charliechitlins

Thanks Darlo. Can you give me an idea of how much material you removed from the flywheel? Anybody else done this? I've been checking out the footpegs for sure...also planning to get some extra width out of them. I'm considering cutting them off a little outboard of where they mount and grafting some Sherco ones.

I especially like the ATA one. I've always maintained that watching guys fly up giant vertical walls is cool, but it would scare the bajeebers out of someone considering getting into the sport. Anybody can look at an MX rider flying over a giant jump and imagine him/herself doing that same jump...just lower and slower. But what happens when they imagine themselves trying to get up that same rock.

Is that good or bad?

Is there a modern ignition for this bike? That would be tempting. The only sensible ignition mod I remember from the old days was to get the condenser out of its hostile environment and put it up by the coil. The fender thing will take a while...I'm still recovering from an unexpected $225 pair of fork tubes. Ouch.

I was curious because all the modern bikes have them.

Should they be fit with the fork brace, or is that an unnecessary part?

I once had an old-timer tell me that his Indian racer would PULL my Harley racer fast enough to wear it out. He and Ishy must be cut from the same cloth! Burlap!

UCDQ (Uncle Charlie Dumb Question) #26. This is what happens when I start treading new turf... My project Cota has an incorrect, modern-looking fork brace. Judging by the pictures I've seen, there was no fork brace on this model. Is there any benefit to having one? One of the reasons I ask is because it takes the place of fender stays, so the fender only attaches in the middle. I'm considering alloy fenders (for their superior price, durability and ease of installation, of course) and I'm curious if it's OK to just support them in the middle like this.

Wake up and smell the pre-mix. You guys are all missing the point. The math is incredibly simple. If a 2-stroke costs around $5k, and a 4-stroke costs around $6k, the 4-stroke is a better deal. The 2-stroke would be $2.5k-per-stroke, and the 4-stroke is only $1.5k.

Make sure you have some freeplay in your lever. Thinner oil sometimes helps drag. I use 5w30.

So....where are my pictures?

I'm in.

I'm starting to think it comes down to torque. Is I once heard...loose spokes don't break.

Just curious, really. Mainly because it's in bits now, and I can't ride it, so all I can do is think about it for the time being. I probably wouldn't cut it up. The last old-ish bike I had was a TY350, and a few little things (reed valve, brake mods, footpeg position) made a BIG difference. I've got a few tricks I do to drum brakes, but I want to be sure I have a spare cam before I start I will probably end out doing a complete restoration. I think I'll buy a zinc plating kit, though. I hate sending fasteners out for plating.

I guess some people at Sherco (GG, etc) will get to ride the Montesa before they go into production. It might pay off to be 2nd or 3rd in line.

Any good mods you folks know of for this bike? Engine (porting)? Carburetion (use the Amal for a papreweight?) Swingarm length? Neck angle? BRAKES? Fork valving? Footpeg position?

Right! No boots. I'm scheming a way to graft the "Montesa" part of my torn up ones on to my generic aftermarket ones. Got to spent a whole hour on it today between chores. Forks completely empty, springs crusty and 2 different lengths, tubes bent. Time to call Forking by Frank. But, hey...ya can't put a price on a good time. The good news: too-long primary drain plug was interfering with shift mechanism. Presto grind-o...shifts great.

OK...I'm not doubting you...but I think I'm a little dense. Wouldn't compression give more resistance to the rear wheel? When I want to spin an engine on the lift (to check timing, for instance), I jack up the back wheel, put it in gear, take out the sparkplug (eliminating compression) and turn the back wheel.

Oh, yeah...excuse my ignorance, but I've never used a compression release for anything other than starting. How would one use it while riding?

Yikes! What a beautiful job. Is it your's? It's a real temptation to restore mine (I wouldn't be afraid to ride it!), but I have a big restoration in front of it. I think I've seen my next project, though. Is that one earlier than '74. or could a '74 be had with a silver frame? Anybody know where to get a toolbox? Thanks so much for the pics!

Thanks fellas, mates, guys and y'all. What I would really like, also, are some detailed photos of an original or properly restored bike, so I know just how everything goes together. I would be willing to pay. This one I have has been pretty well...um....personalized over the years, and I would like to know how it's really supposed to look.

And remember...never stick anything sharper than a polish sausage through your jets. If you must use wire, use copper.

I do electroless nickel and Parkerizing...just in a pot on a hot plate. I don't do electroplating myself, but, like you say, it's done with a battery or battery charger. Here's a link:Caswell plating

I and many of my antique-restoring brethren have been doing several kinds of plating at home (Copper/nickel/chrome electroplate, zinc, electroless nickel), and Parkerizing, with excellent success. I can't see why anodizing should be a problem.