page 16 2014 Bernie Schreiber feature interview
An excellent photo of Bernie showing true style and skill here in this pivot turn
Its June 20 1982 at the Alberta Canadian World Trial. Bernie has just been presented with his native head dress for winning the trial. Standing behind him is SWM team manager Pietro Kuciukian .In the next photo Charles Coutard is presented with a leather native vest for 4th place . You can see Toni Gorgot behind in blue. In the next photo Charles and Bernie line up with 2nd placed Thierry Michaud.
Why did you leave SWM?
When that factory closed I left. It was never well managed, you know. I was with Galeazzi who was also on SWM. The then owner, just sold the whole team to Garelli and Agrati Aarelli now owned the team. Everyone including the mechanics went there. I didn't really have any choice. At the time everyone else was settled into contracts and all of the factories were committed to their spend. It was difficult to change or leave at this time. I started with Garelli on a twin shock but it was impossible too ride. No one could ride this bike. It was at this point that I did a deal with Garelli and I stopped.
When that factory closed I left. It was never well managed, you know. I was with Galeazzi who was also on SWM. The then owner, just sold the whole team to Garelli and Agrati Aarelli now owned the team. Everyone including the mechanics went there. I didn't really have any choice. At the time everyone else was settled into contracts and all of the factories were committed to their spend. It was difficult to change or leave at this time. I started with Garelli on a twin shock but it was impossible too ride. No one could ride this bike. It was at this point that I did a deal with Garelli and I stopped.
It got to the point where they just didn't want to see the reality. First of all ,the reality that I was not gonna be a World Champion. Number two . That the bike was far far out and not up to it. It was just a cheap way to try and do a marketing campaign around a scooter company that didn't work.
They just wanted me to continue riding just like that. I had ridden all of the bikes and I can do things on those other bikes that I just couldn't do on this Garelli. I told Kucluklan that you need to do this deal with me or basically I'm going to retire, unless they want me to continue and finish in 27th or 30th position in the World Championship. I didn’t think that's good for anybody. Anyway , we just came to an agreement where they told me not to ride any other bikes until my contract had ended So , I just unofficially retired. They continued to pay me until the end of my contract. That was it basically and I didn't ride anymore. That all finished and I was living with the Burgat's at their family house in Albertville, France, dating Gilles sister Yannick and training with Gilles on a Yamaha.
I would practice with Gilles on the Yamaha bike and he gave me some support, so I rode again for a year once the Garelli contract had finished.
So Burgat saved you at this time?
Well, they surely supported me. I respect a lot the Burgat's. The family was very well off and the children were brought up in a nice environment. Wonderful family…all of them.
I would practice with Gilles on the Yamaha bike and he gave me some support, so I rode again for a year once the Garelli contract had finished.
So Burgat saved you at this time?
Well, they surely supported me. I respect a lot the Burgat's. The family was very well off and the children were brought up in a nice environment. Wonderful family…all of them.
So you did your trial schools at this time. What was the name of your trial school?
I was Pro team? Where was it based? It was in in Val d' Isere, for a couple of years up in the French Alps. I did it with Gilles and we did a five week school every year. It was quite fun. It was a big success actually and we marketed it around Europe going to Germany and England once. We did it once in Italy as well but mostly we did it in France. We did some schools for Yamaha and did some in Japan as well. I also did some without Giles when he couldn’t come. It was called the Pro team, yeah. It was good and it worked out ok . We were supported by Sonata Yamaha. You rode on a Fantic as well. Was that as a privateer? Yes, that was in the States. I rode a Beta as well a little bit. |