Bultaco Sherpa in Caracas

Thanks to Michael Silvius up in Maine, US for getting in touch after seeing the post on the Montesa 348 that I used to ride around on stirred up a few of his own memories. He forwarded a link to this image taken in his native Caracas circa 1978 when he was 16. I never knew this but trials were apparently very popular in Venezuela back then.

After seeing this photo I just had to ask permission to reproduce it on the blog as it is just brilliantly evocative of an era and straight up cool too. So, thanks Michael for making contact and thanks for letting me post up your picture.

Michael keeps his own blog: http://isserfiq.blogspot.com/ - it's a good read so if you've got some spare time take a look.

Playing for the camera on a Bultaco Sherpa T in
Caracas back in '78.

Bikes I have owned part VI. Montesa Cota 348

Montesa Cota 348. A more unsuitable about town bike there
never was....

Here's another machine that I was custodian of for a while, quite a short while in this case. Notable for being the first Montesa featured on the blog, this machine I owned for a few months around fifteen years ago.

The Cota came my way largely on the merit of it being offered for sale very close to my home and at a reasonable price. The bike needed a small bit of fettling but after that it was a very good example.

Classic engine. Used in many different sizes and roles from
commuter to road racer.

Bizarre as it seems with hindsight I never used the Montesa off-road, rather as a runabout around Bournemouth where I used to live. For town riding it was good fun, with such low gearing and plenty of power it shot away from the lights but you had to be ready for some rapid fire gear changing. Once underway it would hold a slightly buzzy 50mph easy enough. Though surprisingly adept at being an urban hooligan the Montesa was quite brutally uncomfortable to ride in the seated position as obviously enough it was designed to be ridden standing up at low speed off road..

Easy starter and beautifully made.

Can't for the life of me remember what year the Cota was...

Road legal, just.

Neat q/d seat unit and tank trim (underneath there is a regular
alloy petrol tank).

Happy to have owned it. A sweet bike but, do I miss it? Not much.