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Montesa Honda is a subsidiary business of Honda , which assembles several models of motorcycles and bicycles in Barcelona , Spain. It was formed in 1944 by Pere Permanyer and Francesc Xavier "Paco" Bultó . The business was Spanish-owned until entering into an association with Honda.

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56-445: Montesa may refer to: Montesa Honda , a Spanish motorcycle manufacturer Order of Montesa , a Christian military order Montesa, Valencia , Spain Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Montesa . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change

112-493: A Range Rover , removing the body, cutting the chassis down to an 80-inch wheelbase, and attaching it to the body of a Series I Land Rover , retaining the Range Rover's V8 engine and coil-spring suspension in a light, maneuverable body. In recent years, the value of early Land Rovers and Range Rovers has risen to the extent that this is no longer practical. CCV trailers now usually base their vehicles around Land Rover Defenders or

168-419: A European manufacturing base for their commuter bikes) helped production continue. Indeed, one of the government's stipulations was that Honda would guarantee that production would not stop. Honda was prepared to stockpile trial bikes and to sell them off at a loss in an effort to reach Europe's more profitable market and to bypass restrictive import tariffs . In July 1985, a major reorganization took place and

224-695: A coalition of conservation groups including the Friends of Juniper Flats, Community Off-road Vehicle Watch, California Native Plant Society, The Center for Biological Diversity , The Sierra Club , and The Wilderness Society who initiated the legal challenge in late 2006. Many U.S. national parks have discussed or enacted roadless rules and partial or total bans on ORVs. To accommodate enthusiasts, some parks like Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida , were created specifically for ORVs and related purposes. However, such designations have not prevented damage or abuse of

280-618: A dedicated off-road driving center and are usually organized by a dedicated trialing body (such as the All-Wheel Drive Club or the Association of Land Rover clubs in the UK, or by a vehicle owner's club. The course consists of 10 to 12 "gates" marked by two garden canes (sticks) and are vertically placed. The gates are just wide enough to get a standard vehicle through. Vehicles start in a stagger, proceeding one by one, and are deemed to have cleared

336-422: A gate if at least one of the front wheel hubs passes between the canes. The vehicle's attempt ends when it comes to a stop (depending on the exact level of skill the trial is aimed at any stopping may end the attempt, or a few seconds may be allowed). Long-wheelbase vehicles are usually allowed to perform a three-point turn if needed, providing the driver declares where the turn is going to be made before they attempt

392-467: A large amount of money from Honda was received. By then, only two trials models were offered and the workforce had dwindled to a mere 152 employees. A year later, there were further financial moves between Honda, Spain's government and the Permanyer family, leading to Honda buying the majority of the family's remaining shares . Honda now had an 85% holding and spent another $ 5 million on modifying and updating

448-455: A level of high-speed racing that is not characteristic of rock crawling . See article: Rally Rallying is a wide-ranging form of motorsport with various competitive motoring elements such as speed tests (sometimes called "rally racing" in United States), navigation tests, or the ability to reach waypoints or a destination at a prescribed time or average speed. Rallies may be short in

504-401: A person wearing snowshoes to walk on snow without sinking. Some cars are equipped with beadlock wheels, which allow tire pressure to be lowered even further without risking separation of the tire and rim. Upon entering the desert, it is customary for drivers to meet with a pack of other vehicles and a group leader before proceeding. The group leader then leads the pack through the stunts in

560-700: A single file line. The rationale for this technique is to prevent drivers from becoming disoriented and getting lost. High-speed racing in the desert includes chases and racing at maximum speed through rough desert terrain with numerous pots and bumps. Drivers often use rear-wheel drive and 4-wheel drive trucks with long-travel suspension and wide stance between the front enlarged tires, which maintains optimal stability at high speed. These types of trucks are often called Trophy trucks or PreRunners. Rock racing involves driving over rocks, but unlike rock crawling, does not specify penalties for striking cones, backing up, or winching . In addition, rock racing incorporates

616-584: A small percentage of its production to the United States, concentrating mostly on the European market. Trials models were offered in many different sizes 25, 49, 125, 175, 250, 348 and 349, as were motocrossers 125, 175, 250, 360 and 414. This also included a line of street and Enduro models also. In 1973, the VR ( Vehkonen Replica) was released and set the standard for 1974, as did the 348 Cota did in 1976. Ulf Karlsson won

