Montesa anybody?

[montman]

Just wondered whats going on on the cappra front as it seems to be quiet out there has everyone gone away or like me have you just been too busy.My excuse is what with work,chairman of a motocross club,running MX meetings,holding weekly club nights,a Director of the AMCA(although this does not take up much time its still time)and still riding(2011 rmz450)on weekends it does not allow me much time to sit down and spend an hour or two on the computer and as i have the time now here goes.
Managed to take my 1981 414 cappra out a few weeks ago and rode it at a modern meeting along with my rmz450 so managed to do practice and 6 races(bloody knackered)it was interesting to see my lap times and compare the 414 against the rmz450 and i was just under 3 seconds a lap slower on the 414 ( a lap was 2minute15 seconds on the rmz)which was quite pleasing considering i had not rode the 414 for a good while  so getting used to the brakes or lack of (now i know how i used to corner so fast back in my younger days)and also the 4 speed box add this to the throttle response not being as good as the fuel injected rmz and yes i was very happy with the 414.

Suspension on the 414 was also very good in fact my shoulders did not hurt as much after a 15 minute race on the 414 as they did on the rmz and the rear shocks handled everything as good as the rmz did.

Power wise as i have said fuel injection is better than carb but once that initial split second was out of the way the 414 left a lot of the other riders wondering what was in the engine as it left them up the straights,i let them all go off the start first and then to finish 7th out of 25 riders was for me a result by the way i only finished 4th on the rmz in the other races after 3 races on each bike my results were 414  7th overall/rmz 4th overall.

Have just purchased a cappra 250 VB 1978 3rd owner from new needs tidying up although i could use it tomorrow if i wanted originally came from Holland also just got hold of another 414 engine with new piston and bore from a VG model that was broke up years ago i will be able to make up a complete bike with this and my other parts I've got.

Must not let the wife know i am still collecting more monty's and must take the 414 out more often because it was very enjoyable.
One sour note is you always get some know it all that likes to tell you that some part of your bike is not as it should be this really pees me off as i build my bikes(yes i know some colours and parts are not right)the way i like them its what i like that counts as i am the one that is spending the money and stopped these bikes from being broke up many years ago.

Really really disappointed i can not get to the VMX denations as work gets in the way and yes i have tried all ways to get around it but can not i hope every one has a good time and the weather is good may be next year  i will be able to race and take 6 t0 12 monty cappras down to put a bit of a monty show on.   
   

[jimg1au]

all i have is a 1969 250gp5 which is on the way from la as i type.motor still on the usa mainland as seller wants to run first befor shipping as he recoed it for me and cant get the motoplat to work.
jim

[414VG]

Thats funny Mick, i was just thinking the same last night that there has been no Cappra chat for ages!  Good to hear you had a good run out on the 414 !!

Sandy

[Montynut]

Since Ross left the Montesa brigade have lost a little forum momentum  .

I’ve been busy with work and family (your kids have kids apparently although I have been competing in Heaven VMX and a little Twinshock Trials with Denman club.
Last weekend I took part in the Heaven Canberra meeting took along the VR250, VB360, VF250 and VG414.

The VR had another problem but this time totally of my own making

The VB ran like clockwork although the track took its toll with a blown fork seal, blown shock seal and a broken front rim (noticed after last race). Flat landed over one of the very large table top jumps during the last race. I did manage to have a couple of class wins, just.

The VF was running very well and gained some good results in a very strong field. They are a great bike to ride, decepitively quick and excellent handling just needs a faster rider

The VG is still not proving to be my favourite . Just cannot seem to make friends with it.  Finally appear to have the suspension worked out and the carburation seem very close after the Bing was rebuilt.  Slowly making progress with the handling but cannot seem to get the expansion chamber mounted that gives a good cylinder seal and/or it vibrates badly against the frame somewhere .

I have started putting together a bike for Dirt Track. I’ll be using a VE/VF chassis, VB swingarm and VE body work. The Engine will use a 360 H6 6speed gearbox and crank with a 414 piston giving around 390cc. Front wheel will be RM400 Suzuki for the better brake and suspension travel will be relatively short for low centre of gravity. Hopefully it will be a fun bike to ride .

I’m looking at selling my H7 250 and Cota 349 (white tank) :'( to fund a couple of other projects that may come my way .

