Ossa
Historic Spanish motorcycle brand recognized for lightweight two-stroke trials, motocross, enduro, and racing motorcycles.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Ossa was a Spanish motorcycle manufacturer founded in Barcelona in 1924 by industrialist Manuel Giró. The company originally operated as Orpheo Sincronic Sociedad Anónima, or O.S.S.A., and manufactured movie projectors rather than motorcycles. Its four-leaf-like emblem represented the escapement mechanism of a film projector, reflecting that original business. After the Second World War, Ossa obtained two-stroke engine technology from the German DKW company as part of postwar reparations and began producing motorcycles in 1949. The brand became one of Spain’s notable motorcycle manufacturers during the expansion of European motorcycling in the 1950s and 1960s. Ossa’s motorcycles were generally lightweight, simple, and powered by two-stroke engines. The company developed a strong reputation in off-road disciplines, particularly observed trials, motocross, and enduro, while also competing in road racing and endurance events. Its machines benefited from a favorable power-to-weight ratio and were exported beyond Spain, including to important North American markets where motocross and other forms of off-road motorcycling were expanding rapidly. Ossa’s competition program helped establish the brand internationally. It won the 24 Hours of Montjuïc in Barcelona in 1967 and again in 1969, defeating larger Spanish manufacturers in the endurance event. The company also pursued Grand Prix road racing with an unusually advanced 250 cc single-cylinder motorcycle. Designed by Eduardo Giró, the machine used a lightweight welded monocoque chassis made from magnesium and aluminum sheets. The structure incorporated the fuel tank and delivered low weight, stiffness, and distinctive handling despite the engine’s power disadvantage against Japanese multi-cylinder rivals. Spanish rider Santiago Herrero won the Spanish 250 cc national championship with Ossa in 1967 and 1968, finished seventh in the 1968 world championship, and remained in contention for the 1969 title after winning three Grands Prix. He ultimately finished third in the 1969 world championship. Herrero’s death in a crash during the 1970 Isle of Man TT profoundly affected the factory team, which withdrew from road racing. Ossa then concentrated more heavily on trials and other off-road competition. British rider Mick Andrews helped develop and race the company’s trials motorcycles, winning the European Trials Championship in 1971 and 1972 and the Scottish Six Days Trial three consecutive times from 1970 through 1972. Ossa also achieved an American dirt-track success when Dick Mann won the 1969 Santa Fe Grand National short-track event on an Ossa-developed 250 cc machine. Despite its sporting achievements, Ossa suffered from structural weaknesses common to several European motorcycle manufacturers. Its dealer and service network, especially in the United States, was insufficiently organized, while growing competition from Japanese manufacturers placed pressure on prices, reliability expectations, and distribution. Investment in new production facilities increased financial strain. Spain’s economic liberalization during the later Franco period, the arrival of cheaper Japanese motorcycles, and a major employee strike in 1977 further weakened the company. Production activity effectively ended in the early 1980s; by 1984 the company was under the control of a labor cooperative, and its name was changed to Ossamoto in 1985. The Ossa trademark was revived in 2010 after its rights were acquired by a group of Spanish investors. The reborn company produced modern trials and enduro motorcycles and entered the FIM Trials World Championship with a factory team. In 2014 it merged with Gas Gas, but the Ossa brand was excluded when Gas Gas was absorbed by the Torrot Group in 2015. Ossa motorcycle production consequently stopped again. In 2017, the separated Ossa owners announced the Spinta e.CP20 electric bicycle and indicated that a return to motorcycle production had not been ruled out. Ossa therefore remains principally a historic and enthusiast-supported motorcycle marque, with particular importance in Spanish motorcycle history and off-road competition.
