Bernard Schreiber (born January 20, 1959), is an American former international motorcycle trials rider. He became the only American to win the FIM Trial World Championship in 1979. Schreiber is also four-time winner of the NATC Trials Championship, winning the title in 1978, 1982, 1983 and 1987. In 2000 he was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame and, in 2020 he was named an FIM Legend.

Biography Born in Los Angeles, California, Schreiber started competing in trials at the age of 10 in 1969. Within a few years he had established himself as a top contender in Southern California and began competing in the FIM Trial World Championship in 1977 at 17 years of age. In 1978 he won the US national title and finished third in the World Trials Championship behind defending champion Yrjo Vesterinen and Martin Lampkin, racking up victories in France, Spain, the United States and Italy in the process.

Schreiber made history in 1979 when he became the first American to win the World Trials Championship. After a slow start to the season Schreiber put together four wins and three additional podiums out of the last eight rounds to take the title. A midseason switch from Bultaco to Italjet during 1980 helped Schreiber end the season on a high, winning the last four rounds, but not quite enough to retain the title finishing second behind Swede Ulf Karlsson.

A mixed season followed in 1981 and prompted a switch to SWM for 1982. Only missing the podium twice all 1982 saw him again runner up, this time to emerging Belgian talent Eddy Lejeune. 1982 also marked Schreiber's only victory at the prestigious Scottish Six Days Trial, coming from behind to overtake Lejeune on the last day of the competition. His good riding paid dividends in the US Nationals with Schreiber taking back-to-back national championship titles in 1982 and 1983. Schreiber and Lejeune battled for the world title over the next couple of years with Lejeune edging out the American both years. After returning to the US national championship, Schreiber took his fourth and final US title in 1987 riding a Fantic.

National Trials Championship Career

Year Class Machine Rd1 Rd2 Rd3 Rd4 Rd5 Rd6 Rd7 Rd8 Rd9 Rd10 Points Pos Notes 1980 British Championship Bultaco STD10 COL7 CLE- LOM- MIT- ALL- RED- TRA- PRE- WEL- 5 17th 1982 NATC Champ SWM FL- CA1 MT1 MT1 RI1 MA1 NY- TN- 75 1st NATC US National Champion 1983 NATC Champ SWM TX1 TX1 TX1 CA- AZ- PN- MI1 IL1 75 1st NATC US National Champion

International Trials Championship Career

Year Class Machine Rd1 Rd2 Rd3 Rd4 Rd5 Rd6 Rd7 Rd8 Rd9 Rd10 Rd11 Rd12 Points Pos Notes 1977 FIM World Championship Bultaco IRL- GBR- BEL5 SPA3 FRA5 GER2 USA- CAN7 SWE8 FIN6 CZE8 SUI7 53 7th 1978 FIM World Championship Bultaco IRL9 GBR8 BEL- FRA1 SPA1 GER2 USA1 ITA1 AUT2 SWE3 FIN6 CZE2 116 3rd 1979 FIM World Championship Bultaco IRL- GBR7 BEL6 NED4 SPA1 FRA2 CAN3 USA1 ITA2 SWE1 FIN7 CZE1 115 1st FIM World Champion 1980 FIM World Championship Bultaco / Italjet IRL4 GBR8 BEL5 SPA1 AUT7 FRA1 SUI-GER- ITA1 FIN1 SWE1 CZE1 111 2nd 1981 FIM World Championship Italjet SPA3 BEL8 IRL- GBR- FRA4 ITA3 AUT6 USA8 FIN5 SWE3 CZE2 GER- 66 6th 1982 FIM World Championship SWM SPA2 BEL2 GBR1 ITA2 FRA3 GER2 AUT3 CAN1 USA3 FIN10 SWE4 POL3 127 2nd 1983 FIM World Championship SWM SPA1 BEL4 GBR3 IRL2 USA6 FRA2 AUT2 ITA4 SUI3 FIN5 SWE1 GER3 123 2nd 1984 FIM World Championship SWMSPA3 BEL8 GBR1 IRL4 FRA4 GER1 USA10 CAN6 AUT6 ITA5 FIN4 SWE4 152 3rd 1986 FIM World Championship YamahaBEL- GBR8 IRL11 SPA8 FRA9 USA8 CAN12 GER9 AUT11 ITA12 SWE5 FIN8 75 7th 1987 FIM World Championship Fantic SPA8 BEL- GBR- IRL- GER- FRA- USA13 AUT- ITA- CZE- SUI- SWE- 11 20th

Honors US NATC Trials Champion 1978, 1982, 1983, 1987 FIM Trials World Champion 1979 Scottish Six Day Trial Winner 1982 BBC Kick Start Champion 1982, 1983

References