magicmat Posted January 12, 2012 Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 Hi all, After moving away from home to live in Manchester I gave up trials and sold my bike It was my first trails bike and was a 2005 GasGas 280 TXT Pro, and i found it hard to give up.....that was in 2009 Im now living in my local area again (west yorkshire) with a mortgage! and wanted a cheap hobby and to get back in touch with the local trials club. So on an impulse buy i've bought a cheap Montesa 315r. Now I thought i'd stick a post up on here and ask if anyone know of any Montesa specific related issues that i should watch out for? i've already done alot of searching on the forum and found some great info, http://www.apexmotosports.com/content/montesa/315-technical-info.php http://dl.dropbox.com/u/28069907/Montesa_315R_02_2002.pdf http://www.apexmotosports.com/montesa%20parts%20book/e-1.htm But I thought i'd ask here to see if anyone else can give me some pointers before i collect. I bought the bike on ebay and was very apprehensive about not seeing the bike first, but then the timer got down to 5 minutes and i threw caution to the wind and stuck a bid on Here is a picture of the bike, and here is some of the blurb the seller said: FOR MY MONTESA 315R, HONDA 250cc ENGINE, BIKE IS CLEAN AND BEEN LOOKED AFTER TYRES ARE NEW BRAKES ARE NEW HANDLE BAR GRIPS NEW NEW AIR FILLTER NEW WHEEL BEARING NEW TWISTGRIP NEW HEAD BEARINGS LOTS NEW PARTS FITTERD THE BIKE HAS JUST HAD A FULL SERVICE Obviously i will take all of this with a pinch of salt. I did ask the seller about the engine, starting up and the year of the bike. He told me it was a 2001 and the engine is spot on. I've read on here that to identify the year of the bike I need to look at the 10th digit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicmat Posted January 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 From looking on the net, it seems that the showa forks were fitted 2000-2004 and the paoli forks were 97-99 So im guessing the multicoloured forks were the showa's ..which means this bike is looking like a 97-99 ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doogle Posted January 12, 2012 Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 From Looking at it I would say it's a 98. 2000 onwards had the multicouloured showa forks. and 99's had black stancions (not sure on the spelling) and paolis. This could have rubbed off I guess. Pretty sure that 2001 had the inboard rear caliper that this hasn't got. So I reckon it's a 98 with a chrome pipe. I had the pipe on my 98 chromed just before some scum bag nicked it, so certainly possible. Or it could just have a late front pipe as the old one was knackered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wherry Posted January 12, 2012 Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 Hi and welcome back to trials and to the forum. Bike looks like a 1999 to me. The forks are right for a '99 as they look a grey/black colour in the photo. Rear caliper is right for an earlier bike by the look of it. You can tell by the frame number as you say. The info is on here somewhere if you have a look. Red rear guard and shiney pipe might be later additions. Difficult to say from the pic but it looks like it hasn't got a Montesa rear wheel. They have a rim flange and 2 piece spokes. Might not make any difference to you but might be worth checking it's all put together OK. If it has been bodged together it would be making me very suspicious about other stuff, possibly unseen stuff... If it's got the PHBH carb on it it might not go very well unless the PO has cleaned the carb properly - easy once you know! Be worth checking rear suspension. Get it off the ground if you can and wiggle the back wheel up and down a bit to see how much play there is in the linkage. If there's a lot you might be looking at new bearings etc which will be at least Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicmat Posted January 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 From Looking at it I would say it's a 98. 2000 onwards had the multicouloured showa forks. and 99's had black stancions (not sure on the spelling) and paolis. This could have rubbed off I guess. Pretty sure that 2001 had the inboard rear caliper that this hasn't got. So I reckon it's a 98 with a chrome pipe. I had the pipe on my 98 chromed just before some scum bag nicked it, so certainly possible. Or it could just have a late front pipe as the old one was knackered. Thanks for the message Doogle, From looking around i agree with you. Most likely a 1998, Think im just going to go and look at it, and if its a lemon just walk away. I kinda needed a cheap bike and at Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicmat Posted January 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 haha Wherry, Yes it does look a bit of a toad, figured that might help make the bike cheaper to be honest. But kinda wish i'd called him before the auction ended etc but nevermind. I think i'll check over general stuff like the air filter etc to see if they are new. obviously tyres can be easily checked. Good point about the rear linkage though. Is it a dog bone setup like the