MXGP #52 SPECIAL VINTAGE EDITION 2017

Page 155

JEAN MICHEL BAYLE

a Pro Circuit Honda he collected his first Supercross podium in Miami, a second place behind Rick Johnson, and later claimed a fantastic win in Gainesville for the opening round of the 250cc Motocross series. That was as far as he went that year as he had the challenge of the 250cc World Championship class to take care of. He returned to Europe but missed the first GP of the season as he broke his arm while practicing. It wasn’t enough to stop him claiming his second world title for Honda before he upped sticks and moved to the US with the full support of Roger De Coster, then the off road manager of American Honda. He maintained the pattern that he had established in Grand Prix of one full year to learn and the second

to win. With just a handful of supercross races to his name in 1989 to test the water, he was back full time for 1990 where he finished runner up and the following year he won the Supercross title. That 1991 season was a truly incredible year as Bayle became the first and only rider to ever claim three crowns as he added both the 250cc motocross title and the 500cc motocross title to his tally. He could of and perhaps should have had a long and profitable career in the US, but JMB had other plans and during the 1992 season he convinced Honda and some of his long term partners to give him a chance to move into road racing. When he raced

155


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.
MXGP #52 SPECIAL VINTAGE EDITION 2017 by MXGP MAG - Issuu