Hi everyone!! Newcomer on morinis

[big fat fish]

Hi there, thought it was time for a quick introduction. I have been riding my morini since september, when I passed my test. Well, I say my Morini, it's my my Dads... We've aquired 3 Stadas in the last couple of years, two were bequeathed to him, and one is in boxes (A UK bike dismantled in 1986!!) So we have a resto project on our hands.

Mine is a 1980 Strada in Red with gold wheels. well, nearer to mustard yellow then gold!, red guards and some huge busso silencers which make a lovely racket in enclosed spaces (under bridges, narrow streets etc!!)
My Dads one is a 1982 metallic brown strada with gold wheels luggage rack, and the resto job is a 1978 (i think) strada in red with chrome guards and grey wheels.

The old boy that had my one (a red 1980 with 29000km on it) neglected it, so it's had quite a bit done on it in the last 3 months (Clutch, chain, sprockets, service, tyres, cables...etc) but she's been good to me, I ride it daily to work and back, and have done 3000k on her already. And then saturday came along.....nice day, so i rode up from Swindon to NLM to get new disc and pads and a pair of mirrors (i fell off it at about 5 mph one wet and slimy night, and the mirror was the only casualty) got there fine, but riding home, about 40 miles from home and as i changed down to overtake a car, i lost all drive. I got recovered back to my work (luckily I'm a mechanic, and have access to the workshop 24/7) So today, I popped in to find the fault. Ten minutes later with the clutch out, I found the fault......Turns out the clutch basket bolts and dowels had sheared off. So I'll be back on the blower to NLM tomorrow!! the primary gear the basket bolts to is fine, but does anyone know if there is a common cause of this failure? or just fatigue?

anyway, here's some pics of the old girl.......







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[Morinijen]

Hello big fat fish

Glad to hear you have been using and enjoying your Strada.. but sorry to hear of your recent woes..

So today, I popped in to find the fault. Ten minutes later with the clutch out, I found the fault......Turns out the clutch basket bolts and dowels had sheared off. So I'll be back on the blower to NLM tomorrow!! the primary gear the basket bolts to is fine, but does anyone know if there is a common cause of this failure? or just fatigue?

To be honest, I can't recall hearing of anyone suffering this kind of mishap before. Perhaps if you get to speak to Alex at NLM tomorrow he may be able to shed some light on the situation. He must have seen just about everything by now.

Still, hope you get back on the road soon.

Best Wishes,
Jenny.

[3potjohn]

Bad luck about the clutch-I have read about the clutch bolts working loose in the basket and being a swine to remove but not this. What state were the clutch plates in? Sounds like there must have been some slack or wear to start with or one too many wheelies perhaps! Maybe the centre nut was loose?
Interested to know the outcome, as I only recently funded the NLM trip to the Seychelles and back after my 350 partially seized.
I have not seen another bike close up since I got mine.I have a 2 disk K. I think I see the rubber brake pipe running all the way from the master cylinder to the caliper, ie no metal pipe the last 6 inches or so.Mine is like this. I do not know what is correct.
I used to live in Wroughton until 1987 so know the area well.Or did do....ah those open fields...that lovely countryside......

[EVguru]

I'd suspect that someone hadn't done the bolts up and the basket was moving on the dowels. A case of poor assembly.

[big fat fish]

Thanks for the welcome...

I sent the basket to our engineering company today to see if the basket is repairable, so i'll find out tomorrow.

The clutch was new (i fitted it 2 months ago cos the old one was snatchy-the plates were blue and the friction plates were well cooked) so maybe something was on its way then and i over looked it? ahh well, at least it's something simple.

The centre nut was tight, but the dowel holes were ovalled, so i guess the clutch pressure was all that was keeping the basket located on the gear.

3potjohn, where in devon are you? My mum lives in tiverton and i gotta mate in bideford, I occaisionally ride down, while the wife drives the car. maybe meet up sometime for a blat. Some nice roads down that way. I went to ridgeway school in wroughton, and did my bike test on the airfield. Those fields are going rapidly now. Swindon is extending right up to the M4. From the bridge where the black horse pub was in wroughton right down to Blagrove.
Don't worry about what's 'right' john, all 3 of our stradas are different. different side panels, different colour wheels, painted guards, chrome guards, different seats, different lights the list of differences are endless.

[3potjohn]

Hi I'll pm you as we won't want to bore folk with old memories of the Ridgeway School. Sounds like there was some wear in the clutch after all.

[big fat fish]

All sorted now.....engineers drilled out the gear and basket and put in bigger dowels. cost me £20 all in.

[Morinijen]

Hiya big fat fish..

Glad to hear that it was a cheap fix..

... all 3 of our stradas are different. different side panels, different colour wheels, painted guards, chrome guards, different seats, different lights the list of differences are endless.

That's one thing I like about Morinis..
You never see two that are quite the same..

Best Wishes,
Jenny.

[Brubru]

Yes, when I bought my 500 it had 3 different colour schemes: red with gold and red strips on the front mudgard, red with white and black strips on the tank and one side panel, and red with two white strips on the second side panel...

I guess it did not come like that from the factory, but it shows how often they changed.

Cheers,

Bruno