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2019 4RT


rr62
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Yes but it’ll probably be a 2018 model made in 2017 registered for the road as new in 2019! The other answer could be look into a crystal ball. 

To answer your question seriously, if you were the manufacturer and planned on still being in business for the foreseeable future then there would be a small change to the current 17/18 models thus superceeding to 2019. Exactly what those ‘small changes would be is debatable, but the price would certainly be one of those changes. Oh and the decals or stickers would definitely be another change. 

If I were the manufacturer of trials, enduro or m/x machines, I’d have a scheme in place to allow the buyer of any of the previous year machines to have a three year visual update agreement. This would be covered in the initial purchase price, each machine would have a set of the latest stickers issued to its frame number, provided the owner registered their bike with my factory system. There would be a transfer form to be used if the machine passed to another owner. I reckon the cost of a set of stickers to be around £30-40 at manufacturer cost price possibly cheaper if I rein in the design departments sticker design person...me! So at a small cost and p&p plus a little admin time...neat trick here...the owner of the machine must apply for the stickers each year change by e-mail submitting their bikes frame number. My factory can then ask if they would also like to buy at a special price the factory other upgrades. Now here’s the even better bit, by announcing my ‘new’ model range for 2020 in August 2019 potential buyers might look at buying a second hand 2018 model (if my factory and the bikes existed) knowing they can update the bike to the next year in looks alone. This may affect sales further down the line in years, but I reckon that if the bikes were any good there would be a strong demand. Bike dealers would also be able to use the same process...so if there is new old stock bikes around they could be updated, the dealer doesn’t have to be so wary about taking more than just a few bikes to sell as they will not be out of date quite so rapidly as they can get in the real world. Lastly my machines would have a stronger product identity as the colours would be constant and not change from one half year to the next. Those stickers incidentally would proclaim the manufacturers name and bike type, engine size and the best bit....the year. 

As for dealer back up there would be a special service offered to all purchasers of my machines. Each year the owner could have the bike prepared by the selling dealer, where any major engine or transmission concerns would be repaired with factory parts at a special discount, labour charges would be discounted at the dealers discretion. This would create a tied customer base to the dealer. Any purchaser of my machines would also have the opportunity at the point of sale when new to accept a free entry into winning a brand new (of that year) machine. All the frame numbers (not owners names) would be used and a randomly selected frame number would be the winner, this means that even the purchaser of a second hand machine could end up winning a new bike. That bike would be chosen by the winning individual, and it could also be a dealer if the bike is in their used stock. Clubs that offer introductory courses for new riders young and old and are recognised for being entrepreneurial and promote the sport in the best ways would receive my factories support in such ways as demonstrator machines...these would be unmarked decal/sticker wise...the selected club would offer taster sessions through schools and colleges and youth organisations. These demonstrator machines could be offered after a years use to the club members, each buying a raffle ticket for a set fee set by the club and in agreement with the club members. The winning ticket allows the person to take ownership of said demonstrator which will still have the free new bike chance through frame number selection as the rest. The demonstrators and free bike would be covered in the advertising budget and other revenues pulled in from suppliers and a small franchised dealers contribution.

Yes of course this is utopia and dreaming, but it ain’t that hard to see a way forward. Some of the big manufacturers could actually offer this.....and before I’m judged as insane, I claim fame as having got a large privately owned motorcycle business to be dealer of the year in a large weekly publication. Damned hard PR work it was too!

There could be some ideas here for clubs to generate more membership.

 Innovation 1...some of the factory production could be channelled to schools, colleges and youth and offender organisations for educational and teaching aides. Whole machines might be offered to colleges that offer related courses, these might be at cost or leased at a preferential rate but identified as such so that they do not end up in the market place for sale. 

Innovation 2...dealers contracted to sell factory supplied machines would be ring fenced and offered full factory support. There would be no endless warranty paperwork, electronic or otherwise. The customer would come first with legitimate warranty claims being sorted straight away, electronic data such as photographic details including the customer. Should the customer want another dealer to do the work the factory would send a ‘trouble shooter’ technician out to the dealer to carry out any necessary warranty work, the dealer would receive a charge for this and not the customer, hopefully this might encourage the dealer to have better customer relations.

Innovation 3...when we see a child that is in desperate need of financial support for a lifesaving/changing operation or procedure denied  to them because of beauracratic indifference and penny pinching. The factory would donate through its (closest to the child’s area) dealer a machine for auction or raffle with all funds going to that child’s family...yes it’s advertising but at least people get the chance to do something to try and help.

