1973 Montesa 250cc Cappra 73M

1973 Montesa 250cc Cappra 73M
Frame no. 73M8942
Engine no. 73M8942
Montesa was founded in 1944 in Barcelona by Pedro Permanyer Puigjaner, as major shareholder, and Francisco Xavier (Paco) Bulto as Permanyer, S.A. of Industrias Mecanicas – it was not until 1970 the company changed its name to Motocicletas Montesa S.A. The latter would leave the company in 1958 to start his own company, Bultaco, but before then his engineering genius had bequeathed Montesa a range of popular 2-stroke roadsters based initially on the French Motobecane. The company entered road racing in the early 1950s with a successful 125cc single, but its major impact on motorcycle sport would be away from the tarmac - the Scorpion and Cappra motocrossers, and the Cota trials bikes, being the equal of any of their contemporaries.

The Cappra model – Cappra is a misspelling, perhaps, of capra (which is nanny goat in Spanish) - was an intrinsic part of the development of the worldwide scrambles then motocross market, forming a link between the older, previously dominant, British and European marques such as BSA, CZ and Husqvarna, and the emerging Japanese newcomers to the market who would eventually become the overriding presence. Montesa was commercially successful early on but as sales decreased Honda took a large stake in the Montesa company in 1981. The first Cappras appeared in 1967, the final Cappras in 1982, and production was then restricted to only the Cota trials models.

This example is a 1973 model complete with Red with Pumpkin and Black stripes, one of perhaps 2,400 made for a world market – most long ago destroyed – that we're advised by the vendor starts and runs well and is in excellent condition having been carefully refurbished. Viva Montesa!