Technical Highlights: Montesa 4 Ride | 4-stroke engine 258.9cc. | Weight: 81 kilos | Price: 7.149€ | Power: 16hp
The trial excursion segment has always been in Montesa’s sights. Historically, we have seen different technical solutions to extend the autonomy and comfort of their trial models, but never with the level of demand and sophistication of the Montesa 4Ride.
The starting point of the 4Ride is the
Montesa Cota 4RT 260
, a model that by its nature is the perfect base for the mission of a motorcycle that seeks to offer the maximum compromise between performance, comfort and versatility. Always with the premise of maintaining its indisputable “offroad” genes.
At Honda they have rightly thought that the 4Ride should not simply be a 4RT with a seat (an option that already exists), but that it was necessary to go a step further and work on both the engine and the chassis to offer a truly differential and competitive product.
The first thing that catches the eye is the bodywork. The entire rear has been redesigned to receive a new subframe and seat that sits at a height of 885mm, optimal for any rider size. The seat is easily removable with a practical handle, giving access to an interesting interior cavity where you can accommodate personal belongings, tools or a jerry can with extra fuel.
The suspensions, adjustable in rebound and compression, signed by Tech and R16V, have been revised and duly tuned according to the requirements of use of the 4Ride.
Mechanically it shares an engine with the Montesa 4RT 260, although with a longer gear ratio than in the Cota in order to encourage the engine to work at optimal revs under any type of use.
YOU SET THE BOUNDARIES
Honda organised an interesting test day for the Montesa 4Ride. Although we had already passed through our hands in
this in-depth test
, the proposed route was perfect to understand more carefully the mixed qualities of a bike that, despite its adventurous and unracy aesthetics, offers truly surprising performance.
Honda claims a weight for the Montesa 4Ride of 81 kilograms, approximately 8 kilos more than the Cota 4RT. Considering its size and the need for a larger fuel tank – 4.4 litres – this is an optimal figure. The riding position is comfortable, although slightly high from the rear in compensation with the front end, a feeling you get used to when you get familiar and especially when riding standing up.
The 4Ride is only kicked in and has no safety features, such as an ignition key. All you have to do is accompany the lever with a long, progressive kick to start the engine coming to life.
The control display, which informs us of speed, partial kilometres, light indicators and flashing, lights up. We are missing a fuel reserve warning light, as there is no other warning element, so we only have to make an estimate by hours and mileage. However, the range of the 4Ride exceeds 100 kilometers and remember that you can take a small extra bottle under the seat as an emergency.
Dynamically, the
Montesa 4Ride
is tremendously fun. The engine pushes with a lot of torque from below, with a successful first ratio, which allows both routing and making areas
of authentic trial technique
, for which the clutch plays a key role. We are also positively surprised by the suspensions, and finding the balance between the firmness that is needed on fast tracks and the agile response for technical areas is not easy, but it is undoubtedly one of the key points of success in the behavior of the Montesa 4Ride.
An important part of the route ran along technical forest tracks, with low traction and constant changes of direction. This is where the 4Ride performs perfectly and is where it surprises the most. Its engine has innate trial aptitudes, especially in obstacles and areas that are faced with inertia, penalizing compared
to the Montesa Cota 4RT
when we stop or ride at very low speed, since it is not so easy to keep the balance.
On fast tracks it is also very effective. Its tyres are trial tyres, the Dunlop D803GP. These stand out for having a harder casing than the Michelin and even if we lower the pressures they continue to provide precision and stability to the whole even in extreme situations. The 4Ride runs enough to have fun. That’s it. It invites both standing and sitting driving, to the consumer’s liking.
AN INTERESTING CONCEPT
In short, the Montesa 4Ride is an interesting motorcycle for all those who are looking for a comfortable, simple and versatile motorcycle to access the mountains, without forgetting that its nature is linked to a purely trial concept.
We miss operational elements to combine this use with a basic urban look, such as an electric starter, ignition key or a control display with a warning light.
At the maintenance level It is a bike that requires little work, since the reliability of its engine and the quality of its chassis is beyond doubt, leaving as the only element of daily revision the air filter, whose access is not easy at all, since it requires disassembling the rear and central part of the body. It’s not difficult, but it’s entertaining.
We finish the report with some
recommendations and tips for trial excursion lovers
The price of the Montesa 4Ride is €7,149
