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/1529511
I n 1974, the world was on fire! At the movie theater, we were watching Paul Newman and a cast of thousands battle a major skyscraper blaze in The Towering Inferno. Gene Wilder and Cleavon Little made us burn with laughter in Blazing Saddles, and on the AM radio, the Ohio Players brought us "Fire" ("the way you swerve and curve really wrecks my nerves"). Meanwhile, in the pages of its April 30, 1974, issue, a fiery red motor - cycle was wowing the Cycle News staff. They called it the "best 250cc motocross bike you can buy" and even went on to claim that it was better than a "works" bike. Who made the best 250 MX bike? Hang on to your Jofa be - cause, as Bachman-Turner Over- drive would sing that same year, "You Ain't Seen Nuthin' Yet." That red motorcycle wasn't a Honda, a Husky, a CZ or a Maico. The bike to beat in '74 was the made-in- Spain Montesa Cappra 250 VR. The "VR" in the moniker rep - resented Montesa factory rider Kalevi Vehkonen, a Finnish star, who was one of the top racers in the very competitive FIM 250cc Motocross World Championship. It could be argued that the 250cc class was even more competi - tive than the 500cc class during those years, so Vehkonen's strong finishes against the likes of Joel Robert, Hakan Andersson, Sylvain Geboers, Guennady Moiseev, Jaroslav Falta, Jim Pomeroy and others were impressive. Mon - tesa's 250 was fittingly named the "Vehkonen Replica," and the 250 VR indeed looked as if the Finn himself had just parked it. "You sit there shaking your head as you go over the ma- chine," CN said. "It is a works bike: the same frame, the same black crinkle-finned engine and 34mm carb, the same seat, tank, forks, wheels, shocks and shock mounting of last GP season." Long-travel suspension had not yet trickled down to the local moto- cross racer, so the Montesa forks provided six inches of travel up front, with a pair of Telesco shocks good for four inches of travel bring- ing up the rear. The VR sported a chrome-moly steel frame to carry the powerplant that pumped out a nice even 30 horsepower on the racetrack. While many MX bikes of the early '70s required a wholesale parts swap out after leaving the dealership, the Montesa was al- ready fitted with quality items like a TwinAir foam filter and Pirelli tires. Race ready? "You roll it out the door," CN said, "break it in with a tank or two of pre-mix, and you race it. That's it." Cycle News had brought in a guest tester, motocross instruc- tor Russ Darnell, to give the 250 VR a thorough examination on the racetrack. Before starting a series of moto schools, he had been a top American MX'er when the sport CNIIARCHIVES P122 Better Than Works! I n 1974, the world was on fire! cause, as Bachman-Turner Over BY KENT TAYLOR Russ Darnell offered Cycle News his opinion of the Montesa Cappra 250 VR in 1974. He was impressed. The 1974 Montesa Cappra 250 VR