Alias ‘El Puma’
An artist, a jeweller, a genius, a sorcerer; these are just some of the names used to describe the legend that is Jose Luis Rodriguez, alias ‘El Puma’. He has prepared machines for some of the many legendary names of our sport such as Yrjo Vesterinen, Philippe Berlatier, Ulf Karlson, Marc Colomer, Malcolm Rathmell and Andreu Codina, to name just a few of the best known. Our artist is, above all, a trials rider – for over forty years and counting. He was twice Catalan champion in the 70s and today, at 66 years of age, still rides regularly in trials, maybe some fifteen or so a year.
For this most respected man of machine preparation, trials motorcycles revealed their secrets many years ago but above all he has analysed and understood their technical evolution. Even today he can take a classic machine and adapt it to the needs of the client and their riding style. We went to meet the man in the suburbs of Barcelona. And for you, dear readers, he opened the doors of his workshop and revealed a few secrets along the way!
At what age, and why, did you become interested in motorcycles?
It all started when I was 10 years old when I was living with my parents in Galicia in the north west of Spain. I had an uncle who was a motorcycle mechanic and I used to love visiting him in his workshop as motorcycles already fascinated me at this early age and I wanted to understand them. A few years later the family moved to Barcelona and I started working as a mechanic in a company called ‘Isern’; they were one of the most important Montesa dealerships of the time.
Have you always worked on trials machines?
In the beginning I worked on motocross machines and I also used to compete in this discipline at the time. After a particularly nasty injury to my foot I stopped, and drifted towards trials as that seemed to be less physically demanding. From this moment onwards I specialised in trials motorcycles.
With over half a century of experience you must have many secrets?
Yes but I have never thought about the passing years as I have worked in a good number of trials dealers and their workshops. All these experiences were positive and rewarding. I have slowly developed my work and my passion. I was the boss of the workshop for the very famous ‘Km2’ shop during the 80s.