Morini Update! How's yours doin?

GoldenMotor.com
Jun 18, 2008
168
1
18
Lancaster, PA / Newark, DE
Well now that I have had my engine installed for ~6 months, I can say I am still very happy with it. It has ~1500 miles on it and as strong as ever. I only had one problem with my morini... After ~500 miles the clutch exploded (snapped the clutch shoes in half, wore out clutch drum bushing), I determined that a washer was missing from behind the clutch drum which allowed it to wobble. Herdan sold me some new parts and the clutch worked better than ever then. Now the transition from clutch disengaging when slowing is almost unnoticeable, its completely smooth. The only upgrades my motor has is the 4 valve reed setup and 19mm race carb. So everyone else hows your morini doin after some good use?
 

fall_down_stand_up

New Member
Apr 26, 2009
554
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granbury
Man that is one nice looking bike,and I dont even like engines on moutain bikes....Has that whole military style to it....Cool man,cool....
John-John
 

DonnnN

New Member
Jun 4, 2009
197
0
0
Singapore
Well now that I have had my engine installed for ~6 months, I can say I am still very happy with it. It has ~1500 miles on it and as strong as ever. I only had one problem with my morini... After ~500 miles the clutch exploded (snapped the clutch shoes in half, wore out clutch drum bushing), I determined that a washer was missing from behind the clutch drum which allowed it to wobble. Herdan sold me some new parts and the clutch worked better than ever then. Now the transition from clutch disengaging when slowing is almost unnoticeable, its completely smooth. The only upgrades my motor has is the 4 valve reed setup and 19mm race carb. So everyone else hows your morini doin after some good use?
Hey.. How easy are these morini engines to mount onto a bicycle?

About 5 months ago i was thinking about what engine to get and decided to go with the 80cc china engine.. And my reason was it was easy to mount.. Did you have to make your own mount for your morini engine or was it supplied with a motor mount?

Thanks
 
Jun 18, 2008
168
1
18
Lancaster, PA / Newark, DE
for details on my install: http://motorbicycling.com/f3/death-china-70cc-now-onto-morini-8952.html

I had to fabricate everything for mounting the motor (exhaust clamps and flat stock, grade 8 hardware)...

I dont even think my bike is the nicest looking but it does have an aggressive look, and the frame is strong which is all i care about :) -Justin

heres a nice morini 5.8hp install: http://motorbicycling.com/f36/magicalpancakes-felt-mp-morini-build-11059.html

heres a nice morini 3hp install: http://motorbicycling.com/f15/morini-stretch-nuvinci-8sp-sbp-progress-9798.html

wish i could afford bikes like those...
 
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Emerica

New Member
Feb 1, 2008
65
0
0
Well.

Mines the s6e

My problem(s) have come from the spark plug wire, the rubber must not like the weather here and I keep it indoors when not ridden. It started to ground out to the frame and basically leak the spark where ever it could. So much so that one day it shocked the (double hockey sticks) out of me a few times from both brake handles.
Wake up call indeed.

Heres the problem, the rubber insulation on the plug wire is crap and the wire goes into the coil with no real way to replace the wire short of breaking open the coil. This basically means spend upto about 1/4 of the engine cost on a plug wire and pray that it holds up better. I haven't had the cash to do just that so i've wrapped in in about 8 layers of electrical tape and soon to be some of that plastic protective covering.
It's also not a copper wire so trying to solder it part way through is not going to work.

Due to the above I wouldn't be surprised if my latest problem is related.
I've now blown 2 L78C plugs in about a week and a half. Left at work with 15km to peddle ;) It's hovering around freezing here, I keep my bike inside at night and it gets me to work great in the cool mornings, but sitting outside 7-8 hours at work, It's harder to start but tends to foul out the plugs after running for a few blocks, kinda puts out and dies, sometimes depending on speed it'll backfire. (Loud crack) Chinas backfire was more of a pop. I do let the engine warm up well.

I think if the plug wire was better I would have only had a flat tire, with that being totally my fault and very avoidable. (let the tire wear through)

15km*2(for each way)*80 (work days since build)=2400km just going to work and back.
 

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Jun 18, 2008
168
1
18
Lancaster, PA / Newark, DE
Well.

Mines the s6e

My problem(s) have come from the spark plug wire, the rubber must not like the weather here and I keep it indoors when not ridden. It started to ground out to the frame and basically leak the spark where ever it could. So much so that one day it shocked the (double hockey sticks) out of me a few times from both brake handles.
Wake up call indeed.

Heres the problem, the rubber insulation on the plug wire is crap and the wire goes into the coil with no real way to replace the wire short of breaking open the coil. This basically means spend upto about 1/4 of the engine cost on a plug wire and pray that it holds up better. I haven't had the cash to do just that so i've wrapped in in about 8 layers of electrical tape and soon to be some of that plastic protective covering.
It's also not a copper wire so trying to solder it part way through is not going to work.

Due to the above I wouldn't be surprised if my latest problem is related.
I've now blown 2 L78C plugs in about a week and a half. Left at work with 15km to peddle ;) It's hovering around freezing here, I keep my bike inside at night and it gets me to work great in the cool mornings, but sitting outside 7-8 hours at work, It's harder to start but tends to foul out the plugs after running for a few blocks, kinda puts out and dies, sometimes depending on speed it'll backfire. (Loud crack) Chinas backfire was more of a pop. I do let the engine warm up well.

