feetupfun Posted January 3, 2009 Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 I visited a bike boneyard to look at two M49s and luckily they were examples of a series 2 and a series 3 bike. This posting has the photos of the series 2 M49 serial number M4902195 and the next posting shows the other bike. What got me motivated to go looking was a post by Woody: "The serial numbers are from Bultaco's own figures so they should be right. However, they only list the model 49 as having one frame change during its production run but there were two. Series 1 with single tube under engine, upright shocks. Series 2, single frame tube under engine, angled shocks with seat unit altered to accomodate relocated top shock mounts. Series 3, twin frame tubes under the engine, like the M80 and which was the basis for the Kit Campeon." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feetupfun Posted January 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 Here are the M49 Series 3 photos. Serial number is M4902517. I put the handlebar clamp photo in because I wanted to show why many people replaced the top steering yoke on their M49 for one with a better clamp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feetupfun Posted January 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 Here is a photo of a Series 1 M49 for reference purposes showing the more upright shockie positioning. Serial number M4900100 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne_weedon Posted January 3, 2009 Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 That second frame does look just like an M80. Is the engine in the first bike original? I would of thought the M49 engine would of still had the early 4/5 speed covers, ie clutch adjustment on the left cover, well at least the couple of M49 engines I have here are like that. Wayne.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feetupfun Posted January 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 That second frame does look just like an M80.Is the engine in the first bike original? I would of thought the M49 engine would of still had the early 4/5 speed covers, ie clutch adjustment on the left cover, well at least the couple of M49 engines I have here are like that. Wayne.... Wayne the numbers on that bike matched but there is no guarantee the magneto cover hadn't been replaced. I do think though that the magneto covers changed to the M80 type at some time during the M49 model run as I have seen plenty of other M49s with the M80 type magneto cover. My series 1 M49 has the older mag cover with the multi-start thread clutch release mechanism but the clutch has a surprisingly nice action. When I first got the bike I was worried it would be inferior to the later, cam type clutch actuator with the arm on top. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feetupfun Posted January 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 Wayne I just looked in Historia de la Sherpa T and the text there says "A new chassis comes into production from bike number 4902426 onwards. Previously, the mudguards and the engine's outer cases had been modified" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne_weedon Posted January 3, 2009 Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 Wayne I just looked in Historia de la Sherpa T and the text there says "A new chassis comes into production from bike number 4902426 onwards. Previously, the mudguards and the engine's outer cases had been modified" Ongoing development I guess. I'm not sure we can become too set in our opinions when talking Bultaco's Those early mag covers were not that strong. I recall a serious Bultaco collector friend from Italy coming to see me years ago and looking at my MK9 370 Pursang, he was sure it was all wrong! But it's turned out rear shock mountings on that had changed mid year. That machine is an oddball in one other way, the engine and frame numbers do NOT match, but are only 1 last digit out. Wayne... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feetupfun Posted January 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 Thats right Wayne and I'm sure it was pretty frenetic in the factory and they had the philosophy of making improvements to a bike as soon as it was possible rather than holding off changes till the next years production run. It shouldn't be a surprise that the M49 frame looks like a M80 frame. The only differences I can think of are the mounting points for the seat/sidecovers and mufflers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swooshdave Posted January 3, 2009 Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 As Dave knows I've been tracking the M49 changes for a while. I'm currently putting together some web pages to track the updates along with the many pictures I've collected. I'll then ask folks to proof the pages for accuracy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swooshdave Posted January 3, 2009 Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 (edited) What got me motivated to go looking was a post by Woody:"The serial numbers are from Bultaco's own figures so they should be right. However, they only list the model 49 as having one frame change during its production run but there were two. Series 1 with single tube under engine, upright shocks. Series 2, single frame tube under engine, angled shocks with seat unit altered to accomodate relocated top shock mounts. Series 3, twin frame tubes under the engine, like the M80 and which was the basis for the Kit Campeon." My guess it that the factory didn't consider the shock mount change to be a major change (worthy of a Series number), whereas the different frame tubes were. So the Series 1-3 was not recognized by the factory. I'm not sure if it was fabricated by Woody or was noted by dealers and distributors at the time. I have to go back and look at my notes to see if I can figure out when the shock mounts were moved during the first Series. Since it was not recognized (as far as I can tell) by the factory I think I'll call it Series 1.5, and why not, it just adds to the confusion. Web pages can be found here. Series 1 and 2 pages. As mentioned, all comments, changes and additional pictures welcome. Edited January 3, 2009 by swooshdave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feetupfun Posted January 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 (edited) Dave, Bultaco didn't identify different series within a model designation and neither did Montesa, but since then people have created series designations as a way of making communication about them easier. Bultaco made the M49 for about three years with lots of changes along the way and they are all just M49 as far as Bultaco was concerned. Montesa made the Cota 247 for about seven years and changed lots of things along the way but they are all Montesa 21M. Woody is just referring to the production records showing that the frame tube arrangement under the engine changed at frame number x. The frame number record for the change to the top shockie mount location was probably just not considered imporant enough to record or has been lost over time, but is probably a worthy goal to find out or work out if we can somehow. Edited January 3, 2009 by feetupfun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bultaco49 Posted January 3, 2009 Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 Be careful of identifying an M80 by the lugs to attach the slimline tank/seat unit' as the 'kit campeon' kit was available for upgrading M49s and many lugs were subsequently welded on. A better term for the transition from M49 to M80 would be 'merged'. There is a copy of the original 'kit' catalogue here http://www.todotrial.com/ttclasico/catalogos/kitcampeon.htm It is not unusual for M49 engine and frame numbers to be a few digits out. Both Sammy Miller and Don Morley refer to the Bultaco policy of taking the best engines for works and works supported machines and there were being knocked out of the factory as quickly as possible to supply the increasing demand. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swooshdave Posted January 3, 2009 Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 (edited) Dave, Bultaco didn't identify different series within a model designation and neither did Montesa, but since then people have created series designations as a way of making communication about them easier. Is Series 1-3 the accepted unofficial designations? As with any historians, we basically can "record" history as we see it. Bultaco made the M49 for about three years with lots of changes along the way and they are all just M49 as far as Bultaco was concerned. Montesa made the Cota 247 for about seven years and changed lots of things along the way but they are all Montesa 21M.Woody is just referring to the production records showing that the frame tube arrangement under the engine changed at frame number x. The frame number record for the change to the top shockie mount location was probably just not considered imporant enough to record or has been lost over time, but is probably a worthy goal to find out or work out if we can somehow. That is my goal, to pinpoint when the change was made between Series 1 and 2. I merged the two pages, I had thought I might have more content than I did. Revised to show Series 1-3. I would like to have a better picture of a Series 1 or 2 engine cradle area. Anyone? M49 Model History Edited January 3, 2009 by swooshdave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feetupfun Posted January 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 Here are the best photos I have showing the engine cradle area of early M49s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swooshdave Posted January 3, 2009 Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 Here are the best photos I have showing the engine cradle area of early M49s. What I was looking for was a frame without the engine. Pretty sad that I know that the first picture is M490060 just by looking at it. Anyone else having problems view the page I made? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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