Bernie Schreiber

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Bernie Schreiber was the first – and, at the time of of his induction into the Hall of Fame in 2000, the only – Observed Trials World Champion from the United States. Schreiber was one of the all-time greats in the sport of trials, winning the world championship in 1979 and tallying 20 wins in a decade of competing in the world championships. In addition to his world title, Schreiber also won the U.S. National Trials Championships in 1978, 1982, 1983 and 1987.


Born in 1959, Schreiber started riding motorcycles at the age of 8. He began competing in trials at 10 and just five years later he was already the top-rated trials rider in his native Southern California. In a sport that rewards riding technique and experience, Schreiber developed a hard-charging style that proved to be evolutionary.


In 1977, Schreiber, riding for Bultaco, ventured into the world championships for the first time. His rookie season was a solid debut. Schreiber scored points in nine of the 12 world rounds and earned podium finishes in Spain and Germany. He ended the year ranked seventh in the world.


1978 was a breakthrough year for Schreiber. He won his first world championship event that year in France and went on to score three more wins to finish the season ranked third. During this period, Schreiber flew back to the United States to contest the non-conflicting U.S. National Trials rounds. He won the American title that year.


With the confidence he gained in 1978, Schreiber was confident he could win the world title in 1979. As usual Schreiber started off the year slowly in the early rounds, held in brutally cold conditions in Ireland, Great Britain and Belgium. The Southern Californian later would admit that he never quite got used to riding in sub-freezing temperatures... Read more thru tha AMA





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