138 replies to this topic

[Dabs Alot]

"interesting" observation DG Shanon.

Honda's press release doesn't mention "Montesa" nor does the bike have Montesa badging, so maybe Montesa isn't ready to present to the public what they will be selling to the public.

Maybe Honda just wants people to know what the Honda Team will be competing on this coming weekend.

[Nigel Dabster]

That must be news to fuji then as he always rides a Honda in Japan.

[Nigel Dabster]

I've thought about this and there is a idea in my mind that what we are looking at is a modern TLR, not the RTL of old. This bike will be in production and sell well enough and then montesa/Honda have the basis of a works rtl for Doug etc. if and when the 4t rule comes in. The 315 needed a facelift anyway.
As it is a prototype it could well be 300cc to give a bit more have only 3 gears( doug has 4?) and tweaks aplenty.
If it were top notch then why wouldn't Freixa be on one, that would be good to watch, a top rider on a new 4t that would be a measure....

[The artist formerly known as Ishy]

I have received some info today that says that pictures of the bike in Mont clothing will soon be posted, and the exhaust you see is a heat shield and the actual exhaust is under it.
I think the bike looks the part and it won't be long until we see them in the flesh, it's now up to the other manufacturers to make something as good or better.

[DGShannon]

What will "surprise Fuji"?

It is no secret that the Honda RTL in Japan is the same bike as the Montesa Cota, and Fuji rides one marked as such when in Japan. They used to try and do the same at all the rounds.

My point was that the press release was not from Honda/Montesa, but was exclusivly from Honda Motor Co. and that the "developed independantly" wording added to the mystery.

Quote

If it were top notch then why wouldn't Freixa be on one, that would be good to watch, a top rider on a new 4t that would be a measure....

Honda is great at their press. Just in case things don't go well with the bike this weekend, it wouldn't do to have had a truely world class rider at the controls, would it? Think that has anything to do with Amos Bilboa being replace with Tomoyuki Ogawa as the rider?

I love Montesa and think they are an excellent bike. I have no doubt that the 4-stroke will be incredible in the end. I'm just having a good time trying to read between the lines, as well as watching everyone stumble all over the Montesa name, when it is only Honda that appears to have said anything, and with strangely limited and questionable wording at that.

[Andy]

DGShannon, on May 18 2004, 08:11 PM, said:

Honda is great at their press.

They must be - they've certainly got you lot talking

[The artist formerly known as Ishy]

I wouldn't worry about all the new technology like the fuel injector, they are very simple, a sensor tells the crank position for timing and a sensor tells throttle position for duration of fuel delivered, if the throttle is full open then the injector stays open longer to deliver more fuel, the sensors are just on of switches.
I don't think it will have a battery for starting rather a capacitor that holds a small charge to prime the fuel circuit.
The biggest problem will be when the do it yourself man thinks he can tune it better than Honda and knackers it up.

[JTT]

ishy, on May 18 2004, 08:18 PM, said:

The biggest problem will be when the do it yourself man thinks he can tune it better than Honda and knackers it up.

Will be entertaining...although expensive

[Subira]

Hmmm.................no HRC casings, or a mention of the bike on the HRC site. Could this be the 'cooking' version

Maybe the HRC version is later ?

They'll have to do something about that front pipe, any 'punters' looking at the bike will think its a fifty.


The tuning thing is a problem in Road Racing at the mo, you get the software and a USB cable to play with the HRC kit for a CBR600RR, but it isn't very helpful. The only way to set one up is on a Dyno, then its not just any Dyno, you need a load cell to really get the mapping right.

Spent a day with a mate, who was setting his HRC equipped CBR up recently, fortunately he gets his Dyno time for free - used about 10 hours to get a reasonable setting. Chopping jets never seemed so simple

[Vinnied]

ishy, on May 18 2004, 08:18 PM, said:

The biggest problem will be when the do it yourself man thinks he can tune it better than Honda and knackers it up.

good one Ishy

Vinnie

[JTT]

DGShannon, on May 18 2004, 08:11 PM, said:

Just in case things don't go well with the bike this weekend, it wouldn't do to have had a truely world class rider at the controls, would it?

I think you will see over history, Honda rarely risks championship points on one of these "introductions", although it is a bit surprising that they are actually entering it in a WCT, not a Japanese National or something. They must be pretty confident...not that they ever aren't

My only hope is it's not obnoxious sounding like the 4S MXers.

[Griffiths of Wales]

Hard to tell whether the bike has Scorpa/Beta linkless suspension, any ideas?

[Wonder Boy]

Nah it won’t be it will just have the same suspension at the 2 stroke. They haven’t changed much the only big difference it the engine from a 2 stroke to a 4 stroke.

Gavin

[bigfoot]

Sorry to disagree with you again WB but to me a hell of a lot has changed. In fact almost everything so why not the suspension. It looks similar due to the fact that it keeps basically the same geometry but little else IMHO.

[JTT]

I agree, there appears to be almost nothing unchanged. That said, I can't see Honda going away from the proven linkage systems. If they were to do anything different in that department it would be in the line of new "Unit ProLink" system.