page 8 2014 Bernie Schreiber feature interview
So you first competed in your first World Trial at the age of 15 and you got a good placing of 7th. Was this the time when you realised that you could do really well. Did you have great self-belief then ?.
Yeah, I think so. I rode this World Championship trial in Los Angeles, with an “X” on my bib. I was allowed to ride but only just. I finished 7th so I was very happy with that. I then went to the Scottish and watched the event.
So you were equipped for going over to Europe?
Well, I was equipped for sections but I wasn’t equipped for going over there. I felt that being equipped for the sections was only part of the equation.
So what part weren’t you equipped for?
Yeah, I think so. I rode this World Championship trial in Los Angeles, with an “X” on my bib. I was allowed to ride but only just. I finished 7th so I was very happy with that. I then went to the Scottish and watched the event.
So you were equipped for going over to Europe?
Well, I was equipped for sections but I wasn’t equipped for going over there. I felt that being equipped for the sections was only part of the equation.
So what part weren’t you equipped for?
I wasn’t equipped for the cold weather, languages, I wasn’t equipped for food as well. I wasn’t equipped for cultures, you know. There were no mobile phones and we had to equip yourself with everything.
Come to think about it .......we are a bit of a strange bunch over here :)
Did you have the money to survive well and get on?
No, I had nothing. This was a whole different environment so I had to adapt and adapt and adapt to a lot of things you know.
So how did you start to get involved in Europe in the World Championship?
Well that was with Bultaco, John Grace. He had an agreement with the factory in Spain that he would support me to pay for my trip to Europe as a paid trip. It was kind of like a one way ticket to try out and see how you can do. If you don’t have any good results then they would probably just send you back again. It was kind of test type of thing. I think I surprised them in my first year as I had results in the top ten already. They decided to send me and give me a break back in the US for a couple of months and send me back again. Then the second time I went back the results got even better. The factory also helped support me as an additional rider on the World Championship scene. They knew that if what happened in Europe got back to the US press, it would support the brand, you know. They saw this as an opportunity.
So, were you sent over alone?. Were you sent over on the plane or the boat?
Yes, plane.
And you came over with no bike?
No bike. This first trip was a trip to Belgium so I flew across. There are some things that I do forget and there are some things I do not forget ha ha. I remember I didn’t have much money. I just had a suit case and some Dunlop boots. Marcel Wirtz , the Bultaco importer in Belgium got his father to pick me up from the airport. I'd never been to Belgium and I didn't speak the language .The father didn't speak English. He was waiting there with a sign at the airport I remember. I got in his Mercedes – Benz car. The father was aged at this time 67 and he drove in the snow from Brussels to Liege as they had a bike for me, a Bultaco. It was really cold outside. Really ,really cold with thick snow on the ground. When we got to his house the importership was in a barn attached to his house. I slept in the barn in just my jacket. I was shivering so bad.
No, I had nothing. This was a whole different environment so I had to adapt and adapt and adapt to a lot of things you know.
So how did you start to get involved in Europe in the World Championship?
Well that was with Bultaco, John Grace. He had an agreement with the factory in Spain that he would support me to pay for my trip to Europe as a paid trip. It was kind of like a one way ticket to try out and see how you can do. If you don’t have any good results then they would probably just send you back again. It was kind of test type of thing. I think I surprised them in my first year as I had results in the top ten already. They decided to send me and give me a break back in the US for a couple of months and send me back again. Then the second time I went back the results got even better. The factory also helped support me as an additional rider on the World Championship scene. They knew that if what happened in Europe got back to the US press, it would support the brand, you know. They saw this as an opportunity.
So, were you sent over alone?. Were you sent over on the plane or the boat?
Yes, plane.
And you came over with no bike?
No bike. This first trip was a trip to Belgium so I flew across. There are some things that I do forget and there are some things I do not forget ha ha. I remember I didn’t have much money. I just had a suit case and some Dunlop boots. Marcel Wirtz , the Bultaco importer in Belgium got his father to pick me up from the airport. I'd never been to Belgium and I didn't speak the language .The father didn't speak English. He was waiting there with a sign at the airport I remember. I got in his Mercedes – Benz car. The father was aged at this time 67 and he drove in the snow from Brussels to Liege as they had a bike for me, a Bultaco. It was really cold outside. Really ,really cold with thick snow on the ground. When we got to his house the importership was in a barn attached to his house. I slept in the barn in just my jacket. I was shivering so bad.
