Hello !

[boris_i]

Hey !

First post here, new owner of a Montesa 4ride...

My previous bike was a Tenere 660 - talk about change compared to a trial bike. So here are a few findings and pieces of information that others might find helpful - or dumb :)

(long post !)

First - why did I sold the Tenere ?

1. car drivers where I live now are savages, some can't stand being overtaken by motorcycle riders and will do dangerous maneuvers on purpose, while others have a bad habit of overtaking other cars in curves with zero visibility (Russian Roulette style - go figure).
2. roads suck - sand, stones, potholes, detritus, cars parked or people walking in curves, and whatnot.
3. but mostly, the whole area around me is rocky and hilly/mountainous, which doesn't suit heavy adv bikes; I fell once with the Tenere at less than 3kph and bent the crash bars, broke the stand, the skid plate was cracked, and the tank almost perforated. Luckily I wasn't injured.

So - I wanted a bike I could use for wandering/slowly cruising in the woods, that would do OK on rocky/hilly terrain and that I could also use for camping/overnights. It had to be light, reliable, quiet (I hate loud stuff), have a 4-stroke engine, and road-registration would be a plus if I had to drive a bit on asphalt.
After looking at small dirt bikes and then trial bikes I considered buying a standard trial bike and replace the tank with a higher capacity one + add a seat, but then found that some brands offered "crossover" models. I eventually settled on the Montesa because of Honda's engine reliability and good reviews about Montesa. (I wished there was a 125cc option rather than 250cc - I contemplated buying a CRF125 first but the dealer said those weren't made in Japan and were crap).

Now, after a few weeks of use:

The bike:

• build quality seems high. Stainless steel bolts/screws, quality electrical connectors/wiring, etc.
• getting to the air filter is a bit involved but it's not really a problem for me as I don't ride in dust clouds (for those who do, S3 sells an aftermarket "door" for easy access).
• storage capacity under the seat is decent: I've put a 1L fuelfriend can (unfortunately the larger ones won't fit), tools, tubeless rear tyre repair kit, green slime for the front inner tube, a few EDC accessories (lighter, knife, cordage, light gloves, ...), and a head torch.
• the head light is always on (EU law?) so I'll probably install a switch to turn it off (except if for some reason the alternator/ECU requires a constant load - I'll have to find this out).
• without revving the engine too high, speed in last gear is ~65 kph. That's fine with me, with the bike's rake angle / geometry it wouldn't make sense to go faster anyway and I don't enjoy speed anymore like I did when I was younger.
• the dealer proposed to replace the gear selector, tyres and front fender with "enduro" parts - essentially transforming the bike into a light enduro - but I'm happy with the trial tyre and the original gear selector (it only takes a bit of time to get used to). I haven't been in deep mud to justify replacing the front fender.

I am definitely happy with the bike, it's perfect for my use. I've initially bought it for slow-speed trail riding, but I'm finding out that trial bikes are so much fun that I'm wondering why I haven't bought one before - I'm really having a blast training with balance and doing wheelies (even in my garden !). My 12 yo. son is also learning to ride it - something I'd never have allowed with my super heavy adv bike.

Bike stuff/"mods":

• Before riding the bike for the first time I've sprayed it with Dinitrol (1000 in cavities, 4941 for the metal parts above the rear wheel and 4010 for the engine) + ACF-50 in electrical connections. Probably overkill but that's what I use on my offroad vehicle, it gives some peace of mind when not being able to wash dirt/mud immediately after a ride.
• removed the stickers/decals. The 2020 model looks much better in black and white IMO. And the bike is much lighter and faster :)
• soldered a Techmate SAE connector/cable (12V from the head light connector) to plug a gps when exploring the woods for 1+ day. (obviously it charges only when the engine's on and the head light switch is in normal position).
• I've bought Enduristan XS base pack and S blizzard saddle bags. WTF, bags on a trial bike !? Yeah - the idea is to have the XS base pack attached to the bike most of the time and to remove it when doing "trial only" stuff, and to attach the saddle bags only when going in the woods for an overnight. The XS pack fits well (there are openings between the metal frame and the rear plastic where the straps can be slid). Note: there should only be a very light load on the rear - the metal frame above the rear wheel is bolted to the plastic air box (the user manual clearly states that there should be no load at all, but it will handle a few pounds). The saddle bags are another story and require some tinkering because the bike's rear is pretty thin, the exhaust is short and the only way to attach the lower straps without adding custom hardware is to slide them through the foot pegs. If anybody's interested I'll post a pic when/if I manage to find a good solution. I'm also wondering how to attach additional 1L or 1.5L fuelfriend cans to the saddle bags but I'll wait until I have a better idea of the fuel consumption.
• added hand guards (eventually ditched the plastic part and only kept the aluminium frame - my idea was to only protect the levers and avoid branches from pulling them)