Blimey....I’m sorry rr62, I really have gone on a bit, like to buy a bike? 

By the way Hertfordshire is my home county??

Blast it johnsandywhite got in before I’d finished my post!

Edited by section swept
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Blimey - thanks Section Swept! Some great food for thought there which should stir up a proper response. Wonder if things might change when it all goes electric and we maybe end up renting the batteries from manufacturers/dealers with relevant upgrades as the tech improves.

My 4RT is a mint 2016 model and has done pretty much nothing - but 'new' is always nice (as it was when I bought it new) and I always reckoned in the past that if you hadn't trashed the bike, etc. then the optimal time to part company was maybe after 2 years. Oh well, guess I'll keep it for another year or so. I also prefer my Montesas in red rather than the current 4RT colour scheme. At various times since 1978 have had (all red) a 172, 311 and x2 315s before this 4RT with various other bikes in between and breaks (kids, work etc) along the way. Red is the colour.

nb. Herts is where I am but was born in God's own country until my folks moved darn sarf here when I was 15 (think the 172 was a parental bribe to placate my anger...). It's all good down here though apart from the beer!

Sounds like I should wait until 2020 tshock250- will be great if it loses about 5 kilos and only comes in red and the Brexit factor doesn't make it cost 12,000 euros...

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3 hours ago, 2stroke4stroke said:

"Less engine breaking".  One would hope for none at all.

It’s nearly always the same, the advert blurb usually has at least one spelling cook up....usually calliper instead of the correct spelling for brake caliper, let’s hope someone at the factory actually reads their ads and makes a few adjustments to the employment status of the ad person.

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I have it on GOOD authority, that the Montesa Honda 4rt in all it's variations have all been produced THIS year and have just been released as 2018 models.

Normally they would release them as 2019 models. Honda UK have just bought and imported them. Even the 50th Cota Anniversary model was built at the same time.

Montesa Honda in Spain build in batches of the different models and obviously want to export as many as they can.

Why they would call the latest models 2018 in the UK I have no idea.

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  • 4 months later...
 
  • 4 months later...

I've seen 2 adverts for shops selling new 4Ride Enduro version. I've had a good nibble, but can't seem to find it on the Honda/Montesa website tho??

Adverts list the changes as,

Enduro specific front tyre,

high level front mudguard,

vented airbox,

new gear shifter. 

I've zoomed in on the pictures and it appears that the gear change now goes through a linkage which then exits behind the frame rail. This then connects to a gear lever which appears to pivot on the footpeg. I'm hoping this will be retro fittable to my 2017. 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-Montesa-4Ride-Enduro-Version-4-Ride-Green-Lane-Trails-Offroad-260cc/303173379230?hash=item46968aa49e:g:GgAAAOSwiFZc8TGw

Edited by cord
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On 10/17/2018 at 7:48 PM, rr62 said:

Blimey - thanks Section Swept! Some great food for thought there which should stir up a proper response. Wonder if things might change when it all goes electric and we maybe end up renting the batteries from manufacturers/dealers with relevant upgrades as the tech improves.

My 4RT is a mint 2016 model and has done pretty much nothing - but 'new' is always nice (as it was when I bought it new) and I always reckoned in the past that if you hadn't trashed the bike, etc. then the optimal time to part company was maybe after 2 years. Oh well, guess I'll keep it for another year or so. I also prefer my Montesas in red rather than the current 4RT colour scheme. At various times since 1978 have had (all red) a 172, 311 and x2 315s before this 4RT with various other bikes in between and breaks (kids, work etc) along the way. Red is the colour.

nb. Herts is where I am but was born in God's own country until my folks moved darn sarf here when I was 15 (think the 172 was a parental bribe to placate my anger...). It's all good down here though apart from the beer!

Sounds like I should wait until 2020 tshock250- will be great if it loses about 5 kilos and only comes in red and the Brexit factor doesn't make it cost 12,000 euros...

Completely agree with the "red" theme, the silver ones just don't look right to me, i have a 16 as well and am do my bets to get it to look right, or more like my brothers 15 as that looks ace.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Any new news for 2020?

I ended up keeping my 2016 - still immaculate, starts every time and needs next to no maintenance. And that sound when blasting across trails! And it's RED (so no motivation to go for the current bland colours).

I have considered other bikes but if you scan forums it seems that there's a massive bias towards their niggles and problems. Some of which just sound like poor attention to detail, bad engineering or short cuts to losing weight. 

So the money's in the bank waiting for the 2020! News anyone? Will it be red again? 

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