CLICE LEGENDS: TONI SOLER
Toni Soler - born Joan Antoni Soler Rafart - was a motocross and enduro rider born in Bassella in 1947, into a family closely linked to the history of motorcycling in Catalonia. His father, Màrius Soler, was a well-known collector and restorer of motorbikes and his brother, Estanis Soler, was also a rider. Toni Soler learnt to ride a motorbike at the early age of 6, practising on the "Soler Rapida" that his father prepared for him on a 50cc Iresa engine.
In 1964, at the age of 17, he made his debut in the Figueres Motocross, achieving his first victory and attracting the attention of Bultaco, who would soon incorporate him and his brother in the team of official riders of the brand. Toni and Estanis competed in state motocross and enduro championships and, although Estanis became the director of the Bultaco competition teams, the one who stood out and obtained more success was his younger brother Toni. Together with old acquaintances like Narcís Casas, Josep Maria Pibernat and Joan Riudalbàs, Toni Soler was one of the dominators of the national championship being on the point of winning it in 1974, although Ton Marsinyach finally won it. In 1976, Toni Soler won the gold medal in the International Six Days of Austria driving a prototype specially designed for the occasion. Two years later he would repeat his triumph in the International Six Days of Sweden with another prototype.
Apart from racing, Toni Soler wanted to give prestige and promote everything related to off-road motorcycling, so he promoted the development of the successful Bultaco Frontera, which was presented in 1975 and which far surpassed the previous flagship model of the brand, the Bultaco Matador. Another of the projects that he carried out together with his brother Estanis was the manufacture of motocross boots, an activity that they started in 1963 and which led them to associate with some manufacturers of leather gloves that they distributed through the Bultaco network. The latter manufacturers were none other than Climent and Ceriola, founders of Clice, which meant that the Soler brothers were closely linked to the brand.
In the 1970s and 1980s Clice became the national brand of reference for off-road riders, especially trial riders, thanks to the manufacture of products based on the needs and suggestions of great riders such as Narcís Casas, Manuel Soler, Martin Lampkin and Bernie Schreiber, who proudly wore the Clice logo in all their competitions.
For his sporting triumphs, his actions to promote motorcycling and his efforts to promote our brand, Toni Soler is, without a doubt, a Clice Legend.