One of the rarest Bultaco models made, the 62 RS is almost unknown, even to diehard Bultaco fans. The exact number made is not really known but brand experts in Spain say there was surely 30 or less produced. This was essentially an M8 Metralla chassis with an early 4 speed TSS road race engine installed, custom made to order in the Bultaco factory race shop in Spain. What makes these hard to track down history on is that they were not issued a special serial number in the factory records. When the factory received an order for a 62 RS, a member of the race shop would go out to the production line and pick a rolling chassis from the production line and begin modifying it per the customer order, while leaving the production serial number on the frame. Mounts were welded to the frame for the special adjustable seat. Extra bracing like the TSS was often added as well. Some examples were modified to accept TSS rearsets while others kept the stock footpeg arrangement.

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The technician would then pick a set of machined M8 cases from the production line and begin building the special engine with TSS components:

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• Close ratio transmission

• 196cc TSS cylinder with special manifold

• 14:1 compression TSS head

• Single ring Mahle piston

• Arbeo SS 29mm carburator (Dell'orto made under license in Spain)

• FEMSA flywheel magneto without lighting coil

 

Again he would leave the production M8 serial number on the cases, but normally stamp “RS” and/or his initials on the top rear motor mount of the cases. I've been told there was a special log book in the race shop that documented which serial numbers were turned into the RS but it was lost sometime in the late 60's unfortunately.

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As the bike neared completion, a TSS expansion chamber was normally added but some were shipped with the stock muffler exhaust to comply with certain country's racing regulations. The stock rear brake was always used but for the front you had a choice of the single leading shoe Metralla or the double leading shoe TSS. The bike was finished with either the silver and grey bodywork or the red and silver version, whichever the customer specified. Some examples in Spain were even fitted with a special half fairing, normally on machines supplied to factory supported riders. The finished machine was then test ridden and crated up for shipment to the happy customer.

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Experts in Spain believed very few of these ever left Spain which makes me especially lucky as I was able to acquire 2 of them. The first one I found was in the remains of an old Bultaco dealer in Illinois. After finding this one and talking to various brand experts on social media, another one emerged in Texas due to the exposure my original one received. The owner contacted me and a deal was struck for me to obtain that one as well. The photos show the second one from Texas since I had already begun taking apart the first 62 RS a few months earlier. Both bikes are now undergoing a complete restoration: one in red/silver and the other in the silver/grey color.