stevem75

In the UK Bultacos are referred to by year. Compared to say the States or Canada this is how they registered their bikes in that country. When a bike was brought to the UK it was documented on which day and which year it was brought in; I'm guessing this was done at comerfords but could be wrong. Effectively the "country" designated the year of the bike. While its accurate that bondy's bike is an 81 model according to when it was imported, this is a very inaccurate way to identify a bultaco. To say a 199A is a 1979 model year is misleading. They built the 199A in 79 and 80 possibly even 81. When ordering parts for a bultaco you can't just say " I need a piston for my 1975 350 sherpa t"........ Ok which sherpa t would that be ?. The Model 151 or possibly the 159. Both were made in 1975. Model numbers are the most accurate and only way to correctly identify which bike it is. While it may be of some importance or value when registering a bike it is of no consequence when proper identification is required. My M199B had the serial 13456. I know factually that the 199B serial numbers went right up past 14200 or so. To try and determine the year it was built would be difficult. Unless someone from the uk has a serial number in the same range as mine was and can tell me when theirs was registered . And Bondy.... if you have a 198B that is a very rare bike. Steve

I still believe all bikes that left the factory were matching numbers. There were exceptions of course. I know works riders would have had access to whatever they needed to keep them going. The bikes in the uk came in through comerfords. In north america they came through the bultaco importer in new york. From there I think they were shipped throughout the states. There was another warehouse in california that distributed bikes also. If you have a bike with non matching numbers I'd bet it was changed at the importer or dealer level for some unknown reason. Remember Franco era spain was a tough economy to get around in. Bultaco sublet out alot of their parts manufacture etc etc to get around tax laws and duties and such. The government of the time kept strict control of the economy and they knew what was coming in and going out of the country. Bultaco would have been under the microscope when it came to having matching numbers. Steve

From the info I've gathered over the years all bultacos left the factory with matching numbers. They had to be very very particular about this as the export duty they would have to pay would negate any possible profits. Here in north america it is virtually unheard of to have had a bultaco with non matching numbers. If it happened it was more likely due to engines being swapped out for warranty purposes at the dealership level. I have done extensive serial number searches over the years. Its easy to jot down the serial numbers from a bike that is advertised on ebay. Over many years I have found that batches of bikes were sold to different regions. For example all Model 82 matadors with serial numbers from 1430 to 1470 were shipped to western canada . All M75 matador with numbers 2060 to 2165 were also shipped to western canada. Now for a M199a to have a non matching motor that is only five numbers off isnt surprising. There is also a "document" that many of us have showing what is supposed to be actual production numbers of most common units. This document was a copy of the production list that cemoto put out in march 1982. In some cases this document is accurate. In many it isn't. I personally have a M159 sherpa t with the serial number in the 4000 range. The production list says only 500 were made. Bultaco kept strict track of their numbers. There were defenitely more than 4000 M159's built not 500 like the list said. I also owned and sold M19913456-B sherpa t. In canada there was only about half a dozen 199B's imported here. All have numbers within a few digits of the one I owned. I'd bet your 199a left the factory matching and it was either changed at comerfords or swapped at a dealer because of some sort of running or warranty issue. Steve