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LEM Motor wird von Ermanno Lelli in Lippo di Calderara bei Bologna gegründet.

Auf dem Pariser Motorradsalon wird die BPS Elan in den beiden Hubräumen 125 und 175 ccm vorgestellt. Die Serienproduktion beginnt.

Brand 12

Mit der wirtschaftlichen und organisatorischen Hilfe von Marcel Seraut, dem französischen Importeur von Ossa, wird aus BP nun die BPS (Akronym für Boudet, Portal und Seraut). Damit verletzen sie auch nicht mehr die Markenrechte der BP-Ölgesellschaft.

Brand 12

Honda gründet den Racing Service Center (RSC). Die eigenständige Abteilung zur Unterstützung von Rennaktivitäten und zur Entwicklung von Rennteilen kümmert sich unter anderem um die die Renneinsätze in der Motocross WM

Brand 24

Gaston Rahier signs his first factory contract with Suzuki.

Brand 44 Rider 15

Can-Am begins series production of motocross and enduro motorcycles.

Brand 95

Beta launches its own line of engines for sporting use so that it is no longer dependent on suppliers.

Brand 2

Claudio Terzi and Claudio Marchesini founded TGM. TGM stands for Terzi, Giovanna (Giuseppina Giovanna, Claudio Marchesini's wife) and Marchesini. Terzi was responsible for the commercial side and organization, while Marchesini was the frame builder. He designed the chassis, which were considered extremely stable at the time. Originally, they only built a 50cc motocross motorcycle with a Sachs engine prepared by them, built for Terzi himself. But the bike was so good that it led to a small series production.

Brand 47

As a large manufacturer with many production divisions, off-road motorcycle racing is not a priority for Puch. Nevertheless, a small team has launched a project that was designed from the outset to exit again with a possible world championship title.

Brand 40

Andrea Mosconi, a former employee of Aermacchi/Harley Davidson, founds Hiro in Origgio (near Milan).

Brand 68

Franco Acerbi founded the Acerbis company in Albino (Bergamo) in northern Italy. He initially started out as an importer of the legendary plastic fenders designed by American Preston Petty.

Brand 177

Motocross

Models in this year

50ccm Cross 125ccm Cross 250ccm Cross 500ccm Cross

250ccm Cross WM

Yamaha launches the YZM250, the first model to be equipped with Monocross suspension in factory use. Hakan Andersson secures the title early on, leaving the competition on conventional twin-shock machines with little chance. In the end, he wins six GPs and Yamaha's first world championship title.

Brand 48 Rider 11 WM 250ccm Cross

A strong season with three Grand Prix victories secures Adolf Weil and Maico the vice world championship.

Brand 97 Rider 97 WM 250ccm Cross

Heiki without GP success but consistently good results.

Rider 14 WM 250ccm Cross

Jim Pomeroy wins the season opener in Sabadell, Spain, on a Spanish machine, becoming the first American GP winner. And that in his first GP.

Rider 96 WM 250ccm Cross

Puch hired the experienced Swede Uno Palm to tackle the ambitious Motocross World Championship project. However, he only joined the team at the fourth Grand Prix in Switzerland and then improved steadily. At his home Grand Prix, he stood on the podium in third place alongside his compatriots Andersson and Hansen.

Brand 40 Rider 418 WM 250ccm Cross

500ccm Cross WM

In the most prestigious class, the focus was on the duel between reigning world champion Roger De Coster (Suzuki) and challenger Willi Bauer (Maico). Bauer led the championship for a long time and demonstrated the superiority of the new Maico with forward-mounted shock absorbers. The decision was only made in the final race in Sint Anthonis (Netherlands). De Coster won his third consecutive title in dramatic circumstances, as Bauer had technical problems.

WM 500ccm Cross

Suzuki has adapted De Coster's factory 370cc bike to the FIM minimum weight regulations with a new frame and modified weight distribution in order to improve its nervous handling.

Brand 44 Rider 10 WM 500ccm Cross

Bauer led the championship for a long time and demonstrated the superiority of the new Maico with forward-mounted shock absorbers. The decision was only made in the final race in Sint Anthonis (Netherlands). De Coster won his third consecutive title in dramatic circumstances, as Bauer had technical problems.

Brand 97 Rider 34 WM 500ccm Cross

125ccm Cross FIM Coupe

Belgian talent Andre Malherbe wins the FIM Coupe, the precursor to the planned 125cc World Championship, for Zündapp at the first attempt.

Brand 9 Rider 20 FIM Coupe 125ccm Cross

250ccm Cross Belgian Inter

Young Harry Everts receives a contract from Puch for the Belgian Championship. Despite strong competition, he immediately achieves fourth place. In the World Championship, he is also able to establish himself in the shadow of the experienced Palm and regularly scores points.

Brand 40 Rider 13 Belgian Inter 250ccm Cross