The memory of this Spanish motorcycle has waned over the years.
Thankfully, we have people who for whatever set of reasons won’t let old motorcycle brands die. The guy in the video below, Gilles Escuyer, is obsessed with Bultaco bikes. So are his friends, and they get together to celebrate this old-school hobby.
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If you’re like most people, you’ve never heard of Bultaco. Pretty much only enthusiasts at this point remember the Spanish motorcycle brand. But just because something has faded from the collective consciousness of society doesn’t mean there’s no value in it. This video gives you a glimpse into what the company was about, using a restored 1967 Bultaco Metralla 250 Mk2.
What’s immediately noticeable about this motorcycle is the design adheres closer to what you saw in the early part of the twentieth century. That is, skinny tires, plus a slim gas tank and engine, with the overall look quite similar to a bicycle. After all, motorcycles started out as bicycles which were powered by an internal combustion engine.
As time moved forward, many motorcycle makers expanded the size of their bikes. Bultaco decided to use small, lightweight two-stroke engines with a single cylinder. While many doubted this course of action, Bultaco kept making their motorcycles which were loaded with character and boasted outstanding power-to-weight ratios.
Bultacos were budget-friendly, and the 250s like this one were great on race courses that were short and required bursts of acceleration. Many racers would swing by Barcelona every year to trade in their old Bultaco for the latest version.
Today, the Bultaco name is getting a new lease on life, thanks to it being applied to an upcoming line of electric motorcycles. While that might be exciting, there’s the potential for those kinds of advancements to wipe away from memory the vehicle brand’s real roots. Thankfully people like Gilles Escuyer are around to educate us, if we’re willing to listen.
