Culture & Patrimoine Moto

Twice 250 cm³ world champion in 1983 and 1986 on Yamaha, Carlos Lavado left his mark on Grand Prix racing with a relentlessly attacking riding style. His titles, his machines, his rivals and his status as a Venezuelan legend.

First run in 1947 near The Hague, the Motocross des Nations is the great event where riders race for their country, not for a brand. Three separate events merged in 1985, Belgian domination, thirteen straight American wins and the Chamberlain Trophy: the verified history of the MXoN.

Built in a small series to homologate Honda in Superbike, the 1987 VFR750R RC30 pairs a 748 cm³ V4 with gear-driven camshafts and a single-sided swingarm. Fred Merkel hands it the first two world titles, Dunlop and Hislop make it win at the TT.

748 cm³, a two-stroke triple, 74 hp and a chassis from another decade: the 1972 Kawasaki H2 750 Mach IV is still the most brutal road bike of its time. We also set the record straight on the “Widowmaker” nickname and on its real factory colours.

From the Honda NXR-750, queen of the Paris-Dakar, to the modern CRF1100L with DCT, a deep dive into the history of the Africa Twin, the adventurous trail bike that has made generations of bikers dream.