The Dirt Bike That Predicted The Future... 15 Years Ago! - Ossa TRI280 (Explorer)

[@joseantoniomartinezdiehl4993]

Allow me to make a correction: Indeed Manuel Giro was the founder of the company OSSA (Orpheo Sincronic Sociedad Anónima) which initially manufactured cinematography projectors and later motorcycles. Francisco Xavier Bulto was never a partner of Manuel Giro nor had anything to do with Ossa since he was a partner of Pere Permanyer who was the founder of Montesa, another of the great Spanish motorcycle companies. Francisco Bulto was an engineer and partner in Montesa and separated from the partnership with Permanyer to found the company Bultaco.

[@KRANKiT]

You are right, pinning this comment so others can see it. It was my mistake, indeed, Francisco and Manuel were team mates in side car racing, but they never went into business together. I must have read that wrong, sorry about it.

[@andi-a]

Great video. Great bike. Great memories (with the seat and enduro kit). This Ossa Explorer 280 is even street legal, with sozius. ❤

[@karl-helliwell]

Very well done! It was ahead of it's time! even now, The exhaust and reversed cylinder head is perfect!

[@KRANKiT]

It’s a pretty sweet design. also that exhaust is so sexy

[@kostasjezuz4846]

I remembered of their existence and was searching about their Enduro bike a few days ago, funny how you just made a video about them! I f I remember correctly, the Enduro had as well the tilted-back cylinder, fuelling front/exhaust rear, injected 2-stroke engine. I mean that is a no-brainer, every motorcycle should have fuelling on the front of the cylinder, exhaust at the back etc...

[@KRANKiT]

If you mean the explorer version ... yeah, its basically the same trials bike with a kit added on

[@kostasjezuz4846]

@@KRANKiT the OSSA Enduro 300i, released around 12 years ago... The gear ratios would have to be different as well I guess...

[@siulgonzalez]

No, they were designing a true enduro bike. Really innovative. I think it never went beyond the prototype stage.

[@Bra1nf1re]

I'm owning a 2013 TR 280i since 2018. But Xiu RDI's patent on two wheels is it's own enemie, too: The gear box tends to break down, if you don't shift with caution. Spare parts in general are getting harder to be found nowadays, used parts in general and especially gear boxes are like hens teeth. The rear linkeage can be smashed in rocky terrain without additional protection and the linkeage itself needs constant cleaning and lubing, caused by the fitted open plain bearing bushings. If the bike stalls the ECU sometimes forces you to kick endless times until it will restart- something that TPI owner without battery also have to endure. And the clutch is waaay harder to pull than on other bikes. All in all the bikes superior handling and throttle response are amazing. VERTIGO followed OSSA in 2015 with it's own attempt on a lightweight trials bike with ECU. Side note: In 2022 a german female trials champion gave me the advice I should sell my OSSA as long as it's still running... Their reputation for reliability is not very good and my bike is a proof for this. But I still keep it next to my Enduro bikes. The TR 280i was always one of my dream bikes and still is- even now with all this hardships. Thank you sooo much for shedding some light on this amazing brand and bike. I love your channel and dedication. You could do a video about Jim Palau-Ribes PURSANG 450i or about JOTAGAS Enduro bike attempt. Haven't heard any news about it since 2020...

[@KRANKiT]

Thanks for stopping by :)

[@bilalchaudhary8268]

The art of storytelling.

[@KRANKiT]

Cheers!

[@doncarlo5]

I remember the 0ssa of the 70‘ … it‘s a shame, that it is gone, again … but very interesting bike after all …

[@TwoHemiViewer]

I love OSSA I bought a new 250 explorer and the a six day replica and then another explorer. Yep love them.

[@Cloud-rp4ev]

Really ... that's too bad. I remember OSSA bikes in the 1970s. That bike looked fantastic!!

[@trifoiclaudiu8830]

Best company logo :)))

[@ayyylmao4394]

One of the biggest dissapointments was that the Ossa enduro never saw production. It truly looked like it was the future of 2 strokes.

[@KRANKiT]

Well never know what could have been

[@joseantoniomartinezdiehl4993]

Lots of Ossa enduro were produced and exported to United states from Spain. You are wrong. May be you are referring to the Yankee project.

[@scottreynolds3148]

Love os ossa have 70 stiletto 69 pioneer 72 yankee

[@richardsimpson3792]

The Explorer would fall to bits at the slightest provocation: known to unlucky owners as the Exploder

[@richardkent4022]

I recall them Ossas to be somewhat problematic with gearboxes failing

[@KRANKiT]

Yeah, it was one of their downsides unfortunately

[@Risinghaze]

Still waiting for a MZ Video :D

[@RaphaelPais]

Such a cool bike, found a few for sale this year, but the fear of zero spare parts availability kept me away....

[@KRANKiT]

That’s the gamble with most such brands

[@RaphaelPais]

​@@KRANKiTyeah, it was a relief when ktm produced the same TXT for two years after buying gasgas, made a lot sense to purchase a 2015 txt that shares almost everything with the 2022, parts are easy to get.

[@PNW_Trials_Adventures]

I always thought those Ossas were cool bikes. I really liked the Explorer. I ended up with a TRS XTrack, which is probably the closest thing to the Explorer, except for maybe the Montesa 4Ride.

[@didgeriedont7073]

I still have my 2013 ossa, try getting parts though

[@MrKdr500]

if you looked into when ktm had fuel injected 2T development you would see it was 10yrs before it came to market because of the board of directors.

[@orange1666]

The trials bike was simply amazing and it really did perform better than anything else and proved Honda technicians wrong that said it was not possible to get a 2 stroke fuel injected bike working well , well in case of trials bikes they where wrong because this motor was so sweet

[@KRANKiT]

It’s always cool when the underdog manages to prove their point

[@giannischena7941]

Gear-box issues ! not a minor problem. I am on the third gear-box.

[@OvidiuBarac]

What do you know about Ossa Enduro 300i? That I think if it was produced it would have destroyed all the competition.

[@KRANKiT]

I don’t know much to be honest

[@Amicofritzpatrick]

I have reasons to disagree, my dad had two of them and didn't like both. If a trial bike already has cooling problems, the ossa with the radiator behind the gas tank doesn't cool down at all and other brands bike are generally better.

[@garethcrothersmx]

We Need a Torrot story

[@StefanMedici]

I still don't understand how trials is niche. It's much more exciting than mx.

[@BaertJan]

omg amazing content

[@KRANKiT]

Thank you!