Bultaco Mettise.

[OverTheHill]

Bully Metisse 1965 Roller for sale on 'TradeMe'--have a look. yz490 comment in questions is me by the way & someone might recall the bike i'm sure i saw at Christmas Hills--think it was an older guy had it [well, older than me--being 21 or something]. Remember thinking bloody hell that'd be neat compared to my heavy old 'pig' [unit t100 metisse]. Someone might correct me as age sort of distorts things. Takes me back to [hankering for the past] when i bought a 'pre-unit' T100 mettise with mag issues. was an easy fix & raced off down the track for a few 'dynamic' laps [was riding a CR250 Elsinore at the time brand new] & thought--this is bloody horrible so sold it. OF COURSE now wish i'd kept it--plus my unit one. Anyway, sorry, wandering off the subject again. Thanks. ps, Bultaco's under 'classic & vintage' listings.

[VMX247]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/motorbikes/motorbikes/classic-vintage/auction-626012813.htm

Some nice bikes in NZ    - Would it run in pre65 or pre75 in OZ ?

[GD66]

Pre-70 as the first Rickman Bultaco Metisse chassis were produced in 1967.

[firko]

Pre-70 as the first Rickman Bultaco Metisse chassis were produced in 1967

To quote page 100 of Derek and Don Rickman-The Metisse Story by Dave Gittens "The first batch of British built Bultaco Metisses left the factory  in June 1965". They're allowed in pre 65 according to MoMs anyway, and always have been, as are the inferior but very similar M11 Bultaco versions which the Trade Me bike appears to be. If it's a genuine Rickman frame it's rare and a good price.

Although the el Clubo Bultaco brotherhood will hate me, I'd be sticking a Triumph 500 or B40 BSA motor in it and go open class pre 65. The Trumpy engine fits, I've done it.

[GD66]

Pre-70 as the first Rickman Bultaco Metisse chassis were produced in 1967

To quote page 100 of Derek and Don Rickman-The Metisse Story by Dave Gittens "The first batch of British built Bultaco Metisses left the factory  in June 1965". They're allowed in pre 65 according to MoMs anyway, and always have been, as are the inferior but very similar M11 Bultaco versions which the Trade Me bike appears to be.

If you turn to page 278 the production summary says no Bultaco Metisses were produced before December 1966. My understanding has been that they are eligible merely because they so closely resemble the original Bultaco chassis, which as you have pointed out is inferior.

[firko]

  If you turn to page 278 the production summary says no Bultaco Metisses were produced before December 1966. My understanding has been that they are eligible merely because they so closely resemble the original Bultaco chassis, which as you have pointed out is inferior 

.
And therin lies an anomaly in the book. The list on page 278 goes against what's written in chapter 12 starting on page 98. It could be referring to the introduction of the twin top rail Mk4 style Petite Metisse. There's little doubt that the original Mk3 Bultaco Petite Metisse 250 with twin downtubes made its debut in 1965. There was an earlier (1964) single down tube frame that housed the 197cc motor but few were made and even fewer sold.
The Spanish M11 Metisse came after the Rickman Metisse, not the other way around. I don't profess to know why the Petite is accepted in pre 65 but presume it's for the same reason as the RT1 is allowed in Pre 70.....that's it's logical home. The Petite Metisse Bultaco...of both British and Spanish origin are accepted in pre 65 worldwide.

I'm using a genuine Rickman Petite Metisse frame for my 360 Maico pre 65 bike for next year.