So Bultaco died and you then started with SWM?
I ride many years for Bultaco but in the final days, I could see what was happening in Spain. We had the dictator Franco, after the
people wanted to be a little free and do anything. Then people get ideas about good and bad companies to Spain and they want to close
Bultaco. People saying “We can no work”. Big problems no?. People no work, everybody ask for more money. There was a little internal revolution and when is finished the dictatorship
was finished and then started the democracy.
I ride many years for Bultaco but in the final days, I could see what was happening in Spain. We had the dictator Franco, after the
people wanted to be a little free and do anything. Then people get ideas about good and bad companies to Spain and they want to close
Bultaco. People saying “We can no work”. Big problems no?. People no work, everybody ask for more money. There was a little internal revolution and when is finished the dictatorship
was finished and then started the democracy.
Nothing has moved for decades . Dani Font swings the engine mount around like its an addition of his arm
There was a little confusion at this time and still then want to work. I arrive then in the spare parts of Bultaco and everybody no work. I say to them you have made this before please do again, I want this. I need a cylinder changed and a little seat and some more changes. Oh, ok…….the pieces have arrived and the machines are there and the workers are there. The bureaucracy that is in place is now incredible for anything to be done and nothing is made. Everything would be huge problem and then everything quickly stop to nothing and then it gets worse and they no sell anything from factory.
Why wouldn’t they sell anything? I then make a private paper from Piber to Bultaco and tell them I take this and this and this parts for my job to sell. I arrive Bultaco and I pay. A lot of people who live in America or live in England and other place they no have parts for moto. The workers no work. No much no work and bureaucracy. Mr Bulto was a very good man. Very high tech, Paco Bulto. He is very good and try to help us but the directors of the company are many and the problems are so big he cannot change it all. This was the end but In the good times I sell many many Bultaco. In the morning i drive to the factory to collect 4 bikes. In the afternoon my wife Anna drive to the factory for another 4 bikes. They all sell very quickly. |
As you can see Dani loves bikes so much. He really enjoyed our visit and seemed overwhelmed that someone had discovered him tucked away .
Paco then no go in to the factory and in 6 months the factory was destroyed. Then Suzuki, they want buy Bultaco but they want 51 percent and Bulto say no, I want 51 %. This is the big mistake of Bulto I think, because he no sell. The people inside the factory were a disaster and I am very young and I go there I take moto and recambio and I go, you know. I am young but I see what has happened but I no have experience to get out before the crash. Then I go Italy and meet SWM and ride in the competitions for him. He pay me with 40 or 50 bikes. I sell these and make my team and in 2 years I sell 2000 bikes in Spain.
The original GasGas shop.
So you imported the SWM into Spain?
Yes, I was import director. Bultaco in shop was managed by Narcis and then after Bultaco die Narcis look after import company as well which was called Remoto, importing Acerbis, Mallossi, Ariete, Polini. And after Remoto this was Hebo and the Hebo take some clothes and I go Vietnam and in China and Hong Kong and I buy the pieces for this. Then after the same pieces would be sold in Remoto and Hebo. 1973 – 1980 make Bultaco. 1979 – 1985/6 make SWM and Remoto and after make Hebo and GasGas and motorbikes. SWM I make in my house in Salt. I separate the organisation and I put together there the motorcycles.
Please can you explain this? Did you assemble the SWM in Spain?
Yes yes yes.
Why didn’t the factory in Italy assemble the bikes?
Because when I make the transport maybe I take 20 bikes. When I separate I take 50 for the transport. (customs charged 60% to import complete motorcycles into Spain but nothing for spares, so believe this heavily influenced this also ).
Did you try and buy SWM when they were having problems?
No. I have good relationship with the boss. I was only the moto driver and then the importer. Never I try buy the factory.
From Sieroni when I hear of the problem I start to produce the GasGas.
I no try buy SWM but I buy Merlin later.
Yes, I was import director. Bultaco in shop was managed by Narcis and then after Bultaco die Narcis look after import company as well which was called Remoto, importing Acerbis, Mallossi, Ariete, Polini. And after Remoto this was Hebo and the Hebo take some clothes and I go Vietnam and in China and Hong Kong and I buy the pieces for this. Then after the same pieces would be sold in Remoto and Hebo. 1973 – 1980 make Bultaco. 1979 – 1985/6 make SWM and Remoto and after make Hebo and GasGas and motorbikes. SWM I make in my house in Salt. I separate the organisation and I put together there the motorcycles.
Please can you explain this? Did you assemble the SWM in Spain?
Yes yes yes.
Why didn’t the factory in Italy assemble the bikes?
Because when I make the transport maybe I take 20 bikes. When I separate I take 50 for the transport. (customs charged 60% to import complete motorcycles into Spain but nothing for spares, so believe this heavily influenced this also ).
Did you try and buy SWM when they were having problems?
No. I have good relationship with the boss. I was only the moto driver and then the importer. Never I try buy the factory.
From Sieroni when I hear of the problem I start to produce the GasGas.
I no try buy SWM but I buy Merlin later.
What was the first GasGas modelled on? Where did your inspiration come from for this first GasGas?
The frame is like an SWM, you know the Jumbo. This frame was made by Saroni, one man I know in Italy. When SWM close I after take one frame and take one engine Sherpa and put together. It is one mix. SWM frame and Vila engine. The frame was number one perfect and was made chrome moly and Villa have very good engine with crank shaft Bultaco and piston Bultaco. It was fashioned in this way with a akront for the wheels and AJP for the brakes. Dani Font was in charge of some people on the production line of these first motos. Fernandes Hergonas make the first fiberglass petrol tank and then after when production is made in factory in Vic near Barcelona. The first chassis for Gasgas were made in Italy. This man I say before was the number one man in making frames. He make SWM and many more. |
Dani, Fernadez Sarogani, Narics and me we make this first prototype bike. The frame from SWM and the first had a tank from Jumbo and some other pieces as well. Some other pieces from me and other pieces from Spain. Wheels, brakes and everything. Paxau arrived after. He no do this.