Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126332
The front part of the pipe may burn your leg in turns, but the rest is well tucked in. It seems quiet enough, but the silencer is too long. forgett ing the pr eload adjusting tool and th ey wer e set on th e m iddle }'OSition. Bu lta cos have always been known for ha ving plenty of muscle, and this on e was no excep tion . While we doubt that it makes the claimed 37 horsepower , the only rid er that had any complaint about the horses had , just done 20 minutes on a 400cc Maico . ~ This is not a particularly comfora'ta ble bike to ride at first. You find that Iiwhile the width and bend of the bars ~a re fine , the huge ground clearance places the pegs a little closer to the ~.II ~ndgrips than is pleasant. The seat is ~ ~Iso too short and not hard enough , m aking this a somewhat d ifficult bike 11" j' h' f t you r welg h t aroun d on . . ,r,\O I ,"1 The clutch seems to work easily and _,sm oothly, and the gear ratios seem well .selected for th e ca pabilities of the motor. but neutral was hard to find . ;'T his is a problem that we thought IBultaco had solved last yea r with a , red esign ed pressure 'plate. The clutch was otherwise well adjusted , so we could n't lay the blame there. JS1 • 00 Gnps and levers are comfortable and work well. The foot pegs are of the folding variety, and are still among the best in th e business. .In ep:.': .... ha rd rid ing you tend not to ., J • notice the brakes, which is probably a good sign. However, you do notice . that the rea r pedal 'was too short and out of the way, which makes it hard to fin d in a hurry sometimes. One rid er, a two-finger braker, expressed the wish that the front brake m ight have a little more grab. This problem we thought we could lay to a stretchy cable that should have been replaced. We don't know if you'll like the Mark II Pursang. If you feel that you must have what the best and th e brightest are riding, then you probably won't. We also don't know if you can win on it. That depends partly on th e nature of the track and how you maintain , the bike, but mostly it depends on your ability. This Pursang has all the ingred ient s of a competitive bike , with no unnecessary frills or weight. The $1.533 retail price alone has to make it worth a second look . Another thing that increases the attractiveness is the contract which comes with every Pursang. which allows the owner the opportunity to increase his winnings. Bultaco will pay you cash for winning certain motocross events. Lastly, there is the 60 day warranty, which is a rare item in this day and age. Bultaco is still an unusual com, pany. but they are starting to make a lot more sense. _• t Specifications Engine type .• •. •.•... . . ............. Single cylinder, two stroke Bore & stroke 70mm X 64mm Displacement ' 246cc Compression ratio 11:1 Horsepower 37.4 bhp at 8,720 rpm (claimed) Torque 3.27 mkg at 6,000 rpm (claimed) Induction system 12 petal reed valve Carburetor . ......... ... •.... . '•....... •.•. •. , .•.... 38mm Amal Gearbox 5 speed, constant mesh Clutch ' wet, multi-plate Ignition .. Motoplat COl Tires, FIR 3.00 X 21"/4.50 X 18" ~ Weight 219 Ibs (claimed) Wheelbase : : 55.9" .Seat Height 37" ':) Ground clearance 13.8" Footpeg height 15.7" Gas tank capacity. ., ,' .: : '.' : 2.~4 g~ ~. e ', The forte of the Pursang is cornering. It has a light nimble feel and is not tiring to ride. There's plenty of motor for powerslides. The footpegs and the rigid steel shifter are nice. The sWingarm has new dirt seals which should eliminate the need for frequent cleaning. . The Pursang Mark II is a very clean looking motorcycle. The reasonable weight is due in part to an absence of unnecessary frills.