Bernie's first ride on this 1977 life changing trip abroad was in Belgium. Despite the cold and rain he finished 5th, two points behind World Champion Vrjo Vesterninen. This was the best result for any American Trials rider abroad ever.
John Grace was a Bultaco dealer in Malaga, Spain. He also worked in development of numerous Bultaco motorcycles. He was held in such high regard by the factory that his suggestion of the name "Bultaco" for the new company, was adopted. "Bult" being the family name of founder Francesc Xavier Bulto and "aco" being the last part of Paco. Paco is the abbreviated name for Francesc.
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I've never been to LA , but I look upon it as being a really warm place and you're coming to Belgium and Europe. How did you like the cold and how did you cope with the cold?
I didn’t like the cold. I didn't then and I don't now, today. I didn't cope well with the cold that's for sure ha ha . It was very difficult for me. I also missed a lot of things from back home.
I didn’t like the cold. I didn't then and I don't now, today. I didn't cope well with the cold that's for sure ha ha . It was very difficult for me. I also missed a lot of things from back home.
Los Angeles in the 70's was still a city but I considered it to be astate of the art city with a fantastic infrastructure. Los Angeles international airport etc, you know I mean. People would talk much later on about getting McDonalds in Moscow and London , but I was eating this as a kid. Everything was nice out there. The weather was nice, it was clean. It was a very advanced place for the time.
Then you were coming over to Belgium and England in the late 70's, how was that a contrast back then to the advanced infrastructure of LA ha ha ? Yeah, that was difficult as well. I have to say England at this time wasn’t in a recession, it was in a depression. |
It really was. You know how the times were in the 70's (How dare you suggest I’m that old J). It was not easy. I always said, at least I could speak the language so that was an opportunity. When I went to Spain in the second part of my first year in 77, I went from Belgium to Spain. In Spain it was still very poor. It was nice but I didn't feel like they were supportive there so much to me . That's when they decided I would come to London and go stay with Comerfords. Mr Comerford was fantastic for me, he really was.I have really good souvenirs of working there with Pete Hudson and Mr Comerford himself. He was really supportive, even though I was a mess and some California kid lost in space. It was warm and dusty in Spain, so I felt more at home. I finished 3rd there which I was happy with.
Yesterday I was at a motorcycle enduro with Colin Boniface. He helps to organise them. I told him I was coming to see you and hi eyes just lit up? What can you remember about Colin?
He said he used to pick you up from the airport. He has a photo of you getting your membership to the Witley motorcycle club. The
club gave you an honorary membership. In fact Colin’s Dad gave you the membership and so for him, this is a really important
photo. He just didn't have the time to get the photo over to me to get it signed but he would have loved to.
Yeah, when I was at the point of me leaving the AMA, the American Motorcycle Association and I wanted to ride over here.
He said he used to pick you up from the airport. He has a photo of you getting your membership to the Witley motorcycle club. The
club gave you an honorary membership. In fact Colin’s Dad gave you the membership and so for him, this is a really important
photo. He just didn't have the time to get the photo over to me to get it signed but he would have loved to.
Yeah, when I was at the point of me leaving the AMA, the American Motorcycle Association and I wanted to ride over here.
A very young Colin Boniface showing his rarely known skill of Unicycling. Photo taken at the SSDT in front of the Comerfords caravan - thanks Colin.
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Interesting photo :) . Colin Boniface is now one of the stalwarts of the UK's Enduro community. Here he has just lit a rocket to start the Boxing Day Enduro.
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Throughout the year of 1977 Bernie scored some amazing results including a 2nd in Germany for the rookie from the USA. Everyone sat up and looked, wondering, who is this kid from America ? Bernie went back home ecstatic.
