In the 60s, Bultaco was known primarily for its off-roaders, especially in the US. Their streetbikes were normally relegated to stay in Bultaco Cemoto’s home country of Spain, which imposed regulations allowing Bultaco to only use one engine in a small variety of sizes. You would think this put the Spanish company at a serious disadvantage when it came to international competition – but the Bultaco Metralla utilized the usual two-stroke engine that pumped out an impressive 32 horsepower in a world where plenty of cars didn’t make 32 hp. For a short period of time, this was the fastest two-stroke motorcycle you could buy.
“Riding it is like throwing a smoke bomb into a hornets’ nest, then climbing on. Every time I ride the bike, I think to myself, ‘Really? Guys rode these skinny-tired, drum-braked, springy-suspensioned things in anger?’ Major respect for those brave souls who had no idea what sport bikes would be like a scant 25 years later.”
– Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car, April 2010.
This specific Metralla (VIN: B2301249) has been restored but then spent a year on display in a retail store, so expect to clean the carbs before you try to feel what it’s like to ride an angry hornets’ nest…find this Metralla for sale in Ventura, California with bidding up to $6,000 and the reserve not yet met