Rolf Tibblin the Physical

Rolf Tibblin (born May 7, 1937, in Stockholm Sweden) is a former world champion motocross racer. He was one of the top riders in the Motocross Grand Prix World Championships during the 1960s. Tibblin is remembered as one of the more physically fit motocross racers of his era.

In 1959, Tibblin won the 250cc European Motocross Championship while racing for the Husqvarna factory racing team. He went on to capture the F.I.M. 500cc Motocross World Champion in 1962 and 1963. He finished second to Jeff Smith in the 1964 world championship, before switching to the ČZ team for the 1965 season. He finished third in the 1965 championship behind Jeff Smith and Paul Friedrichs. In the 1966 season, he came in second behind Friedrichs.


Spanish Grand Prix '64, Rolf Tibblin congratulating Smith (R) on winning the World Championship.
© 2009, Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, All Rights Reserved.

Tibblin also raced in the 1972 Baja 1000 off road race with Gunnar Nilsson, in which they won the motorcycle division. After retiring from professional competition, Tibblin ran a motocross school in Southern California during the 1970s as the sport enjoyed a boom in popularity. In 2008, he was inducted into the A.M.A. Motorcycle Hall of Fame.



500 cc/MX3-GP motocross world champions

1960 - B. Nilsson
1961 - S. Lundin
1962 - R. Tibblin
1963 - R. Tibblin
1964 - J. Smith
1965 - J. Smith
1966 - P. Friedrichs
1967 - P. Friedrichs
1968 - P. Friedrichs
1969 - B. Åberg