My new Montesa Cota 247 and questions

[Niro]

I decided to pull the trigger on a beautiful but strangely yellow Cota 247. Thank you all for your help here in other groups in this forum.

I want to check the air filter. Do I need to take down the gas tank in order to get to the air filter? if yes, any tips how to do it safely and correct? 

The owner told me to use non ethanol fuel in order to keep the fiberglass tank in good shape. Is this a common practice with this tank?

And a photo of course! 

 

 

[kingscorpion]

Yes. You have to take the gas tank out, and it's a tricky move because its lower side is divided in two sections that are connected with a rubber hose.
Yes, ethanol will slowly destroy your fiberglass tank. 

[feetupfun]

Nice bike. It's an early model 247 but not the first model. Great to know that it is going to be ridden.

A friend of mine Paul Walker rode one of these in trials back in the mid 1970s. Being 5 or 6 years old, it was regarded as an old trials bike at the time.

So far it has been the only one of that type I've seen in the flesh.

[lineaway]

That was my first trials bike at 12 years old.  I learned alot on that bike. But mainly how to crash, as I could not touch the ground. Clean or a 5 back in that first year I rode it. Have fun.

[Niro]

Thanks guys.

I can't imagine me riding this bike at 12.. I had a small Italian scooter when I was 13. No chance I could handle this weight.

Do you think the yellow is the original color? 

[collyolly]

Should be Red, also looks like the rear silencer has been removed or lost so expect a lot of noise !

[feetupfun]

On 9/26/2021 at 12:57 AM, Niro said:

Thanks guys.

I can't imagine me riding this bike at 12.. I had a small Italian scooter when I was 13. No chance I could handle this weight.

Do you think the yellow is the original color? 

If you google search "Cota 247 images" you will find plenty of photos of what yours originally looked like.

Some things that will enable you to tell your model from other 247 models are:

Your model fuel tank is more bulbous than later models.

Your clutch arm is under the motor. Later it is on the top.

Your fork sliders have a distinctive large diameter section at their bottom end.

Your intake tube is much longer than later models.

Your rear brake pedal is on the left. Later it is on the right.

Your shift lever is on the right. Later it is on the left.

Your bike may have had a later model front wheel fitted. Hard to be sure of the rim type in that photo.

Edited September 27, 2021 by feetupfun

[Niro]

I noticed the silencer is missing, and online I see some bikes also missed the silencer.

I also notice some models has black frame and some models has white frame. The white frame models has a front wheel with larger brake. Which probably makes sense that my bike (which seems early model) has later model front wheel with smaller brake.

Both of my bike rims has Akront sticker on them. 

I notice some has white mudguard and some has silver or red. 

I'm guessing those old bikes got parts mixed up from different year models due to luck of getting the right part to the right model. 

I collect and restore vintage Italian espresso machine.. it's the same scenario.. 

[jon v8]

I had a couple of early Cota 247's a few years back, yours looks like an early Mk3. They didn't have tailpipes and are quite noisy... Mk 1's look quite different and are rare, the Mk2 is very similar to yours and had much larger hubs, this is the main difference to the Mk3, the small hubs borrowed from their little road bikes.I think the works riders used to retro fit the bigger front hub where higher speed road was involved. The pic shows the Mk3 I started restoring, but sold early on...

[Niro]

Looks very similar to my Cota. Only yours has red frame and silencer.