1974 Bultaco Mercurio

So here I am again going on about my love hate relationship with Bultaco motorcycles. I love Bultaco’s despite the fact that I was left stranded in the desert a few times, I had to rebuild the top end more often than I changed my underwear…wait a minute…my El Bandido caused quite a few underwear changes!But I digress.

My motorcycling street life started on a Bultaco Matador. A 250cc street legal dirt bike. I also started my racing life on that same bike. A Bultaco of the time was not what you would consider overly reliable in the deserts of California, in the mountains of Spain in Trials competions…oh yeah. In Roadracing…again, very successful. My only thought that was Bultaco’s didn’t like sand…me neither.

A bit of Bultaco’s road history, top five finishes in the Spanish Grand Prix, the Dutch TT, the Isle of Mann and in 1960 set the Speed record in France for 12hrs in both the 175 and 250cc class and then the 24 hour record in 175, 250 and 350 classes!!!

In 1973 Jim Pomeroy won AMA National races on a Bultaco Pursang (which is the bike I raced in the Barstow to Vegas race…well, not Jim’s bike just my own Pursang). The great Angel Nieto, who won 13 Roadracing World Championships in just about every class rode a Bultaco. And, MotoGP racer Sete Gibernau is the Grandson of Señor Bulto!

One of my dream bikes is the Bultaco Metralla. The dealer that helped support me during my dirt bike racing years always had a Metralla in the showroom (sold a number of them too), every now and then there would be a Mercurio. The Metralla was a bit racier but the Mercurio (being 50cc smaller) was just about as fast! In the tight canyons where I live, that 175 could easily embarrass much bigger bikes. And the “Giggle Factor” compared to “Pucker Factor”…the Bultaco wins every time!!

I found a perfect Bultaco Mercurio on ebay this morning seems to need nothing except a new owner that will ride it. Click on the pics below for more pictures and info. And more than anything…have fun riding this great little motorbike!!!

1964 Bultaco Mercurio 175