Moto Islo

Moto Islo is a Mexican motorcycle brand founded in 1955 in Saltillo, Coahuila, by Isidro López Zertuche. It is widely described as the first motorcycle factory in Latin America. The name Islo derives from the initials of its founder. Early production focused on durable work motorcycles and scooters, often called "tortillero, cartero and lechero" bikes, using Italian Franco Morini and Sachs engines as well as German components. Over the decades Islo produced models such as Cora, Yaqui, Mixteca, Apache, Cooper, AMEX, Zorrito, a motocarro and even a sidecar, with displacements from 50 cc to 350 cc. In 1971 the company became Islo Honda, and in 1982 it changed direction to produce washing machine transmissions and Cinsa-brand washing machines. The Islo brand later faded from the market. In 2001 Grupo Moto Road acquired the Islo and Carabela brands to relaunch them in Mexico. Today Islo motorcycles are assembled in Mexico with parts made in China and branded Islo for sale. The official website presents Islo as having "70 years of history" and "the motorcycles of Mexico," offering models such as Mutant 250R, Blackwing 250 and Rabbit Rush, a network of more than 150 authorized distributors, and a large inventory of original MMG spare parts. The site also carries Carabela, described as "the Mexican brand by tradition since 1954," with an 18-month or 12,000 km warranty. Moto Islo has a strong sporting heritage. Javier López del Bosque, son of the founder, led the plant and created the Moto Islo racing team in 1960. The team achieved numerous successes, including a victory with rider Jorge Casares in San Angelo, Texas, in the 250 cc final on a Moto Islo Morini 175 cc, setting a lap record that stood for ten years; teammate Jorge Aristi won the 175 cc class. In 1963 Gilberto Romo won the national championship and Moto Islo took the manufacturers' title with riders Jorge Casares, Gilberto Romo, Jorge Aristi, Enrique Hernández, Antonio Serrano and Jorge Algara. The Premio Internacional de la Amistad was later created and held for several years at the Lomas de Lourdes track in Saltillo. Today the brand operates as a commercial motorcycle marque under Grupo Moto Road, with a bilingual Spanish-language web presence, online sales, distributor locator, warranty registration and spare parts catalog. It targets the Mexican mass market with affordable, practical motorcycles and a broad dealer network.

Moto Islo was founded in 1955 by Isidro López Zertuche in Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico. It is regarded as the first motorcycle factory in Latin America. The name Islo comes from the initials of its founder. In its early years, the company manufactured durable work motorcycles and personal-use bikes, commonly known as "tortillero, cartero and lechero" motorcycles, with 50 cc engines and 175 cc scooters. It initially used Italian Franco Morini and Sachs engines and components, as well as German parts. Later it produced 250 cc enduro motorcycles known as "Cooper," with four speeds and drum brakes, described as powerful, fast and very resistant. A 350 cc cross version followed but was not very successful because it was too heavy. Javier López del Bosque, son of Isidro López Zertuche, directed the Moto Islo plant and created the Moto Islo racing team in 1960. The team achieved numerous successes, including winning with rider Jorge Casares in San Angelo, Texas, the 250 cc final on a Moto Islo Morini 175 cc, setting a lap record that was not surpassed until ten years later; his teammate Jorge Aristi won the 175 cc category. In 1963 Gilberto Romo won the national championship and Moto Islo took the manufacturers' championship with riders Jorge Casares, Gilberto Romo, Jorge Aristi, Enrique Hernández, Antonio Serrano and Jorge Algara. Shortly afterwards the Premio Internacional de la Amistad was created, held for several years at the Lomas de Lourdes track in Saltillo. Besides work bikes and the Cooper, Islo also made the AMEX model, adapted for motocross and track, and a 200 cc trial model with the initials GRM (Grapebin Racing Motorcycles) on the fuel tank. In 1971 the company became Islo Honda, and in 1982 it changed direction to produce washing machine transmissions and Cinsa-brand washing machines. The Islo brand later faded from the market. It was not until 2001 that Grupo Moto Road bought the Islo brand together with the Carabela brand to relaunch them in the Mexican market. On 23 October 2004, Don Javier López Del Bosque died, and on Saturday 5 July 2008, his brother Ing. Isidro López Del Bosque "El Chato" died; both were sons of the founder and directors of CINSA and Moto Islo, considered pride of Mexican motorcycling for promoting its development by offering excellent quality and above all economical motorcycles, many of which still run on streets and highways today. Currently, Islo motorcycles are assembled in Mexico with parts made in China and only branded Islo for sale. Technically, original Islo motorcycles did not have an accumulator or battery; electricity was generated through a magneto inside the engine, with voltage between 6 and 8 volts. They had pedal start, drum brakes, and wheels could be spoked or disc-type, the latter especially for motocarros. The sidecar was made of fiberglass without shock absorber, brake or electricity. The fuel had to be mixed with two-stroke oil, so the bikes emitted smoke from the exhaust. The 175 cc engine (before 1991) was two-stroke, single-cylinder inclined 15 degrees, stroke 65 mm, piston diameter 58 mm, 175 cc, 10.5 hp at 6000 rpm, compression ratio 8.4:1, cross-flow scavenging, domed piston, maximum speed 120 km/h. The 200 cc engine (before 1991) was two-stroke, single-cylinder inclined 15 degrees, stroke 57 mm, piston diameter 65 mm, 200 cc, 14.5 hp at 6000 rpm, compression ratio 8.4:1, cross-flow scavenging, domed piston, maximum speed 125 km/h. Today the official website presents Islo as having "70 years of history" and "the motorcycles of Mexico," with featured models Mutant 250R, Blackwing 250 and Rabbit Rush. It offers a distributor program, a locator with more than 150 authorized Islo distributors, warranty activation and registration, and original spare parts with over 500,000 original MMG parts and 12,500 SKU codes. The site also features Carabela, "the Mexican brand by tradition since 1954," with an 18-month or 12,000 km warranty against manufacturing defects.

• 2008

  Ing. Isidro López Del Bosque "El Chato" dies on 5 July.

• 2004

  Don Javier López Del Bosque dies on 23 October.

• 2001

  Grupo Moto Road buys the Islo and Carabela brands to relaunch them in Mexico.

• 1982

  Changes direction to produce washing machine transmissions and Cinsa-brand washing machines.

• 1971

  Company becomes Islo Honda.

• 1963

  Gilberto Romo wins the national championship and Moto Islo takes the manufacturers' title.

• 1960

  Javier López del Bosque creates the Moto Islo racing team.

• 1955

  Moto Islo founded by Isidro López Zertuche in Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico.

Affordable, practical Mexican motorcycles with a long heritage and broad dealer network.

• Cora

• Yaqui

• Mixteca

• Apache

• Cooper

• AMEX

• Zorrito

• Motocarro

• Sidecar

• Mutant 250R

• Blackwing 250

• Rabbit Rush

1. 1Islo official websiteislo.com.mx
2. 2Moto Islo - Wikipedia (Spanish)es.wikipedia.org
3. 3Moto Islo - Wikidatawikidata.org