"The road racer you can ride on the street" the US Importer, Cemoto East, claimed of her. "But not for long" could have been a rejoinder. These delightful-to-ride 213 pound machines had brilliant handling and superb accelleration but suffered from dastardly unreliability and metallurgical weakness throughout. Repairs required an artist's touch. The Montesa was a bit less unreliable. Neat color schemes, slate grey and silver grey, red and silver grey, airscooped front brake, suede strip down center of seat. grey open springs on rear shocks. Pukka pukka. A neat site parked on the Swarthmore or Penn campus, or outside the Cage. Splash some English Leather on your face and light up a pipeful of Cherry Blend, dreaming of Philly in 65.
One was left for repairs at Laughlin's one week in 1967; Bob Dietz and I (I was boarding there while home on leave from USAF enroute to Far East) took it out for a midnight ride over to the Pennsyvania Grill Diner that used to be at 40th and Spruce. A wild ride, we figured we'd best take it back before we wracked ourselves up or broke it in trying. Very few examples extant. They should be made again only with good metals and electrics.
