Ossa Motorcycle Serial Numbers

• Ossa Motorcycle Serial Numbers For Sale

I’ve always thought that Ossa was the cream of the crop of Spanish bikes. Late in 1974, Ossa released the first Phantom, a 197-pound missile that set new standards for performance. Only a cruddy set of Betor shocks kept this bike from being a world-beater.

Ossa is a Spanishmotorcycle manufacturer which was active from 1924 to 1982 and reborn in 2010. Founded by Manuel Giró, an industrialist from Barcelona, Ossa was best known for lightweight, two-stroke-engined bikes used in observed trials, motocross and enduro.^[1] The company was known originally as Orpheo Sincronic Sociedad Anónima (O.S.S.A.) and was later renamed Maquinaria Cinematográfica, S.A.. In 2010, the Ossa brand was reborn when the trademark was purchased and a new company began producing motorcycles.^[2] In 2014 Ossa merged with the motorcycle manufacturer Gas Gas which is also located near Barcelona.^[3][4]

• 1History
• 3Models

History[edit]

Company origins[edit]

The original Ossa company got its start in 1924 making movie projectors for its home market in Spain.^[5] After World War II, Ossa, like several other manufacturers from BSA to Harley-Davidson to Yamaha, began producing two-stroke engined motorcycles, with their first mass-produced model being introduced in 1949.^[1] Ossa reached its highest production levels in the motorcycle boom of the 1960s, exporting large numbers of exports to other European countries, but also significantly, to North American markets. In the United States and Canada, off-road motorcycling - and particularly the newly imported sport of motocross to which the light-weight and powerful Ossa was well suited - enjoyed a surging popularity. In addition to their suitability for racing, in terms of power-to-weight, Ossa motorcycles gained a reputation for reliability on and off the race track.^[5]

Initial competition success[edit]

The Ossa firm was a strong supporter of all forms of motorcycle sport including: road racing, motocross, enduro and observed trials. Their first success came at the 1967 24 Hours of Montjuich on the streets of Barcelona. Against all the major Spanish factories, Ossa motorcycles finished a surprising first and second.^[6] Inspired by this success, the factory decided to compete abroad in order to make inroads into the international market.

Monocoque Grand Prix racer[edit]

Ossa achieved early success in the 250cc class of Grand Prix motorcycle racing, competing with an innovative chassis designed by Giró's son, Eduardo that was unique for the era.^[7][8] Eduardo Giró designed a motorcycle that compensated for its power deficit by following a philosophy of lightweight, a small frontal area and engine reliability combined with outstanding handling.^[7][8] The motorcycle featured a welded monocoque construction of magnesium and aluminium sheets that incorporated the fuel tank and weighed a full 20 kg (44 lb) less than the Japanese competition.^[7][8] The monocoque's superior chassis stiffness and weight imbued it with exceptional cornering and braking abilities which, in turn allowed for faster cornering speeds than the competition.^[8]

Although Ossa's 249cc single cylinder two stroke engine produced 20 horsepower less than that of the class-leading Yamaha RD05 with its impressive V4 engine, Spanish rider Santiago Herrero was able to take advantage of the Ossa's light weight and superior handling characteristics to remain competitive, especially on tighter race tracks.^[6][7][8]

Grand Prix success ends in tragedy[edit]

After having won the 250cc Spanish national championship in 1967 and 1968, Ossa and Herrero moved up to the world championships where, they finished seventh 1968 250cc world championship including an impressive third place finish behind the factory-backed Yamahas of Phil Read and Bill Ivy at the season-ending Nations Grand Prix held at the high speed Monza circuit.^[9][10]

In 1969, the FIM changed its regulations in an effort to reduce spiraling costs in motorcycle racing.^[11] 125cc and 250cc machines would be limited to two cylinders and 6-speed transmissions.^[11] This regulation change caused the dominant Yamaha and Suzuki factories to withdraw their teams from Grand Prix racing.^[12]

The 1969 Grand Prix season would be even more successful for the Ossa factory as, Herrero won three races and, held a one point lead in the 250cc world championship going into the last race of the season in Yugoslavia.^[9] Herrero started the race in the lead but, crashed on the seventh lap ending his championship hopes.^[9] He would finish third in the world championship.^[10] Ossa and Herrero repeated as Spanish 250cc national champion for a third consecutive year.^[9]

After a promising start to the 1970 season in which Herrero won his fourth 250cc Grand Prix, he died after crashing on melted tar during the 1970 Isle of Man TT. Herrero's death affected the Ossa team so much that they withdrew from road racing competitions altogether.^[1][7][8][9]

