During this golden age, the family-run Spanish company Bultaco dominated motocross, and helped forge the freewheeling spirit Brown's movie immortalized.
Founded by the late Francisco Bultó in Barcelona in 1958 (and folded by him in 1983), Bultaco revolutionized the off-road industry—producing lightweight bikes with spare, muscular designs, hand-painted finishes, two-stroke engines, and incredible handling. Oriol Puig Bultó, a company engineer and the winningest motocross rider on Team Bultaco, explains how his Uncle Francisco guided the company: "Sales follow the checkered flag." Which is to say that Bultaco bikes were—and still are—fast.
Today, "Old Bulls" are collectors' items and increasingly finding their way into museums. Cody Tellis, whose California-based Bultaco West specializes in vintage Spanish bikes, describes the recent surge in interest in Bultacos as a "nuclear jump." Restored Banditos and Lobitos can range from $5,000 to $15,000, while a flagship 35.2 HP Pursang with a racing history can fetch over $50,000. Tearing off on one today is to remember when motorcycles were more than just hell-raising highway choppers for wild ones and easy riders.
