Montesa Cota 301RR
In this issue, we caught up with Sam Haslam (see p30). After spending the majority of his career riding two-stroke Gas Gas, for the 2020 season, after much deliberation, he made the move to switch to the four-stroke Montesa for no other reason than he wanted a change, choosing the Cota 301 RR. A good friend of Steve Colley, who had also made the ‘stroke’ change a couple of years earlier, he followed the Manxman into the world of Honda power. As I am sure you appreciate, it was kind of strange seeing Sam on the Montesa: new machine, new riding kit, new sponsor; but one thing did not change, he was still up at the top end of the results. It was confirmed with an excellent trip to the podium at round one of the 2020 ACU Trial2 British Championship as he finished third. This ‘Quick Spin’ report came after the trial, with his impressions on how the new machine had performed.
The RR, or Race Replica Cota 301, is the model based around the 2019 FIM Trial2 World Championship machine of the winner from Spain Gabriel Marcelli. As we are all well aware ‘Gabby’ is one of the latest young riders making his mark on the world trials scene in the satellite RG trials team. If and when the 2020 FIM Trial World Championship season commences Sam will be mounted on a very similar machine.
QUICK SPIN WITH SAM HASLAM
SAM: It was a very new experience for me to ride a four-stroke trials machine. I have been two-stroke through and through, all my trials career. I did have a brief ride in 2007 on the Scorpa four-stroke, but I think those thoughts are better left parked up!
Build quality comes across straight away, and it all feels rather ‘plush’, with any adjustments to the handlebar and lever positions very easy to carry out. All the tools have a nice snug fit to the nuts and bolts and the many Allen-capped screws. The standard of equipment left me with nothing to change, and the machine I have is very much a standard
Cota 301RR. I was concerned that the engine appeared to tick over quite high, but that was just a case of adjustments to the superb electronic fuel injection system. The engine mapping was arrived at after many hours of testing and also benefited from a series of changes in the ECU department; I was happy.
The four-stroke technique that works the best for my riding style is not to have any rapid throttle openings, just keep the throttle openings smooth and linear and feel for the engine, which in turns offers excellent grip at the rear wheel. The new engine capacity does give you plenty of power on hand when needed, and I must say that the clutch action is very smooth and progressive.
As with any Japanese machine gear selection is very precise and positive; when it’s in gear that’s where it stays, with just a nice touch on the gear lever to change up or down. Gear selection is whatever you feel happy with for any hazard; the engine will ‘pull’ the first three gears with ease with the fourth and fifth for open-track and road-riding.
Starting is easy, and I think the addition of a longer kickstart lever a few models ago helped turn the four-stroke engine over and into life.
I do not like loading the engine and dropping the clutch; I find it better once again to let the engine build-up before progressively letting the clutch ‘bite’ before releasing the lever fully out.
All round it’s a pleasure to ride, and as with many people, I do like the four-stroke sensation.
Build quality comes across all the time both when riding and maintaining the machine. As you have no carburettor, it’s only the air filter which needs regular maintenance. Even after the Hookwood round and its many mud holes the air filter was in great condition! Yes, I know you have to change the engine oil periodically, but it ticks the box of ‘wash and go’ for me. Roll on the 2021 Scottish Six Days Trial where I cannot wait to test the excellent suspension combination at the front and rear on them Northern rocks as they perform so well in the Southern mud!
THE MONTESA COTA 301RR: WHAT’S NEW?
It’s the long-awaited increase in the cylinder capacity to 298cc that is the most significant change, giving the machine an expected increase in the power output. Initially when the four-stroke machine was first introduced, it came as a 250cc and was developed around the ‘Big Red’s’ CRF 250cc motocross engine way back in 2003. The project brief for the exercise was to make the engine more compact and lighter in weight. The Japanese engineers in the Research and Development department used all their knowledge to make the singlecylinder four-valve OHC engine competitive in the world of trials. As is well documented, the
All round it’s a pleasure to ride, and as with many people, I do like the four-stroke sensation.
success soon came along with the 4RT in the hands of Great Britain’s Dougie Lampkin, Japan’s Takahisa Fujinami and of course Spain’s Toni Bou, a truly international effort.
With the main factor being reliability, production machines were introduced with 260cc. The engine capacity increased to 288cc on the 300RR model in 2015. For
2020, the Cota 301RR has 298cc. The changes to the engine braking effect and the performance were influenced by UK input and work well.
On this new engine, the diameter of the crankcase breather is now 2.25mm, whereas before it was 1.9mm. It takes away the intrusive engine braking effect with the fourstroke engine. Electronic fuel injection is retained for better engine and emissions control. The new aluminium silencer has more backpressure, which has been achieved by increasing the volume of the internal tube. All this, together with the other changes in the engine, has resulted in a notable increase in torque. It now benefits from up to 16% more power and torque in low and medium revolutions.
IT’S NOT RED!
Yes, this is a fair point, but it does carry the legendary Cota model name in the grey aesthetics, so it’s not entirely lost its roots in the 2020 model. If you are not a fan of the new colour scheme, a red-and-black option will become available into the UK, although in limited numbers.
A new design has been applied to the rear mudguard, which is slightly higher than before letting the suspension work with no interference under all conditions. A new LED racing headlight moulding further enhances the ‘Race
Ready’ theme. We really like the new aluminium fuel tank as it’s moved away from the old design and now has rounded edges for rider comfort while still giving a handy two-litre capacity.
The build quality remains second to none through the whole assembly process of the engine: injection moulding of the plastics, the fabrication of the aluminium frame, swinging arm and fuel tank and final assembly, all carried out by a dedicated team of experienced engineers and fitters.
The aluminium frame has seen some attention to detail and to protect the crankcase a new rubber has been placed between it and the sump shield to absorb the impacts found in the trials world, the aluminium swinging arm is also retained.
Front suspension comes from the sturdy and reliable Tech-branded 39 Ø front forks, offering 175mm of adjustable travel in preload and extension, while at the rear, the quality Showa shock absorber provides 170mm of travel and is also adjustable.
As with all the Montesa Cota model range, the 4RT 260, 4RIDE and the Montesa Cota 301RR are manufactured for worldwide distribution in the Montesa-Honda facility at Santa Perpetua de Mogoda, Barcelona, Spain.
COTA 301 RACE REPLICA RRP: £7,999
ENGINE: Single Cylinder, Four-Stroke, 4 valves, SOHC, Liquid cooled; Displacement: 299cc; Bore & Stroke: 81.5mm x 57.2mm; Fuel system: Electronic fuel injection PGM-FI; Air Filter: Wet urethane foam element; Fuel Tank Capacity: 2.0 litres ELECTRICS: Ignition System, Electronically controlled digital transistorized
CLUTCH: Wet multiplate type with coil springs, Clutch Operation: Hydraulic, Transmission type, 5 Gears.
CHASSIS: Frame: Diamond Shape, Aluminium twin spar; Suspension: Front: 39mm Ø TECH Cartridge type telescopic fork with Pre-load and extension adjustments, 175mm stroke, Rear: Pro-Link - Showa damper with Pre-load and extension adjustments, 170mm stroke; Brakes: Front: 185 × 3.5mm hydraulic disc with 4-piston calliper and sintered metal pads, Rear: 150 × 2.5mm hydraulic disc with 4-piston calliper and sintered metal pads; Tyres: Michelin
DIMENSIONS: Wheelbase: 1,320mm
DRY WEIGHT: 73.0 kg