1981 FIM World Championship Part 1
The old guard of world trials had just about held on in 1980 as Ulf Karlson and Montesa took the title for the very first time. The once worldfamous and mighty force of the Bultaco team that had dominated the FIM World Trials Championship from 1975–1979 was long gone. Ulf Karlson was approaching the latter end of a superb career, and, in truth, it was only the 1979 FIM World Trials Champion Schreiber who would remain a true world-title contender over the following years. The American had been thrown in at the deep end, though with a mid-season move to a new motorcycle manufacturer to trials, Italjet, in 1980. The development exercise of a new machine in full view of the public was brutal and extremely challenging if it were to prove a winner. Nevertheless, Schreiber dug very deep into his reserves as a world-class rider to take wins at the final four rounds – some achievement, we might add. In addition, 1981 witnessed a change in the names of the riders and machines that would make a huge impact on the sport over the next few years, in particular a bespectacled young Belgium rider by the name of Eddy Lejeune. Totally under the radar was a 19-year-old French rider Gilles Burgat; remember the name as, during a hugely successful 1981, he would make his mark on the world of trials by the end of the year.
With the championship points still only awarded to the top ten positions, it was a totally unpredictable year, the like of which not seen before in the FIM World Trials Championship. The domination of the once-mighty manufacturing big three of Bultaco, Montesa and Ossa from Spain were now struggling with a difficult financial period. They were heavily challenged in Italy and Japan by Honda.
SWM had started the trend, followed by Fantic, Italjet and Garelli, who all wanted a prized part of the growing off-road market. In 1977, Sammy Miller guided Honda to world championship glory with the first world round win for a four-stroke in Finland with Rob Shepherd.
In 1980 the well-developed four-stroke machines had landed in the safe hands of the young Lejeune. Honda was in search of further success with the ultimate goal of becoming the first Japanese motorcycle manufacturer to win the coveted FIM World Trials Championship.
You could argue that the 1981 FIM World Trials Championship was wide open, such was the evolution of the new riders and manufacturers. Dynamic new riding styles such as the ‘Pivot Turn’ and ‘Bunny Hop’ were new phrases on the lips of many riders. Italian machines had been developed with this new riding technique in mind and were considered more agile and easier to manoeuvre.
NEW RULES
It was also the time of the adoption of the ‘Stop Allowed’ rule coming into force which left riders confused with the interpretation of when a stop had occurred. Many observers and officials were as confused as the riders, apart from those making the most of the marking when it went in their favour!
It was now commonplace for the rider to stop at the face of a steep, challenging hazard, then put a foot down whilst stationary, move the machine around to be rewarded with a single-mark penalty.
Along with the new riding style and rule change, tyre technology and development came to the fore. Michelin had invested heavily in its new rubber technology, wanting to become the number one choice for the rider. It was very much a Formula One time in trials as a wide choice of various compounds was available to the factory teams and riders. As we’re about to see, 1981 would be one of the most exciting times to be involved in world trials.