Off-road racing successes[edit]

Ossa also achieved some success in the AMA Grand National Championship, with rider Dick Mann helping them develop a 250cc dirt track bike on which he won the 1969 Santa Fe Grand National short track event, held on a quarter-mile dirt track oval.^[13][14]

After withdrawing from Grand Prix motorcycle racing, Ossa redirected their competitive efforts into the sport of Observed Trials in Europe and the United States alongside such other famous Spanish makes as Bultaco and Montesa. Ossa hired British rider Mick Andrews to help design and ride their trials bike, and they went on to capture the 1971 and 1972 European Trials Championship, the forerunner to the FIM World Championship.^[15] Andrews won the grueling Scottish Six Days Trial three consecutive years between 1970 and 1972 for the Ossa factory.

Final years[edit]

Despite success in racing competitions, the firm suffered from a disorganized and sparse dealer network in the important American market. Ironically, the motorcycle boom that created a new market and allowed the European makers to reap great financial rewards, was also the seed of their own demise, and that of the numerous smaller firms, such as Ossa. With so many choices for both buyers and dealers, sales and service networks were not sustainable, and attempts to improve manufacturing by investing in new factories back home put Ossa, like virtually every other European firm, deep into the red.

In the declining years of the Franco Era, in 1975, the Spanish government steadily converted Spain's economic structure into one more closely resembling a free-market economy. The arrival of cheaper Japanese motorcycles into the local economy as well as a crippling employee strike in 1977 spurred the downfall of the Ossa company.^[1][6] By 1984 Ossa was under the control of a labor cooperative, and the following year its name was changed to Ossamoto.^[1] Nonetheless, as a Vintage make, the Ossa still enjoys a significant following among home hobbyists and amateur racers.^[13]

Rebirth[edit]

In 2010, a group of Spanish businessmen purchased the rights to the Ossa trademark and began producing Ossa branded motorcycles once again.^[2] The new firm produces trials and enduro models. The factory team competed in the 2011 FIM Trials world championship, with factory sponsored rider Jeroni Fajardo finishing the season in fifth place.^[16] In 2014 Ossa merged with the motorcycle manufacturer Gas Gas.^[3]

Ossa-based bikes[edit]

• Ossa SPQ, OSSA Seurat Piron Queyrel. Produced in France in the 1970s, the SPQ was an air-cooled 250 cc road racing motorcycle with a light frame and an OSSA engine. The SPQ excelled in French hillclimbing and criterium races in the decade, but was no match for the Yamaha TD2 in circuit competition.^[17]
• Yankee 500, a large off-road motorcycle produced in Schenectady, New York by the Yankee Motor Company. The Yankee, also known as 'Ossa Yankee', had a 500 cc air-cooled Ossa twin-cylinder two-stroke engine, designed by Eduard Giró.
• Ossa BYRA 1000, a 977 cc four-cylinder two-stroke air-cooled road racing motorcycle built in Barcelona by engineer Fernando Batlló. The motor was based on two Yankee engines. This bike took part in the 24 hours of Montjuich races in 1972 and 1973. Only one was built as a road racing prototype and another as a street bike. This bike survives at the Bassella Motorcycle Museum, Alt Urgell.^[18]

Models[edit]

Street[edit]

