2014 Jotagas factory tour
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The factory in Girona has polished concrete floors , special tools and measuring devices id never seen before. Chassis number etching devices and even a quality coffee machines. Digital door pads with sliding doors give the factory a real James Bond secret workshop feel , where "M" would build the underwater Lotus and dart shooting watches ha ha .
Back to reality :)
It makes sense to show you the different areas of the factory in a chronological order , as they build the bikes.
Ive got some pretty strong thoughts on this factory and Jotagas . The factory visit and meeting Josep Pibernat helped me collate these views and really get to the truth . At the end of this report i will share them with you.
Back to reality :)
It makes sense to show you the different areas of the factory in a chronological order , as they build the bikes.
Ive got some pretty strong thoughts on this factory and Jotagas . The factory visit and meeting Josep Pibernat helped me collate these views and really get to the truth . At the end of this report i will share them with you.
engine assembly
The first thing they have to do is make the engines. The engine assembly line is right next to the bike assembly line.
Professional mounts hold the engines up off the work bench in a swivelling clamp that enables them to be rotated . This means that you can work on the under neath of the engine by just turning the engine upside down in the mount .
The parts to build the complete trial bikes are all there within a short easy reach and in plentiful supply.
Professional mounts hold the engines up off the work bench in a swivelling clamp that enables them to be rotated . This means that you can work on the under neath of the engine by just turning the engine upside down in the mount .
The parts to build the complete trial bikes are all there within a short easy reach and in plentiful supply.
The Lightweight crankcases are all matched to their partner and will not be seperated .Isnt that sweet :)
2014 jotagas factory tour WWW.RETROTRIALS.COM
Alloy Barrells complete with pistons .
2014 jotagas factory tour WWW.RETROTRIALS.COM
The gearbox components.
2014 jotagas factory tour WWW.RETROTRIALS.COM
Last but not least , you need someone to to assemble the engines :)
2014 jotagas factory tour WWW.RETROTRIALS.COM
Meet the trials legend that is Joan Freixas.
We are not worthy Mr Joan :)
Joan left school and was immediately picked up by Ossa where he was a factory rider. Then , shortly after Bultaco's demised and shortly before Honda's take over of Montesa , Ossa collapsed in 1982. The inertia of Catalan motorcycle manufacturing did not stop and Joan was hired by Ignacio Bulto the Spanish Trials Champion and son on Bultaco founder Francisco Xavier Bulto to work with him at Merlin.
In the week Joan worked in the Merlin factory and practiced .At the weekends Joan rode the Spanish and World Championship Trials as a fully supported rider. Joan's later years at Merlin were spent as the full time minder and mechanic for Merlin rider and three time World Champion Eddy Lejeune.
Following Merlin being dissolved into GasGas in 1988 , Joan continued to work for GasGas until 2006. Joan is a very and modest and gentle man. He doesn't talk about this great years in the trial (i do that for him -ha ha ) and in the industry unless you ask him and ask him again - ha ha .
He has worked continually for Josep Pibernat for almost 20 years. Its entirely fair and accurate to say that Joan Freixas has spent his life in the trial industry.
In my travels meeting people around the World for this web , Joan is regarded very highly as being great trial tuner and development man.
We are not worthy Mr Joan :)
Joan left school and was immediately picked up by Ossa where he was a factory rider. Then , shortly after Bultaco's demised and shortly before Honda's take over of Montesa , Ossa collapsed in 1982. The inertia of Catalan motorcycle manufacturing did not stop and Joan was hired by Ignacio Bulto the Spanish Trials Champion and son on Bultaco founder Francisco Xavier Bulto to work with him at Merlin.
In the week Joan worked in the Merlin factory and practiced .At the weekends Joan rode the Spanish and World Championship Trials as a fully supported rider. Joan's later years at Merlin were spent as the full time minder and mechanic for Merlin rider and three time World Champion Eddy Lejeune.
Following Merlin being dissolved into GasGas in 1988 , Joan continued to work for GasGas until 2006. Joan is a very and modest and gentle man. He doesn't talk about this great years in the trial (i do that for him -ha ha ) and in the industry unless you ask him and ask him again - ha ha .
He has worked continually for Josep Pibernat for almost 20 years. Its entirely fair and accurate to say that Joan Freixas has spent his life in the trial industry.
In my travels meeting people around the World for this web , Joan is regarded very highly as being great trial tuner and development man.
Joan Freixas - a career as Rider , minder and mechanic
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Joan on the Merlin Gallach , DG350 and Ossa
2014 jotagas factory tour WWW.RETROTRIALS.COM
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1985 TDN team of Tarres, Codina,Freixas + Gallach
2014 jotagas factory tour WWW.RETROTRIALS.COM
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This is where i first met Joan and Jotagas. It was at the 2011 World Trial in Andorra. To the left you can see Fransesc Tarres facing us with his wife , talking to joint GasGas founder Narcis Casas. Marc Arano sits at the table behind.
This was the launch of the 2013 Jotagas. Joan leant me a 2012 bike to ride and i scooted off into the hills.
My love affair with Jotagas was born :).
How could you not love something of that beauty :) . I mean the bike :)
This was the launch of the 2013 Jotagas. Joan leant me a 2012 bike to ride and i scooted off into the hills.
My love affair with Jotagas was born :).
How could you not love something of that beauty :) . I mean the bike :)
2014 jotagas factory tour WWW.RETROTRIALS.COM
In fact Paco Roldan actually assembles everyone of the engines himself , Joan had just nipped to the engine line for one moment.
2014 jotagas factory tour WWW.RETROTRIALS.COM
The factory has a huge perfectly flat granite block that they test every clutch plate , pressure plate and basket on to make sure they are exactly flat and there is no tilt. This is the job of Paco . I watched as he tested and assembled
This stops clutch judder .There is a 10 failure rate on new clutch parts and these parts are returned. Paco showed me a complete engine assembly. Its great having someone like Paco assembling the engines. Its a specialist job to do it really right . Many of us assemble and pull engines apart , but the professionals just do it that much better . The attention to detail is superb. Paco spends time assembling .He does it so much better because he designed the engine and knows it inside out. |
2014 jotagas factory tour WWW.RETROTRIALS.COM
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