Until I came across this bike, I had never heard of Derbi – the Spanish (or Catalonian, depending on your geo-political perspective) brand that started producing small-capacity bikes in the early 1940s. The story of the company started, however, in 1922 when Simeón Rabasa i Singla opened a bicycle shop in Mollet del Vallès, near Barcelona. That business would go …
1967 Bultaco Metralla 250 MKII
Sometimes in life you’ll encounter something that will befuddle you, that you’ll look at and think: “What was the starting point for this? Surely this wasn’t the original idea.” An example of this phenomenon is the seat on this 1967 Bultaco Metralla MKII. Surely what they ended up with is not what they initially had in mind. How did this …
In Spain – 1970 Mini Marcelino
Mini Marcelinos were built in both Italy and Spain – originally created by Dinamica Meccanica Tassinari in Italy, a Spanish version was built by a former Ducati employee. As you may guess, MotoTrans was involved and they built 48cc Ducati engines under license.
1972 OSSA 250 MAR
The OSSA MAR (Mick Andrews Replica) was built after OSSA hired the English rider to design and ride a new trials bike – he went on to win two consecutive European Trials Championships and three consecutive Scottish Six Days Trials with it. In 1973, Andrews moved to Yamaha, but OSSA kept producing this bike into the late 70s and it …
1966 Bultaco Metralla Mk2 Kit America Project
Post Sale Update: This Metralla sold for $5,901 after 14 bids on eBay. Spanish for ‘shrapnel’, the Metralla was one of the most famous motorcycles to come out of Spain. The regular Mk2 model is rare enough, but Bultaco also offered a “Kit America” – a race package with a different tank, tail, handlebars, and a tweaked engine that made …
Recently Restored – 1968 Bultaco Metralla Mk2
8-23 Update: Six years later and this bike is back up for sale – this time with Iconic. The current owner is a long time Bike-urious reader and I’m excited to see it up for sale! Find it waiting for the opening bid in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey here on Iconic Motorbike Auctions. Post Listing Update: Despite 4 bids on …
1966 Bultaco Campera
The Campera was a dual sport (complete with a cool scrambler-style exhaust) offered in varying displacements – this is a 175cc example of the first generation.
212 Miles – 1977 Bultaco Alpina 350
After the success of the Sherpa T, Bultaco released the Alpina 250, a bike specifically built for enduro riders. After 3 years, Bultaco offered a more powerful 350 variant, which you see in front of you. But this example is impressively oriignal (down to the tires) and it has covered just 212 miles.
218 Miles – 1978 Bultaco Streaker
The Bultaco Streaker is a little jewel of a cafe racer that’s hard to find in the US as (rumors suggest) just 28 of them were imported before the EPA changed emissions regulations in ’79.
1967 Bultaco Matador MK3
Bultaco was founded in 1959 by famous Spanish road racing champion, Francisco Xavier Bulto. It was not Francisco’s first shot, as he created Bultaco right after he resigned from Montesa (which he co-founded in 1946). Bultaco’s first competition success came early in 1962 with a motorcycle adapted from the 175cc Sherpa trial bike. It won two gold medals at the …
1966 Bultaco Campera
The Campera was a dual sport (complete with a cool scrambler-style exhaust) offered in varying displacements – this is a 175cc example of the first generation.
4 Miles – 1965 Lube-NSU Yak
This is one of very few bikes out there which I’ve struggled to find information on, but there’s so rare that I have to share them – especially when an awesome reader sends it my way!
1972 Bultaco Alpina 250
After the success of the Sherpa T, Bultaco released the Alpina 250, a bike specifically built for enduro riders.
Zero Miles – 2009 Aprilia RS125
American fans of Aprilia rejoiced when the Italian firm announced that they would export the RS125 to the US, though it wasn’t all good news – due to EPA emissions standards, the baby RS was exclusively for closed-course riding even though it came with lights, mirrors, a horn, and everything else you’d expect to see on a street-legal machine. But …
1981 Montesa VG250
Restored by Southwest Montesa as a replica of the works Montesa 414 raced in 1981, this VG250 is equipped with a rebuilt 414 motor and a few other goodies – it has “never been ridden and has been stored indoors for 10+ years.”