The Montesa Cota 315 R Thread...

[Twin-shocker]

Welding cracked fork sliders is pretty easy for anyone who can use a TIG reasonably well. But its a good idea to find something steel same diameter as the spindle, and fit that in to the spindle hole before welding using 4043 filler. Shims are a good idea, and if these are made accurately will stop cracks happening again.

[walstibsf]

Does anyone know the stock gearing on a '98 315R, please? # of teeth front/rear sprockets? I combed the manual I have, and they have all kinds of specs there, but not the sprocket sizes, unless I have temporary blindness, which is entirely possible!

[ridenm]

Originally Posted by walstibsf

Does anyone know the stock gearing on a '98 315R, please? # of teeth front/rear sprockets? I combed the manual I have, and they have all kinds of specs there, but not the sprocket sizes, unless I have temporary blindness, which is entirely possible!

The service data for my '99 shows a final drive ratio of 4:1 and 40/10T. I know I have a 42T rear sprocket, but I can't recall what the cs sprocket is, and the walk to the garage is very dark

PM me and I'll send you the .jpg of specs and service data.

[B1]

hey guys
just read every page on this thread to brush up on the TLR260 which apparently is pretty much identical to the corresponding tessa. it probably around a 1994-1996 but we couldn't find it stamped on the bike anywhere. he said $2000 for it which probably sounds like a lot in the states but cheap here down under. just had a few quick questions....

i'm six foot four so will have to get those bars higher. just wondering if anyone has done this and how far they could go before the cables got too tight? looks like i could get maybe two inches higher with some rerouting of cables maybe, and either go bar raisers or high bend bars?

the plastics are a bit shabby, i doubt anyone would make aftermarket plastics for a model this old but any ideas on a supplier?

fork seals are a bit leaky, i'm assuming it won't be too hard getting replacement seals?

it looks pretty identical to this one except for different colors in parts of the plastics.

[brianjonesphoto]

Originally Posted by B1

hey guys
just read every page on this thread to brush up on the TLR260 which apparently is pretty much identical to the corresponding tessa. it probably around a 1994-1996 but we couldn't find it stamped on the bike anywhere. he said $2000 for it which probably sounds like a lot in the states but cheap here down under. just had a few quick questions....

i'm six foot four so will have to get those bars higher. just wondering if anyone has done this and how far they could go before the cables got too tight? looks like i could get maybe two inches higher with some rerouting of cables maybe, and either go bar raisers or high bend bars?

the plastics are a bit shabby, i doubt anyone would make aftermarket plastics for a model this old but any ideas on a supplier?

fork seals are a bit leaky, i'm assuming it won't be too hard getting replacement seals?

it looks pretty identical to this one except for different colors in parts of the plastics.

That looks like a 314 not a 315. The 14 had the usd forks. Looks like a good bike regardless.

[Cliff Young]

Hi Guys,

I have been riding trials 3 years on a 74 TY250, including some Class A on the Sportsman line. The Ty is a great bike after I got done with it (every nut, bushing, bearing, bolt, seal, ect, including $1600.00 of motor work) but I have been drooling for a long time after a Montesa 315. After 5 months of looking, calling and hearing Oh its sold, or its in Cape Town or the last one (only on Craigs List for 2 days) Oh a guy is driving from,Oregon to pick it up. I despaired of finding one before retirement. I went to the British American Cup last Saturday intending to ride my TY and endure the BRUTAL loop on an vintage bike.

30 seconds after arriving I discovered a club member had just got a lower hour 315 and was selling his 2001 315R Dougie Replica, and looking around I saw him just pulling into the parking lot. "Yes Mable, A tweaked TY 250 will do a tire smoking 3rd gear launch when heading to a possible dream bike purchase". " 2 minutes later I was taking a test drive, Hmmmm front rim is wobbly, loose spokes, also front wheel bearings are loose, front brake master cylinder leaks, clutch is an on off switch, sounds like a wrist pin or BAD predetonation, forks feel like a rock, same with the rear linkage, the chain tensioner is on upside down, Skid plate worn to half its normal thickness in places, its got no low end snap but compression is good. PERFECT !!!!! Shoot why buy a bike you don't get to spend money on. Anyway I reason that the time to buy one of these is when you see it.

Guy wants $2600.00, I talk him into $2500.00 and ride off happy as a clam. I will post some pics as soon as I get it back from Lewisport, Adrian is sorting it out for me end to end. Sorry for the long post its just that the smile hasn't been off my face for a week

[UngaWunga]

So I've been riding my 315 a little more recently, and the flaws in my setup are starting to show. Bike can't stoppie. Front brakes are squishy as hell. Can bring the lever back to the bar. First 1/2" of travel feels good, but it'll sponge back to the bar. I've bled it, and reverse bled it, and it's still mushy. The caliper doesn't feel like it's moving, neither is the brake rotor.

Only thing I can think of is that the steel braided line has collasped, or the MC needs a rebuild. If the pads were hanging up in the caliper, I think I'd see the rotor flex to one side.

Suggestions?

Also, my clutch drags hot or cold. Is it supposed to do that? It looks like the braided line from the clutch MC took a hit and is flattened out a little for 2" or so. Not much, but you can see it. Other things to look at?

