Montesa they were AWESOME!!!! they dominated trials competition. they were the sister company to Bultaco. I'm curious if the company is still around I would imagine they are difficult to get parts for. a rebuild would have to be a challenge. they also made motocross bikes their big bore models were AWESOME!!!! they had so much torque that they needed only a four speed gear box. when I was young they were my favorites but they were difficult to find in the United States. as far as European bikes go the closest I ever got. was a Husqvarna 360 dessert cross bike it was a very good motorcycle.
Well, not at all "sister companies". Paco Bulto started out with Montesa but became angry with their direction regarding racing. In frustration, he left the company and launched Bultaco. So, to some degree, bitter rival would probably be the better term for the company relationship! I am in the midst of another restoration, at the moment, but once wrapped up, I have a 1976 Bultaco Model 158 that I will be doing. On an interesting side note, I was at a trials event this weekend and met a gentleman, from Spain, that was over visiting a friend in Texas who had come to our event. After talking to the guy awhile, it turns out the both his Mom, and He, worked at the Bultaco factory for several decades. Very interesting man to talk to. Not an encounter that happens every day, in Texas anyway!
@@cemoto15 - Compared to having to deal with points, the electronic ignition is a breeze. The brand I used is detailed in the video, and is a great kit. Simple installation. As you can tell from the video, stripping the tank was a chore. I used a brand of stripper called "Klean Strip", but I understand that CitriStrip may work as well. The real work comes AFTER you get all the paint off, as you need to make the raw plastic look nice. Basically, you are running through various grit levels of sandpaper, just like polishing metal. I probably spent 40 to 50 hours on that step alone. I went through various polishes, trying to get a shiny finish. In the end, it was a combination of polish and heat. I used an electric polisher, with a carefully controlled speed and a deft touch on how much friction I applied. Not sure that I would do it again! However, if you choose to repaint the tank instead, you can hardly avoid paint bubbles eventually forming as modern fuels seep through the plastic. Even with internal tank sealers, it is tough to totally prevent issues. So, long term, stripping the paint is the best bet.
@@DarrellShannon Thanks for your detailed reply , my tank is not so bad so I’ll probably leave it for while . I’m from England so should be able to source the ignition fairly easy . Think it’s an English brand . Thanks again for your reply 😀
It was a major undertaking, as you can see in the video! I used "Klean Strip" paint stripper, to remove the old paint. That leaves you with the bare plastic tank, still in red. The task then becomes to polish the plastic. I started with sandpaper, starting at 600 grit, and working my way up through 20 2000 grit. This was ALL done by wet sanding. Once done with sandpaper, I worked through some polishing compounds, by hand. I then used a small hand-held electric polishing tool, with lamb's wool, and polishing compound. In the end, getting a shine came down to a delicate balance between the speed of the tool, and pressure applied, to generate a level of frictional heat that glazed the surface into a shine. I put AT LEAST 40 hours into the process. Not sure I would ever want to do it again. However, I have zero problems with the finish now, where as everyone I know that tries to use paint ends up with bubbles eventually. So, well pleased with the outcome.
@@DarrellShannon thanks a lot for your reply. I started on an old 349 tank and I see now the amount of work needed... i Hope i will be able to obtain one day your super nice finish....
Thanks for sharing that restoration ! You did a GREAT job on this beauty ! Now I see I can do a better job at restoring my Bultaco's fork !! SHINY ! :)
Thanks. Regarding the forks, my secret weapon is a polish that I have used for decades now called Wenol. I have tried many different things and never found its equal. It is German, and used to be very hard to come by in the US, but now you can pick it up off Amazon. www.amazon.com/s?k=Wenol
Thanks so much. Very much a labor of love. I have since removed the white stripes from the tank. A fun experiment but a bit too Bultaco looking it seem as my riding buddies kept giving me a hard time. So, the next (current) restoration is in fact a Bultaco Sherpa T Model 158. Hoping it turns out as well as this one.
I know I am a little late to the party, but thanks for the inspiring video. I had one of those that I traded for an older 1981 version that is in pieces in my garage. I hope to resurrect it someday. You mentioned James Wipff. Are you in the Houston area? I used to ride with James back in the late '70's.
Hopefully you get it back together. This one came out so nice, it is now a garage queen! Don't want to tear it up. I have ridden with James Wipff since we met in 1999. He, and Gary Jackson, were my main mentors in learning trials techniques. James still rides every Saturday that weather allows, out at Rio Bravo. We turned the creek banks, and wooded areas around the track, into a trials playground. Where are you located now?
