vintagecota

Well, finally the old slug gave up. Less and less power. Time for a renew.

Nice job Greeves, just one nit to pick. The kicker is mounted too far forward, you'll kick a hole in the case through to the magneto if you stroke through with it like that. The kicker should be parallel to the frame tube by the carburetor.

Here's my current ride...

like this?...

It's not an early 123, it's an early "MH" 123. After Honda bought Montesa, they put out "MH" bikes starting in 1980. Are you kidding me? A Corvair in Israel? I'm a 123 guy AND a Corvair guy, both the earlier versions...

use 50:1 synthetic.

They made about 5000 per year from 1976 to 1978. The one with serial 16-- is a '76 and the one with frame mods is a '78. the page that's linked is lifted from 'Montesaweb' but I believe the photos at the top, depicting a '77 Malcolm Rathmell edition are wrong. The MR 348 was in '76 only.

It's a 1978 Cota 247C 237cc

Woody's right, the self adhesive is fine IF you stick it to shiny paint. Don't rough it up first, you'd be reducing contact area with the sticky tape. It's not like when you paint, roughening it up increases contact area when the paint flows into the scratches... that said, silicone will work too... Just do me one favour please, put the tank ON the bike and make the "M" level with the ground. I've seen a lot of them put level with the table that the tank was sitting on when the logo was installed.

Shaun PM me your email, I'll send a song or two...

Hey Charlie, I've been neglecting trials and restoring old things to play music too. I play guitar and sing too...

http://www.montesaweb.com//secciones/modelosanyo.aspx go to EVOLUCI

Some parts are the same, like chain guide parts, forks from later 348s, bars, controls, wheels, many engine parts, but many other engine parts are different. 348s are 305cc 349s are 349cc. Frames on 349s have bottom tubes removed and replaced with alloy bashplate as a stressed member.

It's a 247T, made in about July 1974.

I'm reasonably certain it's a '74. Graphics on the tank are the same for 74-75 but the side cover on the engine changed. Engine/frame numbers would help to confirm.

...and a Cota 172 frame.

No, not really, but they made approx. 15,000 of them over 3 years, '76'77 and '78 so it's not too hard to guess....

The engine is '78 and if the frame has the little tubes welded on the sides as case guards, then it's a '78 too. If not, the frame is '77. More or less.

there's at least one "spacer", not inside the clutch

It comes off as a unit... loosen the nut after flattening the tab washer, then pull on the whole unit with one hand, both if you have a helper, and tap on the nut squarely with a "dead blow" hammer. (plastic, filled with lead). Be patient... When it pops off, there's 3 locating dowels an 2 different flat washers that you'll need to catch. Remember the order of the flat washers.

Frames went from gray to black at bike number 21M13107, so yours should be black.

If I recall correctly the 247s have the engine number up at the front on top of the right-side case... it's been a while since I got rid of mine.

The 247 is a '74, the 348 engine is a '78. Did you notice that you can't fit the exhaust, or do you have the barrel on yet? Just for comparison, that left-side case and cover are from a 349 engine.

They do have the pawl system. The lever comes through to the other side and has a rack pivoting on it, then there's a pinion to turn the shift drum. The pinion comes off, then there's 3 screws holding on a cover over the shift drum. The pawls and spring are under that cover.

Anything can be done, but it's not simple. The case mounts might be the same, but the exhaust exiting straight out the front of the 348 won't clear the single downtube on the 247.