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672-415: A standard 100-inch chassis from a Range Rover or Series I Discovery . The Suzuki SJ series of vehicles also make good bases for CCV-spec vehicles. Some vehicles are specially built, taking the form of light "buggies" with tractor tires and "fiddle" brakes (fiddle brakes give the ability to lock a wheel, which enables much better turning, better control descending hills, traction control by slowing or locking

728-418: A walking pace and a course properly laid out would be drivable without damage. However, the terrain usually includes steep slopes, water, side slopes, deep ruts, and other obstacles that could potentially damage a vehicle if mistakes are made or poor driving techniques are used. As such, the use of modifications can increase the chances of success. RTV trials usually take place on farmland, a quarry site, or at

784-418: Is a specific form of off-roading performed on sand dunes . Dune Buggies , Sport-utility vehicles , and ATVs are often used. Vehicles driven on sand dunes are often equipped with a roll cage for safety in the case of an overturn . The tire pressure is often reduced to gain more traction by increasing the footprint of the tire and lowering the ground pressure of the vehicle on the sand, comparable to

840-437: Is intended to be vehicle-damaging, mistakes and accidents are inevitable. A standard-specification vehicle would not be expected to be able to complete a CCV course, but it would still be possible. The event is run along the same lines as RTV, with a course made up of cane-marked gates. CCV trialing differs greatly from RTV trials in the vehicles used. Since CCV judges adopt an "anything goes" attitude, CCV trials rely on having

896-463: Is off-roading through an area of wet mud or clay, leading to extremely low traction and problems with moving forward. The goal is to drive as far as possible without getting stuck. There are many types of tires that are often used for this activity, including balloon tires, mud-terrain tires and paddle tires . The activity is popular in the United States , although it is illegal on public land due to

952-416: Is open to non-road-legal vehicles, which greatly increases the scope for modification. The terrain covered will be of greater difficulty than that found on an RTV trial. Since there is a risk of touching rocks and trees with the bodywork, CCV trialing will usually require more careful use of speed to get the vehicle across certain obstacles will attempting to mitigate the risk of vehicle damage. Whilst no trial

1008-546: The Dakar Rally , Spanish Baja , Africa Eco Race , Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge , Russian Baja Northern Forest , King of the Hammers , San Felipe 250 and Baja 500 & 1000 , which are a test of navigation skills and machine durability. Off-road parks and motocross tracks also host several events and may be the only legal place to off-road in the area. Off-road vehicle use on public land has been criticized by some members of

1064-673: The Environmental News Service article: Scalia noted that off-road vehicle use on federal land has "negative environmental consequences including soil disruption and compaction, harassment of animals, and annoyance of wilderness lovers. Several environmental organizations, including the Rangers for Responsible Recreation, are campaigning to draw attention to a growing threat posed by off-road vehicle misuse and to assist overmatched land managers in addressing ORV use impacts. These campaigns in part have prompted congressional hearings about

1120-546: The Isle of Man TT . The most successful Montesa street bike of the 1950s was the Brio 80, of which more than 12,000 were produced. The success of the Brio and the other models, led to the opening of a new, larger factory in Espluges de Llobregat . The Brio 80 and Brio 90 models contained many new advances, such as moving the carburetor behind the cylinder, and a handbrake. However, a slump in

1176-515: The Spanish economy had forced Permanyer to cut back on the company's racing activities. Permanyer wanted to pull out of road racing, but Bultó insisted that they stay the course. In May 1958, chief designer Bultó left, taking with him several of Montesa's vital personnel to form a competitive firm, Bultaco . Permanyer had not only lost the brilliant designer Bultó, but also his 30% share of the company. Spain's economy began to improve. Permanyer promoted

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1232-510: The differential gear ratio to obtain characteristics suitable for low-speed operation for traversing obstacles. Commonly, rock crawlers have a " spotter ", who is an assistant on foot by the vehicle to provide information about areas out of the driver's field of view All progress is made at low speed and the emphasis is on skill rather than on finishing first, although trialing can be highly competitive. There are three traditional forms of off-road trialing. During some competitive events, such as