@@ZOKTLRD - Make a trip out to Rio one Saturday, and reconnect. When you enter, there is a sign-in trailer on the left of the entry road. When stopped there, look directly to the right and that is where the trials group parks.
we need a Chinese manufacturer to make bikes like this, twin shock, basic machines, LED lighting kit, analogue clocks, electronic CDI, forget the things they're making now with plastic shrouds and covers that do nothing except make it look like it's from space, when a firm remakes these bikes MONTESSA, BULTACO, HONDA TL, SUZUKI TS, YAMAHA DT, they will domonate world bike sales, this is what people want, either a full blown race bike like the R1 or a trail bike that is stripped back to basics, no thrills or uneeded clutter, light, nimble, simple, basic and easy to maintain, and very cheap, low markup but huge sales figures, "stack them high sell them cheap"
I was experimenting with vinyl wrap, and wanted to see what it would look like with stripes on the tank. The answer? It looks like a Bultaco! I have since removed the stripes.
Muy buen trabajo. Tengo 2 cotas y estoy encantado por ser la herencia de mi abuelo...ahora empieza la restauracion! GRACIAS POR EL VIDEO🎉🎉
¡Mucha suerte con la restauración!
Great job. Looks terrific. Well done.
Thank you!
@DarrellShannon hard to find parts here, Ireland/Holland.
@@harrolddejong905 - What parts are you looking for? I have a few odd spares. That and some websites that I used for acquiring items.
Lovely job well done 👏
Montesa they were AWESOME!!!! they dominated trials competition. they were the sister company to Bultaco. I'm curious if the company is still around I would imagine they are difficult to get parts for. a rebuild would have to be a challenge. they also made motocross bikes their big bore models were AWESOME!!!! they had so much torque that they needed only a four speed gear box. when I was young they were my favorites but they were difficult to find in the United States. as far as European bikes go the closest I ever got. was a Husqvarna 360 dessert cross bike it was a very good motorcycle.
Well, not at all "sister companies". Paco Bulto started out with Montesa but became angry with their direction regarding racing. In frustration, he left the company and launched Bultaco. So, to some degree, bitter rival would probably be the better term for the company relationship! I am in the midst of another restoration, at the moment, but once wrapped up, I have a 1976 Bultaco Model 158 that I will be doing. On an interesting side note, I was at a trials event this weekend and met a gentleman, from Spain, that was over visiting a friend in Texas who had come to our event. After talking to the guy awhile, it turns out the both his Mom, and He, worked at the Bultaco factory for several decades. Very interesting man to talk to. Not an encounter that happens every day, in Texas anyway!
PRECIOSIDAD !!!!!!!
Looks great 😀
Thank you!
@@DarrellShannon Just bought one this weekend, would interested in your thoughts on electronic ignition and how you stripped the tank . All the best 😀
@@cemoto15 - Compared to having to deal with points, the electronic ignition is a breeze. The brand I used is detailed in the video, and is a great kit. Simple installation. As you can tell from the video, stripping the tank was a chore. I used a brand of stripper called "Klean Strip", but I understand that CitriStrip may work as well. The real work comes AFTER you get all the paint off, as you need to make the raw plastic look nice. Basically, you are running through various grit levels of sandpaper, just like polishing metal. I probably spent 40 to 50 hours on that step alone. I went through various polishes, trying to get a shiny finish. In the end, it was a combination of polish and heat. I used an electric polisher, with a carefully controlled speed and a deft touch on how much friction I applied. Not sure that I would do it again! However, if you choose to repaint the tank instead, you can hardly avoid paint bubbles eventually forming as modern fuels seep through the plastic. Even with internal tank sealers, it is tough to totally prevent issues. So, long term, stripping the paint is the best bet.
@@DarrellShannon Thanks for your detailed reply , my tank is not so bad so I’ll probably leave it for while . I’m from England so should be able to source the ignition fairly easy . Think it’s an English brand . Thanks again for your reply 😀
Beautiful job! I love that Montesa model, the Cota 349
Thanks! Final year for the 349. Everything following had Honda's hand in the mix as they purchased Montesa, to get into the Spain market.
Excelent!!! Very good....
very nice job!!!!!! Viva Montesa! From Barcelona!
Greatly appreciated!