Off-road[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^ ^abcde'OSSA History'. ossaengineering.com. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
2. ^ ^ab'OSSA Official Web Site'. ossamotor.es. Archived from the original on 13 January 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2011.Cite uses deprecated parameter dead-url= (help)
3. ^ ^ab'Gas Gas Motos, SA and Ossa Factory, SL join forces'. gasgas.com. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
4. ^'Gas Gas and Ossa Merge'. asphaltandrubber.com. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
5. ^ ^abWood, Geoffrey (October 1969). Ossa; An Innovative, Young Company Gives the Big Boys a Lesson. Cycle World. Archived from the original on 2000-09-25. Retrieved 17 December 2011.Cite uses deprecated parameter dead-url= (help)
6. ^ ^abcWalker, Mick (1986), Spanish post-war road and racing motorcycles: Bultaco, Derbi, Montesa, Ossa, Sanglas and other roadster and road racing motorcycles - 1945 to 1985, Osprey, pp. 136, 137, 143, 148, ISBN978-0-85045-705-6
7. ^ ^abcde'Santiago Herrero And The Amazing Monocoque Ossa'. motovue.net. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
8. ^ ^abcdef'OSSA 250 Monocoque'. bikeexif.com. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
9. ^ ^abcdeRobinson, James (October 2001). 'Santiago Herrero - Spanish Flyer'. Classic Racer (91): 35–40. ISSN1470-4463.
10. ^ ^ab'Rider Statistics – Santiago Herrero'. MotoGP.com. Retrieved 2019-05-20.
11. ^ ^abNoyes, Dennis; Scott, Michael (1999), Motocourse: 50 Years Of Moto Grand Prix, Hazleton Publishing Ltd, ISBN1-874557-83-7
12. ^Cox, Bruce (2018), 'Dave Simmonds and Kawasaki's red tank racers', Classic Racer, Mortons Media Group Ltd, ISSN1470-4463
13. ^ ^ab'1977 OSSA Phantom GP III'. American Motorcyclist. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
14. ^1969 Grand National Championship results. American Motorcyclist. March 1970. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
15. ^Ossa 'Mick Andrews Replica'. Cycle World. May 1972. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
16. ^'FIM Trial World Championship classifications'. fim-live.com. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2011.Cite uses deprecated parameter dead-url= (help)
17. ^Ossa SPQArchived 2009-02-11 at the Wayback Machine
18. ^The 1000cc OSSA (BYRA)
19. ^Modelos Ossa asfaltoArchived 2009-02-26 at the Wayback Machine(in Spanish)

External links[edit]

Ossa Motorcycle Serial Numbers For Sale

Beta is an Italianmotorcycle manufacturer, specialising in off-road motorcycles. Beta are best known for their popular trials bikes. In 2005, they launched a range of enduro motorcycles using KTM engines. In 2010 they launched the new RR series, with a new engine made in-house. Beta motorcycles have been used by world trials champions such as Jordi Tarrés, Dougie Lampkin and Albert Cabestany.

History[edit]

Beta has its origins in 1904 as a bicycle manufacturing company named 'Società Giuseppe Bianchi',^[1] originally based in Florence. The company started making motorcycles in 1948. The name Beta comes from the initials of Enzo Bianchi and Arrigo Tosi, who ran the company at that time. Focusing on two-stroke bikes through the 1950s and 1960s, the company started focusing development and production to off-road motorcycles in the 1970s.

Trials models[edit]

Beta have produced motorcycles for observed trials since the early 1980s and are now one of the leading manufacturers.^[2] Unlike the Trail and Enduro models, the trials bike have used Beta's own engines.

• TR240 (1983-4)^[3] First trials model, twinshock suspension 125cc, 200cc engines, the majority with reed valve induction.

• TR32, (1984-5) Air-cooled, monoshock model, produced in parallel with the twinshock model, same engine as TR240
• TR33, (1985-6)
• TR34, (1986-9) Very successful trials model, stripey paintwork, 125cc - 260cc engines
• TR35, (1989–91) Air-cooled engine series
• Zero, (1989–92) Water-cooled monoshock
• Synt, (1992-4) Water-cooled monoshock
• SuperTrial, (1992-3) Air-cooled engine
• Gara, (1993-4)
• Techno, (1994-9) 125cc version from 1995
• Rev-3, (1999–2008) 2-stroke trials
• Rev-4, (2007–08) 4-stroke trials
• Evo [2009-] 2-stroke and 4-stroke

Enduro and motocross models[edit]

Beta made a range of motocross and enduro bikes during the 1970s and 1980s.

The Beta Enduro bikes have used KTM engines since their return in 2004, though 2009 sees the launch of bikes with Beta's own power units.

Trail models[edit]

The Alp trail motorcycle models have used air-cooled Suzuki DR-model engines and have a good reputation at commuters and 'green-lane' trail bikes. With a low seat height and a reputation as an easy to ride motorcycle, they are ideal to beginners of off-road riding.

• Alp (2000-), 125cc, 200cc and 350cc models. Air-cooled bikes with Suzuki engines.

Street[edit]

Beta RR Motard Track

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^Beta Company History
2. ^Beta Trials UK Technology Reference Site
3. ^Beta TR240 www.twinshock.org.uk Archived March 1, 2012, at the Wayback Machine

External links[edit]

• Beta Official site.
• Beta Racing UK Uk based Beta Trials site.
• www.betausa.com US site.
• www.BetaBikes.de German Site: Information, Forum, Gallery, Vids and more, all about Betamotorcycles]
• www.betarider.org Beta Riders Club
• www.betarider.org/forum Beta Discussion Forum