Ossa 350 Enduro 1975

OSSA is a Spanish brand of motorcycles. The company made public, in early 2010, around the production, 25 years after its closure. In 2014, Ossa merged with the motorcycle manufacturer Gas Gas

History

The name responds to the acronym for Orpheo Sincronic Sociedad Anónima, which was the name of a company that in the 20's of the XX century, began to fabricate various devices film projectors film in Spain and outboard motors designed by Ricardo Soriano.

In 1949 the company started to produce motorcycles with great success, the first being a model of 125 cc (like most of the Spanish manufacturers of the time). This model contributed to innovations such as telescopic fork (non-hydraulic) and a rear suspension type-oscillating, cushioned by the tension of rubber. This model (125A) is sold far between 1949 and 1952, which allowed to address investments in the development of new models. Even took part in the ISDT in Austria in 1952. One of these new models was the Ossita 50, a moped that has spread a lot.

Another was the natural evolution of the 125A, 125 B, which appeared in 1957, with box, pressed steel, suspended oscillating with hydraulic rear shocks (like the telescopic front forks). The engine remained the same, but going from 5 HP to 4500 rpm, 6.5 HP at 5000. The latest evolution of this mechanics was the 125C, with chassis tubes.

In 1958 the company launched their only bike with 4-stroke engine (in this case, Morini), called the 175 GT.

In this era , which preceded the start of the decade of the 60's, the motorcycle industry entered a deep crisis, due to prices becoming more accessible to small cars utility of the era, such as the case of the Seat 600.

The brilliant engineer of Ossa Eduardo Giró, the son of the founder Manuel, designed a new 2-stroke engine "block" of lines very clean, a bit more square than its competitors Montesa and Bultaco. Its engine capacity of 160 cc, providing the 10.3 HP at 5750 rpm, and edited in two versions, 160 GT, 160 T .

To remain competitive, the company policy did evolve this engine into displacements larger, first 175 cc, 230 and 250 cc, models of tourism and road. In 1967 even the team Turned around (Carlos)-Churches beat in 24 h, held at the Circuit de Montjuïc

The brand excelled in races of the world championship, where, with the Spanish rider Santiago Herrero, got good results. This pilot died in 1970, at the age of 28 years, due to the wounds he suffered in the Tourist Trophy held on the Isle of Man. To continue with the general trend, subsequently launched several models Enduro and Trial of much success. The production continued until 1984, the year in which the general crisis of the industry rider Spanish before the entry of motorcycles japanese became more acute. Don't forget to mention the "Yankee" 500 2-cylinder born from the demand of the U. S. A. toward an "Enduro" but the road version was a huge success in Spain

The OSSA brand was one of the most prominent in the specialty of trial, where along with the briton Mick Andrews got great sports results, such as victories in the Six Days Trial in Scotland (SSDT), and in 1971 the championship of Europe, considered as the world, since there was no other competition of higher level. This collaboration gave rise to one of the mythic patterns of this brand, OSSA 250 M. A. R. (Mick Andrews Replica).

OSSA also excelled in the specialty of motocross with magnificent machines(the range phantom). It began as an attempt by the brand to be introduced in this sector, and its first model was the phantom as 74 of which deribaron models 75, 76 and 77. Mainly were used to export already that in Spain there was practically no competitions in this category.

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phantom as 76

In the 80 years the brand disappeared though presented models as the tr domain or the petit, a dirt bike for the little ones that definitely did not come to the series and was relaunched in 2009 by a group of investors under the name of OSSA Factory and the same logo always. The first model of the new era was the trial bike OSSA TR 280i, created with the collaboration of the former world champion of trial Marc Colomer.

At the beginning of 2010 confirmed the return of the brand, beginning with motorcycles of trial and clothing.