Other stuff:

• My head is quite oval so finding a proper helmet is difficult. After reading some posts on this forum I ordered a Hebo Zone 4, which fits great (my head circumference is exactly 58cm ; Size M was given for 57-58cm so I was wondering if I should get the L size but M ended up being perfect). Pulling both straps to the outside (ie. aways from the ears) when putting the helmet on prevents my glasses frame from moving (unlike full face helmets there's quite some flex).
• I have high instep feet so like helmets finding boots is difficult too. After reading a bunch a forum posts and reviews I ordered TCX mid-height Baja boots - luckily they fit great (I usually wear EU 42.5 and ordered 43). The reason for buying mid-height boots was to avoid having to take another pair of boots when camping. That said I'm wondering if I shouldn't have bought TCX's full height trial boots (there's no decent shop around so I can't test if the trial boots would be comfortable when walking for 1+ hour like the Baja mid).

That's it :) - hopefully this will help someone...

Cheers!

[turbofurball]

Welcome!

I had a Tenere 660 too, really didn't like it (too top heavy and vibey ... the dash was really nice though), the 4Ride is a bit out of my price range but I have two of it's competitors, a Pampera 250 and a Tango 125.  Neither are trials bikes, but more like extreme trail bikes - trials bikes are more light and nimble than a 4Ride (though with less range and harder to handle at speed) I also live in mountains, and off road ADV bikes just wouldn't make it off road here, so a lightish small trailie really hits the spot!

I'd really recommend an enduro helmet and full height boots if you plan on riding anything more technical than unpaved roads though, especially if you're going to more remote areas.  I have a fibreglass LS2 helmet and Forma Boulder boots, both have been good and the latter saved my shins from many injuries and exhaust burns.

I hope you enjoy your new bike, post up photos if you go on any adventures

[boris_i]

Thanks for the welcome !

Totally agree about the Tenere.

With a seat and a gallon+ fuel tank the 4ride won't be as agile as a other trial bikes but I wanted those features so knew what to expect. That said I didn't think the "trial" aspect would be that addictive so if I progress enough in the next few years I may consider buying a dedicated trial bike; for now the 4ride suits my needs really well.

Helmet/boots: thanks for the advice. I initially considered using my former "adventure" equipment but wanted something lighter to better enjoy being in the woods; that's why I went for a trial helmet - light, easy to put on, with a huge field of view - as well as comfortable mid boots to avoid robocop style walking (and squeaking!). I'm often alone in areas without GSM coverage so I try to ride slowly and avoid doing stupid stuff (even if I sometimes gas the bike a bit more than I should and hope I won't hit a branch in the face but I'm trying to pay attention ). Trying to focus on using only the first 3 first gears rather than switching to higher gears subconsciously does help too (in that regard trial gear selectors help as they make changing gear a bit more difficult).

By the way after re-reading my original post, here are a few additional remarks:

• larger fuelfriend cans can't be stored under the seat because they won't go through the opening - not because they won't fit inside. Larger capacity flexible fuel bags would definitely fit but I don't trust those enough.
• another "mod" I did was to put a piece of 3M dual-lock fastener on the front of my trial helmet to attach a headlamp for better vision during night riding. I bought a Black Diamond Icon 700 headlamp because it's waterproof, super bright and has a detachable battery pack that I wear in a pocket with a cable extension - that way the lamp's weight on the helmet is unnoticeable and cold doesn't affect battery life.

