More racing with Classics in Spain - Pictures

[TooFastTim]

That exhaust is interesting. The pixies are not perfectly clear but it looks as though the header goes into a two chamber 'expansion chamber' and a long stinger bleeds off pressure mid way along the chamber on the rh side. Interesting although I don't know how sound the design is in science and theory. Comments, Lozza?? I understand that the pressure can be bleed off anywhere along the chamber and the length of the stinger is not critical (I think) but I think it would be pressure rather than a 'tuned' reflected pulse wave than stops the fresh charge from going down the exhaust. I would imagine it could be tuned to give good bottom end but overall it would be pretty inefficient would be my guess.

A fair bit of experimentation with exhausts was going on in trials at that time. Prior to the arrangment above expansion chambers* had been the flavour of the month, then this (or these) monstrosities became the rage. Now, in trials, we're back to a plain old pipe.

See below for Montesas "funny" pipe:



* At the time Montesa were playing with expansion pipes they also tried supercharging. Don't forget the only restrictions in trials are your tyres. You can do what you want with the motor.

[BultacoMacca]

Greg, those shocks might be French made Fournales airshocks
http://www.mawsolutions.com/html/fournales_shock_absorbers.html
The bio says the designer worked for Bultaco, shame he never came up with these shock for the Bulls in those days, would have been better than what they had.

[matcho mick]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz oh look,the ossa's reed  valved zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[mx250]

That exhaust is interesting. The pixies are not perfectly clear but it looks as though the header goes into a two chamber 'expansion chamber' and a long stinger bleeds off pressure mid way along the chamber on the rh side. Interesting although I don't know how sound the design is in science and theory. Comments, Lozza?? I understand that the pressure can be bleed off anywhere along the chamber and the length of the stinger is not critical (I think) but I think it would be pressure rather than a 'tuned' reflected pulse wave than stops the fresh charge from going down the exhaust. I would imagine it could be tuned to give good bottom end but overall it would be pretty inefficient would be my guess.

A fair bit of experimentation with exhausts was going on in trials at that time. Prior to the arrangment above expansion chambers* had been the flavour of the month, then this (or these) monstrosities became the rage. Now, in trials, we're back to a plain old pipe.

See below for Montesas "funny" pipe:



* At the time Montesa were playing with expansion pipes they also tried supercharging. Don't forget the only restrictions in trials are your tyres. You can do what you want with the motor.

Thanks Tim. Nice looking Monty - pretty minimalist and tidy - I like .

The pipe is interesting as well. Good 'packaging - really get the pipe out of the way. Keeps the pipe away from under the seat giving plenty of room for a free breathing airbox - an advantage for a responsive 2T motor.

Is that a production or prototype Monty? What year

Ciao. Thanks.

[cappra]

The Cota 330 (61M) was produced in 1985.  It was the last of the twin shock models.
It is the Montesa weapon of choice in modern twin shock competition in Europe.

[montynut]

Hi Jared, It is interesting that you should say that the 330 is the weapon of choice. I thought the 242 from the same year was a better bike (I have one  ). The 330 was very front heavy with weight of the exhaust moved in front of the engine. I was discussing the very issue with Peter Paice (you probably will not recognise the name but Oz followers of '70/'80s trials should) the other day. He was still on Montesa for Lyall / Barry at the time and initially rode the 330 but moved to the 242 as it was smaller, lighter, easier to loft the front wheel and the smaller engine made little difference. The bikes looked similiar except the 242 had a long tuned expansion chamber which was mounted conventionally.

  Geez, there I have gone and joined the hijack of this thread dam it 

[montynut]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz oh look,the ossa's reed  valved zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

And disk braked  and black 

[TooFastTim]

Thanks Tim. Nice looking Monty - pretty minimalist and tidy - I like .

My thoughts too. Possibly the best looking trials bike ever.

I thought the 242 from the same year was a better bike (I have one  ).

The 242 was the better bike. In the UK the contracted riders (Cartwright and Scholey) rodethe 242 instaed of the 330.

[cappra]

Alright, I take the 330 being the "weapon of choice" remark back.  For what it's worth,
at the 1985 World round in Washington state all the Montesa works riders were 330 mounted.

[TooFastTim]

Codina and...?

Sorry Jarred, the UK riders I mentioned were not world championship riders. The world bikes were a little bit special (including comstars wheels  ).

[montynut]

No need for that Jared as 'Modern' twinshock competition is totally different to how it was in the day. The current TS sections in Spain that I have seen in pictures may favour the bigger engined 330 as those guys seem to give no quarter for older bodies or bikes . I really like the look of the 330 and the engine continued on into the mono's. The 242 engine also continued although as we have discussed during my little issues with my 242 that engine parts can be an issue particularly pistons. I think Italikit actually have a 242 sized piston know is that correct?

Peter also indicated that he tried the new Mono 304 in '86 but stayed with the 242 as he felt it was a nicer bike to ride. By that stage he was competing periodically and his son was moving through the grades towards 'A' grade also on a 242.

[TooFastTim]

I think that you must remember what was happening in trials at that time. The advent of the Fantic had proven that big capacity and lots of flywheel wasn't neccessary for success in trials and small, minimal flywheel could be as successful. Added to this was the fact that the smaller capacity trials bikes like the Fantic and the Cota 242 would actually go round corners whereas bikes like the 349 had the turning circle of a fully laden supertanker. Trials is still feeling this effect today with minimum run up to steps and corners so tight the only way to get round them is by hopping.

So the 330 was the last of the breed of the old fashioned big engined trials bikes and the 242 was the first (Spanish) attempt at a modern trials bike.

I still reckon the 330 is one of the best lokking trials bikes ever.

[montynut]

I agree that the 330 is a great looking bike.

The 242 actually has a 3.2KG  flywheel believe it or not. But its was Montesa moving forward. Riding it feels much more like a 'Modern' compared to my 349. The controls are very light mass has been centralised as much as possible and the suspension was setup with very low unsprung weight so that you can really feel the tyre working.

Can we get back to Raing in Spain 

I want to see more of OLD 34 flying over YZ465s etc