History
Ossa began in Barcelona in 1924 as Orpheo Sincronic Sociedad Anónima, a company established by Manuel Giró to manufacture movie projectors for the Spanish market. Its original emblem, often mistaken for a four-leaf clover, represented a projector escapement mechanism. Giró also had a personal connection to motorcycle competition: before the Second World War he competed successfully in sidecar racing with Francisco Bultó, who later founded Bultaco. After the war, Ossa received two-stroke engine technology from DKW as part of war reparations. This enabled the company to enter motorcycle manufacturing in 1949. During the motorcycle boom of the 1950s and 1960s, Ossa expanded production and exports. Its lightweight two-stroke motorcycles were particularly suitable for motocross, trials, enduro, and other forms of off-road riding. The company sold motorcycles in Europe and made significant efforts to enter the United States and Canada, where off-road motorcycling was growing rapidly. Ossa’s competition history included endurance, road racing, dirt track, motocross, and trials. The company’s first major endurance result came at the 24 Hours of Montjuïc in 1967, where Ossa motorcycles finished first and second. It won the event again in 1969. In Grand Prix racing, Eduardo Giró designed a technically distinctive 250 cc single-cylinder racer. Its welded magnesium-and-aluminum monocoque chassis integrated the fuel tank and reduced weight by approximately 20 kilograms compared with contemporary competition. Although its engine produced substantially less power than the leading Japanese machines, the chassis gave the motorcycle strong braking and cornering characteristics. With Santiago Herrero as its principal rider, Ossa won the Spanish 250 cc championship in 1967 and 1968. Herrero finished seventh in the 1968 world championship and scored a podium at Monza. The 1969 season was even stronger: he won three Grands Prix and entered the final round with a narrow championship lead, but crashed in Yugoslavia and finished third in the standings. He won a fourth Grand Prix at the beginning of the 1970 season, then died in a crash at the Isle of Man TT. The loss led Ossa to abandon road racing. The company redirected its factory competition resources toward observed trials. British rider Mick Andrews worked with Ossa on trials motorcycle development and won the European Trials Championship in 1971 and 1972. He also won the Scottish Six Days Trial from 1970 through 1972. In the United States, Dick Mann helped develop an Ossa 250 cc dirt-track motorcycle and won the 1969 Santa Fe Grand National short-track race. These successes strengthened Ossa’s association with specialized, lightweight competition motorcycles. Commercially, however, Ossa faced severe pressure. Its dealer and service network in the United States was too sparse to support sustained sales, while the growing number of motorcycle brands made distribution increasingly difficult. Investment in domestic manufacturing facilities increased the company’s financial burden. Economic liberalization in Spain, cheaper Japanese motorcycles, and a crippling employee strike in 1977 accelerated the decline. By 1984 Ossa was controlled by a labor cooperative, and in 1985 the company name became Ossamoto. The original manufacturing era is generally treated as ending in the early 1980s, although Ossa motorcycles remained popular with vintage enthusiasts and amateur racers. The trademark was revived in 2010 by Spanish investors. The new Ossa company produced modern trials and enduro motorcycles and fielded a factory team in the FIM Trials World Championship. In 2014 it merged with Gas Gas. When Torrot absorbed Gas Gas in 2015, Ossa was excluded from the transaction and motorcycle production ended once more. In 2017, the separated owners presented the Spinta e.CP20 electric bicycle and left open the possibility of returning to motorcycle manufacturing. No subsequent production restart is established by the supplied sources.
- 2017
Electric bicycle project announced
[1]The Spinta e.CP20 electric bicycle was announced as a possible new direction for the brand.
- 2015
Second production closure
[1]Ossa was not included in Torrot’s absorption of Gas Gas and closed again.
- 2014
Merger with Gas Gas
[1]The revived Ossa company merged with Gas Gas.
- 2010
Brand revival
[1]New investors acquired the Ossa trademark and resumed production of trials and enduro motorcycles.
- 1985
Name changed to Ossamoto
[1]The company’s name was changed to Ossamoto.
- 1984
Labor cooperative control
[1]Ossa came under the control of a labor cooperative during its declining years.
- 1977
Employee strike intensifies decline
[1]A major employee strike contributed to Ossa’s financial and operational deterioration.
- 1972
Second European Trials Championship
[1]Andrews retained the European Trials Championship on an Ossa motorcycle.
- 1971
First European Trials Championship
[1]Mick Andrews won the European Trials Championship for Ossa, beginning a major period of trials success.
- 1970
Road-racing program withdrawn
[1]Following Santiago Herrero’s fatal Isle of Man TT crash, Ossa withdrew from Grand Prix road racing.
