Vintage Weekend with World Champion Bernie Schreiber in Indiana, U.S.A.

American’s only World Trials Champion and Scottish Six Days Trial winner Bernie Schreiber conducted his first RIDE VINTAGE two-day Training weekend on May, 24/25 at Mount Wawasee Lodge in Indiana. Schreiber, being the most successful Trials rider ever from the USA, shared his wealth of knowledge and overseas experience with twenty participants attending from five States. The weekend was exclusively reserved for twin-shock machines.

The Vintage weekend event was hosted by Michiana Trials Team in Indiana a member club of (MOTA) The Michigan Ontario Trials Association created on February 19, 1967, in Detroit, Michigan. MOTA has a long history in American Trials hosting American National Championships and a World Championship in 1977 of which Schreiber competed. Just two years later Schreiber competed at the AMA National Championship on May 26th, 1979 in Indiana, the same year he won the World Championship.

2025 marks a special moment for Schreiber who started Trials competition fifty-five years ago in California and still competes in Vintage events today. 1970 was the beginning of what later became a successful Trials career overseas in the late 1970’s and 80’s. This year is a celebration of 55 years of competing in a sport which originated in 1909 throughout parts of the United Kingdom.

Schreiber was thrilled to ride his late fathers 1972 Bultaco Sherpa which has been fully restored by Duane Tope for the occasion. Tope from Indiana has a long history in Vintage Trials bikes restorations and competition, winning the AMA Twin-shock Trials Champion title in 2023. 

Schreiber treated the 20 Vintage enthusiasts to his structured training format based on lessons learned in becoming a World, National, and Scottish Six Days Trials Champion, which included fundamental techniques from his book ‘Observed Trials’ by Len Weed. Schreiber said: “Its not just skills and hard work, everyone at the top level has great techniques, but your mindset is what makes you a winner. That’s the only difference. Learning to ride a Trials bike, is not the same as learning to ride Trials.” He continued to focus on competition successes and practicing with purpose by design. “The best way to practice is to prioritize on the things you need to practice, and knowing which tasks should get top priority, then act to get maximum returns.”

Scotland is Schreiber’s next stop at the annual Highland Classic two-day trial on June 7/8 to compete with 200 twin-shock participants at Alvie Estate, near Aviemore.

All photos copyright: Cory Tope