page 1 - 2015 Exclusive Jaime Subira career Interview
The name Jaime Subira conjures up for me, more than anything, an image of a smiling bearded face riding a small bore Fantic. I'll be honest with you …. I'm a little embarrassed to say that up until a few years ago, I didn’t know a great deal about him, but I should have. Why ? Because as well as being a successful rider, Jaime has done much to shape the sport and the trials machinery we all love. Jaime Subira was a successful trials rider during the 1970's and early 1980's. Jaime's career on the World Stage secured him 2, 9th places in both 1978 and 1981. He made it to the podium once on Montesa in 1979 and once on a Fantic in 1980. But it was on the domestic circuit and home soil where Jaime enjoyed greater success achieving runner up place in the Spanish Trials championship during 1976, 1977 and 1982. In these years he was beaten by his friends Manuel Soler and Toni Gorgot. |
Whilst Jaime was seen by the public at the time, as simply one of the Montesa and Fantic pilots, Jaime had another purpose. Jaime was the main trials rider testing the development for both Montesa and Fantic. Working with the designers, research and development teams as well as the top riders, he helped shape the bikes that faced competition at the very highest level and helped create the very machines which we bought and which still charge around sections today.
Jaime is credited with creating the hugely Popular Fantic 200 and the Fantic 240 models. In doing so, Jaime without a doubt laid the platform for the great success within Fantic, of the hugely talented and 3 times World Champion, Thierry Michaud and the later years of Gilles Burgat and Steve Saunders.
Why is Jaime's work relevant to Steve Saunder's later monoshock Fantic factory machines ? Because without the success of Fantic's very first trials bikes which Jaime's created, would Fantic have had the confidence and the knowledge to build the 303 ? I doubt it.
With a dated model line up Fantic are known to have been in financial trouble prior to Jaime's arrival.....so would Fantic have even survived ? I doubt that as well.
Is billing Jaime as the man who saved Fantic perhaps going a bit far ? It doesn't take a lot more than a good bike to keep a company afloat. However without a good bike .....the company can work as hard as they can, but they will still go down.
Perhaps this accolade isn't so far from the truth.
After all ...the Fantic 200 was really the first popular and capable lightweight small bore trials bike revolutionizing the industry's approach to the engine capacity.
These are my views. What do you think ?
Now read the life story from the man himself. Read it first hand, word for word. Unedited.
It is a fascinating and first hand untold story typed up word for word. Jaime is a great guy. He's always smiling and very friendly, open and doesn't mince his words. In fact he's an interviewers dream :).
Jaime is credited with creating the hugely Popular Fantic 200 and the Fantic 240 models. In doing so, Jaime without a doubt laid the platform for the great success within Fantic, of the hugely talented and 3 times World Champion, Thierry Michaud and the later years of Gilles Burgat and Steve Saunders.
Why is Jaime's work relevant to Steve Saunder's later monoshock Fantic factory machines ? Because without the success of Fantic's very first trials bikes which Jaime's created, would Fantic have had the confidence and the knowledge to build the 303 ? I doubt it.
With a dated model line up Fantic are known to have been in financial trouble prior to Jaime's arrival.....so would Fantic have even survived ? I doubt that as well.
Is billing Jaime as the man who saved Fantic perhaps going a bit far ? It doesn't take a lot more than a good bike to keep a company afloat. However without a good bike .....the company can work as hard as they can, but they will still go down.
Perhaps this accolade isn't so far from the truth.
After all ...the Fantic 200 was really the first popular and capable lightweight small bore trials bike revolutionizing the industry's approach to the engine capacity.
These are my views. What do you think ?
Now read the life story from the man himself. Read it first hand, word for word. Unedited.
It is a fascinating and first hand untold story typed up word for word. Jaime is a great guy. He's always smiling and very friendly, open and doesn't mince his words. In fact he's an interviewers dream :).
This great photo was taken at the Barcelona Indoor trial. Jaime Subira won the first of these trials.
Jaime is second from the left, standing next to Toni Gorgot :)
Left to right is Toni Gorgot, Jaime Subira, Josep Jo, Joan Freixas, Albert Juvanty, Gilles Burgat, Charles Coutard, Bernie Schreiber, Kurt Comer, Eddy Lejeune and Dannilo Galeazzi.
Left to right is Toni Gorgot, Jaime Subira, Josep Jo, Joan Freixas, Albert Juvanty, Gilles Burgat, Charles Coutard, Bernie Schreiber, Kurt Comer, Eddy Lejeune and Dannilo Galeazzi.
I'm very glad to have caught up with him and to learn about the life of a guy who has had such a huge impact on the World of Trials and who is such a vital and intrinsic part of the trials jigsaw.
Jaime owns a large motorcycle repair workshop on a hillside located on the northern edge of Martorelles in Barcelona. He works here with his son and they specialise in crash repairs and especially frame and fork straightening. Jaime has lived in this small town all of his life and lives in the house above the workshop, that is accessed from further up the hill. Jaime has a wonderful bike collection as well….but don’t worry I've photographed it all. It’s all coming up. Just go with the flow. You won’t miss anything.
