Motesa Cota 247 year ID?

[Colin Jay]

I am going to have a look at a 247 Motesa Cota after work tomorrow with the intention of making an offer to buy it. The guy who has it had it given to him a few years back and knows nothing about Montesa's. Is there any thing in the engine or frame numbers that gives a clue to the year model of these bikes? Or are there any other visual give aways that can be used to determine the year model?

Thanks,
CJ

[paco]

South west montesa has model I.D numbers.Hope this helps.P

[cappra]

Hard to tell by the year by just the numbers, since they are all 21M's.
If I saw a pic of the bike I could tell you the exact year.  One hint,
Cota 247's with left side shift were built from 1974 on.

[TooFastTim]

It's a generalisation but silver frame, larger front brake is an early model. Black frame, smaller front brake is later. Horizontal purple stripe on tank is a Ulf Karlson rep (1975/6?).

Take a pic and post it we'll try to figure it out.

Early:



Later:



1979:



Later Montesa tried to make the 247 look (a bit) like the 348. This is the T version:



UKR:



The finally got the big Cota and the little ún to coverge with the 248:



For some other stuff have a look at: http://www.todotrial.com/ttclasico/reportajes/spanishtrialbikes.htm

[Colin Jay]

Thanks for the help guys, I had a look at it tonight on the way home from work. By the pictures that I have found on the web, it is a 1978 model (or maybe a 79). It is rough but fairly complete, broken mudguards etc. The engine supposedly runs and the biggest problem is the swingarm pivot has been allowed to come loose and the holes are flogged out and hence the swingarm is a bit floppy, nothing that can't be fixed though.

I have told the to seller that I will buy it, asking price is more than fair. I will post a couple of pictures when I get it home, which could be a couple of weeks away.

Is their anyone here in Aust, that has much in the way of bit for Montesa's of this era?

Thanks again,

CJ

[Mike52]

I fell in love with these when walking past Don Newells in the late 60's.
The salesman had given her a kick to show a buyer how easy they started.
He came out the doorway , crossed the footpath in front of me and out onto the main road.
He'd kicked her in gear and she took off.
He didn't look to be having a lot of fun.

[TooFastTim]

Is their anyone here in Aust, that has much in the way of bit for Montesa's of this era?

CJ, I can't speak for Aus but parts for the 247 (as opposed to the 172/242) are pretty easy to get. There was a nice article in the last VMX (#46)

[Colin Jay]

I picked up the bike on Friday (also got a freebie wrecked GT80 Yammie);





From the picture that I have seen on the net etc, I think it is probably a 1979 model. Anyone want to confirm or refute that?

I spent a bit of time playing with it this afternoon. I lifted the head and the bore was fine and the piston didn't rattle too much, although I will have a good check later on.

I noticed that there was no head gasket, is this normal, I know that my 390 Husky dosen't run one, you just lap the head on to the cylinder, is it the same deal with these Monties?

After cleaning out the carbie, and cleaning the points, it started up fairly easily, and had no more rattles than I would expect from a 30 year old bike.

My biggest problem is going to be the frame. I had a better look at it and along with the swingarm pivot holes being flogged out, the lower frame rails are F@#$%d. Bushing the swingarm pivot is within my abilities, but replacing the lower frame rails is probably beyond my skill level. I have thought of cutting them out and replacing them with a thick alloy bash plate as on the last model Bultaco Sherpa's. But the engine is only mounted in two positions, 1 x front a 1 x rear mounts and I worry that it might not be strong enough. Has anyone every removed the lower frame rails from one of these Montesa's? Or should I bight the bullet and sent the frame to GMC and see if he will replace them?

CJ

[David Lahey]

CJ the Bultaco Sherpa t models with the bashplate and no tubes under the motor really only have two engine mounting points anyway, because the rear motor mounts on them only attaches to the frame via the swingarm pivot axle.
I think structurally it is fine the way it is now and unless there are problems with the tubes pushing against the cases or preventing the sidecovers coming off, why not just fit a bashplate over the damaged tubes? Of course if the visual effect of flat tubes bothers you that is different.
By the look of those tubes, I would have a good look around the steering head attachments for cracks and also for curving of the top and front tubes in case they also need work while you are doing the work under the motor.
David

[Colin Jay]

Thanks for the advise David, I own a 199A Sherpa, so I was aware about the way the rear engine mounts are arranged. In comparison to the Bultaco frame, the Montesa frame just looks a whole lot more delicate / fragile, which was the reason for my doubts. But, I will only ride it in clubman level / twinshock events so its not a case that it is  going to get a real hard time.

The current frame rails have been fairly well trashed and don't allow the clutch cover to be removed and pretty much the same on the maggie side as it took a fair bit of giggling to get the cover off to clean the points. The bike at one time had a very rough sidecar on it, and they had drilled a hole through the lower frame rail just beneath the gear lever for a mounting point, resulting in there being more hole that frame rail at that point.

I will definitly have a look over the entire frame as through my trials sidecar experience I know how much stress they put on a frame, having had to do repairs to my Sherpa's a few times.

CJ

[David Lahey]

CJ I see a 247 frame with unbashed frame tubes has just appeared on eBay http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Montesa-Cota-247-Frame-/260836199303?pt=AU_Motorcycle_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3cbb0c8b87