page 9 2014 Bernie Schreiber feature interview
2014 Bernie Schreiber Interview -
|
It’s rumoured that you went to watch the 1976 Scottish Six days trial and that
when Coultard injured his shoulder you dressed in his clothes and rode some of the sections in his gear? That's correct...but it's not a rumour ha ha ha. That got everyone wondering at the time. That again was a trip with the Trial de Espania funding . They decided one year , to go to the World Championship . The next time they would send nine young riders to the Scottish to see the Scottish six days. I have my own opinions about the Scottish. That was never my dream. If I look back on it now, it's like playing golf at St Andrews in Scotland . I'm very proud of my win but it's not the type of trials that I grew up with. I didn't like the fact that someone else was judging me and that I didn't know what the score was. I thought that the Scottish lacked transparity within the scoring system, meaning, that I didn't see my score card all day. In America we always had a punch card. I would know what score I had. In Scotland I’d know the score I had but other people might have different idea. People would say I got a two, but would they write down a three or five. This was the part I didn't like. Also , I didn't like the cold. I thought the country side was beautiful but it was so ,so cold. It was cold. I also thought there was some luck involved in the Scottish in the draw of the numbers. With all of these things combined it’s not a place I want to go again. It was to long for me. |
Bernie back in February 1979 at the Rhayader, UK World Trial. It sure was a change of weather for the Socal kid .
2014 Bernie Schreiber Interview .Photo TMX
Bernie riding an awesome section (you can tell i've been hanging out with Bernie) at Caillich during the 1980 Scottish Six Days Trial
2014 Bernie Schreiber Interview photo iain lawrie
I didn’t like the way that the whole structure was including the painting here and painting there of various parts on your bike. You
can't change this. Its rules and regulations. I just wanted to ride and clean sections. I didn't want to go into this type of setting.
Basically I rode this once in, I think 1977 and as Coultard in 1976. I went back in 1977 and 1979 maybe and won in 1982. After than , i said i'm never going back again. It was better my Scottish story finished like that.
Then I left Bultaco and went to Italjet and then left Italjet and went to SWM.
can't change this. Its rules and regulations. I just wanted to ride and clean sections. I didn't want to go into this type of setting.
Basically I rode this once in, I think 1977 and as Coultard in 1976. I went back in 1977 and 1979 maybe and won in 1982. After than , i said i'm never going back again. It was better my Scottish story finished like that.
Then I left Bultaco and went to Italjet and then left Italjet and went to SWM.
|
2014 Bernie Schreiber Interview
|
|
Well in 1981 ,Gilles Burgat won the Scottish with an SWM. He then
he left and went to Fantic, so SWM were left with me as their number one rider. I had a huge argument with Piero Kucluklan who I was living with and his wife in Milan. He was the manager of the SWM team. He was a dentist and probably one of the most inspiring and the most supportive men for me in my life in general. Not just trials but as a person. We're still in touch today and exchanged some emails a few weeks ago. He obviously had quite an impact on you? Yes he did. It was all about life. His wife was a philosophy teacher. He really changed me. The whole Italjet experience was really bad and it changed my life completely. Piero helped me so much. |
2014 Bernie Schreiber Interview
|
Finally we agreed that I would go to the Scottish and I would ride the Scottish but only after a fight. I told Piero, I'll go but if I win I'm not going back again, ever. I'll go back just for you. That’s basically just what I said. I didn't have to go to the Scottish in the contract, so I could have refused it. I wasn’t obligated you see. I was contracted to ride the the World Championship but not the Scottish .
So , for Piero I went and rode and I won the Scottish six days. Its reported somewhere that I mentioned to a British journalist that I said “If I win I'm never coming back”. I think it was quite an interesting story. I'm very proud of that win as the Scottish has been
around since the beginning of trials . It’s something great.
How did the guy from SWM change your life?
It was just in general with him. He was a dentist and also half Armenian. I think his father was Armenian and his mother was Italian.
His wife was a teacher in philosophy. He was a genius and he really opened me up about a lot of other things besides trials. We
would hardly ever talk about trials. I was living in the house with them almost like a son for a year. After this I had my own place in
Milan. This was the time when I really starting to grow up. I was living in Milan during those years from 1980 to 1985. You know, just understanding the streets. Its like living in New York or London. I just became street smart at this time. It got me to think like this.
He taught me a lot about life in general. He changed my life and to look at life from a different perspective. I'm American kid from
California, it was kind of an artificial World until he taught me this.
So , for Piero I went and rode and I won the Scottish six days. Its reported somewhere that I mentioned to a British journalist that I said “If I win I'm never coming back”. I think it was quite an interesting story. I'm very proud of that win as the Scottish has been
around since the beginning of trials . It’s something great.
How did the guy from SWM change your life?
It was just in general with him. He was a dentist and also half Armenian. I think his father was Armenian and his mother was Italian.
His wife was a teacher in philosophy. He was a genius and he really opened me up about a lot of other things besides trials. We
would hardly ever talk about trials. I was living in the house with them almost like a son for a year. After this I had my own place in
Milan. This was the time when I really starting to grow up. I was living in Milan during those years from 1980 to 1985. You know, just understanding the streets. Its like living in New York or London. I just became street smart at this time. It got me to think like this.
He taught me a lot about life in general. He changed my life and to look at life from a different perspective. I'm American kid from
California, it was kind of an artificial World until he taught me this.
A nice photo of Bernie riding the Bultaco , but with just one glove
2014 Bernie Schreiber Interview photo solomoto