Martorelles is just dripping and oozing motorcycle passion and history. The great Derbi motorcycles founded in 1922 had it's huge factory at the bottom of the hill. Whilst Derbi motorcycles outside of Spain is known by its name, it's motorcycles are not well known. They didn’t export a great proportion of their motorcycles ……but make no mistake ……the Derdi blood and passion in Catalonia and Spain is second to none and akin to Bultaco or any other marque for sure. The largest Montesa dealership in Spain was located here and the first arena trial also. The first trials (called gymkhanas) and the first motocross’ of Spain all took place in these stone walled streets. Motorcycle factory owners, race technicians and riders live in the traditional and spacious pooled houses on the west facing hillside. But Martorelles motorcycle influence isn’t all in the past. This small town is right at the heart of the future of Trials as well. In this very town they designed the TRS Jordi Tarres motorcycle that is currently being tested in prototype version right now. In this town they produce the Mecatecno electric childrens motorcycles. |
Jaime Subira 1983 Laggan Locks
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In the not so distant future they will also unveil a serious and competitive adult electric trials bike named the Dragonfly, a motorcycle that could well lead us all down this road.
This little town contains so much motorcycle history that it's no huge surprise that Jaime ended up in the industry.
Jaime’s career has at all times been two fold. He has taken the lead in developing and testing trials bikes working directly for Montesa and Fantic whilst also competing in the Spanish and World Trials Championhsip. Jaime did this more so than most riders and produced for us some of the most popular trials bikes in living memory and keeping the Fantic factory from impending financial difficulties on the horizon.
Jaime’s life experiences and times with Montesa and Fantic have not been told before.
Learn also about his time as Fantic importer and minder to Jordi Pasquet and Amos Bilbao.
See Jaime’s incredible bike collection including the prototype Fantic 200 and Fantic 240 that he still owns.
So much more................
This is the inside story and I absolutely love it……. I think it's one of the best interviews and it's unedited word for word and as spoken by Jaime Subira. Jaime speaks perfect English and I feel that this interview generally flows very well so rather than me ambling any further and summarizing his career any further, lets here from Jaime himself to tell you about his life in the trial.
I arrived at Jaime's huge premises around midday and immediately recognized its close proximity to many of the other notable people and places I have met and visited. Martorelles is truly a place blessed by the trial Gods.
This little town contains so much motorcycle history that it's no huge surprise that Jaime ended up in the industry.
Jaime’s career has at all times been two fold. He has taken the lead in developing and testing trials bikes working directly for Montesa and Fantic whilst also competing in the Spanish and World Trials Championhsip. Jaime did this more so than most riders and produced for us some of the most popular trials bikes in living memory and keeping the Fantic factory from impending financial difficulties on the horizon.
Jaime’s life experiences and times with Montesa and Fantic have not been told before.
Learn also about his time as Fantic importer and minder to Jordi Pasquet and Amos Bilbao.
See Jaime’s incredible bike collection including the prototype Fantic 200 and Fantic 240 that he still owns.
So much more................
This is the inside story and I absolutely love it……. I think it's one of the best interviews and it's unedited word for word and as spoken by Jaime Subira. Jaime speaks perfect English and I feel that this interview generally flows very well so rather than me ambling any further and summarizing his career any further, lets here from Jaime himself to tell you about his life in the trial.
I arrived at Jaime's huge premises around midday and immediately recognized its close proximity to many of the other notable people and places I have met and visited. Martorelles is truly a place blessed by the trial Gods.
These are the premises and the home of Jaime Subira that he has owned for decades and the Fantic importership location.
Moto Despiece is the name of Jaimes business in Martorelles. He works there with his son Ricard and they break motorcycles, sell complete motorcycles and repair crash damaged motorcycles. |
I walked up the side road and knocked on the huge metal door side access. It was opened by Jaime and of course ...he was beaming from ear to ear and offered us a warm welcome. In we walked into rooms that for a bike mad guy was just great. It is the same room that many motorcycle dealerships have behind the scenes. It was full of the good, the bad and the ugly, part stripped bikes. I love these places.....you get to see everything and for me at least it was impossible not to say "Wow".
This is just one angle of this long room which stretches the length of the building.
Jaime had to take a telephone call so I had a look around.
Jaime had to take a telephone call so I had a look around.
Over the years I've had so many of these bikes and scooters. The eagle eyes amongst you will see that this room has over head air lines. This was once a small motorcycle factory with a production line which produced 1000 Trials bikes. You will hear more about this in the interview.
I like the Cepsa Barrell ......and of course the gorgeous dual footrest Fantic 156 with the great square headlight.
A heavily modified Fantic 200 prepared by Angel Delay a great Trial restorer and enthusiast from this neighbourhood.
Another part of Jaime's business is in motorcycle breaking and selling the spares.