Jean-Michel Bayle
Jean-Michel Bayle is a French former professional motorcycle racer. He was one of the most successful riders of his era, achieving success at the highest levels in both motocross and road racing.Biography
Born in Manosque, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Bayle won the FIM 125cc motocross world championship in 1988, and the 250cc motocross world championship a year later. He competed in the United States in 1991, becoming the first rider to win all three major AMA motocross championships in the same year. Having won many of the major motocross championships, Bayle became one of the few riders to switch motorcycling disciplines, going from dirt track motocross events to pavement based road race events.
He competed in the 250cc road racing world championship for the Aprilia factory racing team during the 1994 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season, and in 1996 moved up to the 500cc class for the Kenny Roberts-Yamaha team. He scored points twice in 1999. He managed one pole position in the 250cc class and 2 poles in the 500cc division but, never managed to finish on the podium. In 2002, he teamed with Sébastien Gimbert and Nicolas Dussauge to win the Bol d'or and the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance races. Bayle suffered serious injuries during the 2002 season and retired from road racing competition.
He still competes in motocross events and campaigned in the French observed trials national championship. Bayle was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2000.Races by year
| Year | Class | Bike | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | | Pts |
| 1992 | 250cc | Honda | JPN | AUS | MAL | SPA | ITA | EUR | GER | NED | HUN | FRA
24 | GBR | BRA | RSA | | | | NC | 0 |
| 1993 | 250cc | Aprilia | AUS
19 | MAL
16 | JPN
21 | SPA
14 | AUT
17 | GER
14 | NED
16 | EUR
18 | RSM
18 | GBR
8 | CZE
Ret | ITA
19 | USA
Ret | FIM
12 | | | 22nd | 16 |
| 1994 | 250cc | Aprilia | AUS
10 | MAL
7 | JPN
11 | SPA
8 | AUT
11 | GER
11 | NED
6 | ITA
8 | FRA
5 | GBR
5 | CZE
6 | USA
Ret | ARG
7 | EUR
8 | | | 8th | 105 |
| 1995 | 250cc | Aprilia | AUS
Ret | MAL
6 | JPN
Ret | SPA
9 | GER
6 | ITA
Ret | NED
Ret | FRA
11 | GBR
Ret | CZE
11 | BRA
Ret | ARG
DNS | EUR
Ret | | | | 15th | 37 |
| 1996 | 500cc | Yamaha | MAL
6 | INA
8 | JPN
8 | SPA
7 | ITA
5 | FRA
Ret | NED
8 | GER
10 | GBR
Ret | AUT
9 | CZE
6 | IMO
4 | CAT
Ret | BRA
7 | AUS
5 | | 9th | 110 |
| 1997 | 500cc | Modenas | MAL
Ret | JPN
14 | SPA
13 | ITA
8 | AUT
14 | FRA
Ret | NED
Ret | IMO
8 | GER
Ret | BRA
8 | GBR
DNS | CZE
Ret | CAT
Ret | INA
Ret | AUS
16 | | 18th | 31 |
| 500cc | Yamaha | JPN | MAL | SPA | ITA | FRA | MAD | NED | GBR | GER | CZE
8 | IMO
5 | CAT
Ret | AUS | ARG
7 | | | 16th | 28 |
| 1999 | 500cc | Modenas | MAL
12 | JPN
Ret | SPA | FRA
Ret | ITA
Ret | CAT
Ret | NED | GBR | GER | CZE | IMO | VAL | AUS | RSA | BRA | ARG | 28th | 4 |
| 2002 | MotoGP | Yamaha | JPN | RSA | SPA | FRA
14 | ITA
13 | CAT | NED | GBR | GER | CZE | POR | BRA | PAC | MAL | AUS | VAL | 24th | 5 |
