MONTESA CAPRA VB 250 Parts Required

[cappra]

One way to tell if it's a VE or VF is the mount (circled) for the rear
support of the long side panels.  Also, the VF was the only model to use a bracket for the shock reservoirs.
Earlier VE's and late VB's were held in place with rubber o-rings!

[mx250]

Here's a late model VB. I don't know if the colour is original or if its been changed. This frame has the brace with the shock reservoir (but a different mounting system (half round tube welded to brace with O ring bands)).

[All Things 414]

Yes you're right Mick. The later VB didn't have the loop behind the seat. The frame colour threw me however it has got the brackets for the longer sidecovers and the reservoir holders as Jared says so yes it'd be a VF/VE. Yes paul the one pictured earlier (plastic yellow tank) is like the one I was telling you about.

[mx250]

Yes you're right Mick. The later VB didn't have the loop behind the seat. The frame colour threw me however it has got the brackets for the longer sidecovers and the reservoir holders as Jared says so yes it'd be a VF/VE. Yes paul the one pictured earlier (plastic yellow tank) is like the one I was telling you about.

Ross does the plastic tank mount the same as the f/glass one, with a bolt 25-50mm behind s/head? You can barely make out the mounting boss in Tom's photo (the cables are hooked around it).

The muffler laying across the frame in Tom's photo is the same as the VF250 I posted earlier (and different from VB muffler).

[cappra]

VF 250 without the squashed seat!  All tank mounting in the front was the same for the VB/VE/VF/VG.
The rear strap mounting was different in the way the lower portion of the strap was fixed.

[bigk]

I've fitted a VB tank to a VE with no problems at all, and no modifications to the frame. Looks heaps better in my opinion.
Cheers,
K

[runutz698]

so after reading all your replies I am confused now lol Well as for the type of bike it is!!! I think that the VE-VF is a better looking bike but I want to keep the bike orginal, so what is it?? Can the engine numbers tell you for sure what it is?? The front schocks and rear ones have are gold in clolor and the rear ones are crosco<--- Italian ones whitch I was told off the latter VE-VF model.

[cappra]

The model breaks are as follows.
1978 VB 250  starts at 73M11841  (1600 produced)
1979 VE 250 starts at 73M13468   (1400 produced)
1980 VF 250 starts at 73M14298   (600 produced)
1981 VG 250 starts at 73M15939   (unknown)
If you add the produced numbers on to the starting model numbers, it will not add up.
I cannot account for this, maybe someone has some ideas. (maybe overlapping models?)
The above starting serial numbers were taken from the Montesa parts books for the various models.

Your serial number is 73M15620
Clearly a late production 1980 VF 250
Honda red frame, greenish/gold forks, (same colour clamps) Corte Cosso shocks, yellow plastic tank.

[All Things 414]

I'm pretty sure that it's a VF and I'm pretty sure Christ will come walking through your lounge room before you get the right tank for it (same as in the pics).
Just to be picky , I've tried fitting my VE tank to the VF frame and the forks hit up against the tank. The VE tank must sit back a little further to avoid this so there is a difference. The VE tank also looks a little shorter...........
The one in MX250's pics there is up the shit and not a good bench-mark to go by. As stated by others before, The VB's had black frames not red. When that guy had the bike for sale, he reckoned it was un-molested but if you look where the paint has flaked off the legs (like that's the factory finish yeah!), you'll see the proper Monty Olive drab fork bottoms underneath. It's got a VE guard on it too.....

[cappra]

The VE tank might work with the smaller 35mm forks on the 250.  Maybe...
but either tank is going to be hard to find.

[runutz698]

Well what set out to be a an easy request has turned into a total re-thinking of what I trying to achive. Well it seems by the numbers posted that it is without a doubt a VF Capra. So now all that is left to do is hunt for parts, by some of your posts I think I need to pray for help.
So does anyone have any parts that they would like to part ways with in helping get my project underway??

I have already spoken to a few people and they have helped me out with a few of the parts I need which is awsome.

[mx250]

Those Cappra VBs sure are pretty EXCEPT for the sideways number plates. It'd have to be one of the oddest afterthoughts I've seen. It's as if they had built the new bike and then found out that the number plates didn't fit.
"No hay problema" they exclaimed and simply turned the things sideways thinking nobody would notice. This little design fork up spoils a nice bike I reckon.

Do drop in Old fella 

But I must agree with you, the side cover placement on the VB is particularly ugly. And that was after they got it so right with the V75  .



Things didn't improve it with the VE/F, it wasn't until the VG they got it right.



It might adapt something like this if it doesn't upset the Puritans  .

[mike1948]

hey Graeme,

That first photo of yours, is it really a V75?  The tank stickers are, but the frame, shocks/shock angle & side number plates look very much like a 74 250 VR - still a very beautiful bike - how much to freight it up to Mackay for a test run?

Mike

[bigk]

Can't say I agree, I reckon the sideways plates on the VB's look great and distinguish them from the pack. Love them VB Montesa's just the way they are.
Cheers,
K

[Hoony]

i really like the look of that VG.

Rossco, if you ever get one can i have a ride ? actually i would like a ride on your VF,
you wanna ride my 5-hundy at broadford?