[montman]

Montynut the expansion chamber can be difficult to get a good seal especially if it has been tweaked a bit it might not look as though it is but it does not need it to be that much out for it to do both of what you described.
Are you just boring out the 360 cylinder and putting the 414 piston in it or are there any other mods to make it happen.

The 414 i rode in my previous post has a totally different frame to the other montys i have ie the 250/360/414 vb/ve/vf and vg frames it also differs from the 250vg frame that i have,the shock mounts/air box/longer swing arm are different plus a few other bits these have not been modified by me or previous owners also no frame number and have met with a brick wall when trying to find out more about it no one knows even asked montesa factory as it is now but no records they say still worth a try.

Have you modified the suspension on your bikes?,on the above 414 i run stock front with 15 weight oil and 12psi pressure.
On the rear i have a pair of gold betors with adjustable top and bottom spring retainers they seemed a bit soft but worked extremely well.
I did try a couple of pairs of ohlins but they were like pogo sticks.

I would love to put some photos of my bikes on here but i am not that good with computers.

Ross certainly did keep the monty side of the forum alive even though it was by ruffling a few feathers at times. 

[414VG]

Sorry, has Ross left the fold?

Sandy.

[Montynut]

Ross is no longer on the forum but still has a 414. Long story Got to be careful of some feathers and how much you ruffle em!

Yep any damage to the chamber makes life hard. My 414 Chamber looks perfect but it is proving very difficult to get right. I normally bolt up the cylinder flange tight and straight by bottoming the springs. Then I attach all the mount points so that they do not deflect the chanber and when everything is mounted up I back off the cylinder nuts to allow the springs to do their job. This 414 chamber just seems to move once the bike has been running for a period. It is really starting to get me. Once the chamber starts vibrating against the frame or cylinder it feels like the whole bike is shaking apart and will crack something pretty quickly.

I have been running the YSS 16mm shaft shocks on my VB360, VF250 and VG414. They are giving excellent performance and I have had absolutely know problems with them. The quality of the shocks and their on track performance has been great. All have seen more than a years hard use only one shock seal failed last Sunday just enough to cause a problem. They are away for e rebuild as we speak. Walter (YSS Oz) and Les (NSW YSS dist) at YSS seem to be a couple of guys interested in the special shock needs of the Monty's pretty extreme shock location.

The track I rode at last weekend has some big table tops (whicxh are a real challenge on an EVO bike) and large jumps which really need heavier springs fitted which I did not have. I got away with the VG and VF due to the longer travel but the VB360 bottomed badly a couple of times (rider error) when I miss judged some of the jumps. We are restricted to 9" of travel front and rear on Pre78 bikes in Oz when we know that VB360/250 had 10.25 front and rear in '77.

The 360 (83.4mm) cylinder can be bored to accept the 414 pistons (88mm) with enough meat left in the sleeve. The head needs machining to suit the larger bore.

[farmer58za]

Just got a box of parts in from SouthWest Montesa (Thanks Jared), and my re-built crank from the engineering shop.

My VB 250 engine re-build can now continue.

Regards
David

[Montynut]

The YSS shocks have been rebuilt and it was not a seal failure. The small gas filiing port had just loosened enough to release the gas and some oil. All good again.

Farmer the VB250 will be a great bike, I'd love one. I probably enjoy riding my VB360 the most of all my bikes. MY VF250 is the easiest to ride.

[cappra]

David,
Happy to see the parts arrived ok. I had lost the receipt that had the tracking numbers, so
I was sweating it! Will be making a piston order in about two weeks, so let me know if you
need any.

                                                                             Jared

[paul]

from big k

[monte34]

Looks like a "keeper" or two in that lot

[cappra]

Head is on backwards on the VR 

[farmer58za]

I phoned the post office the next day and they found my parcel, despite them not having a tracking number!
I'll be needing that piston, 0.50mm oversize. What's the chance of you getting it before the 28 October? I'll be in the USA that week.
Regards
David

David,
Happy to see the parts arrived ok. I had lost the receipt that had the tracking numbers, so
I was sweating it! Will be making a piston order in about two weeks, so let me know if you
need any.

                                                                             Jared

[bigk]

All the bikes in the office are "keepers". The VR is not mine, I just had my pipe builder make the pipe. I'll let the owner know about his head
Cheers,
K