Classic Dirt Bike — Autumn 2017

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DirtTalk

Writetousat:

ClassicDIRTbike,

POBox99,Horncastle,

LincolnshireLN96LZ.

[email protected]

ThewinnerofStarLetter

will receiveaprizefrom

theBelRaycatalogue

Montesa Cota

Iread the lastClassicDirtBikeandliked the shortstoryabout

the MontesaCota 310, also as the bikehad quiteaunique

colourscheme.Thankyou verymuch for showingup with that

interestingbike.

Iwould love to see more testsand articlesabout air-cooled monos

as theseare, in my opinion, now classic bikes in everyaspect too.

Ialso likethe bikes mostif theystill are used,in goodserviced

shapebut still originalas muchas possiblefrom the paintof the

frameto the plasticsand stickers. Of course time takes its toll to

all materialsand mechanicalitems,so with further usageparts like

chains,pistons,tyresand so on have to be replaced,also repairs

have to be doneand adjustmentsto the individualrider'sstyle are

needed,but the rest shouldbe as originalas possiblealso to give

futuregenerationsthe samedrivingexperienceas whenthe bike

wasnew.

PatrikBeckmann

Email

Patrik, we did do aseriesof featureson air-cooledmonos,starting

in issue21 with an overviewofsix bikes, then the followingsix

issuestook adetailedlook at eachbike. We had aYamaha,aBeta

TR34similarto yoursinyour pic, an RTL Honda,aFanticandtwo

GasGas.Happytodomore of course... whatdo othersthink?TB

Sandiford’s

ISDT Cheney

Ienjoyed the pieceon Jim Sandiford’sCheney, but acoupleof things

stoodout as odd.

The bikehas beenrebuiltas per 1971–Isle of Man –spec, so why

has it got the 1970(whenthe ISDT wasinSpain)–numberon it?

Therewere anumberof changes,the mostvisiblebeingthe change

of the originalred anodisedtanksand the front forks. Neitherof

thoseparts were reallyup to the job.

Icannotbe absolutelysure but Ithink the pre-event trip to the

Welsh Two-Daywas cannedfor somereasonand the bikes were

introducedto the assembledpressoutsidethe AtomicWeapons

complexin Berkshire.(Bottompic )Theythen did an endurowith

writtenrouteinstructionsorganisedby the AldermastonNomadsClub.

The top photowastaken after the end of the speedtest at the ISDT

in Spain.Ihavemore photosfrom both yearstoadd if needed.

BrianCatt

Email

ThanksforthisBrian,thebikewasrestoredtothespecit came,

maybethereweresomeslightdifferencesbutit is astunningbike.

TB

Professionals

IhavecontactedClassicDirtBikebefore,askingyou to do a

featureon the PE-175Tand Xwhich sincethen you have.

This is anotherSuzukiquestionof sort: acoupleof

timesIhaveseen the samererun of The Professionals,in

whichBodie(Lewis Collins)has arun-in with somebikers.

Cumulatingin Doyle (Martin Shaw) racingsomeblokecalled

King Billy on acrossertrackon aRM125 or 250N,Ithink it’s

an Nmodel anyway.What I’m wonderingis: do you reckon that

RM still exists?It lookslikeitwas abrand newbikeinthe

episode.Ithink it wouldbe greatif it still exists,Iwonderhow

you wouldgo aboutfindingout.

Paul Weddle

Gateshead

Letters

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