To speak of the Montesa Cota is to speak of the living history of Spanish and world motorcycling. Since its appearance in the 60s, the Cota not only revolutionized trial, but also became an icon of design, reliability and performance.
The birth of a legend
The first Montesa Cota was presented in 1968 under the name Cota 247, the result of the collaboration between the Catalan brand and the legendary pilot Pere Pi, who played a fundamental role in its development. The name “Cota” comes from the abbreviation of “Cota de Altura”, in clear reference to the size of the trial motorcycle, specialized in overcoming obstacles and mountainous terrain.
Evolution of the model
Since then, Montesa launched multiple versions: Cota 25, Cota 49, Cota 74, Cota 125, Cota 172, Cota 200, Cota 247, Cota 309, Cota 310, Cota 315R, Cota 348, Cota 349... and many more. Each one with technical and aesthetic improvements that marked the natural evolution of the classic trial.
Dominance in competition
Cota's were not only beautiful bikes, they were also winners. In the hands of riders like Ulf Karlson, Montesa achieved glory with a world title in 1980. The Cota 349 model was key in this era, showing a perfect balance between power and control.
Honda and the renaissance
In 1986, Montesa allied with Honda, which marked a new stage. Far from disappearing, the Cota range resurfaced with a vengeance. Today, modern Cota bikes (such as the 4RT) continue to be a benchmark in world trials, keeping the flame of the original spirit alive.