Different Strokes........2

[schmorgas]

Kon nichiwa/Hola

You know how it is. There are some places that you know the name of, and are really quite familiar with, but you dont actually know where the hell it is!

Dewsbury

Its happened to me once before. Id accepted a career promotion (in a previous life) to Carlisle and the only thing I was reasonably sure about was that it was north of where I was working at the time!

So why Dewsbury?

Well, as a dyed in the wool four stroke fan, the only bikes to consider when I started were Sherco, Beta and Montesa. But only the Montesa 4RT had the seemingly effortless grip and power, all with Honda build quality. Now those of you who have read my ramblings in the past will know, my weapon of choice was the Beta. A continually developed design starting first with the Rev 3 4T, and then the Evo, each with the softly spoken four stroke motor, as opposed to the defunct Sherco, and the 2004 designed dated Montesa. Add the Ohlins to the Evo and wow! What a bike?!

I love the Evo, dont get me wrong. And since Matty Holmes fettled the carb after two and a half years of hot start misery, it had never run better. But the whole Honda/Montesa thing was a constant itch that demanded scratching. And so scratch it I did in 2012.

Richard Taylor very kindly lent me his 2011 Repsol 4RT. But as nice as it was, and it was - the power delivery smooth, suspension just superb, it was for me, just not as nimble and dexterous as my Evo. After that, I softened off the power a little with a smaller front sprocket on the Evo and looked into tweaking the front forks to copy the Mont but failed. But I was happy.

Itch scratched.

That was of course, until they announced the launch of the new 2014 models. Hmm I wondered. Could it be?

But even though the Cota was a more realistic price, how different could it actually be? So I ummed and arred for a week or two before eventually dismissing the notion. And then, not long after seeing my first Cota in the metal at the Boxing Day Bradford Club trial ridden by Steve Dale, fate kind of intervened.

The possibility of finding a good home for my Evo suddenly became a distinct possibility. But before I could seriously consider parting with it, I needed to have a proper look at the 2014 Montesa Cota 260.

My options were few. Glasgow, Cornwall or Craigs Honda. So Thursday being my regular day off came, and I called Craig in the hope they would have a Montesa at their new Shipley showroom. Not a chance. It seems the night after Craig put a few dirt bikes in the Shipley showroom, the locals were trying to remove the windows to gain malicious access to the bikes! This meant the Montesa remained firmly (and securely) in guess where?

Dewsbury

My old sat-nav got me to the correct postcode, but to say Craigs Honda is in a quirky position would be understating the case a little. But fate intervened again as I stumbled upon it quite by chance. Modern showroom and good car parking.

Just inside the showroom door, I found a brace of Cotas. Nice. Both stood on their prop stands looking cool and slick. So I took hold of one and pulled it to the vertical. The stand snapping back up into position with a loud crack.

I looked around to see if anyone had witnessed my little faux pas, but there was no-one around. Just some voices from above on the mezzanine, and who knew what behind the mirrored glass of the office just behind the two Monts.

So satisfied with the feel of it, I lent over and bent down to extend the prop stand to beyond the vertical in readiness to stand the bike back up. But as I began to lean the bike over, I let go of the stand before it had taken the weight. It again snapped back up with a crack. This time, however, trapping my third finger twixt stand and swinging arm!

DOH!

I dont know who, if anyone, is actually reading this blog so all I will say is Oh my God!! It really hurt!

So with finger throbbing like some demented cartoon character I went upstairs and had a chat with the salesman who fired one up and let me a have a play in the car park. It was only a couple of minutes but I liked it and it was more nimble than I remembered on the Repsol 2011.

Having gone home I wheeled the Evo out and repeated the exercise on that as a direct comparison. Blimey! The difference smacked me between the eyes. ENGINE BRAKING!!

Evo sold! (felt sad)
Back to Dewsbury.
Got lost.
Asked the traffic warden for directions whilst 300 yards away.
He didnt know. Never heard of it! Does he only look at cars!!??
Found it by accident again!
Shipley is so much easier.

So that was Saturday 1 February. Deal done.

Fast forward to Thursday 6 Feb for the first ride out at Rough Holden. I dont mind admitting that I was a worried man. I was going from the superb Ohlins suspended Beta Evo to the non Showa suspended Montesa. There was a bit of blind faith happening here; a tarmaced car park is not much of a suspension workout after all. So how do you describe the feel of it? John Hume describes these things for a living. Plush he called it. As for me? Well, there is a particular rock at Rough Holden that you can launch yourself off at varying degrees. On landing, the head stock of the Beta always complained. The Montesa just ate it up! As for the overall impression? Plush man. Real Plush! (but not as softly spoken).

Keep ya feet up!

Peter

[jj65]

Really nice to read your post, the EVO is a great bike once setup and I can understand your worries, selling a bike your really happy with and taking a risk with something new. There seem to be quite a few Beta 2T/4T owners buying the new 260, I'm not sure why, as most I have spoken to, love Beta's, but they all also really like the new 260. Its great to read new Montesa riders giving their opinion, rather than it coming from the converted (me and others) who are a tad biased with our opinions :0)

P.s. The side stand is rubbish, mind your fingers ;0)

Edited February 10, 2014 by jj65

[thats_a_five]

Having caught my thumb between the stand and swingarm during a trial once, I know just how much that hurts. And how long it takes the black thumbnail to heal.

So, when I got my (2005) 4RT and found it had the same design, I removed the stand assembly, cut off the spring mount and rewelded it in a location so the spring holds the stand down when I want and up when I want. Much better!