Basket Cases

[Kombivan]

what are you going to do with that red /grey one in the middle. I could also use a headlight.

G,day Kombivan, I may have a headlight in reasonable cond, exc for some rust & missing paint, it has the steel grille lens protector although that has taken a beating, give me a week or so to locate it & check I have enough others to go around & I'll get back to you.

A headlight with a grille is what I am after I think there about 5" round the ones in gregs picture were perfect size.
I didn't realise there ere so many Montesa's still around everyone seem to have of know of a montesa in the corner of a shed somewhere. I must admit though when I hear things like Vacume hoses for exhaust and bolts right through the seats and things like that it turns my stomach. Here is one though for owners of the 247 the bolts that hold the seat on at the rear, gutter bolts and wait for it Those yellow tap washers just remove the yellow urethane from the brass and you have an excellent seat fastening rubber that is colour cordinated.

On this bike I used blue ones as I had no yellow left.

[Greg Harding]

Hi Everyone,

Talk about information overload, I forgot to thank John and Paula for their bike collection/ family/ Bundle!

Greg what are you buying imitation trials bikes for? I know this post will upset heaps of people but I don`t care. Remember the old trials sayings. Out of control like a wet Montesa. And, how do you pee a Montesa rider right off. Walk past his bike at machinery and say water. He/ she will instantly have no brakes all day. See that is their reputation. Have you heard what bike won the Twinshock class up at Esk on the weekend. Yep a Bultaco SherpaT! So all is right and correct in the world again. Graham.

Graham, I now have 4 x but have not ridden any of them, so I can't comment on the brakes! Congratulations, it is always good to see a Bultaco win, but I am curious about what happened to the Works KAWASAKI Rider?

David, How did you get my workshop manual for fixing things?

Everybody knows the engineers that built Bultacos worked for Montesa first before they left the Mother company and went out on their own. The thing is they left before the big improvements Montesa made and were left behind like ancient dinasaurs when you consider the number of Bullys to montesa bout 10 to 1 its only reasonable that they get a place sometime. I have owned both thats why I'm going with Montesa's now. I have never had a problem with wet brakes I only rode my bike once under water up to the tank for 3 kilometers during a flood in 1974/5 will a bully do that. I did have plenty of the secret ingredient in the appropriate places.
Kombivan

Kombivan, there are a few versions of events that I have heard, would have needed to lift their game with new competition! But the bottom line (in my opinion) is Competition is a healthy thing, however it is a very sad fact that it can bring out the worst in people.

G,day Greg, I have a similar collection of Montesa basket cases, 247's with a 172 hiding amonst them. The 172 dosen't look to be a too hard one although has the usual kickstart shaft bent up like a dogs hind leg issues. Any chance you may wanna swap ? Brett 07 41710775

Brett, I started this thread for a few reasons, one of them was to swap parts with whoever so we can help each other. The problem is I am not sure what you want to swap?

Greg, that's a great find. Do I detect a Cappra front wheel on the 247?

John, there is no pulling the wool over your eyes! Will have to involve you in the "Which part is not in the above photos, or even bike related for that matter?"
Yes, there were several Cappra VA 125 parts as well.

IMGP7821.JPG (143.86 KiB) Viewed 4728 times

The Cappra wheels will solve a few problems with my 349, stronger front hub, 50T rear sprocket, stainless steel spokes and bigger brakes! Sorry Graham.

[David Lahey]

Greg what are you buying imitation trials bikes for? I know this post will upset heaps of people but I don`t care. Remember the old trials sayings. Out of control like a wet Montesa. And, how do you pee a Montesa rider right off. Walk past his bike at machinery and say water. He/ she will instantly have no brakes all day. See that is their reputation. Have you heard what bike won the Twinshock class up at Esk on the weekend. Yep a Bultaco SherpaT! So all is right and correct in the world again. Graham.

Well done winning on a Bultaco at Esk Graham. It's always good to see Twinshock bikes being ridden well.
I'm still trying to come to terms with the bit about Montesa trials bike brakes though. I think you might be trying to stir up a bit of controversy here. How about we have a "brake-off" at some stage to see just how bad Montesa brakes really are?

[Kombivan]

Ouch!
Once you change those wheels on the 349 you might change your thinking when you feel more confident that its not going to let you down. You can also get grooved brake pads for wet conditions as well which I will get later. What sort of barrel and head is that I was told if you put a enduro/mx barrel and piston on a trials that they get their ass into gear if you have the right bits. I Must admit I had my sherpaT for about 5 years and never had to do a thing to it but it never went like my 73 Cota. can anyone tell me what year model that Black sherpa T is in "trials for back pain" post, i think it was a 72 but never knew for sure? It was 5 speed with the same frame as a 1972 and cut down tank and a comfortable seat put on it.

[Kombivan]

I noticed an interesting thing when looking for a similar bike to my old sherpa and that was the change in bultaco frames from about 72 on they did away with the central post and made them like the Montesa Frames.

[David Lahey]

Ouch!
Once you change those wheels on the 349 you might change your thinking when you feel more confident that its not going to let you down. You can also get grooved brake pads for wet conditions as well which I will get later. What sort of barrel and head is that I was told if you put a enduro/mx barrel and piston on a trials that they get their ass into gear if you have the right bits. I Must admit I had my sherpaT for about 5 years and never had to do a thing to it but it never went like my 73 Cota. can anyone tell me what year model that Black sherpa T is in "trials for back pain" post, i think it was a 72 but never knew for sure? It was 5 speed with the same frame as a 1972 and cut down tank and a comfortable seat put on it.

That black Sherpa T looks like an M80 or a M49 Kit Campeon to me. The year a Bultaco model becomes available does not define the model. The M80 became available in 1971/1972, and is virtually impossible to tell apart from the (earlier) M49 kit Campeon without looking at engine and frame numbers.

[JC1]

David, I'd have tho't it'd have to be an M91 (of '72-74) since it's got the extra tubes running down to the swingarm pivot, which the earlier models didn't have.

Tank of course is not standard - could be cut-down slimline tank or earlier M49 Sherpa. Difficult to tell from the pic. Seat is something different too. Doesn't look like a Sherpa one - perhaps off the first model Alpina.

[Kombivan]

Its not a M80 or M49 as they have the central post, The Black bike has the frame after the change over to like a Montesa Frame which happened about 1972. 1971 still had the central post behind the engine post 72 had the "Y" section above and behind the footpegs like the Montesa.

[Kombivan]

Ita a standard tank but cut down the seat I am thinking is from a 68 bultaco sherpaT or a kawaski trials bike its too short for an alpina seat.
Looking more like a 1974/5 sherpaT

[David Lahey]

Its not a M80 or M49 as they have the central post, The Black bike has the frame after the change over to like a Montesa Frame which happened about 1972. 1971 still had the central post behind the engine post 72 had the "Y" section above and behind the footpegs like the Montesa.

Yes I agree, I was dreaming