Pierre Karsmakers

Pierre Karsmakers (born 11 August 1946) is a Dutch former professional motocross racer. He competed in the FIM Motocross World Championships from 1966 to 1972 and the AMA Motocross Championships from 1973 to 1978, most prominently as a member of the Yamaha factory racing team where won the 1973 500 cc AMA National Championship.

Karsmakers became the first European motocross racer to compete in the AMA National Championships during a period when European racers dominated the sport. As the sport of motocross had yet to fully develop in the United States, he was credited with helping to improve the level of competition in American motocross. He was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2014. Five of the brothers competed in motocross racing. He was coached by his uncle Frans Baudoin, a former Dutch Motocross National Champion. Karsmakers began racing in 1964 riding a Greeves motorcycle and within 2 years had attained his professional racing license. At the age of 20, he won the 500 cc Dutch Motocross Championship and scored his first Motocross World Championship points at the 1967 250 cc Belgian Grand Prix riding a ČZ motorcycle. He finished the series ranked ninth overall. He won his third 500 cc Dutch Motocross Championship in 1972 and returned to compete in the 1972 Trans-AMA motocross series where he finished the series in 8th place on a Husqvarna motorcycle. The sport of motocross experienced explosive growth in 1973 and motorcycle manufacturers sought to capitalize on the expanding market with all four Japanese manufacturers fielding factory-backed teams alongside their European counterparts. In the early 1970s, European competitors dominated international motocross racing as the sport was just beginning to take root in the United States. 1973 marked only the second season of the AMA Motocross National Championship and Yamaha wanted a European motocross racer to show American competitors how to train and prepare their motorcycles.

Karsmakers chose to compete in the 1974 250 cc AMA National Championship despite not be registered in the points standings. He won three of the nine 250 cc rounds, earning what would have been the most championship points, but Gary Jones (Can-Am) was awarded the title. A collision with Tony DiStefano (Suzuki) dropped him from contention and relegated him to third place in the final points standings behind Jimmy Weinert (Yamaha) and Steve Stackable (Maico).

Career overview Karsmakers won 1 World Championship Grand Prix race and 23 AMA National races during his motocross racing career. He also imported BMX bicycles and accessories and became a promoter of BMX racing activities in the Netherlands.