vintagecota

It's a little hard to describe without pictures, but here goes: Make sure the shifter's detent plunger (spring and ball) is installed in the rear of the case, near the chain area. The small gear on the end of the shift drum should have the dot pointing down, with the trans in neutral. Important. The shifter body, the round part with the stub shaft on the back and the milled groove where the toothed detents and spring live, needs to be put into the hole in the case and oriented so that the slot goes from top left to bottom right with the slot offset toward the top right. Does that make sense to you? Next part to deal with is the stop plate (flat dimpled metal piece looks like a big flatwasher with a handle that has a hole in the end of the handle and two bites out of the inner circumference of the washer) If you hold the handle straight up, you want the higher bite to the left. Put the stop plate over the shifter body and turn the handle 45deg. right to go over the stud there. Install the cam nut in the middle position and lock nut. Next is the sector plate. That's the other flat dimpled metal piece with the sector gear and reliefs for the toothed detents. The proper orientation is (with the sector gear pointing up) for the reliefs on the left to be higher. Now place the sector plate on the shifter body, over the stop plate so that the hash mark on the third tooth from the right lines up with the dot on the small gear on the shift drum. Turn the shifter body slightly so the groove lines up with the top left relief in the sector plate. Install the toothed detents and spring. Let me know when you get this far and I'll guide you the rest of the way...

How far down have you taken it apart? Did you remove the large spring from between the two discs? Or are you looking for the final adjustment with the cam bolt?

Is it in mint condition and extremely inexpensive?

From what I can gather, it's an '82. One source shows them made from '82-'84. I find the MH to be an interesting "missing link" model commemorating the buyout by Honda and connecting the lineage. I'd say that one would be a "must" for a serious Cota collection.

Based on your further info, I think I'd take the 349. I don't like right shift. I have a '72 247 that I've converted to left shift/right brake. It's not very hard for a decent machinist to modify the clutch cover, and the pedal assembly is almost a bolt-in. Is the 349 a '79-'80 with the 348 looking tank and a big seat or is it a slimmer, more waisted tank with smaller seat as in '82-up ? I don't think there's anything in particular to be wary of, just the normal things as with any bike. I've found most everything to be available. The only really pricy things are the jewellry and rubber in original new. If you're riding it, just use universal parts and it's very inexpensive. The Amal carbs wear rapidly and aren't the greatest even when not worn, but that's about it... oh, the 349 air box is hard to find and always cracked. These bikes are very durable mechanically. Check the 349's downtube below the steering head for cracks and the tubes under the engine of the 247 for flatness.

Thanks for the heads up, Steve.

Probably the 349, depending on the years of each. If the 247 was '72-'76 with the slimline tank and alloy fenders, I'd probably take it. Especially if it was a left-shift model with the silver frame, or an Ulf Karlsson model. The 247 better conveys the classic Cota look, but the 349 is all business.

in Canada we've got fiberglas tanks with a steel spigot moulded in with an ID of 38.43mm. I'd assume your ally tanks have the same cap. They are widely available as a reproduction or even originals if you know where to look.

Here's another one in "Jolly Olde". http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...7947182663&rd=1

Thanks for the good info, B.J. I'm looking forward to your book. And I thought my 123 was an overachiever!

Yesterday I found this 10M survivor in Vancouver, BC. The little rascall is 99.5% complete and all original. The only thing I can find missing is the tail light lense. I couldn't wait to fiddle (fettle) with it today, so I drained the old gas, put new gas in, took the carb off and apart, cleaned it, and guess what? It runs! The lights and horn work too! All the chrome needs to be redone, but miraculously the fenders and all the rubber is excellent including the original Pirellis.

Holy crap that's a nice Indian! I'll trade you for a brand new 349 Cota, just like Ulf Karlsson's. Your rear axle spacers are 1-1/2" on the brake side and 9/16" on the chain side. The space between the flanges measured at the extreme rear of the swingarm is 7-9/16" inside to inside.

Don't think so. The left side shift on Cota 247's first appeared on the 1974 models, to the best of my knowledge. The change from a silver to black frame color came mid year on the 1974 models for sure, which they marketed as the "Still Better". I have a 1974 "Still Better" (manufactured around April 1973) along with a full page color marketing ad featuring the bike. You will occasionally see the ads come up for sale on E-Bay. The memory is the first, no, second thing to go, eh DG? yup, left-side shift appeared in Dec.'72 at frame #21M8100 nope, the black frame appeared in Feb.'74 at frame #21M13107

Yes, the Amal is basically a paperweight. The bike will run fine with it if it's not worn out but when I switched to a Mikuni I got better low response and TWICE the riding on a tank of gas. I'm using a VR 250 Motocrosser (Montesa) front hub for a much better brake. It's still useless when it gets wet, although when hot, I can easily do nose wheelies. The only other thing is to get good rear shocks.

Left-side shift was from Dec. '72.

The bike in the pictures could be a '74 as the black frame began from Feb.'74. No fork boots, eh?

eternal parts never need updating!

NGK BP5ES

Will do.

Excellent! Give us the number from the spare engine and I'll tell you what it is, it's earlier than the bike.

This bike was made in May, 1974. The trials tanks are readily available and are the only difference except for the extra set of pegs on the 'T' model. Good Luck! Aluminum fenders? Yes.

Late (December) '72 was when the 247 changed to left side shift, at serial #21M 8100. 123s all had left side shift and started in '72 as well. in '74 the frames went to black from grey. I'd be on the lookout for a clean 19M (172) if I could only have one. It was told to me by a very experienced local trialer, of the big three Spanish bikes of the time, all have very nice engines, Monts turn the best but may be unstable at times, like up a running creek, Buls are very stable but are a challenge to turn and Ossas are in the middle. He was riding a MAR. One thing is for sure (to me). Montesas are by FAR the best looking!

The bike in the avatar, my overachieving '72 123 Cota has still got it's original piston and bore. I know it's original because the bike was near new when I bought it. I rebuilt everything in the cases, except the piston, bore and crank, it was all in spec and looked good. That was 4 seasons ago and it still pulls like day one. Can anyone beat that?

Point gap is 0.4mm or .016" timing is 1.8mm BTDC points and condensor are the same for all vintage Cotas (Motoplat 6620001 & 6620010 respectively)

I normally consider Hondas to be rather pedestrian fare, but those ones look like cracking pieces of kit. p.s. We don't normally talk like this in Canader.