VG414 ready for the track

[montynut]

Completed the VG414 today. The final critical part arrived. Rest easy Ross the small front number plate finally arrived today  so that I could toss the bloody great big thing fitted when I got it  . It unbelievably started first kick (6 slow prime kicks and then one almighty kick)   . Had a brief ride around our block (paddock)  . I am very pleased that the Montesa people kept going long enough to build this bike and where not put off by the lack of buyers that lead to the factory closure  as we all know it had nothing to do wth the economy in Spain at the time 

[Snowy 76]

Is that one of the goolie throwing monsters I`ve been chasing all season or a new one?  Looks Great!

[montynut]

A new one  . Larger tyre and more power  should be able to measure the roost in cubic metres  All I have to do is try and stay in front of the roosting part  I had trouble getting past Fernando last meet this should go over the top 

You may have chased it but you usually managed to get past  :'(.

[Rossvickicampbell]

looks nice - well done!

[mx250]

   

[414VG]

That looks fantastic Greg. Shouldnt the kickstart be 1 spline further forward perhaps??

Sandy

[cappra]

Sweet!  Looks great.

[montynut]

Possibly so Sandy and I had better nip out right now and tighten that rear brake anchor nut and trim the cable tie on the fork gaitor  .

[Captain Bilko]

Well done Greg (mind you it was mostly all there to begin with  . Yeah, yeah I know all about the crank and all that....) .

Sure it's an out-dated, under-designed dinosaur that really shouldn't be in the Evo/Pre 85 classes so just remember to keep telling yourself that when you're out-handling/jumping/accelerating the others without putting a spanner on it for the whole year (and collecting a lot of silverware in the process).

[montynut]

Yes Ross I know its was in great condition to start with. This was a strange sort of refurbishment as I thought it would be wash it, new tyres and fluids and fuel. But as always it still seems to have gobbled up a lot of time and money :'(.

And yes as we all know the Montesa's where such heaps that no one bought them causing the company to go belly up at the same time as Bully and Ossa and several other Spanish motor industry identities all because no one was buying them .

What they needed were some visionary Oz scribes to draw up a new company vision and to replace the incompetent Engineers that Montesa had  . Or alternatively an economy that was not the basket case of the developed world at the time may have also done the trick.

[cappra]

I dunno, I think for the engineers to make an outdated engine design work so well with limited resources, was pure genius!

[mx250]

And yes as we all know the Montesa's where such heaps that no one bought them causing the company to go belly up at the same time as Bully and Ossa and several other Spanish motor industry identities all because no one was buying them .

Talking for myself, when looking at new MX'ers in the early '70's it was price more than reputation or cool or acceptance that stopped me from buying. Early '70's Spanish and euro's were about 1/3 dearer than Jappers. Yes, you didn't have to run out and buy decent tyre, levers etc etc. But then Jap dealers (and spares) were at every street corner on a Saturday afternoon just when you needed them.

The Spanish price disadvantage was mainly due to some very dickie economic policies imposed by a Spanish police state dictatorship thanks to Gen Franco and cronies.

[montynut]

Cappra & MX250 you should know how I feel about Monties. Obviously my humour or point was way too subtle  . Oh well not to worry.

As you both know when you look inside a Monty engine and compare it to say a YZ465 or RM400/465 and then you ride the bikes it amazes me what the Japanese did with all the technology  ? The Monties are a complete package, and it’s the way they put their power to the ground. I know I'm talking to the converted.

Someone will be along shortly to tell us all that the Monty engine needs 4 more transfer ports, reed valves canter-lever this and case reed that and ha ha ha only 4 gears . Low and behold two years later most of the Japanese big bores had you guessed it 4 speeds (suddenly they had discovered something cunning and devious) I beleive that factory Yamaha's had 4 speeds in the mid '70s. Look at a ’78 and later HL500 rear suspension, does it look familiar? I'm not suggesting they copied maybe great minds think alike?