cmsanfor 

I just picked up a motobecane team champion on craigslist and was hoping to find a little more information about it. It's a columbus sl frame with campy SR and cinelli components, the frame is a light blue and it has full chrome forks.The guy I bought it from said it's from 1982, although I don't know how he got that number. I was curious if anyone had a catalog scan from that year and maybe the few before it so I could take a look. Also, is there anything notable about the frames from that era?

BobHufford

VeloBase has some catalogs. There is a gap from '79 - '84 though.

https://velobase.com/Resource_Tools/CatalogScans.aspx

I used to have what I was told was an '83 Team Champion. Mostly French components. All I can note about the frame/bike is that it rode extremely well for a $30 bike. Which it had been smaller or I was taller.

https://www.geocities.com/swingbikegallery/mototeam.html

Bob

bibliobob

I think that it's listed in the 82 Bicycling Buyer's Guide that I have at home. I'll try and remember to take a look tonight.

Charles Wahl

That '79 catalog at VeloBase shows the Team Champion (also called Champion Team earlier on) in a light metallic blue, though the neither the fork nor stays are chromed, as on Bob Hufford's example. I have a frame exactly like that one -- dark blue. I think that '83 or '84 was the last year that Motobecanes were made in France. The name was sold in 1984, and the company reorganized as MBK in France, where they still make mopeds (the origin of the Motobécane moniker). Earlier than '79, the Champion Teams were quite orange, as shown in the 1976 catalog.

Picchio Special

Right at the end there, Motobecane made a swing back to using French components on its bikes. I saw one of those late Team Champions at the Trexlertown swap several years ago - dark blue, tout francais and NOS, with the plastic bag still covering the saddle.

cmsanfor 

Yeah, my frame is a similar color to the example bob posted, but only the forks are chromed on mine and not the stays. I'd guess it had the same decal scheme as the one in the '79 catalog although they've all been removed, I think for obvious reasons after seeing them, lol. Also if they did switch to french components around then I guess 82 is probably about right. By the way, do you guys know of anyone who makes replicas of the mid-80s moto decals?

due ruote 

Here's the '79 color:

French threads, chrome fork crown.

Charles Wahl

EBay seller Cyclomondo (Greg Softley in Oz) has some Moto decals among those he lists there. BF member jrrestore (velocals.com) does custom decal work, and has the 70s set, but the decals on the '83-'84 Team Champion were not standard: larger lettering on the downtube, for one thing, than on any of the other models. So if you wanted "correct" decals for a later bike, you'd have to go the custom route. I may be doing that soon, for mine. It's got all the decals, but they're in rough shape -- vinyl, and not clearcoated, just applied last of all. You can see it here, if anyone's interested.

I actually really like the 70s decals sold by both the makers listed above. If my Moto project wasn't a "restoration" type, I'd probably use those.

bibliobob

The 1982 Buyer's Guide lists:

$1500-1600
Columbus SL, 39 inch wheelbase, Mavic hubs and rims, Simplex 6600 derailleurs and shifters, Stonglight crankset, Maillard freewheel, Maillard pedals, Simplex seatpost, Cinelli bars, and Weinmann Super Carrera 400 brakes.

No mention of colors.