The new motorbikes were called RS-GS in the off-road models and RS-MC for the cross models and showed their identity through the new colours red-white-black.
In winter, the new intense tests on the different prototypes were carried out, and the first units lined up from the very first trials of the Championship.
All riders (Rottigni 125, Valoti 175 and Brissoni 250) run the new RS-GS except for Gagni, riding for the 50 class and Marinoni, running for the 100 class, who rode the “old” Silver Vase models.
A bike powered Rotax should have been manufactured also for the 100 class, but further to the Austrian manufacturer’s opposition to commit for that class (which anyway was going to be melted together with the 50,75 into a single new 80 class), a RS 100 GS prototype powered Sachs was prepared and Radici competed with this unit in 1978, but no production followed.
As to the sports side, SWM achieved a lot of victories both with the “old” Silver Vase and the new RS-GS and conquered four classes of the Italian Championship, the right reward for so much enthusiasm and will.
Pietro Gagni, class 50, Andrea Marinoni, class 100, Pierluigi Rottigni, class 125, and Gualtiero Brissoni, class 250, deserved the Italian Championship Title, furthermore Lucio Valoti ranked second in the 175 class so SWM turned out to be the strongest and most complete bike on the market.
SWM did well also at Valli Bergamasche (4th, 5th June), 5th trial of the European Championship, although they never finished first.
Luciano Sandrelli ranked 3rd and Dario Salvi ranked 4th in the 50 class; Pierluigi Rottigni ranked 4th in the 125 class; Lucio Valoti ranked 8th in the 250 class and Gualtiero Brissoni ranked 2nd in the 250 class.
Pietro Gagni was 2nd in the 50 followed by Lucio Sandrinelli 7th and Dario Salvi 9th in the European Championship.
Class 125: Andrea Marinoni ranked 6th, followed by Pierluigi Rottigni 9th.
The team made up by Brissoni, Gagni, Marinoni and Rottigni ranked 6th in the Vase of the Czecholovac Six-Days run in Povazska Bystrica (5th-10th September); the best was Gualtiero Brissoni 3rd in the 125 class
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