Page 5 2014 Bernie Schreiber feature interview
Whilst efforts have been made to tie in the photos with the story and questions chronologically, it was inevitable that this could never be perfect.
This interview was not designed to cover ever detail of Bernie's life, nor was it designed to try and replicate Bernie's book or over lap it. It is a Retrotrials enthusiasts best endeavors to hear the story of the man himself by the man himself.
This interview was recorded digitally and has been reproduced pretty much word for word, so you can get the true vibe of the man and what he's saying.
So, just sit back with a hot drink, or a beer and enjoy the journey this story will take you on.
Any editorial text is coloured black.
This interview was not designed to cover ever detail of Bernie's life, nor was it designed to try and replicate Bernie's book or over lap it. It is a Retrotrials enthusiasts best endeavors to hear the story of the man himself by the man himself.
This interview was recorded digitally and has been reproduced pretty much word for word, so you can get the true vibe of the man and what he's saying.
So, just sit back with a hot drink, or a beer and enjoy the journey this story will take you on.
Any editorial text is coloured black.
Bernie Schreiber Interview Birth date - 20/January - 1959
So, we’ll start at the beginning.
Please can you tell me about your upbringing ? . Were your family well off?
I would say, no, they were a very middle class American family. My mother, emigrated to the United States. She was born in Londonderry, Ireland and she emigrated in the early 50’s. My father was born in the Bronx, New York and he went to trade school to become machinist making special parts for aircraft and many government jobs. This was his trade.
So, we’ll start at the beginning.
Please can you tell me about your upbringing ? . Were your family well off?
I would say, no, they were a very middle class American family. My mother, emigrated to the United States. She was born in Londonderry, Ireland and she emigrated in the early 50’s. My father was born in the Bronx, New York and he went to trade school to become machinist making special parts for aircraft and many government jobs. This was his trade.
This is Bernie's old family house now. In the inset photo you can see Bernie sitting with his parents on the same steps in front of the same windows. I can't tell you how many streets I had to travel down to find this - ha ha :)
2014 Bernie Schreiber Interview
The rear house view with the inset picture from Bernie's book of the same garage.
2014 Bernie Schreiber Interview
I bet that alley down the side of Bernie's saw a fair bit of cycle action with Mr Schreiber.
2014 Bernie Schreiber Interview
Photos courtesy of Google earth. Google are based in California and you can really notice the better quality resolution they have uploaded for their neighbours.
My mother eventually had 3 children so I have 2 sisters. When you’re growing up and you want a dollar there was an attitude in our family that said “Here’s a broom, start sweeping”. My father was very clear about certain values and that was, that there was nothing free in life.
So that I can picture it in my head, did you have a timber built detached house with your aluminium mail box at the end of the foot path?
So that I can picture it in my head, did you have a timber built detached house with your aluminium mail box at the end of the foot path?
Bernie' old street and hangout in La Crasenta, LA.
2014 Bernie Schreiber Interview
We had a normal apartment in Los Angeles, when I was born. I think initially in Los Angeles we lived in an apartment for a couple of years, perhaps 3 or 4 years. After this we moved into a smaller house, in a different area until I was about 9 year old. It was quite an ok neighbourhood, but as we got older my parents wanted to move to a place where schools were better, so we moved up to La Crescenta. I stayed here until I graduated high school.
What area was this?
This was north of Los Angeles in a place called La Crescenta, near Pasadena. This is a small suburb, a nice suburb very close to the mountains. In fact it’s just one block away from the mountain’s , no more houses just mountains. This was the opportunity for me to start riding bicycles. There was always a hill, up and down or crossways.
So it was a perfect environment for off-road?
What area was this?
This was north of Los Angeles in a place called La Crescenta, near Pasadena. This is a small suburb, a nice suburb very close to the mountains. In fact it’s just one block away from the mountain’s , no more houses just mountains. This was the opportunity for me to start riding bicycles. There was always a hill, up and down or crossways.
So it was a perfect environment for off-road?
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Yes and basically I started at nine years old. I started with a paper round, even before i was supposed to have one. I was delivering the Herald in Los Angeles. I had the paper bag on me and after school I would fold up the newspapers and I looked after 25 clients. I would drop the newspapers of on the driveways or the doorsteps.
I can just picture it. Ive seen Bart Simpson doing this ha ha . Were you a kid who used to throw them onto the lawns?. Is this the done thing in America ? Yes, absolutely. That would be strange in the UK as everyone gets it posted through the letterbox you see? |
2014 Bernie Schreiber Interview
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Well yeah, you could have either. It would depend on the tip they gave you. They would either have them dropped at the porch or thrown onto the driveways ha ha .
So it would depend?
Exactly. That’s how it was. There were different levels of service depending on the tip that you would get at the end of the year. That’s how I really got onto 2 wheels. When I wasn’t riding the bicycle delivering newspapers I was on some hill trying to make a jump or something like that.
Have you got brothers and sisters?
2 sisters.
Older or younger?
Younger. One is living in Dallas now, with 2 children, the other is living in Los Angeles.
And what hobbies did you have when you lived at home other than push biking/cycling ?
I’d say that in school, the American schools, they have all the sports, so I tried basketball, baseball and football. I guess as a kid I liked the outdoors and I have to admit I always enjoyed more individual sports than team sports. There was always something that I still believe today. All sports ,whether a team won it or not ,was always because of 1 individual, either a player or a coach. Something or someone always comes out or stands out to make a difference. This can be the same whether it’s in a company or in sport. I like individual sports so I also played tennis when I was younger. I played in some competitions and then decided that motorcycling was more exciting ha ha .
