Trials Australia Forums

A few weeks ago I was reunited with my riding buddy Colin Lough from 1976, thanks to someone on these forums who recognised Colin's name on a 1970s trials riding photo I posted up a while ago.
The other great story (apart from talking to Colin again after all these years) was to learn that he still rides the same Cota 172 that he bought new in 1976 (from the Bob Anthony Montesa shop?) I'm not sure how long the bike was ridden for when it was near new - maybe just a few years till the girlfriend factor intervened. Anyway the Cota was stored in the loft at Colin's work until a short while ago when it was brought down again. It needed a few little things done which required finding some obscure part for the gearshift, and parts were bought from Spain, some new shockies fitted and a bigger seat fitted, so the bike could be ridden with a passenger on a rellies property on the West side of the D'Agular Range, NW of Brisbane. Here is part of what Colin wrote about his Cota

"I can remember the day those photos were taken,
I Love my Montesa.
34 years ago when I purchased it, I new it was different.
As you will see buy the attached photo's, there is about 25 changes to the bike in the last 34 years.
I think it was the only Montisa Coat 127 to be sold in Brisbane Registered and Street Legal, as even your photo shows.
Both Bikes had Lights, how gay is that. B U T We were dedicated to riding even after the Sun went down. Mate I remember those days up the gullies of Balmoral. They are all houses everywhere now, and these days their all worth thousands.
We were very lucky to be in the "Right Spot at the Right Time"
The Balmoral, Morningside, Cannon Hill, and it goes on. I can remember riding to Capalaba one day, 99% off the time you were in the bush."

Colin's photos show the Cota 172 when it was new, beside the pool at Colin's parent's place, and in a similar pose recently. When I saw the photos I remembered some of the things that were done to the bike when it was new - the much bigger rear sprocket, the decompressor and the huge handlebars to name a few. I notice it still has the original guards (unbroken) and reckon that is pretty amazing in itself.

There are a few more photos which I will post later on

Nice story David - but you mention "the decompressor and the huge handlebars " for the 127 Cota and yet only a few days ago you said in regards my 247 "you shouldn't need a decompressor to start it". I'm glad I have ordered a decompressor because I couldn't imagine being stuck in dry creek bed and faced with choice of pushing or burning the 247.

Surely i must have passed you guys heaps of times up the bush at morningside and seven hills but i can only remember seeing maybe an RL and maybe a KT as far as trials bikes go.
But then, we were screamin' on our M138's

The early Cota's were horn back then. First trials bike i rode was a 123 of about the same year.

PS. My friend had a decompressor on his Ossa years ago - he only used to used it on long steep down hills (not sure the reasoning) and not for starting.

keychange wrote:Nice story David - but you mention "the decompressor and the huge handlebars " for the 127 Cota and yet only a few days ago you said in regards my 247 "you shouldn't need a decompressor to start it". I'm glad I have ordered a decompressor because I couldn't imagine being stuck in dry creek bed and faced with choice of pushing or burning the 247.

You must be kidding. It wasn't to start the engine with. Colin had a decomp because it made a great farting noise on downhills.

Hey Hagsta or Cedric (247 riders) - how about telling keychange what you think of needing a decompressor to kick over a 247?

Hey David

I just returned from a camping trip last week.

In the group was my mate Joseph Grech, who I reckon is about our age.

Joseph also had a 172 as a kid and loved it, but the girlfriend factor intervened with him as well and the bike went.

25 years later, after pining for it for most of that time, Joseph was convinced by his wife to try to find it.

No contact details remaining, Joseph drove back to the farm where he dropped it off all those years ago. The bloke was still there and yes, he did remember and no, he hadn't ridden it for years.

Was it still there?...................... "Reckon it must be here somewhere."

Shed 1........... Shed 2.......... Shed 3....... Shed 4.........

Under the mountain of dust and chookshit, there it was.

It's now back with Joseph and powering at full strength.

Alastair.

Thats fantastic. I wonder how many other twinshock bikes are still out there in sheds across Australia, waiting for their original owner to find them?

David Lahey wrote:Hey Hagsta or Cedric (247 riders) - how about telling keychange what you think of needing a decompressor to kick over a 247?

Hey keychange, I'm with David on this one, my 247 already had the decompressor removed when i bought it and has never been difficult to start (apart from when the condensor failed at Brooweena last year!)

I also removed the decompressor from a 349 that I once owned because I couldn't see the point of having it there.

247s are just not that hard to kick over...................even with dodgy knees.

cheers

Lindsay

Lindsay - I never really though of my knees as dodgy before, I've used decompressors on DR650's and like David's mate I used have one on my DT1 just for the fart effect and engine braking on loose downhill runs .

I think someone has done something dodgy when replacing the piston... I better have a much closer look before I blow something.

That old photo of the bike near the pool brings back some memories. Colin was a good mate at school and we used to nick off from school every sports day and hang around and swim. That is if old Cooney didn't catch us and make us shift that f'n big pile of dirt from behind the hall to some place and back again before we could go home.

I heard that Colin was living over at Bulimba way and I would like to get in touch again.

David if you can pass on my number to Colin that would be great.

Trevor Anderson

PM sent with details.