Heikki Mikkola
1976 Husqvarna CR 250 Belgium’s Roger De Coster Heikki Mikkola is a grand Husqvarna’s chief engias the Suzuki rider swept prix God and was the first neer Urban Larsson and to his fourth world title. Finnish rider to win a overall director of design During the ’75 campaign world motocross champiRubin Helmin were pasand despite Husqvarna’s onship when he lifted the sionate about what they pedigree in winning, both 500cc title in 1974 aboard were doing but only had Mikkola and his American his Husqvarna MC 360. In limited resources comteammate Brad Lackey were 1976, he switched to the pared to the Japanese concerned about the bikes 250cc class and made anwhen it came to developcapabilities to perform at other piece of history by bement. the highest level, saying that coming the first rider to win more improvements needed titles in two different classIn ‘74 Larsson took the to be made in order to be es, after beating Guennady lightweight 250cc and competitive. If we cast puts back a spotlight Moisseev a single point, turnedon it into a short The 125cc by class in the European Championship usually the next to 1974 when Mikkola won and it’s his 1976 Husqvarna stroke 354cc - equipped big in motocross. In fact both the 2015 FIM World and box theof500cc title on hisMotocross HusqCRname 250 that we will feature with aChampions 6-speed gear varnaGautier MC 360,Paulin, the signs in this issue of MXGP Magrumoured 40bhp vice-world champions Romain Febvre, Tim Gajserand andaPauls Jonass were already on the wall for azine. at 8,000 rpm which was have all won the EMX125 championship on their paths to motocross supremacy. the Swedish firm; the Japaphenomenal at that time. nese brands were starting After winning his first title Whilst it was good enough to dominate and had been in 1974, Mikkola lost out in for Mikkola to win the for a while, and only Husky his quest to make it back500cc title, it was too was seen as the real genuto-back wins in 1975 after much for the average Joe ine threat. he was pipped to the post by in production form.
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MXGP MAG 2017 MXGP.COM