Top left: 1967 Suzuki Twin cylinder, water-cooled two-stroke. 14-speed gear-box
Right: Hugh Anderson at the German Grand Prix in Solitude
Bottom left: Jan de Vries on the German Kreidler-Van Veen single cylinder two-stroke
to 125cc, 250, and 500cc.
There are several reasons the manufacturers,
at the time, took an interest in such
small capacity machines. In the case of
Derbi, a leading Spanish manufacturer of
bicycles. The company undertook the task
of fitting an engine to a bicycle. It soon
became dominant in the local moped and
light motorcycle market of the 1950s, but
it wasn’t until the 1960s that Derbi made
its mark in road racing. In the first 50cc
Grand Prix of 1962 it could manage only
10th behind a swarm of Suzukis, Kreidlers,
and Hondas. It wasn’t until 1967 that Angel
Nieto came fourth in the Spanish GP and
again in 1968. Nieto made his intention
clear taking the World Championship in
both 1969 and 1970. He did it again in 1972.
Could there be any better brand exposure
on a continent swarming with small
capacity machines?
Although the Derbi story illustrates the
Sharing your passion
facebo
ok.com
82 KIWI RIDER
/Caffein
eAndCla
ssics