TRAVERSE 67
NEWS
RETURNS WITH ' NEW ' RALLY GT 300
After more than a decade of false starts and a lengthy absence from the motorcycle market, the Bultaco name is set to return with a new small-capacity adventure motorcycle – the Rally GT 300. The historic Spanish marque confirmed its comeback in early August, revealing the first images of the Rally GT 300 undergoing testing ahead of its planned launch. The motorcycle has already been through dynamic testing, including a session at the Moto Club Vilobí circuit in Girona, where it was ridden by Juan Bultó, a descendant of Bultaco founder Francisco Bultó. Bultaco says the new model represents a new chapter rather than an attempt to simply trade on its past, promising to retain the passion and character associated with the brand while developing motorcycles for modern riders. Details remain limited, with the company yet to release the complete technical specification, pricing or final colour options. However, images of the Rally GT 300 suggest a conventional lightweight adventure design, with a steel perimeter-style chassis, spoke wheels, rallyinspired bodywork and a relatively compact footprint.
There is also a strong Chinese connection to the new motorcycle. Industry reports have identified significant similarities between the Rally GT 300 and the Leonart Rally 300, including the frame, fuel tank, side panels, headlight and wheels. The Leonart uses a liquid-cooled 292cc single-cylinder engine producing around 28 horsepower, and reports suggest this could also form the mechanical basis of the Bultaco, although Bultaco has yet to officially confirm the engine specification.
That makes the Rally GT 300 an interesting proposition for a brand whose history was built around lightweight, competition-focused motorcycles. Rather than returning with a large-capacity flagship, Bultaco is targeting the increasingly popular small-capacity adventure sector, where manageable dimensions, affordability and versatility are becoming important selling points.
The comeback is particularly significant given Bultaco ' s troubled modern history. The original company disappeared from the motorcycle market in 1983, before a revival attempt began in 2014 with an ambitious range of electric motorcycles, including the Rapitán and Rapitán Sport. Those projects never reached full production, although the later Brinco electric motorcycle and Albero urban model did carry the Bultaco name.
The Rally GT 300 therefore marks a considerable change of direction, bringing Bultaco back to an internalcombustion motorcycle and into a highly competitive part of the global motorcycle market.
Bultaco has indicated that final specifications, pricing and availability will be announced shortly. For a marque with such a strong place in Spanish motorcycle history, the question now is whether the Rally GT 300 can turn a famous name into a genuinely competitive modern motorcycle – and whether Bultaco can once again build a following among riders rather than collectors.
For now, the return is real, the prototype is riding and the Bultaco badge is back on a motorcycle. TRAVERSE
TRAVERSE 67