Bultaco Motorcycles

Bultaco was a Spanish motorcycle manufacturer founded in 1958 by Francisco "Paco" Bulto - the brand name combines his surname and nickname. Bulto had been a director and the driving technical force behind the racing program at fellow Spanish manufacturer Montesa, and left abruptly, along with most of Montesa's racing department, after a boardroom dispute over withdrawing from competition. Bultaco launched its first model, the 125cc Tralla 101, in March 1959, and took seven of the first ten places at the Spanish Grand Prix two months later. The company built its reputation on off-road competition, with the Pursang (motocross), Matador (enduro), Sherpa T (observed trials), and Astro (flat-track) becoming its best-known models. Financial trouble in the 1970s led to bankruptcy and liquidation in 1979; the factory briefly reopened in 1980 before closing for good in 1983. The name was revived in 2014 for a new line of electric motorcycles.