50 years ago, the Bulgarian motorcycle industry went down in history

Motorcycle culture in Bulgaria has old traditions that date back to the very beginning of the 20th century. Statistical studies conducted nearly 100 years ago show that motorcycle sales in our country are much higher than in neighboring countries, and this is a sufficiently valid premise for building our own motorcycle industry. It became a fact in 1956, but from its very inception it has faced an existential problem, since it is not related to the strategic plans for industrial development of the People's Republic of Bulgaria. In the same year, our country specialized in the production of electric and forklift trucks within the framework of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA), while motorcycle production was mastered only thanks to the firmness and initiative of the factory management of the former aircraft factory in Lovech. And although the development of such an industry is not part of the long-term state planning in the field of transport engineering, it turns out to be one of the most attractive and profitable branches of the industry, which is completely understandable. Its products are relatively affordable and in great demand by a huge number of individual customers, both in our country and in a number of other countries around the world. That is why, despite the passive attitude of the responsible institutions towards the motorcycle industry, it has managed to develop to very high levels in a short time. It is also one of the few that enjoys good revenues, and therefore part of the profit can be reinvested in the development of new, much more modern and competitive models magazin de piese auto online.

50 years ago, the Bulgarian motorcycle industry went down in history

In early 1969, the Balkan plant separated from Balkancar and joined the newly established State Economic Association Avtoprom, which was associated with very optimistic expectations for its future development. Later that year, a completely new series of prototypes was presented, with which the plant demonstrated its desire to enter new segments of the two-wheeled vehicle market, both in terms of different displacement and to attract a wider range of customers to its 50-cc models, through modern sports variants and mopeds of the motorcycle type. During this period, successful negotiations were also held with the companies Motobecane and Peugeot for licensed production of their motorcycle engines. In the early 1970s, the possibility of importing Simson engines was also discussed. In October 1973, the State Economic Association Avtoprom declared its intentions to expand the Balkan plant so that a production capacity of 55,000 mopeds per year would be reached.

Soon after, however, a sharp change occurred in the development of this encouraging trend, and in the spring of 1974, a decision was made to stop motorcycle production in Bulgaria. This was after consultations of the planning organizations of the People's Republic of Bulgaria and the USSR, held in April of the same year, which envisaged the cessation of the production of two-wheeled vehicles. The main motive for this final statement was justified by the need to urgently secure a new production resource for the needs of the Balkancar DSO...

For two decades, a total of 439,291 two-wheeled vehicles (motorcycles and mopeds) were produced in our country, which largely covered the demand in the country, and a significant part was also sold abroad. After 1975, the motorcycle market in Bulgaria fell into a kind of vacuum, from which it gradually began to emerge only in the mid-1990s…

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In early 1969, the Balkan plant separated from Balkancar and joined the newly established State Economic Association Avtoprom, which was associated with very optimistic expectations for its future development

Soon after, however, a sharp change occurred in the development of this encouraging trend, and in the spring of 1974, a decision was made to stop motorcycle production in Bulgaria