And the white framed Bultaco that you rode, was this a big improvement?
No, not at all no. I always liked the 6 speed gearbox but I've always had this gearbox since 1979. It wasn't common knowledge, Manuel also had a 6 speed gearbox, the rest of the bike was the same heavy big bike you see, if you compare the last white framed Bultaco with the model 159, which was the model that I used to win the World Championship, model 159 pretty much everything about the bike was as light as possible. Everything was duro aluminium, everything was light, the spoke nipples were aluminium, they had gone to extreme lengths to make the bike nice and light but on the last bike, all of those items were steel and the bike weighed a ton. It's still a good basis today to build a very nice bike to ride. The bike I am riding today has a modified 199 b frame which is the last frame.
You are a Bultaco boy through and through and so did the Bultaco crisis badly affect you?
Well of course it did, because in 1979 I didn't get paid and 1980 I ended up having to ride for Montesa. In 1983, I had a bike that I have been developing for over a year with the help of Comerfords and sorting out a special rear suspension for the bike, the handling of the bike, I had a bike of bits, suddenly became competitive again but I may as well have thrown the bike in the bin because it was worthless.
No, not at all no. I always liked the 6 speed gearbox but I've always had this gearbox since 1979. It wasn't common knowledge, Manuel also had a 6 speed gearbox, the rest of the bike was the same heavy big bike you see, if you compare the last white framed Bultaco with the model 159, which was the model that I used to win the World Championship, model 159 pretty much everything about the bike was as light as possible. Everything was duro aluminium, everything was light, the spoke nipples were aluminium, they had gone to extreme lengths to make the bike nice and light but on the last bike, all of those items were steel and the bike weighed a ton. It's still a good basis today to build a very nice bike to ride. The bike I am riding today has a modified 199 b frame which is the last frame.
You are a Bultaco boy through and through and so did the Bultaco crisis badly affect you?
Well of course it did, because in 1979 I didn't get paid and 1980 I ended up having to ride for Montesa. In 1983, I had a bike that I have been developing for over a year with the help of Comerfords and sorting out a special rear suspension for the bike, the handling of the bike, I had a bike of bits, suddenly became competitive again but I may as well have thrown the bike in the bin because it was worthless.
Well, I sold the bike to Richard Allen, he knew about the bike and he wanted to buy the bike so I sold it to him, the bike became available not so long ago, maybe 5 years ago something like that, but I didn't bid for the bike and the reason I didn't bid for it was because I didn't win anything on the bike and it just brings back bad memories. It's a bike that represents everything that went wrong in some ways. It was a masterpiece but it's better off in the hands of someone else and not me.
I'm interested to know why after winning the Scottish on the Montesa you left Montesa and went with the Commerfords deal?
Because I believed in a genuine come back on the Bultaco of Comerfords. At the time, in 1981, the financial backers of the bike didn't come through them. The bikes went direct from the factory. Comerfords was simply guaranteeing the payments to me and when I met Mr Commerford, I realised that he was a man I could trust when he said that he would pay me. I knew that he would pay me and he did. He was an old fashioned gentleman and I knew that if the factory has given me a contract it will be very possible I will get paid again so it suited me very well that Mr Commerford stepped in. I have been told Commerfords received some free bikes from the factory which they then sold enabling them to pay me, but I don't know whether the bikes cover the payment entirely.
I'm interested to know why after winning the Scottish on the Montesa you left Montesa and went with the Commerfords deal?
Because I believed in a genuine come back on the Bultaco of Comerfords. At the time, in 1981, the financial backers of the bike didn't come through them. The bikes went direct from the factory. Comerfords was simply guaranteeing the payments to me and when I met Mr Commerford, I realised that he was a man I could trust when he said that he would pay me. I knew that he would pay me and he did. He was an old fashioned gentleman and I knew that if the factory has given me a contract it will be very possible I will get paid again so it suited me very well that Mr Commerford stepped in. I have been told Commerfords received some free bikes from the factory which they then sold enabling them to pay me, but I don't know whether the bikes cover the payment entirely.
What happened to you in 1982, it was at the time that you move to England?
Yes, in the summer of 1981, I started spending a lot more time here in England but I was registered as living in Andorra then. Commerfords came up with the idea and they asked me to ride again with Bultaco with their financial backing and for me to ride the British championship so they would get more of a return for what they were doing. I said for my part this was not a problem but in practical terms would I be able to get an ACU licence because you are not able to ride in the British championship without an ACU licence. Also, on top of that, would the ACU then grant me an International Licence to be able to compete in the world championship. I know Comerfords put the feelers out with the ACU to try and understand what the situation was.
Yes, in the summer of 1981, I started spending a lot more time here in England but I was registered as living in Andorra then. Commerfords came up with the idea and they asked me to ride again with Bultaco with their financial backing and for me to ride the British championship so they would get more of a return for what they were doing. I said for my part this was not a problem but in practical terms would I be able to get an ACU licence because you are not able to ride in the British championship without an ACU licence. Also, on top of that, would the ACU then grant me an International Licence to be able to compete in the world championship. I know Comerfords put the feelers out with the ACU to try and understand what the situation was.