Jean-Claude Olivier helped launch the careers of many famous French riders including Patrick Pons, Christian Sarron and Stephane Peterhansel.
19 Facts About Jean-Claude Olivier
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Jean-Claude Olivier was a veteran of nine editions of the Dakar Rally, placing second in the motorcycle category in 1985.
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Jean-Claude Olivier joined the company in 1965 after his father recommended him to Veuillet for a position, and he was tasked with establishing Sonauto as France's first Yamaha motorcycle importer.
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Jean-Claude Olivier drove a van around France with a selection of motorcycles in the back, which he demonstrated to potential stockists, and soon established a network of Yamaha dealers.
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However, Jean-Claude Olivier immediately recognised the potential popularity of a powerful naked bike in Europe and arranged for it to be homologated for the Continent.
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Jean-Claude Olivier's racing experience includes participations in the Bol d'Or at Montlhery in 1969 and 1970.
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Jean-Claude Olivier himself won the final leg of the third stage and won the fourth stage, but collided with the Range Rover of Christophe Neveu in the following special stage.
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Jean-Claude Olivier lobbied the managers of Yamaha Japan to develop a more potent two-cylinder engine but was unsuccessful.
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Undeterred, Jean-Claude Olivier obtained an FZ750 engine and fitted it to an XT600 frame, creating a prototype known as the Yamaha FZ750 Tenere.
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The model was promising in testing and Jean-Claude Olivier gained full support from the factory to develop it.
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For 1988, Jean-Claude Olivier brought Andre Malherbe, a three-time Motocross World Champion, and young rider Stephane Peterhansel to the rally, but this edition proved tough.
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Jean-Claude Olivier was the first to come across the scene of the accident.
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Jean-Claude Olivier stopped to give first aid, and attracted the attention of the rescue crew by setting fire to Malherbe's motorcycle.
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Jean-Claude Olivier only left the scene to continue his own rally at Malherbe's urging.
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Jean-Claude Olivier himself fell and broke his arm later in the rally, but continued to ride and finished the event 7th overall.
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Jean-Claude Olivier competed 25 times in the Enduro du Touquet, an Enduro competition held on the beach and sand dunes in Le Touquet.
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Jean-Claude Olivier oversaw Yamaha's most successful era in the Dakar Rally, winning the event every year under his tenure until the brand decided not to continue following the 1998 event.
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Jean-Claude Olivier was instrumental in convincing Yamaha to return to Dakar in 2004, when David Fretigne took three stage wins and placed 7th in the final classification.
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Jean-Claude Olivier died in a traffic accident on 12 January 2013.