Rolf Tibblin was born May 7, 1937 in Stockholm, Sweden. He became one of the top riders in the Motocross Grand Prix World Championships during the 1960s.
In 1958, Tibblin contested the European 250cc Motocross Championship (the predecessor of the World 250cc Motocross Championship), and finished second aboard a Husqvarna. He returned in 1959 and won the European 250cc Motocross Championship with the Husqvarna factory team.
In 1960 Tibblin moved to the ranks of the 500cc Motocross World Championship, where he finished in third-place aboard a Husqvarna. Two years later he captured what was then the top prize in motocross: the 1962 500cc Motocross World Championship title. In 1963, he defended his title for Husqvarna.
Tibblin was also member of Sweden’s championship-winning Motocross of Nations team in 1961 and 1962.
Tibblin is remembered as one of the more physically fit motocross racers of his day. In 1968 he wrote a book about fitness and training, which was published with help from U.S. motocross race promoter and Husqvarna importer Edison Dye. His overall strength is illustrated in a mid-1970s photo showing Tibblin racing in the Hang Ten Grand Prix at Carlsbad Raceway in California. He is wearing a large, helmet-mounted camera and battery pack said to weigh nearly 50 lbs.
Tibblin also raced with Gunnar Nilsson in the 1972 Baja 1000, and the pair won the motorcycle division aboard a Husqvarna with a time of 19 hours and 19 minutes.
After retiring from professional competition, Tibblin ran a motocross school in Southern California. He later moved to Sri Lanka, where he held membership with the Sri Lanka Association of Drivers and Riders (SLARDAR), and is credited with helping SLARDAR to enhance and uplift motor sports in Sri Lanka.