Products and positioning
Niche heritage motorcycle brand focused historically on lightweight two-stroke engineering and off-road competition.
Road-racing motorcycle
Ossa 250 Grand Prix racer
A lightweight 249 cc single-cylinder two-stroke racing motorcycle designed by Eduardo Giró. Its welded magnesium-and-aluminum monocoque chassis incorporated the fuel tank and emphasized low weight, stiffness, braking, and cornering performance. The motorcycle competed successfully in the 250 cc world championship despite having considerably less engine power than leading Japanese rivals.
Observed-trials motorcycle
Ossa trials motorcycles
Ossa’s trials motorcycles formed the core of the company’s later competition identity. Developed with British rider Mick Andrews, these lightweight two-stroke machines won the European Trials Championship in 1971 and 1972 and supported three consecutive Scottish Six Days Trial victories from 1970 through 1972.
Off-road motorcycle
Ossa Explorer
An Ossa-branded off-road model associated with the marque’s trials and enduro-oriented product range.
Observed-trials motorcycle
Ossa TR 280i
A modern Ossa trials motorcycle from the brand’s post-2010 revival, representing its return to specialist competition-oriented off-road products.
Off-road motorcycle using Ossa engine
Yankee 500
A large off-road motorcycle produced in New York by Yankee Motor Company. It used a 500 cc air-cooled Ossa twin-cylinder two-stroke engine designed by Eduardo Giró and is also known as the Ossa Yankee.
Electric bicycle · 2017
Spinta e.CP20
An electric bicycle announced by Ossa’s owners in 2017 after motorcycle production had stopped. The announcement presented the bicycle as a possible continuation of the brand while leaving open the prospect of a future motorcycle return.
Marketing campaigns
- 2010Ossa brand revival
Spain · Europe
New trademark owners relaunched Ossa as a specialist manufacturer of trials and enduro motorcycles.
Outcome. The brand returned to production and established a factory presence in the FIM Trials World Championship before merging with Gas Gas.
- 1970Observed-trials competition program
Europe · United States
After ending its road-racing program, Ossa redirected factory competition resources toward observed trials, working with Mick Andrews on motorcycle development and competition.
Outcome. The program produced European championship titles in 1971 and 1972 and major Scottish Six Days Trial victories.
- 1967International endurance-racing push
Spain · Europe
Following Ossa’s first 24 Hours of Montjuïc victory and a first-second finish, the company used factory competition to build recognition beyond its domestic market.
Outcome. The result strengthened Ossa’s international sporting profile and preceded further overseas competition.
Brand decisions
2017
Explore electric bicycles after motorcycle closureProduct launchBackground
After two years without motorcycle production, Ossa’s owners sought a possible new direction for the marque.
Action taken
They announced the Spinta e.CP20 electric bicycle and stated that a return to motorcycles had not been ruled out.
Aftermath
The supplied sources do not establish a subsequent restart of motorcycle production.
2014
Merge with Gas GasM&ABackground
Ossa was operating as a revived specialist trials and enduro manufacturer in a market with several Spanish off-road brands.
Action taken
Ossa merged with Gas Gas.
Aftermath
Ossa was not included when Gas Gas was absorbed by Torrot in 2015, and the Ossa motorcycle operation closed.
2010
Restart motorcycle production under the Ossa trademarkStrategyBackground
Investors acquired rights to the historic Ossa name after the original manufacturer’s decline and cessation of production.
Action taken
The revived company introduced new trials and enduro motorcycles and returned to factory competition.
Aftermath
The revived operation later merged with Gas Gas in 2014 and ceased as an independent Ossa business after the 2015 Torrot transaction.
1970
Withdraw from Grand Prix road racingStrategyBackground
Santiago Herrero died after crashing during the 1970 Isle of Man TT, following a period in which Ossa had been competitive in the 250 cc world championship.
Action taken
Ossa ended its factory Grand Prix road-racing effort and concentrated more heavily on observed trials and other off-road disciplines.
Aftermath
The company continued to achieve notable competition results through trials, including European titles with Mick Andrews.
Sources1 sources
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