19 replies to this topic

[robbo27]

Hi. I've spent quite some time looking through the various different forums but thought it was about time I put something up myself. I decided to buy a little twinshock project a few months ago with the intention of being able to ride it in beginers/easy trials. I managed to pick up this Montesa 247 which I'm hoping to tidy up and get it in a nice ridable state, once in this state I will then maybe look at the cosmetic side of things.

I have a couple of questions and thought this would be the best place to ask. I was windering if anybody had an idea on what year it is (I have read it can be quite difficult to date the old monts?) I was told it was a 1973 or 1974 does this sound correct?

Any ways here are a few pics:














I was also wondering if the wheels are correct? the front is alloy but the rear is polished or chrome. I have also wondered if part of the right hand casing (Kickstart side) is missing as there appears to be a panel removed?

I've had a quick play on it and it seems to be fine however it will run fine for a short time and then be very difficult to kick up again, the plug is almost black as well so assume its running too rich and the carb might need attention? The rear shocks are also very poor and will need replacing and the bars will be getting thrown out. I think the front pipe should also have a rubber on it were it joins the silencer but it seems to be missing.

Anyways I'm sure I have some more questions but thought I'd see what peoples opinions were of the bike

[2stroke4stroke]

---

Don't want these Ads? Why not help support TC and sign-up as a Trials Central Supporter

[2stroke4stroke]

The rear wheel looks OK apart from the chrome rim - it's no big job to replace with an alloy rim. It was common to cut away the clutch casing to prevent mud build up at the sprocket - and to kid ourselves that we were making a difference to the weight of the bike.

The rest I can't comment on.

[b40rt]

I'm assuming they have points, sounds like the condensor is failing. Change the points at the same time.

[jordi]

I think its possibly a Cota Mk 4b

[swmtf3]

I think your right Jordi, a 73 Mk4b was the last of the underslung clutch arms. I had a Mk 5 74 back in the day.....

[robbo27]

Thanks for the replies chaps. I'm going to do a bit of fetteling this weekend and hopefully try and keep this topic updated with a bit of progress.

I had thought about selling it and buying something that had already been tidied up, but I really like the look of these 247's and thought getting my hands dirty would be part of the fun.

A quick ride around opened my eyes though, riding the old Mont at the side of my 2011 Gas Gas is like riding a blind folded pig, haha!

[chris_]

Hi Robbo

The engine casing does look to have been modified, but these crop up on eBay fairly regularly if you wanted to replace it. I think you will also find that your front wheel is running backwards, i.e. wrong way round. The support bar is usually on the left hand side (looking down, sitting on the bike). The rear wheel also looks a bit odd. The chrome rim is one clue, as is the fact that the brake arm is upside down.

If you have a look at this photo, I think you can see what I mean about the wheels.

[robbo27]

Thanks for that chris I would have never noticed that without the heads up. I've got some tyres to put on so when I do that I'll swap the front wheel round.

Also just to update a little, I could not get it to kick up at the weekend. It wasn't getting fuel so I took the tank off and cleaned it out (I was quite suprised at how much crap came out) the tap was blocked so took that off blew it out with the airline and its miles better. I also took the carb off and the little filter where the banjo is was also covered in crap so I've ordered a repair kit for the carb.

I also put a new plug in and made sure the gap was correct but it seemed to have a very weak spark so my next investigation will be the points and condenser. I tried to order one from inmotion trials but their out of stock and won't be getting any for a good few weeks, do any of you guys know where I might be able to source them from? I'm also going to have a look at the timing, although this is all new to me so I might have to ask for some help, lol.

[chris_]

My first port of call for parts is usually Inmotion but you could also try www.smproducts.co.uk who have the parts that you are after, listed on their website. I have found SMP very helpful and they deliver quickly. www.jimsandiford.co.uk have a few older Montesa parts, so might be worth trying. Otherwise, there are a number of parts suppliers in Spain who, between them, seem to have just about every conceivable Cota part. I have had very mixed experiences with buying parts from Spain though.