Thanks for sharing the restoration in such detail with great camera work for the video! Beautifully done 👏🏼👏🏼 !!
Thanks Matt. Labor of love, for sure. The problem now is that I don't want to ride it and bang it up.
@@DarrellShannon Yes, I can understand that completely 👍🏼
Well done on a stunning build and a damn good build video. Bellissimo
Thanks! Greatly appreciated.
A really great job !!! I'm interested in the tank restoration. Could you share me the technique you used?
It was a major undertaking, as you can see in the video! I used "Klean Strip" paint stripper, to remove the old paint. That leaves you with the bare plastic tank, still in red. The task then becomes to polish the plastic. I started with sandpaper, starting at 600 grit, and working my way up through 20 2000 grit. This was ALL done by wet sanding. Once done with sandpaper, I worked through some polishing compounds, by hand. I then used a small hand-held electric polishing tool, with lamb's wool, and polishing compound. In the end, getting a shine came down to a delicate balance between the speed of the tool, and pressure applied, to generate a level of frictional heat that glazed the surface into a shine. I put AT LEAST 40 hours into the process. Not sure I would ever want to do it again. However, I have zero problems with the finish now, where as everyone I know that tries to use paint ends up with bubbles eventually. So, well pleased with the outcome.
@@DarrellShannon thanks a lot for your reply. I started on an old 349 tank and I see now the amount of work needed... i Hope i will be able to obtain one day your super nice finish....
Thanks for sharing that restoration ! You did a GREAT job on this beauty !
Now I see I can do a better job at restoring my Bultaco's fork !! SHINY ! :)
Thanks. Regarding the forks, my secret weapon is a polish that I have used for decades now called Wenol. I have tried many different things and never found its equal. It is German, and used to be very hard to come by in the US, but now you can pick it up off Amazon. www.amazon.com/s?k=Wenol
@@DarrellShannon alright, I'll look into it then ! Thanks for the tip ;)
Great great job !
Thanks so much. Very much a labor of love. I have since removed the white stripes from the tank. A fun experiment but a bit too Bultaco looking it seem as my riding buddies kept giving me a hard time. So, the next (current) restoration is in fact a Bultaco Sherpa T Model 158. Hoping it turns out as well as this one.
Super!
Thanks!
I know I am a little late to the party, but thanks for the inspiring video. I had one of those that I traded for an older 1981 version that is in pieces in my garage. I hope to resurrect it someday. You mentioned James Wipff. Are you in the Houston area? I used to ride with James back in the late '70's.
Hopefully you get it back together. This one came out so nice, it is now a garage queen! Don't want to tear it up. I have ridden with James Wipff since we met in 1999. He, and Gary Jackson, were my main mentors in learning trials techniques. James still rides every Saturday that weather allows, out at Rio Bravo. We turned the creek banks, and wooded areas around the track, into a trials playground. Where are you located now?
@DarrellShannon I am on the SE side of Houston. I used to race MX at Rio Bravo back in the mid-70s. Lots of good and bad memories.
@@ZOKTLRD - Make a trip out to Rio one Saturday, and reconnect. When you enter, there is a sign-in trailer on the left of the entry road. When stopped there, look directly to the right and that is where the trials group parks.
La plus belle des cota
we need a Chinese manufacturer to make bikes like this, twin shock, basic machines, LED lighting kit, analogue clocks, electronic CDI, forget the things they're making now with plastic shrouds and covers that do nothing except make it look like it's from space, when a firm remakes these bikes MONTESSA, BULTACO, HONDA TL, SUZUKI TS, YAMAHA DT, they will domonate world bike sales, this is what people want, either a full blown race bike like the R1 or a trail bike that is stripped back to basics, no thrills or uneeded clutter, light, nimble, simple, basic and easy to maintain, and very cheap, low markup but huge sales figures, "stack them high sell them cheap"
Somewhat applicable to your suggestion. Tenaci-Wong is making a great, basic, bike. www.tryalsshop.com/tenaci-wong/
a lot of Bultaco influence on that Montesa...and of course Honda
I was experimenting with vinyl wrap, and wanted to see what it would look like with stripes on the tank. The answer? It looks like a Bultaco! I have since removed the stripes.
The white line is from Bultaco... no Montesa!
And yet, there you see a Montesa with a white stripe! It was an experiment, using vinyl. I didn't end up leaving it on. 🙂
OK, I'm just like to say that this is not an official version. Thanks!@@DarrellShannon