gasgas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doogle Posted January 12, 2012 Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 Yep it's a dog bone. People used to replace the dog bone with a larger one more meat at the bottom as they were a vulnerable on the rocks and got bashed up and knocked out of shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicmat Posted January 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 Yep it's a dog bone. People used to replace the dog bone with a larger one more meat at the bottom as they were a vulnerable on the rocks and got bashed up and knocked out of shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wherry Posted January 12, 2012 Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 haha Wherry, Yes it does look a bit of a toad, figured that might help make the bike cheaper to be honest. But kinda wish i'd called him before the auction ended etc but nevermind. You'll just have to suck it and see! Found the dating info Here if that helps in due course. I think i'll check over general stuff like the air filter etc to see if they are new. obviously tyres can be easily checked.Good point about the rear linkage though. Is it a dog bone setup like the gasgas? Yep dog bone linkage setup. I haven't ever looked closely at a Gasser setup so I don't know how it compares but it will be similar I should imagine. Another thing to have a check of is the suspension movement generally. Front forks can probably be serviced relatively cheaply if necessary but if the rear unit doesn't have any damping or seems iffy then that could be serious money I'd have thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wherry Posted January 12, 2012 Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 to be honest im starting to think i should try to pick up a 2001-2003 Beta Rev3 you can get them for about Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicmat Posted January 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 (edited) Thanks for the Age related info, will come in very handy Aaaagggghhhhh!!! Don't do it!!!! Are you an electrician? Seriously, if this one doesn't work out why don't you get yourself involved with your local club and see if you can get a go on some differtent bikes to see which one you like best - common advice on here I know, but good advice all the same. I like my Montesas personally, and I like Gassers too generally, and Shercos aren't too bad at all either but the Betas I've ridden feel really heavy on the front to me. Each to their own - there are certainly plenty of Betas around and they do grip well. haha, regarding the electrician comment, my brother is a sparky actually but im not. you really dont rate them? my mate has a 03 or 05 beta, maybe i'll take a look at that one, but first i'll go look at this Montesa, have a look and see what the crack is. Edited January 12, 2012 by Magicmat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wherry Posted January 12, 2012 Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 you really dont rate them? my mate has a 03 or 05 beta, maybe i'll take a look at that one Not a question of not rating them. They are an excellent bike generally - usually considered to be just behind Honda/Montesa build quality but ahead of the others. The Revs had/have a bit of a reputation for getting through stators with alarming regularity. The rear suspension is non linkage which means the shock is a fairly specialised piece of kit which may not be easy to rebuild should that be necessary - the Beta owners would be able to advise obviously. Get a good one though and they are great bikes- just the riding position is different to other bikes I've ridden. I'm sure if I rode one for a bit I'd soon get used to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicmat Posted January 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 gotcha, I'll look at this Mont, if its a nail i'll walk away. at which point i'll carefully look at other models that i havent rode on before. hopefully i can start riding soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul w Posted January 12, 2012 Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 Hi and welcome back to the forum, i do remember you from before. oh.........and welcome to the wonderful world of mortgages.......there a right bundle of fun. Just wait till the interest rates go up again....woopee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicmat Posted January 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 Hi and welcome back to the forum, i do remember you from before. oh.........and welcome to the wonderful world of mortgages.......there a right bundle of fun. Just wait till the interest rates go up again....woopee. Hi Paul, Thanks for the kind words. Aren't mortgages fun ! ... not, I've spent a fair chunk of time away and really missed the sport. Hopefully this bike wont be a 'toad', but to be on the safe side im getting a family member to come with me, that way i can have a second opinion if its rubbish! Need to find some local land to practice on tho i think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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