4rt Maintenance

[gii]

Thinking about buying a 4RT, just wondering about the maintenance compared to a 2 stroke.

Had a look through the 4RT manual on the net and got a bit of a shock.

Seems that in addition to fresh oils, spark plug (and cap?) every 6 weeks. Honda recommend new piston rings every 6 months and a new piston every 12.

Have riders really found this necessary or is this a hangover from MX motor manuals?

2 major top end strip downs a year seems excessive to me

[rapid roy]

THE 315 MANUAL SAY'S THE SAME THING ABOUT PISTONS AND RINGS

MYSELF AND MY SON HAD OUR 315 FOR 2-3 YEARS

THE ENGINES WERE STILL TIGHT

THE SECRET IS GOOD QUALITY 2 STROKE OIL

AS FOR THE 4RT

I BELIVE THAT HONDA / MONTESA BUILD GOOD KIT

THE DISCLAIMER FOR THE PISTON / RINGS COPYED FROM THE GAS GAS MANUAL

[windlestone]

I change engine oil every 6 weeks and every second time oil and filter. Clean air filter after every ride and change the plug every 12 weeks. You need one before the lambshields trial Gordon No frozen carbs

The nice thing is everything comes off and goes back on like a dream nothing out of line no fiddly clips to screw air filter housing bolts into and i changed from Gas Gas Pro to 4rt and didn't really notice the weight difference. Mines 10 months old if you want a try i'll be at Cowshill and Oxenlaw this weekend PM me

[the alcoholic]

Hi GII, I too had some second thought worries when re-purchasing a 4RT (read loads of grief with the first one!!!!), after checking with my local shop (a guy whose opinion I trust/respect as he isn't a particularly strong fan of Montesa from a riding point of view) the advice was "Nothing major to report, you can buy with confidence" so I did. That said the smashing of the kickstart casing IS a real problem, just ask anyone who has had it happen, even to an 06 (both mine are 05)!!!!! And there are numerous cases of REFUSAL to start/kickback, I have had personal experience of this I am sorry to say (on 2 seperate bikes too!!)!!!!! Sound awesome though (perhaps a wee bit on the loud side).

Hey RapidRoy, You replaced a piston and rings on the 315 (amongst other bits if memory serves), were they too tight???????, I reckon if anyone could spot a tight one its you!!!!!

What mix of 2-stroke do you use in the 4RT??????? Maybe thats where all the crud in the exhaust came from, what do you think? answers on a post card to the usual address.

As for the 4RT, I BELIEVE IN MY INEBRIATED STATE (HUMBLE OPINION Hic. Hic.) THERE ARE NO BAD BIKES OUT THERE. YOU PAYS YOUR MONEY AND YOU TAKES YOUR CHOICE.

Good luck with your choice, health to ride.

[rapid roy]

hi alcoholic steve o

its true i did purchase a piston and rings for 01 315r

they are sitting in a box in my garage

i ordered after reading the manual and the age of the bike

but the rings were gummed up

after a good cleaning the piston and rings were put back

the bike did not ratttle

interesting to hear you have had prob's with both 4rt's

[the alcoholic]

Stone the crows Not so rapid Roy has rumbled my alter ego, dagnabit....

Alas tis true I am not from Mars after all, although opinions vary.

I reckon all that drink has affected my memory O rapid one, you told me you had to replace the piston and rings on the Kids bike, I wish you would even try to keep the story straight, still all will become apparent when you put them on e-bay for sale (Morose 69). I hate to be the one to tell you though THEY WILL NOT FIT THE 4RT!!! no matter how much you screw your face up, and file them on the kerb!!!! best to just sell them, truth be told you probably bought them cheap (most likely they were for a gas gas, thats why you didn't fit them, isn't it, but at least they were cheap weren't they).

Alas, also true to say the problems (mine were Dealer/Distributor related, you really must start paying attention) with my 4RT's pale into insignificance to those you have had with yours (see Ferret Flasher tell your 6' ferret mate it really wasn't my bike I was referring to, although I wouldn't go as strong as to refer to it as my mates), how is the clutch action by the way, still dragging, are they supposed to do that, perhaps you have yours specially set up, can you do mine too?? Anything else fallen off yet (apart from you that is). Go on admit it, it NEARLY goes as well as mine now with all the restrictors out (just for the record how many times is that now you have taken the restrictors out, its the first 4rt I have heard of with 15 restrictors in it, We reckon its 3 times, just can't trust these dealers, eh mate!!) Just keep telling yourself "IT'S NOT THE BIKE IT'S THE RIDER" he he, yeah right!!!!!! What did you score in the last trial, from memory you ran out of fingers and toes, and that was just for each section!!!!!

