75 Years of Montesa

Montesa's history began in 1944, when Pere Permanyer Puigjaner, a young industrialist from Barcelona, started branching out from his industry of producer gas to the automotive industry. Teaming up with his two friends “Jasu" and Francisco X. Bultó, the three of them decided to produce light motorcycles in Permanyer's workshops.

A Motobecane B1V2GR38 that Bultó had given as a present to his nephew would serve as the basis for the first prototype. With some improved features, the prototype was modified, and on February 11, 1945, it was registered for a team motorcycle regularity test, organized by the Real Moto Club of Catalunya with the XX anagram, the name of the brand still undecided on.

During these years, one of the most desired components, and probably the hardest to obtain, was the magnetic flywheel for the engine ignition. Fortunately, Manuel Giró had imported, before the war, some Bosch flywheels with the purpose of making motorcycles. Permanyer and Bultó bought the batch of 100 units for 22,000 pesetas and started to build the first hundred mass-produced motorcycles.

To acquire the necessary materials, given the particularity of these circumstances, Permanyer had to use his imagination and resources in a way that today would be seen as impossible. Meanwhile, Bultó was designing prototypes. His friend Carles Carreras, also an engineer, helped him with the first sketches.

In June 1945, three units of the new motorcycles were showcased at Barcelona’s Trade Fair. The name of the brand had been chosen, Montesa, selected after analysing a wide variety of alternatives. It was the A-45 model, a motorcycle with a rigid frame, a 98 cc (45.6 x 60mm) engine and a three-speed manual gearbox. They also made a ladies' version and a version with rear suspension. The carburettors used were made by the French brand Gurtner, although later versions would incorporate one of their own making.

Pere Permanyer was the company's first manager. The combination of his competitive and adventurous spirit present since the company's foundation, together with the need to test the motorcycles to complete their development, led to the organization, in July of 1945, of an ascent to the Caldes de Bohí spa. A place that had never been reached before with a motor vehicle, as there were no roads or paths, the only way to get there being through climbing, cross-country, or by animal traction. Five motorcycles reached the spa, and the riders became the true heroes and forerunners of mountain biking.

Mass production started on June 19, 1945, the first unit appearing on the market, with the chassis number MB-0001. The buyer was Pere Permanyer himself. In that first year of 1945, production reached a total of 21 units. And although there had been some attempts to manufacture motorcycles in Spain, none of them were serious enough for it to be considered as standard industrial manufacture.

There is no doubt that Montesa was the real first Spanish motorcycle factory, with mass production and a real industrial and exporting projection. On the year 1946, the company was focused primarily on increasing and improving its production, with the stimulus of a growing demand throughout the country. Meanwhile, when it came to competitions, Montesa took part in an international competition for the first time: it was on May 5 at the International Grand Prix of Barcelona, held at the Montjuic circuit, which ended with a spectacular victory in the 125 cc class race. That year, they also won the Spanish 100 and 125 cc Championships.

Orders for Montesa motorcycles continued to grow at a faster rate than production, but the priority was still to maintain and increase the quality of the product. The premises on Calle Córcega could not be expanded any further and arrangements were made to move to larger premises.

In 1950, they rented a large three-story building in Pamplona street, no. 89, in Barcelona, this would prove a much better production plant for Montesa as it had more possibilities for expansion. Meanwhile, they also rented premises at 113 Ausiàs March street, where they established the company's offices. This was the moment they introduced a completely innovative model, the result of the creativity of the company's design team. It was called D-51.

Technical development within the premises of the brand continued steadily and in February 1953 the Montesa Brío 90 was introduced, a finely detailed model with a racing heart that incorporated for the first time a carburettor at the rear of the cylinder, in addition to important modifications to the engine, which translated into greater power and acceleration.

