Bengt Edvin Åberg (26 June 1944 – 6 March 2021[1][2][3]) was a Swedish professional motocross racer.[4] He competed in the Motocross World Championships from 1966 to 1979, most prominently as a member of the Husqvarna factory racing team where he won two FIM 500cc Motocross World Championships.

Bengt Åberg
Åberg on his Husky at the 1969 Westlake GP in California. Åberg won the race.
NationalitySwedish
Born(1944-06-26)26 June 1944
Gävleborg County, Sweden
Died6 March 2021(2021-03-06) (aged 76)
Motocross career
Years active1966–1979
TeamsHusqvarna, Bultaco, Yamaha
Championships500cc - 1969, 1970
Wins12

Biography

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Åberg was born in Gävleborg County, Sweden. He was one of the top riders in the Motocross Grand Prix World Championships during the late 1960s and early 1970s.[5] In 1968 he was part of the Swedish team that won the Trophée des Nations. He won the FIM 500cc Motocross World Championship in 1969 and 1970 while riding for the Husqvarna factory racing team.[6][7] Åberg was a member of three victorious Swedish teams at the Motocross des Nations in 1970, 1971, and 1974. In 1974, 1975 and 1976, he rode for the Bultaco factory in the 500cc class.

In 1977 he competed on a highly modified four stroke Yamaha XT500 built in collaboration with former world champions Torsten Hallman and Sten Lundin.[8][9] Åberg rode the bike to a victory in the first moto of the 1977 500cc Luxembourg Grand Prix and ended the season ranked 9th in the final world championship standings.[8][9]

In 1995, he won the Swedish ice speedway national championships. He was a longtime member of the Bollnäs Motorklubb, serving on the board and helping design local motocross tracks.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Godspeed Bengt Aberg". motoheadmag.com. 7 March 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  2. ^ "Godspeed Bengt Aberg". motocrossactionmag.com. 10 March 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  3. ^ Webb, Tom (2021-03-10). "THE WEEKLY FEED: BENGT ABERG RIP • NEW PRODS • 300 TPI HARD ENDURO SETUP". Dirt Bike Magazine. Retrieved 2024-09-24.
  4. ^ "Bengt Åberg career profile". bestsports.com. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  5. ^ "The History of the Swedes". mxgp.com. Retrieved 2016-02-28.
  6. ^ "1969 500cc motocross world championship final standings". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  7. ^ "1970 500cc motocross world championship final standings". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  8. ^ a b "Torsten Hallman 2005". mxworksbike.com. Retrieved 2016-02-27.
  9. ^ a b "GP Classic Steel: HL 500". pulpmx.com. Retrieved 2016-02-27.