Bultaco was founded in 1958
near Barcelona in Spain by Francisco Bulto
after splitting from Montesa, which he had
co-founded, due to the firm's reluctance to
go racing. Bultaco had a reputation for competition
bikes. the Bultaco factory was closed December
22, 1979 after a long strike.
The new firm built a series
of rapid small-capacity two-stroke racers
through the 1960s and had many high finishes
in Grands Prix. Roadsters included the rapid
250cc Metralla, which had a claimed top speed
of more than 100mph (160kph). Bultaco also
specialised in off-road bikes. Sammy Miller's
win on a Sherpa in the 1965 Scottish Six Days
Trial heralded the two-stroke's takeover in
trials. After the trials world championship
was started in 1975, Bultaco won five years
in a row. I road racing, Angel Nieto and Ricardo
Tormo won a total of four 50cc world titles
in the years up to 1981.
Although the factory did re-open, it was eventually
merged with Montesa and Ossa, but in the end
only Montesa survived.
| Bike |
Image |
Description |
| 1965 Bultaco TSS250 |
 |
air-cooled. |
1966 Bultaco Metralla 62, 196cc |
 |
|
| 1966 Bultaco Mertalla |
 |
250cc |
| 1966 Bultaco Model 35 |
 |
|
| 1967 Bultaco Matador MKII |
 |
250cc. |
| 1968 Bultaco TSS 125 |
 |
The engine in this bike was built and
raced by Alec Campbell in the late 1960's.
Campbell was a regular at the Isle of
Man TT throughout the 1960's and sadly
died after a race at Thruxton in 1970.
His unique self built disk valve engine
ended up in Murrays Museum on the Isle
of Man, as a static display in the "special
engines" section. The engine itself
is based on a 6 speed, gear driven TSS
unit, utilising the gearbox, modified
clutch and primary drive and modified
TSS crank, and TSS piston, so it is
still useable today.
The rolling chassis is a genuine TSS
125 and was produced in April 1968 (frame
# 700610). The frame had been modifed
to accept a Yamaha engine, and was subsequently
modified back to fit the Campbell engine.
|
| 1969 Bultaco Metralla 250cc |
 |
|
1970 Bultaco 250 Sherpa |
 |
The Sherpa, thanks to Sammy Millers input,
revolutionised trials, providining riders
with a lightweight machine with good power
characteristics and excellent handling.
The earliest machines featured a radial
finned head and four speed gearbox, which
was replaced during 1967 with the five speed
"San Antonio" engine and a new
frame was introduced with the third major
revision in 1968 followed by the introduction
of the "Kit Campeon" - a combined
seat and tank unit that facilitated easier
movement on the bike at the end of the sixties,
initially as a retrospective upgrade but
eventually as standard fitment on the Model
80. |
| 1971 Bultaco Sherpa S 200 |
 |
|
| 1971 Bultaco Pursang Mk4 |
 |
250cc. |
| 1971 Bultaco Sherpa M80, 250cc |
 |
|
1972 Bultaco Motocross, 250cc |
 |
|
| 1973 Bultaco Pursang |
 |
|
| 1973 Bultaco Alpina |
 |
250c. The Alpina resulted from the growing
interest in trail riding as a pastime
in the States. Bultaco realised that many
of their Sherpa trials models were being
used as trail bikes and sought to offer
a machine that was better suited to the
task. Based on the Sherpa the Alpina quickly
established itself as an excellent trail
bike which could provide its owner with
a competitive enduro mount as well. |
| 1975 Bultaco Alpina M-138 |
 |
|
| 1974 Bultaco Alpine |
 |
360cc |
| 1974 Bultaco Aplina |
 |
|
| 1975 Bultaco Sherpa T 350 model 159 |
 |
|
1976 Bultaco Sherpa Trials
|
 |
1975 saw Martin Lampkin winning his
first Trial World Championship with
Bultaco in the face of stiff competition
from Ossa and Montesa. Despite this
success, Bultaco presented a completely
revised version of the Sherpa trials
model in both 250 and 350 forms. The
new models reverted to a separate fuel
tank, seat and side panels/ air box
and adopted new frames which differed
between the two capacities, the 238cc
Model 158 having a 25mm shorter wheelbase.
Image provided by www.classic-auctions.com.
|
| 1977 Bultaco Pursang |
 |
125cc, 6-speed. |
1977 Bultaco 370 Pursang, 250cc |
 |
|
| 1978 Bultaco Pursang MkII |
 |
250cc. |
| 1978 Bultaco Streaker |
 |
|
| 1979 Bultaco Streaker |
 |
125cc |
| 1981 Bultaco Fontera Enduro |
 |
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