The Frenchman, after winning everything he could on dirt roads, also imposing himself in the United States, switched to asphalt with excellent results: several times in the points in the 250 and 500 and two successes in the Bol d’Or and one in the 24 Hours of Le Mans
– Milan
A sumptuous palmarés that of Jean Michel Bayle, a French pilot originally from Manosque, a village of about 23,000 souls in Provence. He is the only one in fact to have won flattering results in motocross (two world titles in 1988 in 125 and in 1989 in 250) and in speed, going several times in points in the World Cup of the 250 and 500 classes, even if on the asphalt he obtained his greatest satisfactions in endurance marathons, winning two Bol d’Ors And a 24 Hours of Le Mans.
on the bike at 6 years old
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Born on April 1, 1969, he began riding motorcycles as a child, when he was just 6 years old, while at the age of 13, in 1982, he won the Provence championship. In 1986, at the age of 17, he raced in the national championships and made his debut in the motocross world championship, finishing 23rd with a Kawasaki 125. But it was the following year, 1987, that JMB began to take it all. Just think, in the 125 of the French championship he stands out en plein by winning all six races that make up the tournament.
en plein on repeat
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In 1987 he was an official Honda rider. He is third overall in the World Championship and wins two French championships, standing out two en plein: 6 victories out of 6 races in the national championship and 7 out of 7 in Supercross. An undisturbed dictatorship. In 1988 is the year of the first triumph: becomes world champion of the 125 by winning five Grands Prix: Italy, Belgium, Spain, France and Switzerland to which he adds the “usual” national en plein, i.e. 13 victories out of 13 races held in the two French championships. In short, JMB is unbeatable.
the second world
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Bayle changes the engine size, from the 125 to the 250, but the result is the same: it’s a world championship encore with Honda. This time with 6 GPs won: Czechoslovakia, Holland, Venezuela. Germany, Sweden and Belgium. In short, no one seems able to stop him. Not satisfied with the European triumphs, JMB in 1990 decided to go and conquer America as well. And even in the United States he starts immediately making fire and flames: US vice-champion in the Supercross 250 to which he adds other successes in the 125. In 1991 it is a total triumph all “made in the USA”: Supercross 250 and Motocross champion in two classes: 250 and 500. No one before him had won three titles in the States in the same season, ridiculing all American specialists. And that’s why he was called “the hero of two worlds”: first the European one, then the American one. And his 1991 win record still stands. Even though it’s been over 30 years.
on the asphalt
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Jean Michel has the bike indelibly engraved in his DNA, so after winning everything there was to win on the dirt road he decides to change, attracted by the siren of the speed on asphalt. He’s a well-known and respected character all over the world, so it’s not a problem for him to find a motorbike and a place in a team in the world championship. After other victories on the US dirt road, for his debut on the asphalt in 1992 he was entrusted with a semi-official Honda in the Rothmans team with which he made his first and only race of that year in the French Grand Prix.
the transition to speed
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Then in 1993 he definitively switched to speed with aAprilia 250 officer and a place in the team as mate of Max Biaggi and gets his first placings finishing 22nd overall. The following year, we are in 1994, again with the 250 from Noale, he gained two fifth places in the French and English GPs and finished in eighth place in the championship standings, while in 1995 he took a pole position in the Argentine Grand Prix and finished however the championship in 15th position. Discreet results, but certainly not exciting for a rider subscribed to victories like Jean Michel Bayle was in motocross.
in the premier class
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In 1996 Bayle, thanks to the interest of Kenny Roberts, arrives at premier class: the 500. King Kenny initially gave him a Yamaha, then in ’97 the Modenas KR V3. With Yamaha he starts on pole at Brno in the GP of the Czech Republic and comes close to the podium with a good fourth place at Imola, in what will be his best result in the 500cc class. Another pole at Imola in 1998 with the Yamaha team from Wayne Rainey, but then a disastrous fall in Malaysia on the Kuala Lumpur circuit with fractures and a head injury forced him to a long recovery. In short, Bayle’s star seems to be dimming, but he starts to shine again in the Endurance marathons. He arrives at Suzuki and in 2000 he wins the 8 hours of Estoril in Portugal then in 2002, a few points in the 500 GP and a victory at the Bol d’Or, then the following year, again with the Suzuki GSX, he is first in the Bol d’Or and to 24 Hours of Le Mans. The latest important successes of this great French champion who came from a small village in the heart of Provence.
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