Montesa Honda

Montesa (Spanish wild, untamed ) is a Spanish motorcycle manufacturer. Since 1985, the brand belongs to the Japanese Honda Group.

History

The 1940s

In 1939, the Spanish businessman Pere Permanyer Puigjaner began in a workshop in Barcelona manufacture gas generators for automobiles. Due to the demand, the company with the name of PPP soon had to move to larger factory premises. Since his time in the military joined Permanyer a friendship with Josep Antoni Soler i Urgell. About him he learned in 1944 Francisco X. BULTO know and the trio decided on the premises of PPP produce motorcycles in Barcelona. In February 1945, the first as yet unnamed prototype to the Royal Motorcycle Club of Catalonia was completed and handed over for testing.

In June 1945, the first motorcycles under the name Montesa were shown at the motorcycle show in Barcelona. These were the basic version of the Typa A-4 with 98 cc capacity and three-speed manual transmission, a so-called "Lady " model and a version with rear suspension. In the same year were 21 models around 8500 pesetas expensive motorcycle sold.

Early on, interested the founders of the Trial sport. To prove the reliability of their motorcycles, drove five machines in the Pyrenees to Caldes de Boi. In the same year Montesa motorcycles participated in a race, " Primer Premio Motociclista de Montjuic " part, and could in the 100cc class win one of four undefeated for the first time. In the summer of 1946 Montesa won in classes to 100 and to 125 cc with a 125 - cc model the motorcycle Grand Prix of Barcelona and the Spanish motorcycle road championship. The racing bike came in late 1946 as a model B-46 in the sale. In 1947 the company was in the Permanyer S. A. de Industrias Mecánicas converted with a capital of 810,000 pesetas, 1948 there was a capital increase to 2,310,000 pesetas. The monthly turnover of the company amounted to approximately 500,000 pesetas. In the same year the brand models Montesa celebrated first international racing success.

The 1950s

Due to increased demand, production was moved in 1951 to larger premises in Calle Pamplona, ​​so as to ensure the production of the new model D -51. 1953 was followed by the hitherto successful model " Brio 90 " and for the first time presented Montesa his models at the Geneva Motor Show before. This was followed in 1954 another international success, including the Grand Prix in São Paulo and in the Isle of Man TT. With one of the end of 1954 "Sprint" could be achieved in the following other sporting successes. In 1955 the " Brio " as the first Montesa model a hand brake, the patent had Permanyer bought by a Dutch inventor.

Due to the 1958 government-imposed cost savings to Permanyer was forced to cease sporting activities in favor of mass production. Here About it came to a dispute with BULTO, who then sold his shares, and with some leading employees of the company built a custom motorcycle production and a little later the " Bultaco Tralla 101 " brought to the market. Although Montesa fell by the departure of one of the leaders of the company to falter, but managed to recover and returned 1959, the first bikes to Japan. In 1963 the company moved into the new factory premises in Esplugues de Llobregat. The company at the time had 460 employees and produced 11,000 motorcycles a year.

The 1960s and 1970s

One of the most spectacular marketing campaigns of Montesa, "Operation Impala ", in 1962 three prototypes of the Montesa Impala African continent once crossed from Cape Town in the south to Tunis in the north. The three machines managed the approximately 20,000 km in 100 days.

1963 Montesa began to export its models in the USA. The importer Kim Kimball saw himself soon forced due to popular demand a distribution company called " Montesa Motors Inc. ," which was soon with around 350 dealers in all U.S. states. But in motorsport Montesa was active again in 1964 took Montesa again in international motocross race. 1965 was followed by the entry into the scooter market.

The following years have been a further sporting success, motorcycles of the model Cota could until the 1980s achieve various championship titles, such as 1979 to 1981, the American Trial Championships and in 1969 and 1980, the European and the World Cup.

Cooperation with Honda

In 1985 Acquisition by Honda. In the Spanish works also motorcycles are produced as Honda motorcycles, such as the Honda XL 650V Transalp models ( enduro ), Montesa Honda CRM 75 ( competition bike street legal / Enduro ) Honda Varadero 125 and 1000 ( enduro motorcycles ), and Honda NT 650V Deauville the Tourer. Currently, the manufacturers Montesa - Honda at Honda HRC Racing is known.

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