ALBANY VINTAGE & CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE CLUB

February 2011 Club News

Bikes You Wished You'd Never Sold

by Mike Hylund

This is one bike I wish I had never sold. It is a Bultaco Metralla 250, manufactured in 1966. This bike was bought from a Sunday Times advert as a basket case by Ray Oakes (Clive’s Dad). He put it together and then sold it on. A few years later it was again advertised in the Sunday Times, which was when it came into my hands.

For those readers who don’t know their Bultacos, this model came 1st and 2nd in the Isle of Man 250 cc production race in 1967. Not bad for a basic 2 stroke up against the best that Japan and Italy could produce. They were claimed to be the first 100mph production 250.

I have never ridden another bike which handled anywhere near as well as this one, steering and braking and power were superb. It did have one serious failing though, it had great difficulty passing service stations without stopping, nearly every time I took it out I ran out of fuel.

During the time that I owned this little beauty, I aquired the remains of the BSA A10 which I used to own. I needed funds to spend on the A10 which I had decided was a more suitable conveyance for an elderly gent like me. I sold the Bultaco to a young fellow in Vic Park who was planning to go road racing. The last time that I saw it, it was being raced at Wanneroo.

The A10 aged me prematurely while the Bully was the type of bike which keeps you young.