Montesa 250cc LaCrosse / 1967
It’s amazing that the Spanish were able to manufacture such pretty motorcycles in warehouses that were, by today’s standards, so pre-historic. Dirt floors, hand tools, and work stations instead of assembly lines were typical. Montesa was one of the big 3 motorcycle manufactures in Spain that included Bultaco, and Ossa.
The LaCrosse model was primarily ridden on scrambles courses in America. These tracks were much smoother than typical European motocross. The LaCrosse had good power, used a 19” universal tire that worked well on groomed tracks, and was pleasing to the eye. Reliability could be an issue, much of this attributed to Spanish metallurgy that yielded soft parts. Typically Spanish, the Montesa had good fit and finish, was attractive to the eye, and looked “fast” standing still.
This example was purchased from a collector in Texas who had the restoration done by Bultaco West.
Montesa 360cc Capra GP / 1969
The Spanish Montesa factory was late to the party, so to speak, with its open class entry – the 360cc Capra GP. Other European makers had a several year head start manufacturing open class machinery. Never the less, the Capra was a formidable machine.
The 360 Capra GP was available in two versions; a scrambles machine the came with blue bodywork, a 19” front wheel, universal tires, and rigid footpegs, and a motocross version with orange bodywork, 21” front wheel, knobbies, and folding footpegs. Typical Spanish, the Capras were beautiful, powerful, and worked better on the smoother scrambles tracks than they did on the rougher European style motocross tracks that were springing up all over America.
Probably the worst trait of the 360 GP was the starting. Cycle World Magazine said in its test of the machine, “It is, without doubt, one of the most evil starting machines CYCLE WORLD has tested. Even though they stated that in the right hands it could win in MX, scrambles, or desert racing, the Capra 360 GP never became a big seller. John DeSoto was probably the most well known pilot of the Capra.