For Wombat Cota 172

[David Lahey]

In here there is a nice brochure photo of a 172 but it has round fork legs.

http://geocities.com/cotamontesa/

I don't think I've seen one before with square fork legs but I'll keep looking
Regards
David

[cappra]

Post 1979 Cota 123/200's had square forklegs.  172 never did.

[Wombat]

Thanks for the site David, I've been Googling Montesa images and sites over the past few days.
I'm yet to locate any leads on workshop manuals - are they available (preferably in english...)?
And cappra, thanks for the tip on the forks. David directed me to your site - very tidy and informative by the way.

I bought the bike on eBay and the blurb calls it a '1976 Cota 172 rare square-fork leg model' - which meant squat to me.
It's a mid 70's Spanish trials bike and that's what I'd been chasing for a while. I have no 'Trials' background.

But tell me, does having later model forks mean I'll have dramas with scrutineering at vintage/twin shock trials?
And are these 'Factory Koni shocks'?

[cappra]

There was no "rare square fork leg model" on the Cota 172.
I don't think you will have any problem passing tech, as the forks you have mounted
look to be from a 76' Cota 348, so your in the same time era, if that matters.
Not sure of your rules there, but in the states, this bike would have no problems
getting thru tech.  Sorry, but Koni's never came as standard on Cota's.  Again,
I don't think you should have any drama going thru tech with aftermarket shocks.
There are no official Montesa workshop manuals.  There are
Chilton and Clymer repair guides, but they are not model specific.  They still give
some good general information.

[Wombat]

You're a wealth of information cappra, thank you!
I'm currently chasing one of the Clymer 'Vintage' series manuals as it claims to cover Montesas of that era.
'Chilton' I'm not familiar with - but when in doubt, Google it...

[cappra]

The Clymer guides are pretty easy to find on Ebay.  They did reprint the manual
but it's bundled in with the Bultaco and Ossa repair guide.

[David Lahey]

Jared those forks on Wombat's 172 are not from a 348 - 348 forks have a leading axle. Don't ask me what they are off though.
Wombat, eligibility scrutineering for Twinshock class where you will be riding is based on peer pressure -you and your 172 will be welcomed with open arms.
Our MA rules say that the bike has to be a pre '87 twinshock model and have drum brakes and air cooling. There was a 1984 cut-off a while back but we wanted to allow people to ride TLR250s and late model Cota twinshocks so it was changed to 1987.
For an example of what would be frowned upon is Yamaha monos are air cooled and drum braked and came out in 1984, but are not allowed even if modded to be twinshock.
David

[JC]

How reliable were the 172 motors? I read somewhere that they had fragile clutch/gear selector/kick starter issues. Is it true?

[Wombat]

...eligibility scrutineering for Twinshock class where you will be riding is based on peer pressure -you and your 172 will be welcomed with open arms.
Our MA rules say that the bike has to be a pre '87 twinshock model and have drum brakes and air cooling. There was a 1984 cut-off a while back but we wanted to allow people to ride TLR250s and late model Cota twinshocks so it was changed to 1987...
David

How nice is that? Are you talking about OZ? That sounds like the Kiwi attitude to VMX.
But thanks for the tip.
And by the way I've also picked up a TY250A, though neither have arrived as yet.

[cappra]

Your correct.  The 348's forks are leading axle. I checked all my data
and the only square fork legs with a non leading axle is the VA mx model!
so I'm not sure what they are off of.

JC,
The motor is reliable.  There is a problem with the kickstarting mechanism.
When starting the bike you have to feel the kicker engage the starter gear
before kicking.  If you just pounce on the kicklever, you can strip one or both
kick gears and finding these gears new is almost an impossible task.  You don't
want to treat this motor the way you would an mxer!

[Wombat]

...the only square fork legs with a non leading axle is the VA mx model!
so I'm not sure what they are off of.

...There is a problem with the kickstarting mechanism.When starting the bike you have to feel the kicker engage the starter gear
before kicking.  If you just pounce on the kicklever, you can strip one or both
kick gears and finding these gears new is almost an impossible task.  You don't
want to treat this motor the way you would an mxer!

What year is the VA MXer? Any more 172 hints like the kick starter tip?

[cappra]

VA's were built in 1976.  No other tips for the 172 that I can think of.

[JC]

They don't look long enough to be VA fork-legs.

What dia are the fork tubes Wombat? 35mm? They look smaller than that.
Std 172 tubes were 30.5mm I think.

[Wombat]

Hmmm, I'll measure and let you know - when it arrives.
The body work looks quite faded in the photos. Is that fibreglass or a plastic?
Would 'cut & polish' (Bling in a tube ) bring it up?

and while I think of it, do you think maybe the high sitting rear mudguard is the result of looping it?
I haven't seen any other 172's with a guard that high.

[JC]

W,

yes the rear loop is definitely bent up way hi-er than std. Tank is fibreglass & would probably benefit from cut & polish.

I seem to recall that 172s originally came w 20" fr & 17" rear wheels, tho later models may have come w 21/18".


Jared, can these engines be safely taken out to 175cc w a larger (64mm) piston? (or thereabouts?)