1288-536: The 314R, was introduced. This model featured an HRC Honda powerplant with many other components from Honda. Montesa-mounted Marc Colomer won the World title in 1996 and the 315R followed in early '97. The 315R had a run of 7 years, taking Dougie Lampkin to many world championships and Takahisa Fujinami for his world championship in 2004 for the bikes last year. It was replaced by the technically advanced four-stroke Cota 4RT in 2005. Spanish trials rider Toni Bou has dominated

1344-589: The BLM failed to follow route restrictions established in the agency's conservation plan, resulting in the establishment of hundreds of illegal OHV routes during the previous three decades. The plan violated the BLM's regulations, specifically the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA) and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). The ruling was considered a success for

1400-421: The BLM's proposed designation of additional off-road use on designated open routes on public land. According to the ruling, the BLM violated its regulations when it designated approximately 5,000 miles of off-road vehicle routes in 2006. According to Judge Illston the BLM's designation was "flawed because it does not contain a reasonable range of alternatives" to limit damage to sensitive habitat, as required under

1456-523: The French Motobécane models of that time. Permanyer began to produce his own gas engines, which allowed for a new area in motorcycles to be explored and expanded into. Permanyer and Bultó teamed up in Barcelona and created a light-weight motorcycle. This led to the creation of a bike powered by a 95cc two-stroke engine with no sprung rear suspension. Despite some setbacks, they sold 22 of these units in

1512-672: The National Environmental Policy Act. Illston found that the Bureau had inadequately analyzed the route's impact on air quality, soils, plant communities and sensitive species, such as the endangered Mojave fringe-toed lizard , pointing out that the United States Congress has declared that the California Desert and its resources are "extremely fragile, easily scarred, and slowly healed". The court also found that

1568-716: The Turkey Run in Idaho and other events around the United States, point systems may be used to determine rewards. RTV (Road Taxed Vehicle) trialing is the most common form of trialing. As the name suggests, it is for vehicles that are road-legal (and thus required to pay road tax ). This excludes vehicles that are highly modified or specially built. RTV-class vehicles can carry a wide range of suspension modifications, as well as off-road tires (provided they are road-legal), recovery winches, raised air intakes, etc. Vehicles on RTV trials are usually best described as "modified from standard"—they use

1624-473: The U.S. government and environmental organizations including the Sierra Club and The Wilderness Society . They have noted several consequences of illegal ORV use such as pollution , trail damage, erosion , land degradation , possible species extinction , and habitat destruction which can leave hiking trails impassable. ORV proponents argue that legal use taking place under planned access along with

1680-549: The World Trials Championship on a Cota in 1980. The 1974 film Freebie and the Bean directed by Richard Rush features a famous urban trail chase action scene, where the main character Freebie ( James Caan ), an unorthodox policeman, takes a Montesa Cota 247 from a casual bypassing rider. Freebie then exclaims "It's a Montesa!", and starts a chase after the bad guys, running over cars, stairs, public fountains, etc., until

1736-644: The all-around champion motorcyclist Pedro Pi from head test rider to chief development engineer. Leopold Milà was made Technical Director and Permanyer's son Xavier, was to be Sports Assistant. Work began right away on designing a brand new all-unit-construction 175cc engine that by 1960, would power the latest Impala sports roadster model. This engine would form the basis of the company's future trials and motocross machines. To promote sales of this model, three Impalas were taken to Africa where they covered over 12,000 miles of terrain, most of it being off-road . Back in Spain, Pi

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1792-426: The bike is lost and damaged, lasting for more than three minutes in total. By 1981, another round of economic unrest in Spain began to hinder motorcycle manufacturers. Strikes and a shrinking market left Montesa as the only major motorcycle concern in the country; however they were in need of a major influx of capital in order to continue to survive. A loan from the government and shares sold to Honda (to establish

1848-413: The correct vehicle to a much greater extent than in an RTV trial. Competitors can design and build vehicles that are much more optimized for off-road use, than in the lower ranks of trialing. CCV vehicles have powerful engines, high ground clearance, light, minimalist bodywork, and good approach and departure angles . For many years, in the UK, the ultimate CCV vehicle could be built by taking the chassis of