Bernie rode under the Witley Motorcycle club in the UK
Bernie attends a Witley Motorcycle Club night in 1979. From left to right (I think) . Barry Roads, Dave Renham (In Motion Bultaco UK), Bernie Schreiber, Philip Edwards, John Dismore and Philip Miller. |
I needed to get signed up with the governing body in the UK that run the sport. They accepted my licence there so I could ride
within the British championship. You had to have a National licence to compete in the World Championship as well. Colin was like a friend of Pete Hudson. He lived not so far away from Pete’s we'd go out, especially at night. We'd go out and do things. I think I had a few drinks with Colin for sure ha ha. He was a good rider, a really nice kid. I think for him, it was just as much of a shock to leave the UK and go into Europe and compete as it was for me to leave as well. That was the feeling that I had. Comerford’s also supported Martin Lampkin as well, so I had some rivalry definitely at this point.
Was this rivalry very good and talkative and supportive with the other riders? Were there any distance between you and other riders because of the competitive times you were in?
within the British championship. You had to have a National licence to compete in the World Championship as well. Colin was like a friend of Pete Hudson. He lived not so far away from Pete’s we'd go out, especially at night. We'd go out and do things. I think I had a few drinks with Colin for sure ha ha. He was a good rider, a really nice kid. I think for him, it was just as much of a shock to leave the UK and go into Europe and compete as it was for me to leave as well. That was the feeling that I had. Comerford’s also supported Martin Lampkin as well, so I had some rivalry definitely at this point.
Was this rivalry very good and talkative and supportive with the other riders? Were there any distance between you and other riders because of the competitive times you were in?
I see trials much more these days as I see golf, you know. You look back on the days in the 80's you know. There were rivalries but we would talk to each other, you know. We would help each other, but today nobody talks to anybody. Nobody helps anybody. They are completely separate. I used to go with Martin to Spain and he would take me to an event. It was focused on “Ok let’s go to Spain, ride and come back as soon as possible”. There was no wasting time, there was no experiencing anything, not interested. I'm sure Doug is completely different but this was very much the mentality I felt then , apart from Mick Andrews. A lot of the other British riders were very focused and narrow minded on doing a job. Mick was always relaxed and he would always stay abroad. He had a different philosophy. Everybody is different.
When you had the 7th place in 1974 in the USA World Trial, did you get a special gift?
I can't remember.
I thought you were given a Bultaco Sherpa?
Yes I remember, from Fernando Amuniez. I knew there was something. That was his bike that he left and the factory left it behind. I don't know if it was a gift. It was a factory…. a so called factory bike. Was it a special gift or a big piece of metal they didn't want to
go back to Spain? ha ha ha.
When you had the 7th place in 1974 in the USA World Trial, did you get a special gift?
I can't remember.
I thought you were given a Bultaco Sherpa?
Yes I remember, from Fernando Amuniez. I knew there was something. That was his bike that he left and the factory left it behind. I don't know if it was a gift. It was a factory…. a so called factory bike. Was it a special gift or a big piece of metal they didn't want to
go back to Spain? ha ha ha.
We're you very strong headed and determined as a young adult?. We're you absolutely breathing reading and sleeping trials?
I'd say pretty much, 100%.
Had you already thought at this stage that you could be World Champion or not?
I felt that in 1978 the year before I won. Probably in 1978 , but not untill after I had had a couple of wins . Not before this , that’s for sure. I never saw the opportunity. It seemed like 1977 was easy. 1978 got more difficult for me to sustain and cope with this European culture and the people. It was getting tougher and tougher to the point where I wondered if I was going to continue. “Am I going to do really do something else with my life or not”. I'd gone so far that I have to finish it. That's how I felt at this time.
I'd say pretty much, 100%.
Had you already thought at this stage that you could be World Champion or not?
I felt that in 1978 the year before I won. Probably in 1978 , but not untill after I had had a couple of wins . Not before this , that’s for sure. I never saw the opportunity. It seemed like 1977 was easy. 1978 got more difficult for me to sustain and cope with this European culture and the people. It was getting tougher and tougher to the point where I wondered if I was going to continue. “Am I going to do really do something else with my life or not”. I'd gone so far that I have to finish it. That's how I felt at this time.