Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

by John Huetter One of the most pleasan t surprises, and impressive pieces of motocross machinery encountered so far in the CN Ligh tweigh t Review is the Mon tesil 125 Cappra. Few people on the staff had ever ridden one, or known of any riders who had this Spanish 125. The question that stands out, litera1ly screaming for an answer after several days riding, is: Why? This 125 Montesa is a very impressive motDerasseT based on our limited experience' with the scooter. I t is a good-looking bike (Migh t as well start here since so many bikes are sold on appearance_) with' big alloy fenders. and a silver-gray fiberglas tank that comes across as being either too duU or "works"-like, depending on your frame of reference. There is a soft, quality-looking seat attached to the frame and flat black up-pipe and engine. A rather bulky, but very effective, silencing cannister sits at the end of the stinger. The engine cases are highly polished. There is' a visual impression of large smooth expanses of polished alloy. Most riders like it. Details and "accessories" are, for the most part what racers want. There are stock Akront rims, front and rear, that are sheathed with Pire1li Motocross tires in the usual 3.00 X 21 and 4.00 X 18 dimensions. A fresh Spanish-license ~ Pirelli MX really does the job for' the lightweight MXers, as well as S flat-trackers. They're good rubber. Grips ~ and cables are excel len t. Those handlebar covers are like Dohertys bu t the design is actually a bit better. The pegs are just OK. A wet boot slipped off twice (once on each side) as dirt started faster than you were ready for. You to build up, smoothing out the pebbled could dial on more petrol in a comer peg surface. The big fenders do a good and break it loose to square it off but it job of catching almost a1l the goop that was not all unpredictable. The wheelbase is not excep tionally long at a gets . tossed up, but look very dig-able. little over 54 inches but the overall We didn't drop it (Ha, ha.) so can't say geometry must be good as it is straight for sure but would bet on it. The 125 and stable over stu Her-bumps and the Cappra runs quiet. That big silencer will little undulations that build up before give the quiet Pen tons competition in and after comers on a motocross course. the low DB category. There seems to be The engine sits rather high in the more engine noise audible than exhaust single down tube, split cradle frame and, noise. with the up-pipe, gives over 10 inches of The Telsesco forks and shocks on this ground clearance. It is carbureted with a Montesa were exce1lent; strictly top 27mm Spanish Amal (What else?) and drawer. Three different riders of three yields a surprising amount of low end. different riding abilities agreed on this The strongest feature of the black feature. Il was the smoothest ride on a motor is a wide, tractable mid-range. It's 125 that I can remember. One plus easy to ride and responds very crisply factor to this feature is that if it feels anywhere but at the extreme top end. smooth, most guys will go faster. It all The mid-range is really easy to hold on helps. to and that's where most riders are The suspension and the frame, which going to be most of the time_ The revs is also new and different from the old ended to flatten ou t at the top end and Cappras, keep the Montesa tracking very the engine ran rather strained and positively. The spring coils on the rough. Two of the test riders felt that shocks are covered with a thin. layer of the Amal was jetted too rich for clean rubber for protection and to prevent the running at top end. This wouldn't be springs rusting on the inside where it's surprising since the machine was so hard to dry them off after you've breaking in a new piston and Mon tesa washed your bike. It's a good idea. Motors probably didn't want a bunch of The Cappra's handling impressed everybody who rode it. The machine has a very posi tive feel and is very controUable. I t adheres much more closely to the rider's idea of what should be happening than the older Montesas often did. This 125 Cappra goes right where you point it without any of the surprising twitchy quickness that compromised the reputation of former models. It gets where it's going when you point it there with no fuss or bother. Just dial on the power, in , virtually any gear, and it goes to the next point in a smooth, straight line. Really something for a so-called lightweight. (Which is not to imply the Montesa is overweight. It's under 215 