The Metisse was an instant success on the track and, with the growing popularity of motocross, soon morphed into the classic Pursang.
#Metisse bultaco pursang full
The Sherpa S was followed by the Bultaco Metisse, a full 250cc engine ensconced in a frame built in Spain under license from England’s Rickman brothers. Immediate success on flat tracks, TT and scrambles tracks firmly established Bultaco as the bike you needed if you wanted to win. The first Bultaco imported to dazzle Americans with its two-stroke power, light weight and great handling was the Model 3 Sherpa S 200, arriving (around here, anyway) in 1963-64. and a huge market for smaller displacement dirt bikes was created.
Off-road motorcycles were rapidly becoming all the rage in the U.S. The new model was named the Pursang thoroughbred in French, on account of its being manufactured entirely by Bultaco and despite their agreement having been broken Don Rickman gave the Pursang his seal of approval, successfully racing examples over several seasons. By the early 1960’s, Honda’s sales success in now motorcycle-hungry America prompted Bultaco to look westward to this new and seemingly without limits market. It was an immediate success and, following modified Trallas taking seven of the first ten places in the Spanish Grand Prix, Bultaco’s racing heritage began. The first Bultaco, the 125cc Model 101 Tralla, was released in 1959 as a zippy little street bike for domestic sales. The name was derived from the founder’s name, Paco Bultó, and Bultaco was born. Bultó was opposed to the idea and resigned Shortly thereafter, along with several other former Montesa racing department individuals, formed his own company. In 1958, in the midst of an economic slowdown, Montesa wanted to get out of racing to save money. Make your first call to Bultaco West at (760) 815-3970.įor more info on classic bikes go to post-WWII Spain, Francesc "Paco" Bultó was a Director with motorcycle manufacturer Montesa and particularly active in that company’s racing efforts. Replica Rickman frames are currently being made by two companies in England, and other components can be found by calling the many small U.S.
#Metisse bultaco pursang serial number
A real Petite Metisse has a “B” serial number stamped on the steering head, non-folding footpegs, Greeves rear hub, Spanish front hub and 22.5-inch Betor fork tubes with silver-painted sliders. Since it was possible to buy a Rickman frame kit and stick a Bultaco engine in it, there is a specific method to identify the 24 original American Petite Metisses. The approximately 70 English examples in yellow, and the 24 United States examples in British racing green, were all called Rickman Bultaco Petite Metisse. Only five of the Petite Metisses that were imported into America are known to exist today. Though there was no limit on how many Zundapp 125 and Montesa 250 bikes the companies could sell, the Japanese entry into the sport in the early ’70s limited the demand for the expensive Metisses. To fill the engine void, the Rickmans forged new relationships with Zundapp and Montesa. The Rickman brothers’ relationship with Bultaco came to an end soon after the Multaco Pursang Metisse was introduced. The America-bound Petite Metisses, which translates from French as Small Mongrels, were unique in that they were painted British racing green instead of the Petite Metisses’ OEM yellow. American champion Bud Ekins and motorcycle dealer Charlie Hockie imported 24 Petite Metisses (by having the bikes shipped to the USA unassembled). Though the Rickmans had promised Bultaco not to export the machine outside of England, a “black market” quickly developed for this machine. That machine was called the Bultaco Pursang Metisse Mk1, a crude copy of the Rickman’s beautiful Petite Metisse.ĭemand was strong for the Rickmans’ new Bultaco-powered motorcycle.
In order to get Bultaco to supply engines, the brothers had to agree to allow Bultaco to copy their frame design for production in 1966. Unlike their popular frame kits for Triumph and BSA engines, the Petite Metisses were complete bikes. Don’s triumph was achieved with a 196cc Bultaco engine tucked into a Rickman frame.ĭon’s 1963 GP bike would evolve into the 1965 250cc Petite Metisse. In early 1963, Don Rickman became the only British finisher at the British 250 Grand Prix (he was third). Though the Rickmans had promised Bultaco not to export the machine outside of England, a "Black Market" quickly developed for this machineīritish brothers Don and Derek Rickman, as both Bultaco importers and top Grand Prix riders, helped forge the Spanish company’s growth in the early ’60s. Here's a shorty history story on the American import Petite Metisses: Another oval Maico powered Petite Metisse.
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