What Next?

[Duccout]

Hi Bill,

We have to suffer for our hobbies! Your Morini tribulations must be infuriating, as there is no 'off the shelf' substitute. I think that enthusiasts tend to make a rod for their own back, because they take on too much and it takes over. I have realized this and have taken the drastic decision to sell my modern Ducati; it is too big and I am only riding it on back lanes, although I have reservations about selling it, but reality bites and it is advertised on eBay as we speak.


Cheers,


Colin

[George]

Good luck with the Ducati twin sale Colin. Sales seem slow at the moment for classic bikes and cars with prices dropped from last year. I have been pleased with my two bevel singles this summer with lots of miles on both. Until Wednesday. I was lead rider of twenty three on club run when 350 decided the cheap plastic headlight was wrong and spit it off chipping mudguard paint. New chrome headlight and LED bulb ordered. We ended up at the Eagle for lunch not far from you.

[themoudie]

Aye Colin,

I wouldn't say that I "Suffer", more like release some angst and then return for some more flagellation, bit like motorcycle saunas!

I too have been contemplating the "Sell off" and move on to something anteseptic and modern, controlled by an iPhone that I don't have and requiring a "technician", with a laptop to tell me that it was broken! No fun for the money in that scenario!

The youngest beastie is now 33 years young, weighs in at 180Kg wet and puts out 45HP, so not in the same league as the Ducati twin. Plenty fast enough for me and not as much fun to ride as the 450, with skinny tyres, ~35HP and 130Kg to shove along.

Hope that you get a sale and can enjoy the wee beastie more often.

Good health, Bill

[Duccout]

Hi George and Bill,

Sorry to hear about your headlight George, your bike must have taken a dislike to it!

Sales of bikes in general have plummetted according to my local dealer, possibly due to the wet and cold start to Summer or maybe due to the impending electric revolution. I think that classic bikes were always going to fall in price as owners get to old to ride them, bringing a glut onto the market. Some classics like Gold Stars, Thruxtons and Ducati 900SS s have halved in value in a couple of years. Good news if you are looking for one.

Cheers,

Colin

[mrkprsn]

As Bill Clinton would say "I feel your pain". After a long refurbishment I finally got the Sebring on the road.

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I was riding and quite pleased with myself. I then heard a bang and the bike lost power. I looked down and saw that the chain had broken. It was jammed in the case and the end was twisted.

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The rivet came out and it didn't break at the link.

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There was no permanent damage. I am a lucky man!

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[themoudie]

Aye mrkprsn,

That appears to be a bit of a houdini job to me. The engine/gearbox sprocket is goosed and if the pitting on the chain side plates is anything to go by, I suspect that the metal worm has had a good chew at all of the chain internals. I'd have replaced it all afore re-spraying and chroming anything.

New front and rear sprockets, along with a decent chain before any more gandering about happens.

Good health, Bill

[Duccout]

Hi,

Have a look at the back of the selector box and see if the chain has been milling it away, which could have caused the chain to catch-up and break. Nigel Lacey pointed this out - modern heavy-duty chains are wider than the original rivetted Reynolds type, and there is not enough clearance at the selector box, so avoid heavy-duty chains if possible.


Cheers,

Colin

[Duccout]

Apart from my internet being out of action for a week (talk about inconvenient) the 350 is kaput! After fitting a new ignition switch (although the old one seemed fine) and a new spark plug, I wheeled it out for a run to the cafe and kick, kick, kick.....Nothing - no spark. The lights and ignition come off of the same feed, and the lights have worked all the time when there is no spark, so there must be a dodgy connection somewhere. My guess is that the clutch cable is touching one of the ignition wires and the movement of the cable has fractured one of the wires. I don't have room to work at the moment until the GT1000 goes, which is supposedly next Tuesday, when the new owner journeys from Wales to collect it, but the way things are going at the moment something is bound to go wrong.


Cheers,

Colin

[George]

Hi Colin, at our time of life we have to expect the unexpected and take it all calmly. If something goes right treat it as a bonus. Sure you will be out riding soon.
Now out to the shed to sort my new headlight wiring.

[themoudie]

Aye Colin, positive karma, some bu**er built it, so some bu**er can fix it!

As for the limbo of having the GTS, but not departed, yet! I wish you well and not a tyre kicker, toothed wind sucker, my wife doesn't know about this and I'm not sure now.

Tea and a slab of fruit cake can oil the wheels.

Good health, this breezy and heavy showery morn', Bill