There are also a couple of US suppliers that always seem to be highly recommended (www.rmmontesa.com and www.southwestmontesa.com). These have both been very helpful with technical questions and seem to keep lots of stock, but with shipping and taxes, it invariably makes them very expensive to use from here.

Hopefully some of the old hands on here will post a couple of other recommendations as well.

With the fuel tank, have you got a one-piece fibreglass tank and seat, or is yours a separate alloy tank with a loose cover? If it is a fibreglass tank, then sealing it will help to stop it deteriorating because of the ethanol in modern petrol. This might account for the gunge in the tank if it has not been sealed or was done some time ago. If you have got an alloy tank, then a good clean should sort things. Quite a few people also put an in-line filter between the tank and the carb, which might be worth thinking about.

[robbo27]

Cheers for advice bud, I'd not thought of SM products but I've just ordered a condenser and coil from them and a few other bits that I need (flywheel puller, TDC tool and some rubber for the gear lever) hopefully they will be here for the weekend.

The tank is a separate alloy one I ve ordered a new tap for it and also thought about putting an inline fuel filter in as well, so I might pick one up.

Just out of interest I ordered a 12mm fuel tap but I'm now having second thoughts and wondered if it might be 1/4" thread? I've not had chance to measure it but read somewhere that its 12mm

[chris_]

---

Don't want these Ads? Why not help support TC and sign-up as a Trials Central Supporter

[chris_]

Mine has a 12mm tap, so I think you will be ok.

[robbo27]

Just thought I'd resurrect this topic from the depths of trials central.

I haven't been able to take any pics but I have made some good progress with the 247 since I last updated the topic. It is far from being a fancy show bike but is definitely in a usable condition now.

I have done the following:

I started with the fuel, taking the tank off cleaning it out and replacing the fuel tap, the old taps filter had gone so a lot of crap was getting down to the carb.
I then removed the carb cleaned it out and got a new gasket and o ring kit.
I replaced the points and condenser and plug, and set the timing and gaps etc. (never done this before but hopefully I've done it correct! it runs so its can't be that bad haha)
Put new rear shocks on
New bars as the old ones were slightly bent
Fitted a kill switch
Painted the head
Painted the front pipe and got a new rubber exhaust connector as the previous owner had just put a big jubilee clip round and it was blowing badly!
Changed the tyres front and rear.
Changed Gearbox and Clutch oil
Got a sidestand and new chain tensioner

There are still other things that could be done, but hopefully the above means that its nice and rideable and the rest can be done as and when its needed.

I do have some questions that hopefully some of you guys can help with though:

The exhaust only has one box, with a small outlet poking out from near the rear shock its a WES exhaust but I think it should also have a tail pipe? I can see where the bracket for the tail silencer has been ground off on the rear loop. Is this correct or should I look at getting a new system and welding a new tab on for it?

The next thing is the rear wheel is wrong, but I'm not sure if the rear sprocket is also wrong, its a 42 tooth, but I think it should be a 48?

[wobbler]

Couple of things re mine -

Depending on how competetive you want it to be ?

I fitted a new Mikuni 26mm Carb from In Motion and what a difference ...

The rear brake lever is fine where it is as it doesn't snag on rocks etc.....

9-42 Sprockets as first gear was too high for some sections otherwise - now I can use 1/2/3rd although it is a bit slower on the Road.....

Good luck - They are like trying to ride a Buffalo instead of a racehorse .........

[robbo27]

Just thought I'd put the pics up that I said I was going to take:

I think it definitely looks better than the pics when I first started, and as said I'm just wanting to get it to nice usable condition not fully restore it as such.

20130502 200446

Album: Montesa 247

Uploaded 03 May 2013 - 07:27

20130502 200457

Album: Montesa 247

Uploaded 03 May 2013 - 07:28

20130502 201530

Album: Montesa 247

Uploaded 03 May 2013 - 07:29

20130502 201014

Album: Montesa 247

Uploaded 03 May 2013 - 07:33

[robbo27]

Wobbler thanks for the advice on the sprocket, I think I'm going to change it for a 48 tooth and see how it goes