The era of dominance (1960s & 1970s)

Bultaco focused almost exclusively on two-stroke machines and revolutionized motorsport:

• Motocross (Pursang): The Bultaco Pursang became one of the most successful motocross machines in the world. Riders such as Marcel Wiertz, who even became the Belgian importer of the brand, and Jim Pomeroy made it a legend. In 1973, Pomeroy made history when he became the first American to win a 250cc Grand Prix on a Bultaco.
• Trial (Sherpa T): In 1965, Bultó hired British rider Sammy Miller. Together, they developed the Sherpa T, which changed trial racing forever by replacing heavy British four-stroke bikes with lightweight two-stroke bikes. Bultaco dominated trial racing for over a decade (with riders including Martin Lampkin and Bernie Schreiber).
• Road racing: The company also enjoyed success in this area, particularly in the small displacement classes (50 cm³ and 125 cm³), with Angel Nieto, among others.

3. The decline (from 1979)

The success came to an abrupt end due to a combination of several factors:

• Economic crisis: Spain suffered from enormous economic instability and labor disputes at the end of the 1970s.
• Japanese competition: Brands such as Honda, Yamaha, and Suzuki entered the market with massive budgets and technical innovation.
• Internal unrest: Severe strikes paralyzed production in Barcelona for months.
• Closure: In 1979, the plant was temporarily shut down. Under government supervision, attempts were made to resume production in 1980, but in 1983 it was finally over – the factory closed its doors.