The Fédération Internationale des Clubs Motocyclistes (FICM), the progenitor of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) was created in 1904 when delegations from France (MCM), Germany (DMV), Austria (ÖAC), Great-Britain (ACC) and Denmark met at the Ledoyen restaurant in Paris.
The newly formed Motocycle-Club of France (MCM) had organised the very first international motorcycle race in September. The resulting French victory gave them the right to organise the race again in 1905.
The fledgling FICM was dissolved in 1906 but reborn in 1912 with the headquarters now located in England. The Six Days Reliability Trial was held the next year, the first international event held by the new incarnation.
The name was changed to the Fédération Internationale Motocycliste (FIM) in 1949, the same year that also saw the first race of the World Championship Grand Prix, now known as MotoGP. The headquarters were transferred to Geneva, Switzerland in 1959.