Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126776
$900 less than the Husqvarna, KTM or Can-Am offerings. But is it in the same league with the other European bikes? Probably not, but then it's not so far oH the mark to be considered uncompetitive. As it comes stock it's a great trail bike, functioning head and shoulders above the dual purpo e bikes on the dirt. It has a friendly motor that puts out plenty of grunt for a 250cc mill, but it isn't high strung like some of the machines in the class - a nice trait. Montesa has been a scarce marque in the U.S. over the past several years, with their line of trials bikes probably the most well known. At home in Spain, Montesa riders have taken the brand to four consecutive Spanish endurochampionships, 1979 through 1982. And lest we forget, the Montesa V series MXers were a popular item in the late 70s. There's still Spanish heritage aplenty in the 1984 models. For example, look at the motor, w.hich· has the wrinkled cylinder fin design that has become a Spanish trademark. That heritage also includes the lack of primary kick starting. The rightside-mounted kick starter works well enough in spite of the forward mounting; it wouldjust be nice to be able to start in any gear. As it is, you have to search for neutral before kicking away. The Spanish Amal carburetor seemed to do its job well enough, and is equipped with a choke. Starting cold or warm was a simple one or two-kick affair. The frame is crafted from chromemoly steel and painted a bright shade of red. It's basically the same unit used for the last several years, with the suspension on both ends extended to meet longer travel specifications. As a result, ground clearance is a lofty 15.6 inches and the seat height a towering 39, leaving most shorter riders on the tips of their toes before motoring away. A Marzocchi PiHero fork resides up front, similar to the unit that graces the front of some KTM models, but is only 38mm in diameter as opposed to the 40mm units on the KTMs. An obvious cost-cutting move, the more slender version of the fork st~1l oHers a generous II inches of supple travel. Air caps are also missing. The conventional twin-shock rear suspension yields nearly 13 inches of travel from the integral reservoir Betor shocks. The Betors functioned well, and bear a close resemblance to the Ohlins units used on late model Husqvarnas. No problems here. Wheels front and rear are goldanodized Akronts, with good Pirelli rubber wrapped around both ends - ....- Im~ression: Montesa Enduro 250 H7 Peseta-pinching woods warrior By Tom Kolnowski It seems that .myths are often meant to be exploded. In this case, we're talking about the one that goes: "European enduro machinery costs hundreds of dollars more than the corresponding Japanese machine." With the introduc. f d Hon 0 the Montesa En uro 250 H7 (as well as its bigger 22 brother, the Enduro 360 H7) the Spanish manufacturer has blown away that myth. T~e 250 H7 carries a suggested retail prIce of only 288,444 pesetas or $1,849 - a few hundred dollars less than the Kawa aki KDX250 (the only Japanese 250cc two-stroke enduro bike offered in 1984) - and apywhere from $800 to SpeciflcatioM Engine Type .. coal cyl ~I