Montesa Cota 247
MONTESA COTA 247
CYCLE WORLD ROAD TEST
A Superb Mount for Serious Trialsmen.
YOU’RE RIGHT. The new Cota 247 Trialer isn’t all that different from last year’s model. From a distance, it’s difficult to tell them apart. But Montesa’s changes have made a good trialer a superb one-one of the best in the world.
Like a roadracer or motocross machine, the Cota is a highly specialized mount. It is designed for one purpose, trials competition. There are no fancy frills. It is slim with a minimal seat. Nothing interferes with the rider when he is in a standing position.
The Cota reacts to minute changes in rider attitude. Proper lean angles and front/rear weight bias are easily maintained at any given second, in any given terrain. The result is precise control, and that is what trials riding is all about.
Trials contests are typically laid out in rough terrain, and so-called “impossible” sections are frequent. It is under these conditions that the Cota really excels.
The suspension is almost perfect, and as such is difficult to fault. The front forks, improved from the previous model, are typically soft, offer excellent dampening, and have sufficient travel to cope with almost any obstacle. Similarly, the Telesco rear shocks are soft with moderate dampening.
A speedometer is located halfway down the lower stanchion of the right fork leg. It’s small and easily read, but is subject to breakage in a spill, due to its low mounting point. More preferable would be a mounting by the cylinder barrel or the crankcase.
SIMPLICITY IN DESIGN
Frame design remains unchanged. As CYCLE WORLD noted before, it is a singularly non-complex unit, employing a single toptube and downtube. In front of the crankcase, the downtube divides into two smaller diameter tubes, which serve as engine cradles and provide protection. A perforated bash plate is welded to the engine cradles. Liberal gusseting is present around the steering head.
Additional small diameter tubing supports the stylish fiberglass seat/tank combination. This narrow unit does not interfere with the rider in any way and can be removed by withdrawing only three bolts.
The swinging arm pivot is carried in tabs welded to the rear of the frame loops just behind another crosspiece that serves as a strengthening brace and mounting point for the engine. Spring loaded footpegs are bolted directly to the tabs that carry the swinging arm pivot.
An adjustable chain oiler is housed in the swinging arm unit. Oil is added to the chain side tube, which doubles asan oil reservoir. A metering valve, adjusted by a set screw on top of the swinging arm, controls the rate of delivery to the lower run of the chain in this constant flow system.
EXTRA FLYWHEEL SMOOTHS POWER
Power is supplied by a single-cylinder two-stroke, as before. Although the carburet ion has been changed from a 24-mm IRZ to a 27-min Amal Concentric unit, claimed output remains 19 bhp.
Internally, ball bearings support both ends of the crankshaft, the transmission shafts and the clutch. An extra flywheel was added in the primary case, in addition to the usual crankcase unit. This is what makes the 247-cc engine pull strongly from low rpms. One staff rider remarked, “It’s just like controlling an electric motor with a rheostat.” Mechanical noise is very low right up to the 6500-rpm rev limit, and there is no noticeable vibration throughout the rev range. Complementing the low mechanical noise is the exhaust system. Montesa designers have tucked the silencer up and under the seat, and all but the large-diameter chrome section that curves up in front of the barrel remains invisible.
Gear spacing is excellent for a trials bike. The first four cogs are close together in the five-speed transmission. Fifth, with an 8.20:1 overall ratio, gives a decent speed for riding between sections. The clutch was dragging on our test machine, but cleaning out the primary case and refilling it with SAE 10 oil should cure this problem. Shifting action was also a disappointment. Disregarding the short length and inaccessibility of the gear change lever, it was difficult to complete shifts. On several occasions, a mysterious neutral popped up instead of the desired gear.
Like the gear change lever, the brake pedal is well tucked in and is not prone to damage from hitting rocks.
NEW HUBS REDUCE WEIGHT
Both front and rear brakes have been considerably reduced in size. The rear unit requires just enough pressure for good “feel” before wheel lockup. The front brake, however, is a little too small for maximum stopping power while descending a steep hill; it requires a strong grip to approach anything like wheel lockup, but it’s adequate in most situations.
Reduction in brake size has lowered overall machine weight by about 5 lb., but the percentage of front/rear weight bias (46/54) remains the same as the previous model.
Like most trialers, the Montesa Cota has some rather standardized measurements. Wheelbase is 52 in., iootpeg height is 14.5 in., seat height is just a shade over 30 in., and the handlebars are 32 in. wide. But, unlike some, the control levers are welded on. This not only makes for a neat installation, but saves a couple of ounces as well.
Simply stated, the machine is nimble. It is responsive. And in competent hands, the Cota is a proven winner.
MONTESA
COTA 247
List price ............. .............$844
