Description
8th Dec, 2024 10:00
The December 2024 Auction
1983 Moto Morini 3. 5 Sport
What a lovely bike, not many of these about
Estimate
£2, 500 - £3, 000
Buyer's premium: 15. 00%
Lot details
Registration: PGK888Y
Frame: 22359
Odometer: 21, 727
MOT: Exempt
350cc
UK bike
1 key
21, 000 original miles
V5
Straight forward, simple and yet, sheer genius, the Morini 3 ½ still enjoys a massive appeal and growing cult status today. This machine handles as well as anyone could wish for. Any adjective that can be applied to a sharp and accurate machine can be used in the same sentence as the Morini 3 ½. In the beginning there was the GT or Strada, much like the original prototype shown in 1971, the Sport was a direct development of this model and was launched the year after the Strada in 1974. With 4bhp more on tap, thanks to a raise in compression and a sportier cam design, the Sport soon became the top dog, although those in the know still rank the Strada as it performs in a manner close to its sibling, but with a much more relaxed approach. The 350cc capacity was initially chosen due to heavy taxes in Italy for machines over this size, this made the machine a natural choice for any Italian looking to buy a middleweight as it wore a price tag equivalent or cheaper than many similar oriental designs, however by the time the marque reached the UK the price tag had grown beyond the reasonable and actually cost around £350 more than a Yamaha RD350. The finish and overall technology used in the Morini looked dated alongside the Japanese products so when the dodgy electrics and high price tag were all added together there was few real takers for this Latin lovely. In modern times demand for the breed is strong and thankfully supplies of parts and knowledge plentiful, making running a 3½ a real joy. All of the failing found in the original design have been addressed and cheaply available cures can be applied, the original leaky metal inlet manifolds can be interchanged with later rubber versions while the feeble headlight is a straight swap for a modern halogen one making night use a real possibility.
What a lovely example of this machine. Used for sunny day ride outs, it will require a light recommissioning before being ready to use once again.