I think if the plug wire was better I would have only had a flat tire, with that being totally my fault and very avoidable. (let the tire wear through)

15km*2(for each way)*80 (work days since build)=2400km just going to work and back.
you reminded me of trouble I use to have with my bike when it sat in the rain the first couple times... I had the engine die while riding it and figure it was moisture getting into the sparkplug boot and shorting it out so stupid me decided to check the connection while riding and twisted the wet spark plug boot and boy did that hurt... I use to be able to see it short out to the top frame tube at night until I twisted the cable off to one side and have yet to have it short out since. When I had my the sha carb mounted on a long trip at low rpm I had the sparkplug start to foul 20 miles from home, after a mile of full throttle, the problem went away. Now with my 19mm phbg it 4 strokes at 1/8-1/3 throttle and could cause the same issue but I havent gone for a long cruise with this carb...
So far reported issues with morinis include too rich carb, insufficient spark plug insulation, and missing components in the clutch pack. -Justin
 
Jun 18, 2008
168
1
18
Lancaster, PA / Newark, DE
Yea I am only 5' 8" and 130 lbs so i can wind out pretty good... I do beat it regularly but before going over 30mph I have to be committed and prepared cause it takes off... I have never snapped a spoke but my sprocket is mounted to the disk brake hub. The factory SHA allowed 48mph w/ a bicycle speedometer (and friends car). Now with the PHBG i need to buy another bike computer but according to a friends car it read 54mph. The true benefit of the PHBG is the increase in acceleration, it makes a big difference, I had a hesitation at 33mph with the SHA and now that has been eliminated with the PHBG. Im glad most arent having too many problems with these motors, hopefully emerica gets his sorted out soon, I will check if the plug wire is replaceable. -Justin

P.S. the reason i no longer have a bike computer is cause my morini vibrated my handlebars violently enough to destroy 2 of them, one of them which claimed to be vibration proof for $40. I have since filled my handlebars with molten lead and now the vibration is cut in half just have to get motivated to go to the store and get another :).
 
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Emerica

New Member
Feb 1, 2008
65
0
0
Vibration for me is pretty low, way lower than any ht.
Maybe your thinner frame is more prone to the vibes, my frame uses 4130 steel tubing which has been really good so far and it'll be good to weld to from what i can gather compared to allot of the aluminium frames now.
 

robin

Member
Nov 15, 2008
618
4
18
78
Penticton British Columbia Canada
SCSW bike 5.8 Morini 56 tooth rear sprocket 210 lbs.---at 150 miles 2 shoe clutch one side blew in half sent to Pipelyne for warranty returned runs great (and still needing them to send info to customs so i can get 130 dollars back)-customs charged for another engine Morini USA site is down !!
 
Jun 18, 2008
168
1
18
Lancaster, PA / Newark, DE
SCSW bike 5.8 Morini 56 tooth rear sprocket 210 lbs.---at 150 miles 2 shoe clutch one side blew in half sent to Pipelyne for warranty returned runs great (and still needing them to send info to customs so i can get 130 dollars back)-customs charged for another engine Morini USA site is down !!
so that makes two of us... Wonder what caused the shoes to fail on yours, as I stated before my engine had a missing washer. My theory is somewhere in Italy there is a forgetful factory worker with 2 clutch washers in his pocket...
 

Emerica

New Member
Feb 1, 2008
65
0
0
I'm in the clutch boat too now...
Popped a retaining clip and chipped part of the inner ring the clip goes into.
Should the clutch be covered under herdans warranty?
I'd like to think the ignition wire should be but the clutch is kinda one of those things that may or may not be?

Herdan hasn't got back to me on stock, KTM50 has the clutch pack for 129US +25 shipping, then I'll need the bushing as the bell is loose now. UK sites like the clutch about 45 pounds

Rev motorsports here in Canada want like 250 for the clutch pack. At that price I'd just by another engine.

Arg, I need to find a clutch or in the very least clips so I get to work and back.
Anyone got places for morini s6 parts besides herdan ktm or somewhere in the UK?


Also will the 3 shoe clutch fit a s6e, i know they were coming in the s6s but unsure if there is any difference in the bottom end that would prevent it.
 

Emerica

New Member
Feb 1, 2008
65
0
0
The morini site is still down and unknown if it will come back, there was news about moto morini having problems paying salaries for sept but more news came out that those have now been paid. But dealers and distributers bills were left unpaid. I don't know if this is the same company as franco morini as 2 companies were running at at least one time and the name had been sold I think.

The whole site is dead though, pdfs and all. Server runs but all the files are gone or the server config has changed and not linked to the right dir anymore. and motomorini.com is dead too.

Fun stuff, get your parts while you can if they are dead I guess,
The s5 and possibly 6 engines are in KTM, LEM, HUSKY ,MALAGUTI? GRIZLY RX10/12 and a few other mini bikes


Sources:
ITALIAN BRAND MOTO MORINI IS GOING UNDER, OR IS IT? Iconic Italian Brand Goes Into Voluntary Liquidation, But That Doesn?t Mean That It Is Going Bankrupt. Or Does It? | News | Motocross Action
 
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robin

Member
Nov 15, 2008
618
4
18
78
Penticton British Columbia Canada
I got my customs papers today from SCSW- yahoo- now i can get 130 dollars back from customs i hope--i talked to the Franco Morini USA site 2 1/2 weeks ago on the phone and the 3 shoe clutch works on the S6 engine--it allows adjustment in shifting rpm,s
 

Emerica

New Member
Feb 1, 2008
65
0
0
Buddy brought spanner tool over to try and get nut off the clutch, its on good and the clutch metal is crap cracking on one hole, edge off the other :/
Photos show missing clip and chip from it coming out. Photo2 is whats left of the clip.
 

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Dan

Staff
May 25, 2008
12,765
115
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Moosylvania
Bummer! I really wanted one and have been following this thread closely. (PS, thanks all for reporting. Great read)