Montesa Cota 348s coming out of the woodwork

[David Lahey]

There have been a few people chasing Cota 348s lately. There are currently two for sale on eBay - both in NSW

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... 0294138250

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... 0306423520

[mtbrider]

Speaking of the Montesa's finally managed to track down a copy of the movie Freebie and the Bean.

Watched it on the weekend and again (after 30 years) got a great thrill watching the car chase which turns into a motor cycle chase (ala trials tricks).

This movie was one of the reasons I originally got into trials bikes which I used to ride in the Seven Hills bush, the bush behind the Belmont rifle range and in the bush off Creek Road (now the suburb of Carindale) in Brisbane.

Still have not managed to get myself a Monty yet but used to drool over my mates Cota 123 (still looking). Still happy to have had 3 TY's.

[David Lahey]

Hey I used to ride there too in '76 - on a 325 Alpina. Fond memories - especially when it was wet.

[dad]

Hey mtbrider,

I broke my leg where carindale shopping centre now stands( and to keep on topic I'm sure there was a cota there at the time)

Dad

[David Lahey]

That must have been pretty close to the wool scour Dad. I think it was about where the bottle shop is now.
The other fun thing around there was the model aircraft flying field on the South side of Meadowlands Rd (near the sewage plant).
I've always been amazed at the way that in the late 1970s and early 1980s, people paid top dollar for house blocks at Carindale when they were next to a sewerage plant and on top of the remains of the (arsenic polluted) wool scour.

[dad]

Back over on pine mountain and whites hill were the best spots.
Days of riding on my mighty yz80b.Trying to do trials and keep 1 step ahead of the police on their 750 4's.

Dad

[David Lahey]

So now the truth comes out - Dad was that pesky kid on the YZ80 out at the powerlines.

[ValK]

Isn't this a trip down memory lane: Mark was up here for a ride on the weekend and we were talking about Pine Mt (how it's now gone), Whites Hill (fenced and no riding), Bulimba Creek (oops houses)& 'the power lines' fenced?? Weren't they the good ol' days? I do recall some Alpinas then too Dave. My bullies were Pursangs back then followed by the Monty, RL & TLR etc... Hmp I'd hate to be a kid trying to find a spot to ride now!!!


ValK

[mtbrider]

I rode these areas with my old mate Bob Wallace who lived over near Balmoral High. He had an Alpina (green tank from memory). I used to wait and wait for him and he would not show up so I would ride from Morningside over to his house and he would be kicking the B.. and swearing and we would get out the rope and the TY (250D) would drag him around the block a couple of times and off she would go.

I seem to recall another friend of Bob's who had a 360? Bultaco (don't hold me to this) but it had the smallest tank and he would always be riding with a knapsack and a container of fuel on his back.

I ran into Bob a little while ago and he lives on the coast and still rides (he has a Gas Gas now).

[mtbrider]

PS I actually live in Carindale now and do remember the arsenic stories from the old tannery. I think this was closer to Bulimba Creek on the southern side of the golf course and not really where the shopping centre is. Mind you I was very young at the time having been brought home as a new baby to Winstanley Street Carina about 3 houses up from where Carindale shopping centre is now.

We did not stay there too long as mum didn't like living in a housing commission area and we moved to Morningside / Seven Hills (we lived on the corner with one street in M'side and the other in S Hills) so I only had to cross the street and I was in the bush for a bit of trials action dodging the rangers on their Honda XL's.

Apart from a stint in Mareeba and Gladstone have not really strayed too far have I.