Heikki Mikkola successfully defended his 500cc world championship for Yamaha, finishing ahead of Honda's Brad Lackey. Mikkola dominated the season with 14 moto victories in 24 outings. Roger De Coster had a serious accident during pre-season training and ended up having his spleen removed but, recovered to finish the season in third place.[1]
Gennady Moiseyev was also successful in defending his 250cc title despite a strong challenge from Kawasaki's Torleif Hansen. In the 125cc championship, Akira Watanabe ended the three-year reign of his Suzuki teammate, Gaston Rahier. Watanabe's championship marks the first and only motocross world championship for a Japanese competitor. Gerard Rond won four Grand Prix overall victories for Yamaha and finished in third place, one point behind Rahier.
500cc[6][7]
|
Pos
|
Rider
|
Team
|
Points
|
1
|
Heikki Mikkola
|
Yamaha
|
299
|
2
|
Brad Lackey
|
Honda
|
214
|
3
|
Roger De Coster
|
Suzuki
|
172
|
4
|
Herbert Schmitz
|
Maico
|
127
|
5
|
Gerrit Wolsink
|
Suzuki
|
124
|
6
|
André Malherbe
|
KTM
|
109
|
7
|
Graham Noyce
|
Honda
|
92
|
8
|
Jaak van Velthoven
|
KTM
|
78
|
9
|
Jean-Jacques Bruno
|
KTM
|
41
|
10
|
Yvan van den Broeck
|
Maico
|
40
|
11
|
André Vromans
|
Suzuki
|
38
|
12
|
Håkan Andersson
|
Husqvarna
|
36
|
13
|
Bengt Åberg
|
Yamaha
|
33
|
14
|
Fritz Köbele
|
Maico
|
21
|
15
|
Mike Bell
|
Yamaha
|
14
|
15
|
Frans Sigmans
|
Maico
|
14
|
17
|
Adolf Weil
|
Maico
|
14
|
18
|
Frank Svendsen
|
Husqvarna
|
10
|
19
|
Peter Herlings
|
Maico
|
9
|
19
|
Arne Lindfors
|
Yamaha
|
9
|
21
|
Mat Ghielen
|
Maico
|
8
|
22
|
Rick Burgett
|
Yamaha
|
8
|
23
|
Bob Wright
|
CCM
|
8
|
24
|
Lars Axelsson
|
Maico
|
5
|
24
|
Terry Clark
|
Maico
|
5
|
24
|
Danny LaPorte
|
Suzuki
|
5
|
24
|
Afro Rustignoli
|
Maico
|
5
|
28
|
Rex Staten
|
Yamaha
|
4
|
28
|
Franco Perfini
|
Montesa
|
4
|
30
|
Gary Semics
|
Can-Am
|
4
|
30
|
Torbjörn Winzell
|
Maico
|
4
|
30
|
Robert Wilkinson
|
Maico
|
4
|
33
|
Åke Jonsson
|
Kramer-Rotax
|
4
|
34
|
Ad Verstegen
|
Yamaha
|
3
|
34
|
Italo Forni
|
Montesa
|
3
|
34
|
Raymond Heeren
|
Maico
|
3
|
37
|
Tommy Croft
|
Honda
|
3
|
37
|
Francois Wellens
|
Yamaha
|
3
|
39
|
Søren Mortensen
|
Kramer-Rotax
|
2
|
39
|
Franco Picco
|
Montesa
|
2
|
39
|
Johan Scheele
|
Maico
|
2
|
42
|
Toon Karsmakers
|
Husqvarna
|
1
|
|
|
125cc[9]
|
Pos
|
Rider
|
Team
|
Points
|
1
|
Akira Watanabe
|
Suzuki
|
267
|
2
|
Gaston Rahier
|
Suzuki
|
249
|
3
|
Gerard Rond
|
Yamaha
|
248
|
4
|
Siegfried Lerner
|
KTM
|
90
|
5
|
Matti Autio
|
Suzuki
|
81
|
6
|
Ivan Alborghetti
|
Aprilia
|
78
|
7
|
Göte Liljegren
|
Aprilia
|
78
|
8
|
André Massant
|
Honda
|
76
|
9
|
Jiry Churavy
|
ČZ
|
70
|
10
|
Corrado Maddii
|
Beta
|
53
|
11
|
Yuri Khudiakov
|
ČZ
|
41
|
12
|
Michele Rinaldi
|
TGM
|
31
|
13
|
Broc Glover
|
Yamaha
|
30
|
14
|
Roger Harvey
|
Suzuki
|
19
|
15
|
Pauli Piippola
|
Husqvarna
|
17
|
16
|
Marty Moates
|
Suzuki
|
14
|
17
|
Peter Groeneveld
|
Suzuki
|
14
|
18
|
Gaylon Mosier
|
Kawasaki
|
12
|
19
|
Robert Greisch
|
Yamaha
|
12
|
20
|
Warren Reid
|
Honda
|
10
|
21
|
Miroslav Jirka
|
ČZ
|
9
|
21
|
Henk Van Mierlo
|
Kawasaki
|
9
|
23
|
Steve Wise
|
Honda
|
8
|
24
|
Mark Gregson
|
Suzuki
|
8
|
25
|
Anatoly Ovchinikov
|
ČZ
|
8
|
26
|
Mike Guerra
|
Yamaha
|
7
|
27
|
Dinand Ziljlstra
|
Kawasaki
|
5
|
27
|
Dan Turner
|
Yamaha
|
5
|
29
|
Geoff Mayes
|
Kawasaki
|
5
|
30
|
Marc Velkeneers
|
Yamaha
|
4
|
31
|
François Minne
|
Aprilia
|
4
|
32
|
Michel Leclerq
|
KTM
|
3
|
32
|
Miroslav Novacek
|
ČZ
|
3
|
32
|
Ron Turner
|
Yamaha
|
3
|
35
|
Bernd Betzelbacher
|
Maico
|
2
|
35
|
Victor Popenko
|
ČZ
|
2
|
35
|
Emil Schwarz
|
Suzuki
|
2
|
35
|
David Taylor
|
Suzuki
|
2
|
39
|
Jonny Bjurström
|
Suzuki
|
1
|
39
|
Michel Fischer
|
Portal
|
1
|
39
|
Alain Fura
|
Yamaha
|
1
|
39
|
Antonin Gorus
|
ČZ
|
1
|
39
|
Ole Svendson
|
KTM
|
1
|
|