THE MONTESA STORY
Posted by Tony Down at 11/20/2007 6:47 AM 
Categories: Vintage Motorcycles, Vintage Bikes, Building Vintage Motorcycles
Categories: Vintage Motorcycles, Vintage Bikes, Building Vintage Motorcycles
THE MONTESA STORY
Despite having ridden Montesas for a couple of years, and done quite well on them, but that
really wasn’t that much of a surprise having previously been on a Greeves with the magic
banana forks. I remember the steel being soft and the paintwork awful, weak rear shocks,
bendable axels and swinging arm bolts falling out in the middle of Blackwater during the Scottish.
I also recall stories of a piston being fitted backwards at the factory and the bike went 10 times
better so they fitted them that way from then on.
After building 20+ Yamahas I stupidly thought it would be fun to try my hand at some of the other vintage/twinshocks so e-bay is given the once over and a 76 Rathmell replica was found and
purchased….. now the fun begins!!
It arrives in a crate which would have done credit to a cabinet maker and by the time I have
undone 50-60 3” woodscrews the beast is finally free. The handlebars are unbelievable, about 3”
wider than usual, flat and varying taper. Jokingly called Montesa “super akront” they would have
looked good on a Texas Longhorn.
Ooops! Something I didn’t notice in the e-bay photos, the front wheel has been fitted the wrong
way round as the brake anchor stay has been sheared off the left fork leg. Some shade tree
mechanic now has it arse backwards and connected to the speedo bracket on the right leg!! The
rest of the machine appears all there, but we will see.
Dismantling begins, and everything is difficult! The exhaust is like one of those Arabic puzzle rings
and every which way you go it lodges in something and then after you have given up in disgust it
slips out by itself and falls on the floor!
The plastic airbox has several stress cracks in it so that’s heading for the bin and now lets look
at the rear end….. wheel bearings shot, sprocket hooked, chain knackered…. The list continues.
Up front one leg has the brake stanchion broken off, needs a new cable and there are these awful
gaiter things that just cover up all the oily mess from the shot seals. Needless to say the fender
has long since had it and the back one can be converted if I keep the lower half.
at the rear end….. wheel bearings shot, sprocket hooked, chain knackered…. The list continues.
Up front one leg has the brake stanchion broken off, needs a new cable and there are these awful
gaiter things that just cover up all the oily mess from the shot seals. Needless to say the fender
has long since had it and the back one can be converted if I keep the lower half.
Spend a while searching the floor for the exhaust gasket only to dimly remember Montesas don’t
bother with gaskets but rely on coke to eventually cement everything together. Off with the head,
No gasket here either! And now try and remove the barrel. Try various tools and discover it’s an
allen bolt. Try the 6 nothing! Try the 8 nothing! It is in fact a 7 and of course that does not come
with any known allen set that I have ever used. Not only is it a 7 but a long shank to boot! I think
the Spanish did it deliberately in revenge for us sinking their Armada …. And then they have
another random allen, the 4 and ½, so you may as well get that while you are out shopping.
A trip to South West Montesa to see Jed Bates and I have most of what I will need. Two new
fork legs, new fenders a couple of lever blades, oil seals, cables, points and condensers that
monties eat like candy and a new front engine sprocket.
fork legs, new fenders a couple of lever blades, oil seals, cables, points and condensers that
monties eat like candy and a new front engine sprocket.
Send the cases for the extreme makeover and then freshen up the paintwork. This one is going
into the Purple/Black/Chrome finish with a silver head and pipe.
Wheels next and they polish up well so out with the rear wheel bearings, not forgetting that
Montesa throw a tiny circlip in just to spoil your day. One bearing almost drops out but it’s
partner refuses to budge, so using the bigger hammer out it comes, well the balls and the inner
race do….. CRAP! This is a lot of extra work with power tools various but finally the cheap Spanish
steel gives in.
Time for the engine sprocket and after removing all the cover plates and guides discover that this
beauty is on a tapered shaft with a woodruff key. Puller after puller is tried but I’m getting
nowhere so eventually Mister Makita is brought into play and I delicately cut through the sprocket
and crack it open like a tough brazil nut. The new sprocket from Talon does not have a woodruff
key, just a press fit on the tapered shaft. Well they have been making sprockets for comp bikes
for years so I guess they know what they are doing.
Parts back from chroming so the rebuild begins. Engine all done, the ridiculous slotted head case
bolts all replaced with allens, some arm wrestling with the exhaust and things are looking good.
New bars, throttle and levers and as always new cables and we are nearly ready for the test
firing. New tires, fenders and chain but now I can’t tighten up one of the chain guards over the
engine sprocket. Is the nut stripped? Is it the threaded bit on the engine? Did I hit it with the
Makita? All good questions, and all WRONG. As part of Montesas quest to find the most annoying
and worthless piece of engineering this one really takes the biscuit! The thread that I’m trying
to put the nut on is NOT a stud, it has not stripped in the alloy…… it is in fact a 12 INCH long bolt
that starts life on the clutch side so that case has to come off again and then tightening up can
continue!
It’s done! It Runs! And It’s Sold.
The man who buys it brings me another ONE!!!
TONY DOWN Si Habla Espan..........
Don't forget those October articles if you havn't read them.
That is a sweet bike. Great project, and I'm glad you got another one to work on.
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Hi Tony
Happy New Year.
What did Henry Ford say ?
"Any colour as long as its purple"
Ross
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