Searching for Patrick

[bic_bicknell]

Hi Morini three and a half riders.

I've just joined your forum because I'm trying to track down an old friend whom I've lost contact with and this is a long shot but worth a try. I'm maybe moving back into the Bristol area and would really like to find him.

I used to know this guy when I lived in Bristol between about 1997 to 1999. He was called Patrick and I cannot for the life of me remember his second name so I have few leads to follow. He was Irish and a talented furniture maker and had a woodwork shop in Bristol, I think South of the river, maybe Bedminster. His girlfriend, wife, was called Katrina.

But what I do know for sure was that he had a Morini three and a half that he loved and cherished. I had an old Ducati 900SS and we used to go on rides together and talk bikes in the pub. His was a red and black one, pretty good runner and condition for it's age. He was mates with Hugo Wilson, who was, I think at the time, editor of bike magazine or something like that and he was also a Morini owner and fan. I got to know Pat through another friend in London who was a sculptor called Graham and he had a three and a half but the blue and white version that had all enclosed bodywork, (a bit like a Ducati Paso).

Knowing these bikes and the value of a good forum, (I currently run a 1975 Kawasaki H2C triple), I would bet money that if Patrick still has the Morini he is on here and needed help to keep that pile running sweet!

If any members on here know either Patrick or Graham then I'd be really grateful if you could either pass my details on or PM me their contact details.

They would both know me as Bic and my email address is bic_bicknell2@hotmail.com

[norbert]

I´m sorry that I can´t help you finding that Patrick, bur perhaps you can help me to find a Steve allthough he lived in a village near Bristol in the beginnigs of the 80s, but maybe he is still there today.

I met him on my first long journey with a Tremezzo in the beginnigs of the 80s and spent twoo days in his house. His name is Steve and he had a Laverda and his girfriend/wife Zoey had a Morini 350. I ´ve made several intents to find them but still without results. If anyone can help me please ....

entering the parabolica in Monza.jpg (80.52 KiB) Viewed 10059 times

ciao norbert

[bic_bicknell]

Been riding bikes for 35 years, owned many and been part of many forums over the years, mostly one make or one model forums because they tend to attract the real enthusiasts and have a great community vibe. Mostly they are frequented by knowledgeable, helpful people who would offer advice and lend a hand to fellow members. Other forums I'm part of would have not much trouble tracking down a member from his real name or where he lives etc. Everyone eventually gets to know each other, that's one of the things about long term forum membership - over the years you get to meet people at rallies, shows and ride outs so it's not outside the realms of possibility that someone here might have known this guy I'm looking for.

Perhaps he just isn't a member on here. But it was worth a try and if anyone does know him or has a lead I'd be very grateful because I'd genuinely like to make contact with him again.

Oh, and Norbert, there's always a healthy dose of piss-taking on bike forums but this usually goes along with genuine help. If you just take the piss out of a new member without offering anything positive it doesn't reflect very well on you or the forum really does it? Was it meant to be funny? I'm English so I have a good sense of humour but your attempt only serves to prolong the cliche about your nationalities lack of it.

[norbert]

would anyone of you please tell me what piss-taking means?

bic_bicknell, I´m entering here with my real name! if you have any problems with me because beeing german, you can tell it that way directly. I have tried some times (in the last weeks several times for example to help with some informacions about pushrods or valve cases). I´m inviting all the british morini drivers for years to come to our meeting and also to the spanish events.

I´m well known in the german morini scene and the spanish one would not exist if I would not have put thousands of hours since 2007 in a spanish classic forum.

I see that you have made twoo posts, enterd in October 2014 that looks a great deal to me. I only made 31 posts, entering in 2007. Do you really think that you should give me a lesson about how to be helpful in a bikers forum?

I simply tried (not for the first time in this forum, If you want, you can find this intents in my posts) to come in contact to a morini rider who let me live in his house during a ride throuhg england an ireland in the early 80s. I´d like to make him a present and surprise. It came to my mind again, because you also were looking for a rider of the area of Bristol. I have no doubt, that you even would offer me a glas of water.

If all the other forum members are the same opinion that I should piss off, I would like to know it. And then surely this would be the last time for me entering here.

This has nothing to do with humor, to me this smells verry verry unpolite, offending and ultranacionalistic (do know what I´m talking about, there is some history about my country!


norbert

p.s. I didn´t know taht this was your first message here and to me it´s the same. If you would have made 2456 I would have asked the same!!!

[morini_tom]

Bic, firstly you have massively overreacted to and misjudged norbert.

Secondly, the grapevine is slow and I'm sure morini folk who saw your first post would have been happy to help. I for one had already checked the club membership list on your behalf (not that I could pass on a members details, but I could have sent them yours and let them choose to contact you back.)

I don't think your second post will have endeared you to the people you are asking for help. Perhaps an apology to Norbert will help win a bit of goodwill back?

Norbert, I'm sorry you had to put up with this, it is not the sort of behaviour I expect on this forum.

[norbert]

Norbert, I'm sorry you had to put up with this, it is not the sort of behaviour I expect on this forum.

I have no doubt about that

norbert

[MarkB]

Just to put things into perspective, things can happen slowly on this forum. Just over a year ago I asked if anyone had information about the former history, and owners, of one of my Morinis. Very little response, until two months ago when there was a reply from Coventrykid, one of those previous owners, so I've now got more details about the history of the Sport.

And Norbert, please stay on the forum!

[bic_bicknell]

Well, there appears to be an escalating issue here that we should put to rest.

Firstly, if Norbert was being completely genuine in his first response then I completely misjudged the tone and content of his post and so I would like to say sorry to him immediately.

I read your response several times and, having done so again, I still cannot help but read it and make the same incorrect conclusions. Reads to me like a complete piss-take so I can only put this down to language and cultural differences. I can't translate 'piss-take' but it is a form of humour that uses sarcasm or cynicism to take a humorous swipe at someone. Often it is very funny and no one minds that much unless it is done at an inappropriate time.

I don't think I over reacted or was intentionally rude, however I too was responding because I too felt slightly offended by this response. (But not that much)

It just goes to show how misleading internet text can be sometimes.

Norbert, I hope you find your friend.