1904-409: The course (this puts a strong emphasis on ground-reading ability). This can also be called a "shunt", where the driver has to attempt a gate and then shout "shunt". They are then allowed a space of one and a half car lengths to reverse and line the car better to enter through the gate The course between the gates is a "section": between the start line and the first gate is "Section 1", the part between

1960-472: The discussion was the "travel planning process", a complex analysis and decision-making procedure to designate appropriate roads and trails. Both the Forest Service and BLM have been engaged in somewhat similar travel planning processes now for years, but some of the committee members didn't seem to think those processes were going along so well. "The BLM has identified travel management on its lands as ‘one of

2016-480: The driver with the lowest score is the winner. Since the terrain covered in RTV trials should be well within the capabilities of any reasonably capable vehicle (even in standard form), these trials emphasize driver skill and ground-reading abilities. Skill and experience have a larger bearing on success than having a well-equipped and modified car. Cross Country Vehicle (CCV) trialing is the next step up from RTV trialing and

2072-496: The environmental impact. Mud plugging, as practiced in the United Kingdom , refers to the motorsport of classic trials , where the main objective is to complete a challenging course of (mostly unpaved) roads and (often muddy, and frequently uphill) off-road terrain. This form of motorsport is one of the oldest to survive to this day, dating back at least to the 1920s. Rock crawling involves driving over rocky terrain, with

2128-503: The factory. Montesa was still active in World Trials competition throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s. Even though reduced to only offering one model, the Cota, such riders like former World Champion Eddy Lejeune and Andrew Codina rode the bike to good results in the mid-'80s. In 1992–93, the liquid-cooled Cota 311 was produced; this was to be the last "real" Montesa. In 1994, a new model,

2184-541: The first Montesa trials models appeared and in 1968, the motorcycle now retitled the Cota, Pi won the Spanish Trials Championship. After adding this title to go along with the road race and six motocross titles, he retired from competition to devote his full energy to bike development. In the decade following, Montesa had unprecedented growth around the world. Unlike Bulto's bike, the Bultaco , Montesa only sent

2240-457: The first and second gates is "Section 2" and so on. An RTV course is often laid out so that each section is progressively more difficult, although this is not always the case. If a driver fails to complete Section 1 they are given 10 points. If the attempt ends in Section 2, 9 points are awarded, etc. A clear round results in gaining only 1 point. A day's event will consist of many different courses and

2296-407: The first year of production. The next year, the partnership focused on production improvements and meeting the growing demand for their bike. As a successor to the previous model, Bultó designed a new 125cc roadster, which was tested in many of the trail-type rallies and semi-enduros that were popular in Spain at the time. This model went on to enter the 1951 International Six Day Trials . The bike

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2352-446: The form of trials at a single venue, or several thousand miles long in an extreme endurance rally. Depending on the format, rallies may be organised on private or public roads, open or closed to traffic, or off-road in the form of cross country or rally-raid. Competitors can use production vehicles which must be road-legal if being used on open roads or specially built competition vehicles suited to crossing specific terrain. Mudding

2408-456: The goal being to get as far as possible with the fewest penalties. Penalties are received for striking cones, using a winch to get unstuck, going out of bounds, and going in reverse. These rules lead to the sport being technical, with drivers having to plan ahead to reduce the penalties they receive. Vehicles used for rock crawling are usually modified with different tires , suspension components that allow greater axle articulation , and changes in

2464-546: The greatest management challenges’ it faces," stated committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman , D-NM. "Likewise, the Forest Service has identified unmanaged recreation — including ORV use — as one of the top four threats to the management and health of the National Forest System. Despite these statements, it seems to me that neither agency has been able to successfully manage off-road use." "Existing rules for managing off-road vehicles are not being enforced," Bingaman added, and

2520-498: The growing impact of unmanaged off-road vehicle use. The House Natural Resources Committee Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands held an oversight hearing on "The Impacts of Unmanaged Off-Road Vehicles on Federal Land" on March 13, 2008. A second hearing on off-highway vehicle (OHV) management on public lands was held by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on June 5, 2008. The Senate committee hearing