I'll try to post photos next time

Cheers !

 

[turbofurball]

Funnily enough my Spidi trials helmet weighs more than my LS2 enduro helmet, but I get what you mean about the weight - I have an ADV helmet too, and with the flip-down sunshade etc it's heavy ... similarly, trials boots (like the Forma Boulders) are more flexible than ADV boots, but they still protect your shins

 

Still, it sounds like you've got just the right bike for your needs!  Is there a local off roading club?  If you can find other people who ride trials it's a quick way to improve your skills, even if you're only heading out on trails and having a bit of fun

[boris_i]

Hey @CReamflourish

I've been incredibly busy since my last posts, totally forgot about posting some pics. I'm still buried under a huge pile of work but I'll try to find a bit of time to write and take some pictures this week.

I haven't found an optimal setup with the saddle bags yet; sliding the bags' straps in the footpegs works decently weel but when time allows I'll definitely make custom stainless steel plates for the straps, bolted with the foot pegs (which means replacing the pegs' factory bolts with a tad longer ones).

Also:

• the right saddle bag applied a bit too much pressure on the (plastic) exhaust heat shield ; that was easily fixed by screwing a bolt to the shield, as a spacer.
• I don't really care about cosmetics but if you do you might want to protect the bike's plastic parts (rear fender, ....) because the bags will move and (lightly) scratch them even if they're tightly strapped.
• I still have to find a proper way to carry more fuel. I originally thought I'd strap the fuelfriend cans to the saddle bags but they were "flapping" too close to the rear tyre. So for now I have 1L in the saddle compartment (together with a bunch of other stuff  -light, tools, puncture kit, ...) and when going for longer rides I strap a single 1.5L to the XS rear bag.
• Altogether the saddle bag setup isn't really optimal and requires some tinkering; I've spent quite some time looking at other products before buying the enduristan as I couldn't find anything that might fit/work better.

I'm still very happy with the bike ; the only thing I wish Montesa had done differently is to put a larger fuel tank - eg. by decreasing the volume of the saddle's compartment. Some people complain that the last gear should be longer but IMO such a bike isn''t made to drive at more than 50kph. You'll also have to get used to the "out of reach" gear lever - except if you replace it with the S3 lever aftermarket part (I didn't feel the need and eventually got used to move my foot properly).

Cheers !

[boris_i]

Sorry about the delay :(

I just took a few pictures, quality isn't very good but hopefully you'll get an idea.

 

Temporary setup: the straps go through the foot pegs. Ugly but works OK.

 

 

Trashed the right blinker a few days ago, the bike fell after I left it turned on unattended on a rough surface. Lesson learned - don't be lazy and turn it off.

 

close-up of the heat shield; the thing at 2 o'clock is a stainless steel bolt (bolted on the plastic shield) that acts as a spacer to prevent the shield from bending under the weight of the bag and melt on the exhaust.

 

quite a bit of the left saddle bag is unsupported. It hasn't been a problem til now (ie. it's never been rubbing on the tyre) but more support would be better - eg. maybe a stainless steel / ABS hoop - like an inverted U shape - from one saddle bag to the other.

 

other notes:

• I don't plan to use the bags on another bike so I've cut the main straps (the ones that rest on the tail), removed the buckles, and sewn the straps together. That way the straps can be slid under the saddle, and no buckles to scratch plastics.
• the bags are easy to remove - lift the saddle, remove the straps from the foot pegs, and that's pretty much it.

in a nutshell, the setup isn't very straightforward and you'll have to put some time to adapt the bags but once done it's OK.

hope this helps...

I realize the pictures are a bit ugly but the bike really looks good; I wanted to post nice pictures of a ride I made before winter with the bags attached but it seems I've deleted them :( - I'll post them if I find a backup.).