1962 – The postwar years were marked by general and explosive technological progress which triggered rapid changes in the competitive scenario and constant updates to the regulations.
After the timid attempts of previous years, the International Motorcycling Federation in 1962 officially recognized the 50cc class, with the simultaneous creation of the World speed Championships​​, and all the national championships of the various specialties.
Elevating the status of the small displacement 50cc class attracted the attention of all the major European manufacturers almost simultaneously who all took the field with the most sophisticated prototypes.
Like the previous year, the riders from 17th to 22nd September, participated in the German Six-Days in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and were divided into classes starting with the 50cc class, followed by seven other classes, up to 75, 100, 125, 175, 250, 350cc and beyond, plus more than two sidecar classes, 250cc and up to 350cc.
There were again four average speeds imposed: 44 km/h for bikes up to 50cc, 58 km/h for bikes from 75 to 100 cc, 74 km/h for machinery from 125 to 175 cc,  87 km/h for bikes from 250 cc and more.
The German Sachs powered bikes inaugurated the custom of adding castor oil in a particular mixture of Castrol, whose "aromatic fragrance" was for years synonymous with competitive racing.
In the Belgian team in contention for the Silver Vase we should record the presence of a young and promising newcomer, the seventeen year old Jacques Bernard Ickx, known as "Jacky", on a Zündapp 50cc which finished well.
This was of course Jacky Ickx the future Formula 1 champion and 6 time winner at Le Mans 24 Hours who participated in off-road races from 1961 to 1965 on a Zündapp 50, and became twice Champion of Belgium in this class, in 1963 and 1965

In the 50cc class, apart from a Gritzner a year earlier, a Victoria and a special Dutch bike with a Kreidler engine, Zündapp and Kreidler took the honours with 15 examples registered.
Also a Vespa 175 of the Englishman Gary Cooper of Newcastle and a Honda 250 ridden by the Dutch Willy van Ommeren.
There was one woman only at the start, the Englishwoman Mary Driver riding a splendid BSA 250, who withdrew on day 2 because of fatigue.
Three Americans were present: the veteran Bud Ekins on a Triumph 650 (who will double the riding stunts for Steve McQueen in ‘The Great Escape’ next year), George Steck junior on a Greeves 250 and the BMW 250 of John Penton, the latter with a Canadian license.
Despite many fine individual performances by the various Italian teams, they were plagued by bad luck and ended the trial off the podium.
The Trophy was won by the Czechs Frantisek Rouska - Jawa 250, Frantisek Höffer - Jawa 350, Drahoslav Miarka - CZ 175, Zdenek Polanka - CZ 175, Bohuslav Roucka - CZ 125 and Vladimir Stepan - Jawa 350, followed by England and Russia.
The Italians Franco Dall'Ara, Luigi Gorini, Eugene and Gianfranco Saini, Canzio Tosi and Fausto Vergani failed to go beyond 5th place.
The Silver Vase was the preserve of the West Germans Volker Kramer - Zündapp 100, Günter Sengfelder - Zündapp 50, Heinz Klingenschmidt - Victoria 75 and Horst Rotermundt - Kreidler 50, with England second and even the Italians of Italy A (Costanzo Daminelli, Carlo Moscheni, Giuseppe Panarari and Nino Tagli) in sixth place and the team Italy B (Riccardo Bertotti, Roberto Azzalini, Carlo Moriggi and Pino Radice) in tenth place. Out of 286 riders who started, only 200 managed to finish the stage.
The Italians Carlo Moriggi, Giuseppe Panarari, Carlo Moscheni and Alberto Bassanelli (all on Gilera 98s), and Gustavo Eugenio Saini Bassanelli (Guzzi 125), Nino Tagli and Dall'Ara (Guzzi 175) captured the gold medal.