Its a 2002-ish model.

[Sting32]

Originally Posted by UngaWunga

So I've been riding my 315 a little more recently, and the flaws in my setup are starting to show. Bike can't stoppie. Front brakes are squishy as hell. Can bring the lever back to the bar. First 1/2" of travel feels good, but it'll sponge back to the bar. I've bled it, and reverse bled it, and it's still mushy. The caliper doesn't feel like it's moving, neither is the brake rotor.

Only thing I can think of is that the steel braided line has collasped, or the MC needs a rebuild. If the pads were hanging up in the caliper, I think I'd see the rotor flex to one side.

Suggestions?

Also, my clutch drags hot or cold. Is it supposed to do that? It looks like the braided line from the clutch MC took a hit and is flattened out a little for 2" or so. Not much, but you can see it. Other things to look at?

Its a 2002-ish model.

Front Brake: You try a kit in master cylinder? bike is 10-ish years old, orings are a wear item in any bike... I doubt, it is the line, but cannot rule it out of course. WOuld be hard to diagnose without fitting a known good one and trying (new one). You could have stuck pistons in caliper, where one side moves to disc, the other side doesnt move or if 4 piston, if they dont all move at same time, brakes will not bite well...

Oil you use, can cause clutch to drag a little, IMHO, from my experience. my expereince is not on tessa's though, but buddy had sherco that he didnt get the same oil as Prev Owner, and the bike worked differently then he changed back and liked it better... you mileage will vary I guess.

[UngaWunga]

I figure if it was a stuck piston, the rotor would flex to one side of the other, away from the unstuck piston. I'll double check everything.

[BikePilot]

Originally Posted by UngaWunga

So I've been riding my 315 a little more recently, and the flaws in my setup are starting to show. Bike can't stoppie. Front brakes are squishy as hell. Can bring the lever back to the bar. First 1/2" of travel feels good, but it'll sponge back to the bar. I've bled it, and reverse bled it, and it's still mushy. The caliper doesn't feel like it's moving, neither is the brake rotor.

Only thing I can think of is that the steel braided line has collasped, or the MC needs a rebuild. If the pads were hanging up in the caliper, I think I'd see the rotor flex to one side.

Suggestions?

Also, my clutch drags hot or cold. Is it supposed to do that? It looks like the braided line from the clutch MC took a hit and is flattened out a little for 2" or so. Not much, but you can see it. Other things to look at?

Its a 2002-ish model.

For the brakes, my best guess, assuming it's bled well and isn't leaking fluid, is that the MC needs a rebuild.

On the clutch, it shouldn't drag other than when you first get going (it'll be a little stuck after sitting for a while, but should free up with a few seconds of riding). The tessa is super picky about clutch oil, use the stuff the manual calls for and nothing else. It's pricey, but it doesn't take a lot of it and it lasts quite well so the expense is really not all that much. Makes a tremendous diff in how the clutch feels, I was stunned when I swapped out for the good stuff. Prior I figured I'd need new baskets/plates to have the clutch working right, but all it took was that fancy fluid.

[dontlr]

If you can't find the pricey stuff you can try some Dextron Auto Transmission fluid. That's what was in my bike when I got it and what I continued to use and the clutch worked great in my 01. YMMV

[UngaWunga]

I have two bottles of the pricey stuff (ELF? Something else? I forget), and that's what I'm using in the gearbox currently.

Next time I change it, I'll pop the cover off to look at the clutch basket fingers.

[Sting32]

Originally Posted by UngaWunga

I figure if it was a stuck piston, the rotor would flex to one side of the other, away from the unstuck piston. I'll double check everything.

Ive personally had this problem once. but the brakes worked relatively well still... But we deduced that the inside caliper pistons would push out on the disc so hard and outer ones weren't, and this caused the disc comes loose after a while. I ended up having to buy a new hub, for my gasgas...

Plus what you say, it is pretty hard to see from the riding position but sure is worth checking. it was just dirt caked in the calipers/pistons over time... I don't allow myself to "try to use all of the brake pads" anymore. when thin, I change, learned an expensive lesson, that 20-30 dollar brake pads would save.

[NMTrailboss]

Originally Posted by UngaWunga

So I've been riding my 315 a little more recently, and the flaws in my setup are starting to show. Bike can't stoppie. Front brakes are squishy as hell. Can bring the lever back to the bar. First 1/2" of travel feels good, but it'll sponge back to the bar. I've bled it, and reverse bled it, and it's still mushy. The caliper doesn't feel like it's moving, neither is the brake rotor.

Only thing I can think of is that the steel braided line has collasped, or the MC needs a rebuild. If the pads were hanging up in the caliper, I think I'd see the rotor flex to one side.

Suggestions?

Its a 2002-ish model.

Just a long shot, but make sure your front axle is torqued in properly and not loose. If the axle is loose the front wheel can 'walk' back and forth on the axle and the brake caliper is trying to center the wheel each time the lever is pulled and will feel mushy. Just a thought...

[lineaway]

Never said how good are the pads? Or have you had fork seal issues?