What chance getting the one-off bits needed to keep the Future Trial up and running?

True - but it wasnt 20 years old in 1995 either.

Read the spec sheet of the TRW FUTURE MONTESA as advertised on ebay under Montesa trials bikes,then read the spec sheet on Montesas own site of the 300rr.I do not think the rr comes with an almost complete titanium bolt kit if any,but I think you will find them on the bike that Toni Bou uses.

 

The TRW FUTURE also has a very long list of specialised equipment that in 2007 took it to a cost to the public of approx  £20,000; and compared to a standard 4rt that to my mind would make it as close as an ordinary working man can get to a works Honda Montesa unless you know of another Honda Montesa works type bike that is for sale to the general public.

 

As I stated its about as close as an ordinary person can get to the bike that Toni Bou rides....a works bike.

 

A 2007 works bike is no where near what Toni rides to day.

If you exclude the crankcase work to make it a 300cc on the spec sheet then the remaining stuff is 90% bling.

Having seen a trw bike in bits less than 10 miles from my home in 2008 I would suggest unless its your bike or your mates then the blatant promotion of this bike should be taken with a large pinch of salt.

 

If i had £7500 to spend on a bike it would never be this one, and certainly its never going to get anyone better results than a brand new 300rr.

I am certainly not promoting a 4rt, just that whoever buys this bike at 7500 could lose a lot of money. It would be easier to sell on a rr, thats all, especially if you dont like it.

 

A 300 is a mistake for a novice whatever the bike.

Oni..... I'm still checking in on this thread daily and reading all the comments with interest, so thank you for your input.

Nigel, can you elaborate more on the above comment please, as always I'm interested to hear people's opinions.

I dont understand why you are set on a 300? It's apparent that you have other bikes etc but why start trials on a 300? It's not going to give you any more advantage than a 200 or 250 at novice level. 250 will feel more than enough, take it from those here that have been there and made those mistakes. If you're buying new, last thing you want to do is get it wrong. 250 would be best compromise imho

I dont understand why you are set on a 300? It's apparent that you have other bikes etc but why start trials on a 300? It's not going to give you any more advantage than a 200 or 250 at novice level. 250 will feel more than enough, take it from those here that have been there and made those mistakes. If you're buying new, last thing you want to do is get it wrong. 250 would be best compromise imho

The theory behind having a 300 is "buy once" as iv stated previously I'm not one for buying and selling bikes, it's the quickest way to throw money away, and a hassle imho.

Trials is something I want to do long term, i appreciate I need to start at the bottom and learn the basics but I would like a new canvas that hasn't been used by anyone else.

I also plan on having any bike I get road registered (there are places I can ride around me within suitable riding distance) and believe a 300 would be better suited for any road work than a 250 or smaller (I also believe that a 4t would be better for the road) please correct me if you think this is wrong.

I am interested in why a 300 would be "too much" any vehicle only goes as quick / accelerates as fast as the person on it / in it, if I had never ridden a bike before maybe so, but after 28 yrs of riding motorcycles I would like to think I have enough throttle control not to mash it into the nearest tree !

Edited December 23, 201510 yr by dingle

300 cc bikes are good enough to do world rounds. Some makes are pretty gentle but others are very powerful.

A 250 is more than enough to do any club or national trial in the UK.

A 250 you will control the bike.

A 300 the bike will control you.

The vast majority of riders have more power than they can use.

I did the SSDT on a 160 sherco many years ago and it was no problem. That's 100 odd miles a day on roads and moors.

I hope you mean yrs not hrs.

What concerns riders with experience about the 300cc bikes for a beginner is that although actual speeds while riding over/around obstacles are slow,things happen very quickly during the process for example if you were to go up a banking and around a tree and then drop down a steep bank over some roots and you start to lose control on a 300cc and you open the throttle a little it could turn a bad thing frightening for a beginner; where as if you were riding a 125/200 much more docile machine you may be able to reign it in.Another thing when you are learning/crashing and stalling in the middle of a section after 4/5hrs of riding is the restarting of your bike when your knackered,125cc no compression hardly 200cc easy 300 quite/very tiring on a 2 stroke.modern 4t not so much.

If you are tired and have arm pump on a 125 in a section it can get hairy, on a 300 it could bite badly.

smaller capacity machines feel lighter and easier to move around for some strange reason, even though they actually weigh about the same. To sum up....... you need to ride the bike,not the bike ride you.

Well spotted ! Bloody auto correct ! Lol

And thank you for taking the time to write a well thought out post, some food for thought in there.

Dingle ; 

If your set on a 300 get a new Mont 300 rr .The build quality will last for years with some proper luvin , And if the mapping switch works at all like it does on my Buddies early 250 Cota , (he knows some HRC engineers ,300 and some odd cc, and his bike is a hungry tiger in power mode and a tractable easy to control bike in the soft mode ..) I've been at this game for over 40 yrs now , and his is the most pleasant trials bike I've ever used. it will do anything you need suspension wise and will dislocate your shoulders if it's got traction . And I've always found 4t traction easier and smoother  (although I compete on a sweet Fantic 240 )

 Bottom line : Get a bike , Test ride a Few first , Then have some fun learning how to ride all over again ... Serious Trials is not easy .... But you will be better for the experiance !!!

 Glenn

Back to what I would buy, the 300 rr Montesa is the sexiest looking trials bike ever! I always disliked the 4RT, but that sure would turn heads. If you live at sea level, buy a 200 Beta if you want to learn to ride well. Buy the 300 Monty if you want to look like a super man!

Oni..... I'm still checking in on this thread daily and reading all the comments with interest, so thank you for your input.

Nigel, can you elaborate more on the above comment please, as always I'm interested to hear people's opinions.

 

think its answered above.

 

But anecdotally i was convinced i needed a 300 as its what i d had before but ended up spending hours softening it then went out and bought a 250, spot on without touching it.

Love my Montesa 4RT (250) and after 3 years I still haven't exceeded its capabilities.

I figure that I likely will never need a 300 as I will not be getting up to the level where it will make a difference. Would I start on a 300? Maybe a 300RR and not take it of the soft setting for the first 2 years... Any other 300, not likely.

I mean most modern trials bikes are what 145lbs to 155lb so a 300 is like riding a 251lbs KTM 530. That's a lot of bike...

Just my thoughts.

Go to a Trials intro place like Inch Perfect, for a day

Pay them to show you what Trials is like

Ride a 125 to 300cc bike & I bet you buy a 200 to 250cc bike

Edited December 24, 201510 yr by johnnyboxer

Thanks chaps, a wealth of good opinions on here. I was considering a day at inch perfect tbh, or possibly BUMPY as that's who I rode with at the NEC.