Industries Narcla began as a small, post Spanish Civil War workshop on carrer Colon 12, Salt, Girona, called Mecanica Moderna. It had a range of diverse activities, starting with repairs but then moving on to various constructions based on casting with a variety of metals.
In 1940, the number of partners increased and included Narcis Clara Aliu and, in 1952, the workshop was renamed Industria Narcla SL. The Articles of Association of the renamed company list the manufacture of the Narcla brand of motorcycle. Narcis Clara remains a partner and the new company name comes from Narcis Clara.
The Narcla in the first 2 photographs was on display at Museo de la Moto y el Coche Clasico, 10700 Hervás (Cáceres)
Narcis Clara was interested in the operation of motorcycles, and when he had the opportunity, he had obtained a DKW 125cc which he would disassemble and reassemble, to learn how it worked. The DKW and its design were openly available as part of the German war reparations and formed the basis of small motorcycles of various brands, including the BSA Bantam.
Industries Narcla SL researched creating a motorcycle based on the DKW engine and they copied the 125cc, air cooled, single cylinder, 2 stroke engine design, using a 17mm, Dell’Orto carburettor.
In 1953, the first Narcla was sold in small numbers and was a success, but the company was hampered by its limited financial resources. Production continued with mainly cosmetic changes but always as a 125cc machine and their models were prefixed with a 3 or 4 to denote the number of gears. The manufacture of their first motorcycles was completely handmade, all the parts being made in house by the company’s workers but eventually most aspects of the production and assembly were outsourced.
Narcís Clarà died on the third of October 1958, but the company continued. There are suggestions in some reference works that Narcla produced microcars, but I have not uncovered any evidence of this. Eventually in 1964 they abandoned motorcycle production, dedicating themselves from then on to the manufacture of machine tools.
This Narcla was photographed in 2025 at the Museo de la motocicleta española 28802 Alcalá de Henares (Madrid)
This unrestored Narcla 125cc 3-A is part of the Sala Santy Collection.
Catalogo Español de Motocicletas 1957 (Finanzauto SA)
Núria Clarà Pallàs, the daughter of Narcís Clarà i Aliu has helped to create a website to promote the Narcla brand and to record her Fathers achievements. It can be found here:
Spanish Motorcycles 
Leave a comment