Hi guys, this old girl has popped up for sale up the road and, looks like I'll be the new owner. All there, up on it's toes, bit of cosmetics hopefully...ohh, those mudguards😀

 

It'll join my 1978 247C which is my first ever 'keeper' twin shock having owned an SWM320, TL125, and Bultaco 198B twice. The old 247C is light, nimble, small with a smoooooth and easy engine, we just get on if you get my drift. 

Always had a soft spot for Montys. I know the 348 was really a 305cc but compared to the 247C, a bigger bike, heavier and, I'm wondering a bike more suited for an expert rider... I'm more a, well let's be honest, certainly, more novice/intermediate but, hey I'm expert at observing. 

So, 348, hero or villain in my hands? ... I'll bring it home anyway as I'm very shallow and, like pretty things in bright colours😀

Thanks guys

Edited June 13, 20224 yr by iconic558

Iconic 558 , that a nice example 348 ,I like montesa , nice looking sharp , , engines when running ok , there usually very strong ,, , sure you gave it a test ride before purchase , , I have a few montesa projects , , like them all , vintage , , well cheers good luck new bike

15 minutes ago, larry s. k. said:

Iconic 558 , that a nice example 348 ,I like montesa , nice looking sharp , , engines when running ok , there usually very strong ,, , sure you gave it a test ride before purchase , , I have a few montesa projects , , like them all , vintage , , well cheers good luck new bike

Thanks Larry😎

Here in the south of England, you don't see many old/real Montesas at Classic trial competitions.  Some Bultacos and Ossas at every meet, but very few Montesas, despite them being quite common back in the day.  I wonder why?  Engines difficult to work on?

No idea, quite a few in the Eastern Centre. 

I've done a few minor jobs and lookysees on my 247C and, it appears a well nailed together bike, nicer than my Bully was.

Some excentric bits like tapers but, bar that nice to wrench on. 

I've had a 348 for a couple of years and once set up they are great bike to ride. turns well for a twin shock. 

Dont think it will be heavier than a 247 but defo more torque

You can have them mild or wild depending on how you set up the ignition... 

8 hours ago, barnesy said:

I've had a 348 for a couple of years and once set up they are great bike to ride. turns well for a twin shock. 

Dont think it will be heavier than a 247 but defo more torque

You can have them mild or wild depending on how you set up the ignition... 

 

8 hours ago, barnesy said:

I've had a 348 for a couple of years and once set up they are great bike to ride. turns well for a twin shock. 

Dont think it will be heavier than a 247 but defo more torque

You can have them mild or wild depending on how you set up the ignition... 

Many thanks Barnesy

I can't comment directly on the 348, but with the 349 it's definitely possible for a new rider to get themselves into trouble with accidental throttle use ... mines a bit detuned (small OKO carb), and even then it could pull my arms off in 4th gear going up a hill.

I got it 'cause it was cheap, should have held out for a smaller bike TBH but now I'm attached to it, lol

On 6/14/2022 at 9:22 AM, stpauls said:

Here in the south of England, you don't see many old/real Montesas at Classic trial competitions.  Some Bultacos and Ossas at every meet, but very few Montesas, despite them being quite common back in the day.  I wonder why?  Engines difficult to work on?

Mine was just a pain the whole time (172 circa 1977 from new) although I was only a nipper, life became a whole lot easier when I switched to a better engineered Japanese bike (RL250 1979 again new). The Montesa was lovely to look at and a very agile ride but (as a 16 year old back then) a right pain to maintain.

19 hours ago, rr62 said:

Mine was just a pain the whole time (172 circa 1977 from new) although I was only a nipper, life became a whole lot easier when I switched to a better engineered Japanese bike (RL250 1979 again new). The Montesa was lovely to look at and a very agile ride but (as a 16 year old back then) a right pain to maintain.

Snap, sort of. I once trialed a borrowed Beamish, a lovely looker, a right pain to ride😀

On 6/15/2022 at 8:55 AM, turbofurball said:

I can't comment directly on the 348, but with the 349 it's definitely possible for a new rider to get themselves into trouble with accidental throttle use ... mines a bit detuned (small OKO carb), and even then it could pull my arms off in 4th gear going up a hill.

I got it 'cause it was cheap, should have held out for a smaller bike TBH but now I'm attached to it, lol

Thanks for the reply. From memory the 349 is actually a 349cc, a first for Montesa, a model nomenclature that makes sense😀

You're right, it is a bit bigger ... the extra made the difference when it came to winning the world championship, but I doubt it matters for current twinshock competitions when the most competitive bikes are much smaller!