Sanglas . 400cc. 1981.

The history of the brand dates back to 1942, three years after the Spanish Civil War, but the first documents about the formal sale of motorcycles dating back to 1947. It was founded by two young students of engineering of Barcelona, the brothers Javier and Martin Sanglas with the financial support of his father, a textile industrialist.

The models Sanglas were a hybrid of models German and English. The frame was based on the concept of BMW and the engine, of the type monobloc, 4-stroke single cylinder, type OHV was inspired by the house DKW. The first motorcycle had an engine capacity of 347,75 cc and is 14.4 BHP of power at 4,800 rpm.¹

At the end of 1948 the company already had 100 employees and had manufactured 200 units.

In October of 1952 launched the first model of 500 cc, with a rear frame renovated to accommodate an oscillating fork and two hydraulic shock absorbers.

The Sanglas were designed for tourism and reached considerable speeds and could face long journeys. The models 350/4 and 500/3 included engines of greater power, a silencer and improved brakes aluminum among other improvements. However, the Seat 600, with a price little higher than the Sanglas, dismissed market to this last.

In 1957 was presented at the Fair of Samples of Barcelona in a sidecar built in fiber glass. Also, we launched a revamped version of its motorcycle of the mountain pass called the Mountain II, and with substantial improvements of the first version. Gave up 25 HP with a high value of drag thanks to its high torque.

In 1958, the production is 500 units a year, which involves expanding production with the subsequent transfer of the same from New People to a most modern factory located in The Hospitalet. During the crisis of those years the workforce was reduced from 200 to 50 becoming a large part of the workers of the suppliers and putting out some components, for example by providing the new Sanglas 400 with engine Hispano Villiers under the brand Rovena.

At the end of the 1950s, due to the rise of four-wheeled vehicles, many motorcycle manufacturers were forced to reduce the displacement of their models. The result was the model known as "Chromatic", with a motor 295 cc, 13 BHP of power and 6,000 rpm. In 1959, he sold 480 units, 250 to organizations and 230 individuals. The nickname "chromatic" due to the four colours are supplied (blue, salmon, green, and black).

In 1967, introduces a model of 500 cc with a view to its military use, but that was not much in demand. That year, Sanglas launches the brand Rovena, with engine Hispano Villiers higher handlebars two times and capacity of 250/350 cc (this last one from 1963). In 1964, makes public the production of the Sanglas with engines Zündapp¹ of 50, 75, and 100 cc two-stroke. In the Fair of Samples of Barcelona is presented the model 400T four times (with engine 423 cc already designed in 1956-57). This model will serve as a reference for the rest of models of the brand until its demise.

At the end of the years 1960 the production reached 2,500 units, with 40 workers on the assembly line, of a total workforce of less than 100 people.

In 1970, he projected a model multipurpose foldable¹ of 49 cc, and secondary transmission by cardan joint of low maintenance of only 28 kg of weight, but not be funding for the same, dismissed the project.

For 1973 had increased the demand for motorcycles of great size and power, but Sanglas only manages to sell 474 units for their lack of performance. In 1976, he presents the model 500-S with brake disk on-board (concept of Sanglas) with 32 HP to 6,700 rpm. At the same time, we modified the 400 And to give way to 400 F. model 500-S allows for an increase in sales abroad, with the financial assistance of the company Prodinsa, which also owned shares in the company Mototrans (manufacturer under license of motorcycles from the Italian brand Ducati), which led to attempts to merge the two companies.

In 1977, he launched the 500 S2, and two years later appears on the market a version with five-speed (the 500 S2 V5).

The business is not a profitable investment of Prodinsa and Sanglas is sold to the Spanish bank Banesto, with the aim of achieving capital gains with the sale of the same to a japanese manufacturer, who sought a local partner to penetrate the Spanish market. Finally, in 1981, is the company SEMSA with the participation of Yamaha, Banesto, Banco de Madrid and Banca Catalana Development. Initially 50% of the capital was in the hands of Yamaha, which, by means of several capital increases, achieved the total control over the company.

The last Sanglas with the engine itself, the 500 S2 V5, were discontinued in 1981. The production of the 400 And ceased in 1982, disappearing so the name Sanglas and the last of their products. From that moment on they would only produce motorcycles of the Yamaha brand. In 1989, disappears, the reason social SEMSA and is is Yamaha Motor España, SA