2014 - exclusive Gabino Renales Interview
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I have got to know Jordi Rabassa, Joan Ruiz and Ramon Mira from Mecatecno? So how did the deal with Mecatecno happen ?.
I don’t really remember but I think they started with a prototype and the rider was Marcelin Corches who unfortunately he passed away in an accident. It was 1984, I remember because we were going to the same race in Santander and it was Saturday evening
when we learnt that they had the accident. They were coming also to this Spanish trial and they had this accident with Jose Maria
Matoree, the other rider. They had this accident and unfortunately they died. For the year after they were looking for a rider and I
don’t remember if they contacted me or I contacted them but then we decided again to start a new project ha ha ha. Yeah, because Merlin was a new project, JJCobas was a new project and Mecatecno was a new project so it was the reality of the Spanish
factories because Montesa, Bultaco and Ossa did not exist anymore.
I don’t really remember but I think they started with a prototype and the rider was Marcelin Corches who unfortunately he passed away in an accident. It was 1984, I remember because we were going to the same race in Santander and it was Saturday evening
when we learnt that they had the accident. They were coming also to this Spanish trial and they had this accident with Jose Maria
Matoree, the other rider. They had this accident and unfortunately they died. For the year after they were looking for a rider and I
don’t remember if they contacted me or I contacted them but then we decided again to start a new project ha ha ha. Yeah, because Merlin was a new project, JJCobas was a new project and Mecatecno was a new project so it was the reality of the Spanish
factories because Montesa, Bultaco and Ossa did not exist anymore.
Gabino Renales riding the 1983 Mecatecno MR326 watched by Ronald Garcia.
Ronald Garcia left with Salva Garcia
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Did you find it tiring to be constantly developing?
After Mecatecno I did yes. I wanted to ride and win but I test and more test always. What do you remember of the Mecatecno days? Again it was a new project of the new motorcycle and the new engine and again we spend so much time with test etc etc. I mean they were very attentive and passionate in the project but we did so many tests that sometimes we did not have the same philosophy I would say of how to develop the bike etc. Sooo at this time we were three riders, we were Ronald Garcia, Salvador Garcia. Ha ha, the old boys of Mecatecno. Yes, the old boys of Mecatecno. What was this different philosophy? There was a lot of development as the bike was new but mostly with the frame. I mean ……….. it was probably the way I like to ride soooo we had also had some differences of feeling between Ronald Garcia for example and I and I think in the end they did not probably decide to follow one or another rider. |
Ronald Garcia riding whilst Salva Garcia (not related) is seen changing his rear wheel with the help of Joan Ruiz
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I had my ideas but at the same time I said to Jordi “I’m not a technician, I’m just a rider”. I think that they need to develop the bike but to be honest you should have the ideas but we need to meet together because the suspension it was something that the Beta started to have the shock on a vertical position and we got it horizontal with some links. This system with Beta started to prove that this was the right thing because we follow the Beta Yamaha philosophy. Yamaha was somehow a production bike that was not very developed. They just designed the bike and made it for sale and many people bought it but they never managed to win races, whist Beta they were very focused to develop a fantastic bike.
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The fiberglass proto type MR 326 was unveiled at the 1982 Barcelona Motorcycle show. It was specially fabricated for the show, did not run and featured visible air inlets in the petrol tank.
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Gabino was just 21 years old when he signed up with Mecatecno in 1985.
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I remember I follow a lot Jordi and we also practise together and the reaction of the bike was totally different. This was something I say to Jordi that we need this for the new bike and as a new concept we have to follow Beta, not Yamaha. I think a little we had been following Yamaha with the suspension, yes. Also the engine was different from the Yamaha and like I said to you the distance from main drive shaft to the swing arm and the tension on the chain caused by this was totally different. The position the balance and the centre of gravity of the bike to the other bikes was totally different. There were points that I really thought that we should change to a more modern way and I say this to Jordi that as a new project we should go this way and follow more Beta rather than follow the Yamaha or the Aprilia which was the same system.
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The works 1983 Mecatecno MR326 of Albert Juvanty
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Were you involved in the development of the Mecatecno engine?
Somehow we had to because we wanted to improve both as a rider and also as a factory. Somehow it was our commitment was to give our best ideas to the factory to make success. When you went to Mecatecno was the engine already made? Yes, yes yes. They make their own engine and it worked very well and was something new. The engine was good and had a lot of potential and also this with the exhaust, there was potential, yes. For me, there were chassis issues. |
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What can you remember about the Mecatecno factory?
I remember it was at Els Xops. It was a family.
What do you mean?
I mean that the people who worked there were really committed to the project and when I compare it to Montesa that was a proper factory, Mecatecno was the same as Merlin or same as Gasgas at the beginning. There was something there that was very passionate and again there was a lot of energy and a lot of enthusiasm to the project. Jordi, Joan his wife, Margarita in the office. Ramon’s brother was also working there with us for the competitions. It was one big family.
I remember it was at Els Xops. It was a family.
What do you mean?
I mean that the people who worked there were really committed to the project and when I compare it to Montesa that was a proper factory, Mecatecno was the same as Merlin or same as Gasgas at the beginning. There was something there that was very passionate and again there was a lot of energy and a lot of enthusiasm to the project. Jordi, Joan his wife, Margarita in the office. Ramon’s brother was also working there with us for the competitions. It was one big family.
Els Xops was Mecatecno's 2nd factory after the workshops at the Rabassa family home. This small one room factory produced literally thousands of motorcycle. All assembly work was carried out here for their Trial, young children and 16 years motorcycles. The prototypes were made here. The plastic mudguards were made here from sheet in a vacuum forming press. Mecatecno at anyone time produced 6 different models. In order to keep costs low they resisted moving to bigger premises. To overcome their small factory size they themselves build a first floor on steel uprights. It stretched the entire area of the whole factory. Of course painting and production fabrication was contracted out to companies like Vasan .sa who made all the chassis for Mecatecno and Merlin.
I have been searching for a photo of the inside of this factory, back in the day for years. If you have one please send it to me and I will reward you :)
I have been searching for a photo of the inside of this factory, back in the day for years. If you have one please send it to me and I will reward you :)
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It must have been a very busy place because they produce many different motos. They produced maybe 5, 6 or 7 different models at any one time, maybe more?
Yes, but this was something that was very well organised. Small bikes, they really knew how to do that and did that really well. They produced many bikes and many people start with their bikes. It was something that they did very well. With the big trial bike things started to get more complicated but the small bikes were something that they did very well.
The factory was on two different levels at this time?
I don’t think so at the beginning.
Then you went to Gasgas?
Then after this and after all these things, I think I was 21 in the results ….even though I won a Spanish Championship Race with Mecatecno I did very badly in the World Championship and I was very disappointed with my career and I decide to stop riding.
Yes, but this was something that was very well organised. Small bikes, they really knew how to do that and did that really well. They produced many bikes and many people start with their bikes. It was something that they did very well. With the big trial bike things started to get more complicated but the small bikes were something that they did very well.
The factory was on two different levels at this time?
I don’t think so at the beginning.
Then you went to Gasgas?
Then after this and after all these things, I think I was 21 in the results ….even though I won a Spanish Championship Race with Mecatecno I did very badly in the World Championship and I was very disappointed with my career and I decide to stop riding.
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Did you?
Yes, I decided to stop altogether. I was only 21 and I still had time to find something or go to university or something. At that time I learned that Paxau had something. He was someone that I already knew from Merlin because he was a Merlin dealer. He started to produce a new exhaust and the bike performance improved a lot….so I knew he started a new project. |
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