Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Three Wheeler & Super 3 Just a thought.

Slightly more power (like the original published 115bhp) and proper reliability is all the MTW needs.
While the wish for more power is just a wish, the reliability is a necessity.

My experience of other V Twins, Guzzi is good and absolutely everything else I've owned on bikes is better than the S&S except Harley which is equally as bad. Ducati,BMW (flat twin admittedly) Anything Japanese is far better than the M3W engine including my Honda CX500 which I owned 20 years ago. The S&S engine is American and therefore is underpowered,vibrates alot because it basically belongs in a Tractor and is inherently rubbish, also the finish which looks lovely will deteriorate faster than a whores knicker elastic in European weather. However if you are a car enthusiast then the M3W despite its shortcomings is the best car ever made. Four cylinder engine???, don't think so. :-)

You can say the same about almost any other 3 wheeler in current production that you care to think of. Starting with the Liberty Ace, that was the inspiration for the Morgan 3W, and the Triking which was the inspiration for the Liberty Ace.

Interesting topic and as an interloper, apologies for owning a 4 wheeler, an analogy could be the Mazda MX5 versus the Morgan. Which one is better built, better engineered, better value for money and so on. Which do I drive, well it's not a Mazda......

I too have had a CX 500: owned out of necessity. Soulless and handled like a piece of S**t. Friends had Guzzies, electrics were appallingly bad and handled like lumps of s**t. Have owned old and new flat twins. Old ones went out of balance immediately you removed the manometer and then vibrated unpleasantly. 2012 1200 gs adventure sold to buy 3W had a high frequency vibe that wasn't great, the standard seat was murder and the dealers are up their own arses. Also sold a Harley springer classic to fund 3W. Actually one of the best bikes I've owned but I think the 1450 engine was the last good one. Oh but Harley riders are more up their own arses than BMW dealers and riders. Also owned a Ducati: wonderful but electrics were s**t and engine sounded like a bag of nails at 12000 miles. Sold before major rebuild would have been required.
Long winded way of saying that rose tinted specs are easy to wear. The S and S definitly needs some running in. Mine is definitly smoother at 12000 mls and with all the mods is the best of well over 70 bikes and cars I've owned.
However the defintion of best has to take into account time, place and what fun you were or are having at the time.
The best daily runners were a CD 200 and a Honda Jazz.
Overall the 3W has so much character and soul and brings genuine joy into motoring

So, that's the Ducati engine out of the window then Matty? Looks like it keeps coming back to one of the Guzzis Peter.

Dont mince your words Matty, you're not originally from Yorkshire are you?

You also missed out B.O.S. (bag of sh1t).

Nice one all the same. You can't beat a good giggle at 8.00am on a Monday morning.

Matty, have you grown up on a farm?
Farmers turn sh*t into gold when they munure their fields.
Things may not be as bad as they seem...

I'm flattered but I am afraid I am not from Yorkshire. Gloucestershire by way of Judea, Eastern Europe and Germany.
The issues with the S And S seem to be restricted to the cam belt and I am sure that was a factory handling issue. I have 8000 mls on the new belt and shows no sign of wear. It is running more smoothly with age( or am I just getting used to it)
And the vibes are at a very tolerable frequency, unlike an awful lot of bikes I have owned. I have had my concerns about S and S but they are receding with time and miles. The engine now revs much more freely to 4000-5000 and there is a surprising amount of poke at these revs. I personally would be happy with a de tuned lower compression engine in the beast. For practical purposes anything above 75/80 is bloomin scary and not fun. B road blasting is were its at and the 3w is perfect in this environment. A roads are tolerable and motorways plain boring in the old girl. I've been a very strong critic of the engineering and build quality issues we've all had but the overall package is still superb. The 3w can only get better. I think Centa need the biggest thank you for getting the compensator right. Morgan have played very fair with me regards the chassis and other issues and told me they would stand by any owner with a broken chassis regardless of age. I know this is only a gentlemans agreement but I do feel it has some truth behind it.
My bevel box is now silent and I wonder now how much of this problem ( apart from the gloop )is down to belt sprocket noise. This is the only outstanding issue for me and has not been solved by my Dural modification. Stainless steel next.
The positives still massively outweigh the negatives.
A last thought, we all test drove the 3W and looked at the other offerings from Morgan and I am sure Most of recognised that Morgan hand build , not always we'll build cars. They are what they are. Typically British engineered heaps of joy.

Matty, given that there a a large number of Morgan owners who are also Harley owners, including myself, I'm assuming that you had a fair amount of tongue in cheek when making your comments earlier in this thread!

Cheers