In March 1953, Montesa took part in its first motor show outside Spain: it was the Geneva Motor Show, where Pere Permanyer personally unveiled the new Brío 90 model. They also came up with the brilliant idea of exhibiting some miniatures Montesa models (meticulously made by the artist Manuel Olivé) that caused great admiration among the public. The specialised press tested several Montesa models and the magazine reviews were very favourable.

As the brand grew, the bikes started to be exported in substantial quantities to many countries in Europe, South America, and the United States. The North American market, with its great potential, created great expectations for exports. The importer from that country, Kim Kimball (associated with the popular film actor Steve McQueen) started his activity in 1963 by importing some Impala 175 Cross, called "Scrambler" in its American version. Beginning a small business from the garage of his house, he would soon have to expand to new and larger facilities.

Several Montesa motorcycles could be seen in numerous Hollywood films, such as "Big Jake", "Freebie and the Bean", "On any Sunday", etc. Even the famous actor Steve McQueen, a friend of Kimball, enjoyed his holidays by racing, on his own, a Montesa through the Californian desert. Another interesting anecdote was the gift that the astronaut Neil Armstrong found when he returned from his successful trip to the moon. Pere Permanyer, always impressed by big advances in technology, wanted a Montesa to be at his door, waiting for him upon his return.

In 1965, Montesa decided to explore the moped market, foreseeing the possible decline of the utility model motorbike during the following years. This was the beginning of the production of the Montesa Cycle, equipped with a 50cc engine and 3-speed manual gearbox (manufactured under a JLO license due to the impossibility of developing their own engine in such a short time). This engine will evolve in the following years, finally becoming one of their own design.

The decade of the 70s was a brilliant period for business, thanks to the success of the extensive range of trial models and the competitive motocross Cappra models. The best trial riders in the world were competing to enter the official Montesa teams, which were successively expanded with riders of the stature of Rob Shepherd, Geoff Chandler, Malcolm Rathmell, among others.

Sadly, things changed in the 1980s. Spain entered a strong economic crisis and the motorcycle sector was doubly affected by the growing competition of Japanese brands in foreign markets. Montesa had anticipated this situation and before reaching it, and made an enormous effort to acquire, outside of Spain, an endowment of super-modern equipment and machinery to improve its products following the most advanced technologies.

Thanks to Montesa's solid commercial and industrial organization, it managed to avoid total closure by reaching an agreement with Honda Motor in 1982. Thus, a new company was set up: Montesa Honda S.A.

Montesa Honda's production plant was moved to Santa Perpètua de Mogoda, next to the company's commercial headquarters in 2000. In this new phase, the plant specialises in the production of large-capacity motorcycles, such as the popular Deauville, Transalp or the XL1000V Varadero, the largest model ever made in Spain.

After the 2007 world economic crisis, motorcycle sales plummeted and many of the national manufacturers were forced to close their doors forever. But far from giving up, Montesa knew the way to recovery once again and reinvented its industry. As of this year, Montesa Honda's production function is based on the manufacture of both Montesa and Honda trial motorcycles exclusively for the entire world, while also incorporating the manufacture of components for the various business areas of the Honda group (Cars, Motorcycles and Power Products). The Montesa Honda factory thus integrates industrial processes such as plastic injection, steel and aluminium welding, painting and assembly of motorcycles and components.

In all its history, from 1945 to 2019, Montesa Honda has amassed a total production of 1,280,000 units, 445,000 units under the Montesa brand, and 835,000 units under the Honda brand. In its 75 years of history, Montesa can proudly boast of maintaining, year after year without interruption, the production of a model with the brand's emblem. This is, without a doubt, completely unprecedented in the motor industry at a national level, it being one of the longest-lasting motorcycle brands in the world.

History, technology, design, industry, competition, even lifestyle... Montesa continues to be fully active and present not only in our culture but also in the daily life of our society. We hope that it will remain so for many more years to come: Viva Montesa!

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History, technology, design, industry, competition, even lifestyle... Montesa continues to be fully active and present not only in our culture but also in the daily life of our society. We hope that it will remain so for many more years to come: Viva Montesa!