Photo: T. White
1968 CZ 360
Paul Friedrichs Like most motorcycle manufacBorn in Buchholz East Germany in didn’t get any higher than the FIM 1940 Paul Friedrichs was a 3-time turers at that time, CZ originally Motocross world Championship. started out as an arms and ammu500cc motocross world champinition company but after World War In 1960 Miroslav Souchek gave CZ on and the first rider to ever win I the need for weapons started three world titles in a row, winning its first world championship overall to wane, and after acquiring a in the premier class in 1966, ’67 podium when he ripped to 3rd in bicycle parts manufacturing plant and ’68. All those titles were won the 250cc world championship, in 1929 things really started to on the Czech branded CZ machine whilst 3 years later Vlastimil Valek turn around for CZ. After the first and Igor Grigoriev claimed 2nd becoming the first rider to win the motorised bicycle hit the roads in 500cc title on a 2-stroke in an era and 3rd overall respectively in the 1932 the production of full-blown dominated 4-strokes. was same category. The 125ccby class in theWhat European Championship usually puts a spotlight on the Joel nextRobert betmotorcycles soon followed and be- tered that by claiming the 250cc even more impressive was the fact big in those motocross. In won fact both theCZ 2015 Motocross and foreoflong was FIM the biggest man- World thatname each of titles were title in Champions 1964 as Victor Arbekov took ufacturer in what was then known on a CZ 360cc and it’s his 1968 3rd before winning it himself the vice-world champions Romain Febvre, Gautier Paulin, Tim Gajser and Pauls Jonass as Czechoslovakia. During the championship winning bike that we following year in 1965, and whilst have all won the EMX125 championship on their paths to motocross supremacy. are featuring in this issue of MXGP 1950’s and ‘60’s CZ had grown to all of this was happening in the become the second largest manu- 250cc class, Paul Friedrichs was Magazine. Well actually, it’s more facturer in Europe after claiming a pushing for the 500cc title but lost of a journey as to how his ‘68 bike succession of victories in various came to be. out to Jeff Smith on his BSA. high profile competitions, and it
58
MXGP MAG 2016 MXGP.COM