Manufactured: St.Julien en Genevois / Viry 1979-1995
Georges Godier and Alain Genoud were both endurance road-racers who built track machines based on Kawasaki and Honda machines, some of which used their own engine. In the 1990s they also built very fast road-going customs.
Georges Godier initially rode an Itom 50 in competition before moving to Switzerland where he worked with a Honda dealer. Whilst there he met Alain Genoud. The pair joined forces in 1972 and began developing an endurance racer using a Honda 750 engine and an Egli frame. After many fails they took 5th place in the Barcelona 24 Hour event. This was followed by a 2nd at the Bol d'Or, bringing them the 1972 European Championship.
The 1973 season was less successful but still quite eventful, and that year they signed a contract with Xavier Maugendre, Kawasaki importer in France. They then won three major races (24 Hours of Barcelona, Mettet and Bol d'Or) resulting in another European Championship title.
1975 saw them take the Bol d'Or again, now using the Doncques frame which was developed by students from the IUT of Amiens under the tutelage of Pierre Doncques. The competition from Honda became fierce, and as a result the team retired from international competition.
In 1979 the first Godier-Genoud motorcycle was presented. Some five hundred more were constructed. Production ceased in 1995.
Georges Godier became technical director for Kawasaki-France, whose riders dominated the Endurance World Championship in 1991 and 1992. He died on March 28, 1993.
Source: Moto-Histo.com
See also
godier-genoud.org
godier-genoud-passion.org
