A lot of this is down to setup and shoes, but I didn't like it all that much on my Motobi (Benelli) Tornado 650 just becuase of the lost travel and drag in the cables. It was over the top on the Benelli and is really over the top on the 40Kg lighter Morini, it also weighs some 10Kg, which is a lot of weight in the front wheel. Some people don't like adding the second disc because of the effect on the steering!

What do you want a Morini for. Mostly to ride, as an investment, or a mix of the two? The further the bias is towards riding (which most of us here think is the whole point of a Morini) the less desireable a double drum Sport becomes. If you want the wire wheel look, then the disc braked version has none of the riding drawbacks of the drum, but they're also fairly thin on the ground and one got to Â£2500 on ebay recently. As a riders' bike an early cast wheel bike is just about perfect. Cyeaper to buy, less to clean and no heavy (and really un-needed) electric start.

chippit · Post by **chippit** » 07 Sep 2009 11:41

Hi, thanks for the replies,
I really like the look of the wire wheels and drum front break, I am looking for a morini firstly to ride anything else is a bonus, having seen (and sat on ) this early one I am hooked! I realise that they command a very high price and probably my finances will not stretch to one of these unless it needs a lot of work,which would not be a problem.
I have always thought that the cast wheels spoil the look of the bike so if possible a spoked/disc version would be ideal, would this be a 1975/6 bike?
I will have enough problems getting used to the gear change being on the other side without having to worry about the breaking.
When was the spoked strada made from/to? and what sort of money do these fetch compared to the sport?
Regards Christine.

MarkB · Post by **MarkB** » 07 Sep 2009 12:45

The drum-braked, spoked Stradas ran up to about 1976 I think. I find the twin-leading shoe brake on the Strada is fine: it's progressive and doesn't have the fierceness that the Sport apparently has. Although I do think the massive brake on the Sport looks great.

It's not difficult to make a Strada look like a sport: Â£85 for a bum-stop seat, Â£100 for clip-ons and Â£200 for rear-sets, although it may be worth paying the extra money to get a proper Sport in the first place.

EVguru · Post by **EVguru** » 07 Sep 2009 13:45

The model years are a little vague/flexible.

Drum Strada (GT) 1973-75
Drum Sport 1974-75
Disc Strada/Sport late 1975-76 (double disc optional on the Sport)
Cast wheel Strada/Sport 1977 on

If you ordered a drum braked bike from the factory in 1977 or a little later you could probably get one.

Basket case early bikes (not drum Sport) can be had from as little as Â£200 although I've seem ebay prices go to over Â£600 for a pile of drum Strada. I bought my 1974 Sport off ebay a couple of years ago for Â£625 (in complete but rough condition), but I saw just a complete front wheel go for Â£750 recently! A freind got a dismantled but pretty complete early Strada for Â£350 and that included a complete new Armours stainless exhaust system.

Take your time, the prices seem to fluctuate quite a lot. You might consider picking up a usable later bike whilst waiting for an early one to come along. Anything before the introduction of the 'K' frame with kinked front tubes can be given the early styling treatment.

3potjohn · Post by **3potjohn** » 08 Sep 2009 05:53

The prices are indeed quite variable depending on the model. For instance just down the road a 350 Kanguro in good nick failed to attract a single bid on ebay twice and I am still wishing I had more space and not 3 sons at Uni.(Â£Â£Â£Â£Â£!)
I have a 3 disc 350 with a perfectly functioning electric start (well most of the time) and I would not like to ride an underbraked bike out of choice, if indeed a drum is so.I already have some experience of this syndrome with a BMWR100RS and it's not nice. As to wheels it has the cast wheels which work for me but judging by my failure to avoid a sunken manhole cover every bl**dy time soon to be dented.

spub · Post by **spub** » 09 Sep 2009 20:14

I just recently bought an early Drum Sport (A1 05774) for $7200 (US). I ride all of my bikes, so investment is not high on the list, but it is nice to have a collectable bike.

These bikes are quite rare in the US, even in the greater Los Angeles area, where I live. I thought Laverdas were like hens teeth, but these bikes make them appear quite common.

chippit · Post by **chippit** » 10 Sep 2009 07:18

Which 3 1/2's have electric start, when did they bring that in?
From what I have read it seems that they do not always work and more weight.

EVguru · Post by **EVguru** » 10 Sep 2009 09:22

They came in around 1978.

Fatter right hand outer case with what looks like (and might well be) a beefy windscreen motor in it. Easy to strip the weight out of the original outer case, but harder to find a reasonably priced 'slim' case.

With the later shoes and a really good battery (Oddysey) they can be made to work pretty well. Electric start assemblies seem to fetch a fortune on ebay and Stewart was saying more and more buyers are insisting on a working starter.

A properly setup Morini engine is very easy to start especially if you can kick left footed.

3potjohn · Post by **3potjohn** » 11 Sep 2009 05:36

Mine came with an Oddysey battery in 2007. First off it would turn but the engine would not fire up.It would run after a couple of kicks.This was due to a ropey generator,which once rewound was OK. The starter motor runs a chain to operate. This was stretched causing a combine harvester type sound. This summer ( well on a hot weekend any how) the motor got slower and slower etc.I had to strip it out and decided to let a local auto electric chap look at it.
Well it's OK now. They are weighty items however.I stalled at a red light yesterday and needed to start again so was glad of it.I cannot get used to kick starting a bike with a left hand kickstart whilst standing astride it but maybe I should just learn to.

max350lc · Post by **max350lc** » 27 Sep 2009 01:45

where are you based ? theres a 1974 3 1/2 @ the shoulder of mutton warwickshire classic bike show sunday 27th of sept post code cv238dn

morinipete · Post by **morinipete** » 27 Sep 2009 08:37

Oddly there'll be two more Morinis down there this lunch time. Mine and Alan Jennngs 500s !

Pete