COUGHING IN THE SECTION





 As a dedicated, not dead yet, afficionado of the "Rothman's" brand I had drooled over the Grand
Prix bikes in their wonderful livery and never ever got to see any of the Trials Hondas that Rothmans
were supporting until tobacco sponsorship became socially unacceptable. I'm told that Honda in a
fit of peek, as they weren't winning anything, took all their "Works RTL's" and put them in a
crusher! They tell me one escaped and is alive and well in France.

 A few years later after making the TLM series Honda quit the trials scene again!....... and then
 with classic business sense make the  decision, if you can't make one, buy the factory that can
.... and so Montesa is bought by Honda. I wonder how long it will be before the Montesa badging
vanishes completely?

 For my part I kick off the Honda acquistion with an Erion Racing 929 RR and then transform it into
a "Rothman's Racing" edition which of course there never was. About the same time Adrian Lewis
was rebuilding a later model RTL (Adrian's web www.lewisportusa.com lots of good stuff and
especially the interesting bike section) anyhooo, I get the RTL in it's unfinished state and will do
the final painting at this end.




 No sooner was this project under way when, a 260 TLM comes up on E-bay with all the usual
"strong runner etc, etc" again my lucky day nobody seems interested and a little while later it
arrives. As always the pictures are somewhat better than the real thing! Scruffy would be the
best way to describe the beast or ridden hard, put away wet!




 Into the shop with you, strong runner indeed? there is NO fuel pipe!! ........ and NO sparks!!

 Source some new fenders, not easy, and now with 2 tank shrouds from the RTL and the TLM time
to see my painting man. As this TLM is going to become a full "Rothmans" the strip down continues
and engine plates forks and yokes are off for polishing while I'll work on the swinging arm, bash
plate and some ancillaries. Engine needs a touch of Gold and Black so out with that and then
respray the frame. The engine doesn't want to play ball and at this stage I find the frame is
BROKEN in THREE places! Again it's my lucky day and within 48 hours the frame is back with
welding that would do a jeweller proud. He has resleeved everything internally and the joints are
perfect WOW! and all for $100.00! 





 The 260 TLM was another of those bikes not sold in the USA, so I assume this one originated in
Canada and seems to be in a European color scheme as the others I have seen were in the
Pentax Camera Livery.




 From a layout point of view these early mono-shocks were a nightmare with all manner of bits
just velcroed or bolted on in the most bizarre places and virtually nothing is accessible without
taking the shroud off. Redesign some of the layout and now the rebuild is underway time to get
some sparks. Now I thought this thing was Japaneese but it behaves more like an Italian and is
infuriating and tempermental as I can have sparks in the workshop in the morning....... come back
after lunch ......none!   Sparks in the workshop...... take it outside... nothing! Eventually after
rewiring completely we are good and it fires up first kick..... what a beast, the power is
unbelieveable and it's handling is equally impressive. 





 So here it sits as there isn't really a class for it although I am tempted to ride it next year just for
fun and to amaze myself with what it can do even if, I can't, or don't want to! 



 

Smoke anyone?


TONY DOWN  


Remember there are 50+ articles in the November archives if you are looking for more to read on
a winter's night.