1973 Norton Commando 750 Gus Kuhn

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pierodn

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Was the 1973 Norton Commando 750 Gus Kuhn a PR with Gus Kuhn parts?
Or she was a stock bike with Gus Kuhn parts?.
In other words, exists the PR Gus Kuhn or only the PR or the Gus Kuhn?.
Thank you.
Piero
 
I think the the Gus Kuhn racers were generally built from standard models, Kuhns also supplied the necessary parts so anyone could build their own 'Gus Kuhn' racer.

http://www.guskuhn.net/GKMLtd/CATALOGUES.htm

http://www.guskuhn.net/GKMLtd/1972GKCommandoRdTest.htm
The machine starts off as a standard Commando.......
Click to expand...

http://www.guskuhn.net/GKMLtd/GKCommandos.htm
Gus Kuhn's custom Commandos were built to the buyer's specification.
Click to expand...

Gus Kuhn was an official Norton Villiers parts distributor so likely sold PR models as well.

http://www.guskuhn.net/GKMLtd/GKM%20Intro.htm

However, 1973 seems too late for any bike to be a genuine PR, as PR production supposedly ended during 1971.
 
I'd never heard of a Gus Kuhn variant; pretty cool! However, I wonder if Jerry Clayton, the follow-up writer, had any idea just how perceptive his words were, even if they didn't mean the same thing as they would today: "a standard cam is retained. This softer cam..." :mrgreen:
I also got a kick out of his starting regimen: "Starting was simplicity - Commando style!" I'd like him to describe just what exactly "Commando style" denotes... :wink:
 
This is a bike bought new by a friend as PR from Norton Villiers Europe in 1973 it came with Gus Kuhn decals
The owner (still the same) put tomaselli clips on, a different rear light and exaust, all the rest still the original from 73
1973 Norton Commando 750 Gus Kuhn

1973 Norton Commando 750 Gus Kuhn

1973 Norton Commando 750 Gus Kuhn

1973 Norton Commando 750 Gus Kuhn

1973 Norton Commando 750 Gus Kuhn
 
I found an interesting post from Joe Seifert

Re: Found. a true 70 Production Racer
by ZFD » Mon Apr 29, 2013 8:36 am

My friend Stefan Knittel once counted the genuine Proddy Racers for an article he wrote for "Motorrad Classic" in the despatch records and came up with I believe 105- certainly less than 110.

Standard long stroke engines. The short strokes didn't happen during Proddy Racer production times. Only the TX750 "Thruxton" racer, of which but a handful were produced, had them, and they were made in 1973/74 I believe.

In principle, any Commando can be turned into a Proddy Racer. The bits were first available through Gus Kuhn, then, when Kuhn lost interest, Mick Hemmings took up the thread and bought off Kuhn what was left. Forget all other stories to the contrary, I checked the facts with Valerie Davey, who has a very good memory of what went on in her father's shop at the time.

A brochure of what makes a Production Racer, and what to do with a Commando to turn it into one, is available from all Andover Norton dealers, because we just reprinted the brochure (part# N3/12).

ZFD
Posts: 490
Joined: Sat Jan 23, 2010 2:12 am
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Click to expand...
 
Maybe Norton Villiers used to sell in some country Gus Kuhn assembled "PR spec" commandos in 1973 when the production PR was not anymore available...
The owner still have corrispondence with Norton from 1973
I believe Les is right, the Gus Kuhn were assembled from standard bike, so asking to NOC about serial number they can only confirm that the bike was despatched to Gus Kuhn...
anyone know if Gus Kuhn kept some record book of its racers?
 
I was always under the impression that the 1973 Production Racers were these:

1973 Norton Commando 750 Gus Kuhn


They were shown on the 1973 brochure and on the Norman White website. (with headlight)
 
I've always associated those with the JPN Race Team (pre monocoque and spaceframe versions.)
Is there any mention anywhere of them being for sale like that ??
You don't see too many of them in private hands....
 
What is very interesting, is that the owner, a "gentlemen driver" ordered the bike as PR trought the official distributor in Italy at that time, he keep a letter from Norton Villiers, answering his complains about some part that were different from his specifics in the order, and a bill of sale for those parts sent from free from the factory.

The owner is not interested to have documentation in order to gain collecting value to his bike, he is not a collector, he's a rider (he's 73 and still ride it...) and he would never sell the bike, one (but the favourite) of his commandos.

What is interesting to me is to understand if Norton Villiers made available to private drivers full assembled PR in 1973 with this specifics, I mean it seems clear to an expert eye that this bike is not a PR but a Gus Kuhn Racer...
 