Anway must go and polish some bits in the buff (eh Rocketto)

PS. Roy smashed any more kickstarts yet?? I thought they had fixed that on the 06??????????????????????????

[rapid roy]

mr ogle

aka alcoholic

or e-bay (bluemaxyboy)

Have we now moved to magic mushrooms?

Judging by your childish remarks

If you are ill or on medication please ignore the last comment's

[oz thumper]

To answer the original question, Ferret Flasher is spot on.

We have a couple of early 05 models that have been campaigned for two very full seasons (generally a lot hotter and dustier than Europe)with no issues.They have required no top end rebuild and compression and leak down tests inicate that they are well within specification.

There is no detectable change in engine noise or perfomance compared to a couple of new machines in the club.

Nobody over here has shared the negative experiences of the alcoholic.

Without entering into the best bike debate, all owners over West are extremely happy with the 4RT and without exception have all enjoyed improved results since aquiring them.

Good luck

[the alcoholic]

Mr Morrow

aka RapidRoy

aka morose69 (e-bay)

If there is one thing that annoys me it's someone downright bending the truth.

This forum is to enable users to share info along with (at least I like to think anyway) a little light hearted banter.

If anyone is guilty of living in fantasy land it's you, or how would you explain the following (hopefull Rocketto will back me up here);

You personally, first of all told us R, S & me (amongst others) that your 4RT was spanking new, now we all know that isn't the case don't we. No shame in that (neither is mine) but "why keep changing the story", not my quote either by the way.

You personally told me that the kick start had smashed the casing "that was how I got this one, for the price I did".

You let S ride it in the carpark to witness the excessive clutch drag. And you reckoned it was because "the engine/gearbox had been reassembled incorrectly" your words not mine.

You personally sat there one Sunday and told us you had been assured (and had personally checked) that the restrictors were removed, I believe my reply was "I would believe that (knowing the individual involved) when he hands them to me, and I have them in my (meaning yours obviously) hand". Now it is no secret that I have had 2 4RTs and I KNOW when one has been de-restricted and clearly yours hadn't! making me incredulous as to why you would state otherwise.

Maybe the restrictors fell out when you removed the exhaust to "empty all the crap out of it"?????????? where did the Crap come from, mmm I wonder???

Ignorance is bliss as they say.

It was you who introduced me to this forum remember, when you told us about your rattly top end and Sandifords eagerness to, how did you put it, oh yes "protect the product". As you well know I still have all of the correspondence regarding my dealings with them and have never hidden any of it from you. I would love to know the full story from your bikes previous owner, didn't he/she (trying hard not to be sexist here, after all we regularly got our asses wupped by a 15 year old girl, so much so I think we were starting to enjoy it) want the bike back after it had been repaired? You, I and Sandifords all know I wouldn't!!!!!!

I distinctly remember you telling me you had to replace the piston and rings on the "kids" 315. Still if this is not the case show me the brand new ones this Sunday and I will post an apology.

As regards the quip about your riding ability, As with everything I say, It is only a bit of fun, truth be told we are both Crap (and always will be) and I mean Crap with a capital C!! Anyone wishing to compare our respective results at the last trial we entered can judge for themselves at the Knock website. REMEMBER it's all a bit of fun, at least that is how R, S & I look at it.

Maybe you are just excited at going away to the NW this weekend or you are now regretting your purchase as a "pig in a poke".

If I have missed any points please let me know.

Let me just state this for the record again "I reckon Montesa's are amongst the finest trials machines currently in production (otherwise why would I currently own an 05 4RT, after my previous experience), having owned 3 (315r & 2x4RTs). But do not look at them with rose tinted specs, the faults I have listed do exist but some owners may go for years and NEVER experience any of them (lucky buggers). Heck I must just be unlucky but at least I still have my youth (opinions vary, well at least everyones but mine).

Strangely I get roughly the same ammount (fuel consumption wise) of riding from my current 4rt as I got from the 315. The previous 4RT was definitely more economical but it wasn't de-restricted (unless you believe the supplier, I don't).

Anyway must go there is a pint of domestos with a toilet duck chaser on the table with my name on it along with a bushel of magic munchkins.

PS. Apoligies for rambling off-topic but I firmly believe in extolling BOTH the positive and negative virtues of the 4RT, it stands to reason most will want to defend their purchase but the original post I believe was regarding maintenance. As I said before "good luck with whatever bike you purchase and health to ride".

PPS. If you find any of the former upsetting please do not read it, thank you, and have a lovely weekend.