Were you a good kid at school?
I have to admit, no. My mother was very tough, coming from British education. It was always important that you have to go to school to learn how to read and write. It was important for your future, but my grades were average. Some particular fields were above average some below average as well. I have a philosophy on education, that’s a little bit different maybe. Going through junior high school and high school, I was not focused . Let’s say I was more focused on motorcycling than I was academic – ha ha
Did you have any plans to continue education after school. Perhaps you wanted to go to University ?
No.
Oh ok ha ha .
Did you just want to get out there and do stuff?
When I was younger I had no desire to go further in education. I already had had all the opportunities to go to Europe when I was 18 .I had just graduated high school in 1977. I remember it was January 1977 in fact. I remember that I had left school 6 months earlier to start the Trials championship. I still managed to graduate but left school early. I wasn’t in the position that had to make a choice between them.
How did you manage that and having to be at school for the critical exam dates when you just have to be there?
Well I had enough graduation points. I worked a lot of summer schools to make up getting extra points and making better in classes that I hadn’t done to well in. I had no intention to go back to school. I really didn’t have the time or the finances to do that. My parents had 3 kids, you know , so there wasn’t a huge amount of money about.
So it would depend?
Exactly. That’s how it was. There were different levels of service depending on the tip that you would get at the end of the year. That’s how I really got onto 2 wheels. When I wasn’t riding the bicycle delivering newspapers I was on some hill trying to make a jump or something like that.
Have you got brothers and sisters?
2 sisters.
Older or younger?
Younger. One is living in Dallas now, with 2 children, the other is living in Los Angeles.
And what hobbies did you have when you lived at home other than push biking/cycling ?
I’d say that in school, the American schools, they have all the sports, so I tried basketball, baseball and football. I guess as a kid I liked the outdoors and I have to admit I always enjoyed more individual sports than team sports. There was always something that I still believe today. All sports ,whether a team won it or not ,was always because of 1 individual, either a player or a coach. Something or someone always comes out or stands out to make a difference. This can be the same whether it’s in a company or in sport. I like individual sports so I also played tennis when I was younger. I played in some competitions and then decided that motorcycling was more exciting ha ha .
Were you a good kid at school?
I have to admit, no. My mother was very tough, coming from British education. It was always important that you have to go to school to learn how to read and write. It was important for your future, but my grades were average. Some particular fields were above average some below average as well. I have a philosophy on education, that’s a little bit different maybe. Going through junior high school and high school, I was not focused . Let’s say I was more focused on motorcycling than I was academic – ha ha
Did you have any plans to continue education after school. Perhaps you wanted to go to University ?
No.
Oh ok ha ha .
Did you just want to get out there and do stuff?
When I was younger I had no desire to go further in education. I already had had all the opportunities to go to Europe when I was 18 .I had just graduated high school in 1977. I remember it was January 1977 in fact. I remember that I had left school 6 months earlier to start the Trials championship. I still managed to graduate but left school early. I wasn’t in the position that had to make a choice between them.
How did you manage that and having to be at school for the critical exam dates when you just have to be there?
Well I had enough graduation points. I worked a lot of summer schools to make up getting extra points and making better in classes that I hadn’t done to well in. I had no intention to go back to school. I really didn’t have the time or the finances to do that. My parents had 3 kids, you know , so there wasn’t a huge amount of money about.
What do you think you would have done for a career if motorcycling hadn’t worked out the way it did ?
Those times and days were so different. When you are 18 you have dreams about what you would like to do or wish to do. It’s important to have these dreams but it’s hard to pin point something that I would have done without ever trying it, you know.
Those times and days were so different. When you are 18 you have dreams about what you would like to do or wish to do. It’s important to have these dreams but it’s hard to pin point something that I would have done without ever trying it, you know.
2014 Bernie Schreiber Interview
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You mentioned on the phone to me that you had thought about being a Police officer?
Yeah, I did think about this but this was mainly because of a guy who lived across the road from our house. He was from the FBI or something like that . He had secret car and all that and I was always interested in what he was up to and what it would be like to investigate things. I never had the opportunity to understand what that was about as my life took my down another track. |
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You were on the pushbikes and then how did that develop into motorcycles?
When I started with this paper round on the bicycle the latest craze was to get a little mini bike. So, with this money I saved up I tried to get a small mini bike. I remember the Briggs and Stratton mini bikes were quite popular at that time. They were basically 2 wheeled lawn mowers ha ha. So that was it. I had the mini bike and I really liked that. Finally I got a motorcycle, which was a Kawasaki 90 . I remember it cost $160 and it being a lot of money back then. Gas was only 25c a gallon ha ha. This was my first motorcycle. |
2014 Bernie Schreiber Interview
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Bernie on his first proper motorcycle.
2014 Bernie Schreiber Interview photo the schreiber archive
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Finally I got a motorcycle , which I think was a Kawasaki 90 or something. I remember it was $160 and it being a lot of money back then. Gas was only 25c a gallon ha ha. After this a Kawasaki 90cc was my first full motorcycle.
Thank you to a Los Angeles Herald paper round, the bike was paid for. 
2014 Bernie Schreiber Interview
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