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You chopped all those trees to find a suitable bike stand!

Providing there’s nothing else nasty going on with the engine like leaking crankshaft seals, worn main and conrod bearings. And as you say you are a big bloke riding a tiddler.....who knows if it will seize, any way rider input and throttle usage will figure heavily in that conundrum. Leaks around the exhaust port can cause extreme temperatures and that alone will damage the engine. More oil wont necessarily prevent seizures. There will most probably be a TY 80 proficient person along soon to put matters correct.

That’s it then, buy my 250 Sherpa! Problem solved.

TY 80 is an old 2 Stroke design, no harm in using any 2stroke oil as long as it’s fit for purpose, semi syn is fine. A bit rich at 40:1 you are lowering the octane rating of the fuel so try 50:1 not a vast difference but it will help. Sounds like you paid an awful lot for a few studs and a gasket (set) try Yambits they are very good. As the 80 is a nice little engine it may even run quite happily on a diet of 60:1?

Think you’ll find the oil is the wrong type. The clutches on these bikes had a notchy feel due to roughness in the original machining of the hub/basket. There’s plenty of info on the Sherco web site to.?

Nice bike, what’s going on with the gear lever? How about putting a 250 engine or maybe a 325/350 engine in, you then have options. Cost may be off putting. I’m not certain but I think the engine mounts may be the same. Maybe careful setting up of the 175 engine and possibly a heavier drive side flywheel might give you some extra urge out of the motor. Reed valve conversion may also release a few bhp more.?

That sounds like we’re up **** creek without even a paddle! Does this also mean no cricket teams from other countries will ever play in UK again. Of course none of this will have any effect upon Footie.

Well I made a retractable registration plate shown in general. And I made a side stand.

You can’t beat good maintenance ?

I bet the builder of this bike had some restless night thinking about what to modify next. I like some of the touches added to this bike, like the front brake torque arm protecting the brake operating arm.

It was other members opinions that was the key to my question. Good advice to trial test each bike but that’s not really the point. I’m after knowing each persons opinions.??

Whatever model the two bikes started out as they both look really tidy and very well built, refreshingly different. I personally would love to be able to spend time just looking over either one, to be offered a ride on one would also be brilliant....?Of the two the Peter Gaunt version carries more historical input, whereas the other carries more of the modern development ideas that many trials bikes share. My personal opinion again would probably find that the red one rides a little better, I dream on☺️?

Ok so there are 2019 model trials bikes already available from some sources along with the 2018 ranges and very nice they all look to! But which one would you buy and why given that you had say £6000 burning a hole in your wallet? Answers please to include known issues good and bad together with maintenance ease or difficulty. I like the thought of lashing out on a four stroke, but then think that there’s more to wear out when compared to a two stroke. That other niggling worry also comes to mind and that is will the manufacturer chosen still be around in the near future? Lastly the old chestnut, how good is the dealer network and support? I’ve not put down my choice as this might create a target such as “oh he rides this such and such so it must be good”. ???

Where is this bike now?

Better be careful when you post another message you might wreck your computer.

Condensation in the transmission oil. Blocked breather allowing hot oil gassing to build up pressure forcing oil out of easiest escape route usually an oil seal lip. This doesn’t mean the seal is shot just that the lip has lifted slightly to allow the pressure out. Drain oil, check breathers for blockages, check drained oil for metal particles or worse...hopefully it’ll just be cruddy oil. Fit drain plug back, tip into gearbox some white spirit or similar and shake bike about to stir up the spirit rock bike back and forth, drain spirit and leave to drain for a few minutes. Fresh oil back in and try again. ??

These Montesa’s were heavily discounted and advertised in Motor Cycle News, not sure if it was Sandifords selling them but they were crated up so you effectively bought a bike and had to build it up yourself. I think this would have been around 1980 ish the price was £699 I could be wrong. If only you could go back in time I’d be into at least three for myself.?

This will be the Italian version of the BSA C15 Otter and probably cost the same. Who ever built this Ducati powered machine looks as though it will do the business right well. Just like the C15 the sump looks vulnerable. None the less a breath of fresh air in this jelly mold era.

Aware that there are rules and regulations that the police have to enforce and teetering on the edge of actually following some I thought I’d make a possibly almost legal registration number plate. Not just another bolt on item just waiting to slice into a leg or rip your manhood off! This was to be a retractable marvel. Photos attached, the grey mud flap was fitted because as usual the plastic mudguards are too short, so aesthetics meant a mod. The flap is very flexible, and there is a Velcro pad at the bottom. The number plate I made from a file folder cover it’s black plastic and very flexible to. I considered buying a flexible reg plate off the internet but at £17+ and it’s yellow no go. The fixing is fairly self explanatory an thin elastic bungy cord is the holder and the Velcro helps keep the plate in position. When off road the plate tucks under the saddle. On the road at trials bike speeds the plate doesn’t move but I expect at Fireblade speeds it will lift off and disappear over a hedge. Also think that the plate under the saddle may direct water and crap straight into the air filter, but it’s early development. Cost £5 ish all parts bought at the Range...folder £1.99 stick on waterproof letters and numbers £2.94 sundries out of my drawer. at

Must have been the Rent All prototype bars.

Still doesn’t sound as good as Montessori.

There’s a technique to taking an engine apart and I suspect that a furnace isn’t a part of it! Where ever you read that nugget of information I’d revisit and check before going any further. It is all too common for components to grow together over time, gaskets set like stone to both surfaces and can cause some grief when you want to take something apart. To remove the barrel from the crankcase you will need to be careful and use gentle persuasion otherwise damage will occur. If you are trying to remove the cylinder liner from the barrel then certainly heat may be needed. May I suggest that you research some of the very good videos available on the internet and get a workshop manual of some kind, it doesn’t have to be for you bike but similar is good to give you an idea of how to go about engine dismantling. To help you further, if you have already removed the cylinder head ( there’s a technique to this to help prevent distortion) then make sure there’s nothing else holding the barrel ( cylinder barrel) in place. Take a sharp knife blade and ease it around the gasket gently cutting into the gasket be careful not to cut the aluminium case in this area. Apply penetrating fluid to soak into the gasket and where the barrel is thick enough apply careful leverage prising the barrel up and away from the crankcases. Once you get the barrel moving try to keep the barrel even and use leverage with care some thin aluminium sheet placed between the tip of the lever and the crankcase will help. As I have suggested before you might be better off getting hold of an old moped engine or similar and practice on this before working on your Montesa engine. Try to remember that old components can get fragile with age and a little heat from a hot air gun can help with separating components, but stay away from the furnace idea??

Maxton build suspension dampers to suit individual riders weights and preferences and not just for bikes either. They select springs that provide the correct sag and reaction for a particular bike. Mainly road and race but their technology would equally suit a trials machine, good products but expensive because of the time and labour involved.

Wonder if they had cooling fan issues and low speed throttle response trouble. ?Nice vid

Welcome ????to .... The Pinnacle? You may have spelt Montesa wrongly (on purpose?) but Montessori does have a nice ring to it, nice touch. Maybe you should get some decals made up and put them on in place of the ‘other’ decals/stickers.?