wet, and that's a good honest weigh t for ~ a 125 in stock form.) That weight seems S to be very well distributed and is low c .;::; relative to body position. Side to side OQ handling is great and it is an easy, fun (.) bike to slide around comers. The ~ handling doesn't take that long to get >used to. .Cl . The front end is ligh t enough to loft S with c~mplete ease but not so light as to o hop around on ripples, or wash out. The of: rear end never seemed to get out of The 125 Cappra is simply described: I t's fun shape or wan t to come around any to ride as fast as you can. ~ . g' I . Q. N .... C'l M ;:; o i@ w Z w ...J U > U newspaper guys lunching a fresh engine. Another probably reason that it flattened at the top end (And we mean wicked on in fourth damn near flat out.) is that the- 125 needed to be geared higher. This engine could pull more gearing no sweat: An 11 tooth countershaft sprocket is stock with a 58 tooth at the rear. Rear sprockets with 54 and 56 teeth are options and this would give the top -end speed to "run ou t" in the revs that the bike deserves to have. Since our testing was done- on the fast Indian Dunes motocross courses (both of them), the tall gearing would have been a definite asset. For a lot of course, it's right as is. You're not g,oing to get flat out in fourth on some tracks with this bike.. The Motoplat ignition. which is stock, and primary gearing which is low, gave us first kick starts every time, hot or cold. Clu tch action is smooth and very light and no slipping is required to get underway. It feels strong and secure right away. Shifting was short, positive and clutch less. All shifts were completely accurate with no neutrals and neat, snick-snick little throws. The 16 plate clutch was so smooth and easy that left side-shifting bikers adapted to the new configuration in a very few laps. The engine is a bit thirsty. It's surprising how quickly that small 27mm Amal sucks up the gallon or so we usually ran in the tank. Don't worry .. There's enough capacity for a moto or two even if you're pretty heavy handed with the gas. The tank actually holds 1.8 U.S. gallons but if you put it completely full, you'll probably slosh some out the clear plastic vent tube beside the offset gas cap. The cap is a plug type and also leaks a little, but nothing serious. Air cleaner location is high under the seat, as on their Trials machines, in a good, clean, dead air space. Again, a foam type fiI ter elemen t would be better than the stock unit. Montesa is currently negotiating with a well-known air filter element maker to use their product as stock equipmen t. The initial tendency to look skeptically at the big, full-width hubs on a motocross machine in a time when .everybody has alloy or mag conicals disappears as soon as you use the brakes. Those polished hubs hold some fantastic grabbers. The brakes are first class and stop you right now! They have a progressive feel when you apply foot and hand pressure and really work. Another pleasant surprise from the 125 Cappra: good brakes to go with the good handling. Our best test rider was turning some very fast lap times and, in fact, was able to do a job on a couple of 400 motocrossers that were touring the course at the same time. One of them eventually got him back but the rider h'ad to work at it and this was after our test rider had only three laps on the Cappra under his bel t. The handling is that good and inspires that much confidence in the rider. Coupled with its tractable powerband, the Montesa should be able to give a good account of itself in the 125 class. The only thing we can't figure out is why more young racers aren't riding them. The price is right and so is the machine. It's one of the scooters in our Lightweight Review that was a pure joy to ride from the very first go-round. It's a good racing package at a good price. - SPECIFICATIONS WHEELBASE 54.3 in. SEAT HEIGHT 3-1.8 in, GROUND CLEARANCE " 10.6 in. HANDLEBAR WIDTH ,., , .. , ..35.4 in. FUEL CAPACiTy , , , 1.8 gal. DRY WEIGHT (CLAIMED) .. , , 198 lb. ENGINE .. , . , . , ,., 123cc Two-stroke Piston port CARBURETION , 27mm Amal IGNITION "" ,. MotoPlat TRANSMISSION Four speed with constant mesh wet clutch ,',PRICE ....•. , " ..... ' .... , ••. " , , .. " '.' ',' ..... $a21? Appearance of the Montesa 125 impressed other rider-racers more than it did the a clean, functional-looking bike by\. the rave reviews were a surprise. '" ; I ,..., 1 1,' t"': .. -< J .:l f ~ J ~ I I.. ~ I I': eN testers, It's ,.. ~ :, •

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