Thomasdunstall said:
I found an interesting post from Joe Seifert

Re: Found. a true 70 Production Racer
by ZFD » Mon Apr 29, 2013 8:36 am

My friend Stefan Knittel once counted the genuine Proddy Racers for an article he wrote for "Motorrad Classic" in the despatch records and came up with I believe 105- certainly less than 110.

Standard long stroke engines. The short strokes didn't happen during Proddy Racer production times. Only the TX750 "Thruxton" racer, of which but a handful were produced, had them, and they were made in 1973/74 I believe.

In principle, any Commando can be turned into a Proddy Racer. The bits were first available through Gus Kuhn, then, when Kuhn lost interest, Mick Hemmings took up the thread and bought off Kuhn what was left. Forget all other stories to the contrary, I checked the facts with Valerie Davey, who has a very good memory of what went on in her father's shop at the time.

A brochure of what makes a Production Racer, and what to do with a Commando to turn it into one, is available from all Andover Norton dealers, because we just reprinted the brochure (part# N3/12).

ZFD
Posts: 490
Joined: Sat Jan 23, 2010 2:12 am
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Click to expand...
Click to expand...

Yes,
But as Les said, Gus Kuhn was a Norvil parts dealer.
But the yellow Commando of our friend has not Norvil PR parts.
The front fairing mount, fairing, tank, seat, the rearset, are not PR but Gus Kuhn.
Look at the tank, the cap is central; the PR had the cap on the left, etc.
I agree with what Les says.
Ciao
Piero
 
pierodn said:
Yes,
But as Les said, Gus Kuhn was a Norvil parts dealer.
But the yellow Commando of our friend has not Norvil PR parts.
The front fairing mount, fairing, tank, seat, the rearset, are not PR but Gus Kuhn.
Look at the tank, the cap is central; the PR had the cap on the left, etc.
I agree with what Les says.
Ciao
Piero
Click to expand...

I'm interested to understand why and if is in any way happened that Norton Villiers sold those Gus Kuhn bike on our market to private driver as it seems from the documents
 
Thomasdunstall said:
Have a look to this brochure from 1973, still show a PR model...
Click to expand...

That is 1972 though, if its showing high compression 750 road models.
And if its not yet calling them Combats, could be 1971 ??
 
Rohan said:
Thomasdunstall said:
Have a look to this brochure from 1973, still show a PR model...
Click to expand...

That is 1972 though, if its showing high compression 750 road models.
And if its not yet calling them Combats, could be 1971 ??
Click to expand...

No Rohan, look at the mkV Roadster with black instrument holders, square rear-light etc...it's a '73 model year...
 
Thomasdunstall said:
pierodn said:
Yes,
But as Les said, Gus Kuhn was a Norvil parts dealer.
But the yellow Commando of our friend has not Norvil PR parts.
The front fairing mount, fairing, tank, seat, the rearset, are not PR but Gus Kuhn.
Look at the tank, the cap is central; the PR had the cap on the left, etc.
I agree with what Les says.
Ciao
Piero
Click to expand...

I'm interested to understand why and if is in any way happened that Norton Villiers sold those Gus Kuhn bike on our market to private driver as it seems from the documents
Click to expand...

Because if you wanted to buy a PR in 1973 and it was not more on the market, an Italian seller so as not to lose the deal did get a similar model, equipped Gus Kuhn!!!
Piero
 
Thomasdunstall said:
look at the mkV Roadster with black instrument holders, square rear-light etc...it's a '73 model year...
Click to expand...

This is getting peculiar then ?
All the actual 1973 750 pics in Roy Bacon have alloy instrument housings.
And how can there be mention of high-compression 750 motors in 1973 ??

This brochure is showing bikes that were not produced like that then ?
 
pierodn said:
Thomasdunstall said:
pierodn said:
Yes,
But as Les said, Gus Kuhn was a Norvil parts dealer.
But the yellow Commando of our friend has not Norvil PR parts.
The front fairing mount, fairing, tank, seat, the rearset, are not PR but Gus Kuhn.
Look at the tank, the cap is central; the PR had the cap on the left, etc.
I agree with what Les says.
Ciao
Piero
Click to expand...

I'm interested to understand why and if is in any way happened that Norton Villiers sold those Gus Kuhn bike on our market to private driver as it seems from the documents
Click to expand...

Because if you wanted to buy a PR in 1973 and it was not more on the market, an Italian seller so as not to lose the deal did get a similar model, equipped Gus Kuhn!!!
Piero
Click to expand...

I got your point...i would go deep trought this to better understand
I'm trying to state if in 1973, even if the PR was no longer produced, was still available from Norton Villiers if ordered from an official dealer
Maybe Norton Villiers had an agreement with Gus Kuhn in order to sell their assembled racer?
This could explaine why the 73 official brochure has the PR advertised
 
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