2 Exclusive interview with Salva Garcia -
Minder to Tarres, Colomer and Bilbao
Meet the Garcia's.
The interview as usual with all Retrotrials interviews is written word for word. This is the best way. This way, you, yourself can interpret what the interviewee is saying and the manner he is saying it in, rather than the author putting a spin on it, or getting the wrong end of the stick. Here at Retrotrials.com you get the words straight from the horses mouth.
The Interview
Where were you born ?
In Barcelona, in Sant Fort near to the Derbi factory. My Grandfather was the security man in the factory Derbi for 25 years. I would ride to the factory on my motorcycle and see my grandfather in the security office.
The beautiful, but now empty Derbi factory in Martorelles dominates the skyline and the conversation of the people in this small town. Derbi has been here since 1922 but closed its doors at the end of 2012. This was a very sad day for the area and the Spanish motorcycle industry. The motorcycle history in this place is breath taking. The factory used to command the town. Races ran through the streets. Champions were born here. Technology that we take for granted was spawned at this place. This is a very special place. If you read about the history of Derbi, it will grab your heart as well.
What age are you ?
31 ha ha ha ha ...52
31 ha ha ha ha ...52
And you lived close to Gabino ?
Yes, we are very very very good friends. After we ride, Gabino, me and Albert Cadiz who is the Spanish importer of cycles, we make school for 5 or 6 years together and make a trial school in 1988 or 1989 and we finished this in 1995. At the same time I work with Jordi. I work a little school and a lot Jordi. In all the years I only make 6 or 8 schools.
Yes, we are very very very good friends. After we ride, Gabino, me and Albert Cadiz who is the Spanish importer of cycles, we make school for 5 or 6 years together and make a trial school in 1988 or 1989 and we finished this in 1995. At the same time I work with Jordi. I work a little school and a lot Jordi. In all the years I only make 6 or 8 schools.
Salvador Garcia larking around lying down in the black jacket amongst pals, with Gabino Renales in the white jacket.
Do you have brothers and sisters ?
No What was it like growing up in this area…with the moto? Well at that time, there were not problems like now. There were a lot of fans/followers. But the place where I was, it was only myself and Gabino Renales that went on the bike with four other friends. There were a lot of fans for DERBI, that was produced in here. My grandfather was 25 years in DERBI. Nieto’s bikes where there in a room, my grandfather would let me in and I would climb on them. It started with an uncle of mine, that all of a sudden said to me, ‘tomorrow I will come and we’ll do some trial’ and he came with two motorbikes, I asked him ‘who else is coming’ and he said is just you and I. Before you were a minder you were a rider ? How did this start ? I start in 1978 with the Montesa 348 and I ride with Isern Motorcycles. Did you ever ride the trial cin ? No, nothing like. Direct to the motorcycle. From nothing to the cota 247 |
After, I then ride with Jacinto Moriana with JJ Cobas. I no ride the motorcycle JJ Cobas, but I ride with the same team JJ Cobas and with Gabino and Toni Gorgot. I start to ride with JJ Cobas when I ride the Ossa. I finished with team JJ Cobas when I ride the red Ossa, the 303, the TR.
What can you remember about JJ Cobas ?
The company was mainly a car dealer ship and they sell cars in Barcelona. They have 4 dealerships in Tarressa, 2 in Barcelona, one in Figures. They sell mainly the cars but in Barcelona they have one dealership for the car and one for the motorcycle. The other dealership sell the car only. It was the same time as Carlos Carduz, Toni Gorgot, Gabino and me all riding together in the same team, JJ Cobas
The company was mainly a car dealer ship and they sell cars in Barcelona. They have 4 dealerships in Tarressa, 2 in Barcelona, one in Figures. They sell mainly the cars but in Barcelona they have one dealership for the car and one for the motorcycle. The other dealership sell the car only. It was the same time as Carlos Carduz, Toni Gorgot, Gabino and me all riding together in the same team, JJ Cobas
I was the first person who showed Anotino Cobas the trial bikes in the mountains near to my house. Before this he did not know these bikes, only the road bike. There is a famous photo were you can see Antoni Cobas mending the OSSA TR. There is another with Antoni with paper drawing or something like that, he was with me. The first day that he went to the mountain with Jacinto Moriano he said to me ‘go with Antonio and show him how to do trial, he has never seen it’. We then went to the outskirts of Barcelona, I taught him and then he started to think and started to make JJ COBAS trial. |
Salva Garcia working on the Ossa opposite Antonio Cobas.
This Montesa engine in JJ Cobas is featured in probably the largest private collection in Europe. It sits next to a Bultaco engined model. Only a few were built of each model.
Salva early in his riding career on the sponsored Ossa