a revealing Interview with Mecatecno and Montesa Rider
Ronald Garcia
At this time were the factory producing any of the green MR 326 bikes ?
No no, when I leave Mecatecno there is no production of adult trials bikes, only the competition bikes for me and the other riders. The next year I think there was a very small production of the green bikes then the Dragonfly came. When I leave Mecatecno I begin to see the preparation for a small production of the green bike and then the next year Gallach start riding on the Dragonfly, the orange and blue bike. So I think that between me and Gallach there was a small production of green bikes.
No no, when I leave Mecatecno there is no production of adult trials bikes, only the competition bikes for me and the other riders. The next year I think there was a very small production of the green bikes then the Dragonfly came. When I leave Mecatecno I begin to see the preparation for a small production of the green bike and then the next year Gallach start riding on the Dragonfly, the orange and blue bike. So I think that between me and Gallach there was a small production of green bikes.
What happened to you after Mecatecno ?
I ride with Mecatecno, but at the end of this year 1986, I have to start with the army which was compulsory for everybody at this time. I have to work with the army for 1 year, when I go to the army it is impossible for me to ride. I am allowed to ride at the weekends where is impossible for me to practice and maintain the standard. Mecatecno say to me I must ride more to practice more and I know this is not possible because of the army and this is a time I say this must stop. The boss of Mecatecno, Jordi Rabassa and me both know I stay the army and I think he makes preparations to sign Halsham as a rider. I started my time with the army positively, thinking that I can ride as well but after a short time I knew this was not possible.
I ride with Mecatecno, but at the end of this year 1986, I have to start with the army which was compulsory for everybody at this time. I have to work with the army for 1 year, when I go to the army it is impossible for me to ride. I am allowed to ride at the weekends where is impossible for me to practice and maintain the standard. Mecatecno say to me I must ride more to practice more and I know this is not possible because of the army and this is a time I say this must stop. The boss of Mecatecno, Jordi Rabassa and me both know I stay the army and I think he makes preparations to sign Halsham as a rider. I started my time with the army positively, thinking that I can ride as well but after a short time I knew this was not possible.
Ronald Garcia watching team mate Salva Garcia. Salva and Ronald eye up a trial obstacle.
What did you do during your time with the army ?
I stayed in Zaragoza and I was living in Barcelona other time. When of course I did not travel home at all because when you're in the army you stay with the army for the full year, you could only have a small holiday home. I speak with the Federation and they telephone the army and they make an arrangement for me to arrive the World Championship but I knew at this time it would be difficult to maintain a good level of training so I decide to stop. At this time Beta and Fantic produce very good bikes and Mecatecno is not as good so I think to myself this is going to make my time in trial more difficult, all this is real things that help me make the decision to stop. See my last year with Mecatecno, I knew my results were not improving. I wanted to know whether the other bikes available would give me a much better advantage at the trial or not. You see my results have not been getting better and this was frustrating me and I was searching for the answer, to discover if it was me or maybe a mixture of me and the bike.
I stayed in Zaragoza and I was living in Barcelona other time. When of course I did not travel home at all because when you're in the army you stay with the army for the full year, you could only have a small holiday home. I speak with the Federation and they telephone the army and they make an arrangement for me to arrive the World Championship but I knew at this time it would be difficult to maintain a good level of training so I decide to stop. At this time Beta and Fantic produce very good bikes and Mecatecno is not as good so I think to myself this is going to make my time in trial more difficult, all this is real things that help me make the decision to stop. See my last year with Mecatecno, I knew my results were not improving. I wanted to know whether the other bikes available would give me a much better advantage at the trial or not. You see my results have not been getting better and this was frustrating me and I was searching for the answer, to discover if it was me or maybe a mixture of me and the bike.
This time I had only ever riden the Montesa and the Mecatecno, so I decide to go to Trueba and buy a Beta. They make me a good deal and I finish 1987 on the Beta, but I have not ridden much because I have spent much time in the army. In fact I remember that shortly after I buy the Beta, Montesa telephone me and asked me whether I wanted to ride another Cota. I ask them if they are paying and then ha ha ha they offer me the Cota 335 hahahahaha, you know the 335 hahahahaha, this is the worst bike ever of Montesa. This is another Cirera bike a bike created by Miquel Cirera. He make the 335 this year. Gallach ride with the 335 but he is riding on a prototype Gallach. With this prototype, I go to him and I test this special bike, I think this is quite good but then Cirera and Montesa make the production bike and then they telephone me after the Montesa testing I am doing and they say give back our prototype and you can have the production bike. I am given this production bike and it is not the same ha ha ha. The prototype was quite good but the production bike was the worst bike ever, the bike was the full responsibility of Miquel Cirera.
Ronald may not like the 1988 / 89 335 and it clearly was not a particularly popular bike, however no one can dispute it's one sexy machine.