Montesa Cota 348 MRR date of manufacture.

[section swept]

I have recently (last week) bought a Montesa Cota 348 Malcolm Rathmell Replica. It is alleged to be of 1976 vintage. The frame and engine numbers are matching 51M 1*** yes there are only four numbers after the 51M which denotes a 348. This bike has not been registered for the road. I trolled about on the infernal web but can only find production numbers and type reference designations, but no actual year data. I am assuming that my 348 is one of the first for 1976, any help would be greatly appreciated. I have visited ToDoTrial but no success there,   I have not bothered In Motion for info yet hoping some one here can help.

[nh014]

As you can see from the number of replies, it is easy to be overwhelmed by data relative to the year of manufacture. Quite simply, it doesn’t exist, or at least like you, I’ve never found it. You’d probably be close by dividing the total 348 production of 15700 by 3, for the years 76, 77, and 78. So serial number 0001 through 5233 are 76’s, 5234 through 10466 are 77’s, and anything above 10466 are 78’s.

[perce]

They did evolve, so you can narrow things down a bit.

[section swept]

10 hours ago, nh014 said:

As you can see from the number of replies, it is easy to be overwhelmed by data relative to the year of manufacture. Quite simply, it doesn’t exist, or at least like you, I’ve never found it. You’d probably be close by dividing the total 348 production of 15700 by 3, for the years 76, 77, and 78. So serial number 0001 through 5233 are 76’s, 5234 through 10466 are 77’s, and anything above 10466 are 78’s.

Makes sense of a non sensical recording system, thanks for the equation nh014?

[section swept]

7 hours ago, perce said:

They did evolve, so you can narrow things down a bit.

Apparently so did man and then the Romans got carried away, but Montesa stole the lime light.

[feetupfun]

The design changed through the production run as perce says.

Brake pedal design, shift lever design, air caps on forks and casing protection loops on the frame. My ride 348 is 51M 10476 motor and frame and has the original style (folding) brake pedal tip, (folding) shift lever tip and no case protectors. Mine does not have the signature on the fibreglass under the seat. It also doesn't have the slotted line along the tank. My memory of the sequence was 76 has the MRR signature, 77 has a fairly plain tank and 78 has a gold/black slotted line along the sides of the tank.

I'm thinking that this probably means my ride 348 is 1977 but I'm happy to hear of other opinions.

[nh014]

 

9 hours ago, feetupfun said:

My memory of the sequence was 76 has the MRR signature, 77 has a fairly plain tank and 78 has a gold/black slotted line along the sides of the tank.

That is generally how I have identified them, although my first 348, purchased new, and sold to me as a 77, has the MR signature. It is serial number 5457.  I've always thought of it as a very late 76 or very early 77 model.

[section swept]

On 7/13/2019 at 6:16 AM, feetupfun said:

The design changed through the production run as perce says.

Brake pedal design, shift lever design, air caps on forks and casing protection loops on the frame. My ride 348 is 51M 10476 motor and frame and has the original style (folding) brake pedal tip, (folding) shift lever tip and no case protectors. Mine does not have the signature on the fibreglass under the seat. It also doesn't have the slotted line along the tank. My memory of the sequence was 76 has the MRR signature, 77 has a fairly plain tank and 78 has a gold/black slotted line along the sides of the tank.

I'm thinking that this probably means my ride 348 is 1977 but I'm happy to hear of other opinions.

Mine has the folding pedal tips and it does have a stout moulded bash plate that comes up to protect the cases. With such low numbers it is defo a 1976 I am now convinced.

[section swept]

On 7/13/2019 at 4:03 PM, nh014 said:

 

That is generally how I have identified them, although my first 348, purchased new, and sold to me as a 77, has the MR signature. It is serial number 5457.  I've always thought of it as a very late 76 or very early 77 model.

With my 348’s frame number as 51M 11** its got to be an early 1976 then, possibly confirming your bike as you describe?

[2stroke4stroke]

The very early ones, as I recall, had a different gearbox spec with later versions having a change that lowered third and top slightly.  A bit hard to tell in your situation though.

Edited July 15, 2019 by 2stroke4stroke

[perce]

On 7/14/2019 at 11:21 PM, section swept said:

Mine has the folding pedal tips and it does have a stout moulded bash plate that comes up to protect the cases. With such low numbers it is defo a 1976 I am now convinced.

Aftermarket stuff, no 348 to my knowledge came with anything other than the cast one piece items. No 348 had had anything other than tubes under the engine, so again aftermarket. I doubt too many of the early bikes have 100% original frames as they uses to snap in two, later frames were different to prevent this.

[feetupfun]

14 hours ago, perce said:

Aftermarket stuff, no 348 to my knowledge came with anything other than the cast one piece items. No 348 had had anything other than tubes under the engine, so again aftermarket. I doubt too many of the early bikes have 100% original frames as they uses to snap in two, later frames were different to prevent this.

I think some of us need to post some photos of our original 348s with folding pedal tips

[feetupfun]

15 hours ago, perce said:

Aftermarket stuff, no 348 to my knowledge came with anything other than the cast one piece items. No 348 had had anything other than tubes under the engine, so again aftermarket. I doubt too many of the early bikes have 100% original frames as they uses to snap in two, later frames were different to prevent this.

There you go - original folding tip pedals and original crappy footpegs

[perce]

15 hours ago, feetupfun said:

There you go - original folding tip pedals and original crappy footpegs

Never had one like that. Had one new in October 79 & I bought one a few years ago which was a fairly late bike. (Saw sense & flogged it into the Big John collect)

[brewtus]

On 7/21/2019 at 1:13 AM, feetupfun said:

There you go - original folding tip pedals and original crappy footpegs

Yup, looks just like my '76 MRR. 

Edited July 22, 2019 by brewtus
MRR