2576-406: The link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Montesa&oldid=933002073 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Montesa Honda Their first Montesa prototype was based upon

2632-504: The multiple environment and trail conservation efforts by ORV groups will mitigate these issues. Groups such as the BlueRibbon Coalition advocate for the responsible use of public lands for off-road activities. Noise pollution is also a concern and several studies conducted by Montana State University , California State University , University of Florida and others have cited possible negative behavioral changes in wildlife as

2688-538: The natural environment on which human-powered and equestrian recreation depends and alter the remote and wild character of the backcountry. Motorized recreation monopolizes forest areas by denying other users the quiet, pristine, backcountry experience they seek. It also presents safety and health threats to other re-creationists. In 2004 the Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia listed several problems that result from ORV use in natural areas. From

2744-643: The policy. In 2004, several environmental organizations sent a letter to Dale Bosworth , Chief of the United States Forest Service , and described the extent of damage caused by ORV use, including health threats to other people: It is well-established that the proliferation of off-road vehicles and snowmobile use places soil, vegetation, air and water quality, and wildlife at risk through pollution, erosion, sedimentation of streams, habitat fragmentation and disturbance, and other adverse impacts to resources. These impacts cause severe and lasting damage to

2800-831: The result of some ORV use. Some U.S. states have laws to reduce noise generated by off-road and non-highway vehicles. Washington is one example: "State law requires off-road and other non-highway vehicles to use specified noise-muffling devices (RCW 46.09.120(1) (e) maximum limits and test procedures). State agencies and local governments may adopt regulations governing the operation of non-highway vehicles on property, streets, or highways within their jurisdiction , provided they are not less stringent than state law (RCW 46.09.180 regulation by local political subdivisions)". The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) supervises several large off-road vehicle areas in California's Mojave Desert . In 2009, U.S. District Judge Susan Illston ruled against

2856-478: The spinning wheel) for the best performance. Vehicles are required to meet certain safety regulations. Roll-cages must be fitted and be built to a suitable standard, recovery points must be fitted front and rear and fuel tanks must meet certain standards. A 4-point harness for all occupants is required and a fire extinguisher is recommended. In some countries off-road activities are strictly regulated, while others promote cross-country off-road endurance events like

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2912-501: The standard chassis, drive-train, and body that the vehicle was built with, but are fitted with a wide array of modifications to assist in the trailing. Whilst modification is not necessarily required for an RTV trial, at the very least the vehicle would be expected to have some underbody and over-the-body protection such as skid plates or roll cages, often made from durable stainless steel , aluminium or mild steel . RTV courses are intended to be non-damaging and driven at little more than

2968-675: The world circuit with Montesa Honda since 2007. Off-road Off-roading is the act of driving or riding in a vehicle on unpaved surfaces such as sand, dirt, gravel, riverbeds, mud, snow, rocks, or other natural terrain. Off-roading ranges from casual drives with regular vehicles to competitive events with customized vehicles and skilled drivers. Off-road vehicles are either capable of or specifically developed for off-road driving. These vehicles often have features designed specifically for use in off-road conditions such as suspension lifts , off-road tires , skid plates , snorkels , roll cages , or strengthened drivetrains . Dune bashing

3024-449: Was busy winning the Spanish motocross and road race championships and working on a new 250cc version. Following its introduction in 1965, the 250 engine would be the cornerstone of the company's future success. Mounted on the new 250 Scorpion scrambler, Pi won the Spanish championship again in 1966 and the similarly engined Sport roadster won the Barcelona 24-hour endurance road race. In 1967

3080-458: Was convened to find out why the agencies are failing to grapple with the negative impacts of off-road vehicle use on US public lands and what the agencies might need to start doing differently. For the first time in perhaps a decade, members of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee grilled leaders of the Forest Service and the BLM about why off-road vehicle use is being allowed to damage America's national treasures. Taking center stage in

3136-463: Was entered by the factory, being ridden by Bultó and G. Cavestany. In the early 1950s, Montesa entered many races in the 125cc class of road racing . These bikes featured six-speed, bolt on gearboxes, in semi-unit construction, with all gears running on needle-roller bearings. By 1956, these Montesa 125s were very competitive and took second, third and fourth places in the Ultra-Lightweight race at

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