Trials

1973 Bultaco Model 98 "Sherpina" left side. Restored from the ground up now sporting a Sherpa T "slimline" tank and seat.

Around five years ago I acquired and old Bultaco Model 98 Alpina. It was complete, but in pretty rough shape. My original intention was to get it in running condition and ride it in the 2003 ISDT Reuinion Ride over in Massachussetts. Well it was in worse shape than I expected and ended up doing a complete frame-up restoration including a complete engine rebuild. I was unable to get it running in time for the ISDTRR. It took me another year to complete the restoration and cost me three times what I originally budgeted for the project. Many thanks goes out to Bob Hogan, of Hogan's Cycle Shop, whom I spoke to at the 2003 ISDTRR. It was through Bob that I found out my Alpina was not a 175cc as the Model 98 was originally built. It seems that back in '73 there wasn't a class for 175cc motorcycles, so most of them had a 250 cylinder and piston installed by the importer. The entire rebuild was a learning process. I also found out it is possible to install one gear backwards causing the bike to only have three gears; first, second and third. Almost every Bultaco "expert" on the internet swears this is not possible, but I know for a fact it is.

I finished the Alpina in time to participate in the 2004 Spanish Motorcycle Owners Group (SMOG) East Trail Ride. Then it sat in my garage, collecting dust. I pulled it out for two more SMOG Rides, but following the '06 SMOG Ride I decided to turn it into a vintage trials bike. Over the winter of '06/'07 I dumped a couple hundred more into it. You can see the end result in the photos. While I still haven't totalled all the receipts, I'd estimate I have around $1000 and countless hours of labor into this bike.


1973 Bultaco Model 98 "Sherpina" right side. A sharp eye will pick out the brake and shifter are on the "wrong" sides. It wasn't until 1975 when motorcycle controls were standardized world-wide to a left side-shift, right side brake.

The Bultaco Alpina was originally patterned after their Sherpa T trials bike. The Alpina and Sherpa T basically share the same components. There are, however, a few differences. Obviously the color is different as the early Sherpa T's were red and the Alpina was blue. The gas tank is different with the Sherpa T using a slimmer profile one-gallon (slimline) tank. The Sherpa T also uses a much smaller seat since trials riding is done from standing on the pegs. A friend of mine, Pete from Hilltop Trials, sold me an old slimline tank and seat. The tank was rough and needed some fiberglass work, sealing and painting. The fiberglass seat pan was broken, but another friend of mine, (Sponge) Bob from Burnt Hills Upholstery, made a new pan, using the seat pan from another Sherpa T as a mold, cut new foam and covered it. Internally the Sherpa T had different first and second gears inside the transmission. Since these are the gears most often used when riding trials I ended up changing the final drive sprockets from 11/42 to 11/50. In retrospect I could've used an even larger rear sprocket. In the future I may try a 1-tooth smaller front sprocket. Other than that I added a set of Renthal 6-inch rise trials bars and low front fender mounting brackets.


Here I am riding the Bultaco in my second trials event, the 2007 3D Trails Club Picnic Trial in Oneonta, NY. I ended up second place in the Rookie/Vintage class that day beating out a couple modern bikes. Those guys must really suck at trials.

Since then I've competed in three trials events. On my best day I'm a mediocre novice when it comes to trials, and my results show it. I've always heard how awful Bultacos are when it comes to reliability. Frankly, most of the stuff I've had to deal with is simple and not all that uncommon for a 34 year-old machine. At my first trial, a NETA event, I ended up with a DNF when the circlip that holds the kick-start pivot to the lever came off. Turns out this is a common problem, with a common solution. Tap the end of the kick-start lever and install a bolt and washer. My second outing, a 3D Trials Club event, the bike suffered from fuel delivery problems due to a clogged fuel tap. The new ethanol-blend fuel we get here in the U.S. isn't the greatest for fiberglass fuel tanks or carburetors. So I'll have to keep an eye on this problem and regularly clean out the fuel tap. At least I was able to finish my second event.