VOLUME ISSUE NOVEMBER , P123
was still in diapers here in the
states. Darnell and the test team
found that the Montesa did what its
rider wanted it to do. Railing the cor-
ners, sliding through them or squar-
ing them off (Darnell's preferred
method) didn't matter beans to the
VR. It would "lead you through a
turn effortlessly…you can flat out
rule the corners on this machine."
How did the Montesa swerve
and curve? "Pretty nice," accord-
ing to Professor Darnell!
The earth-conscious folks at
Montesa had even engineered the
expansion chamber/muffler to
emit a library-quiet exhaust note.
Downpipes on dirt bikes may look
mighty odd in 2024, but in 1974,
they were as common as elephant
bellbottoms, and the Montesa's
pipe tucked in nicely, right below
the engine case. The extra-large
silencer stands out like a swollen
pinky, but it did its job, with the
staff noting that "you actually had
to listen hard for the exhaust note
when kickstarting the bike to see if
it had lit off."
Like its sister Spanish manufac
-
turers, Bultaco and Ossa, Montesa
designed and built motorcycles
that the magazines loved. How-
ever, motorcycle companies that
lived primarily in the dirt often
couldn't dig up enough resources
to compete with the deeper pock-
ets of Japanese manufacturers.
Vehkonen represented the brand
well in Europe, while another Finn,
Peter Lamppu, put in good rides
aboard a Montesa here in the
States. Other well-known riders
in the U.S., like Tim Hart, Kenny
Zahrt, Mike Runyard and Mickey
Kessler, all spent time on the Mon-
tesa. Great riders, to be sure, yet
there were no major victories for
Montesa in AMA motocross.
Bigger, however, isn't always
better; what the Montesa 250
VR lacked in marketing power, it
more than made up for with on-
the-track performance.
"We haven't ridden all of the
new 1974 250 motocross ma-
chines yet, but so far, what the
Montesa has going for it is the
simple fact that in its stock form,
it has the best handling for the
most riders, the most power, and
totally complete out-of-the-crate
race preparation in every detail.
The only thing it needs to be
raced competitively in every skill
class is gas and oil."
The great Kalevi Vehkonen is
no longer with us, but his name
-
sake lives on. Rare spottings of
250 VRs have been reported at
various vintage motocross races
across America.
"The best way to describe the
VR is that it felt similar to the '74
Honda Elsinore," says Nebraska
racer Thom Portz, a longtime vin
-
tage MX competitor and former
owner of a 250 VR. "It was long,
low and fast. It turned better than
the Honda but shifted worse. I
had to adjust the mechanism
almost every time I rode it."
The reign of Spain might not
have lasted long, but for one
brief, shining moment, the 250
VR was king of the world, at least
in the 250cc class. Who ruled
the big dogs, the 500cc class?
The surprising answer will be
revealed in next week's Archives.
CN
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The Montesa
rivaled the Honda
CR250R Elsinore
in performance at
the time.
The Spanish-made Montesa was an
outstanding motocross bike but its
moment in the spotlight didn't last
for long. As good as it was, the VR
never won an AMA National.
