Konig 500 GP

Brett, thanks for posting that. I couldn't bring myself to read all of it. Rod Tingate is a lovely guy and really suffered when Kim Newcombe died, as he picked up the pieces and got Kim's wife and effects home to New Zealand. You might enjoy this video. After Kim died Rod was offered the ride by Dieter Konig, however came home instead. The replica Konig has been paraded, not raced and unlikely to be.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhV0fzvH8MU&noredirect=1
 
That is a fascinating story. Thanks for posting Brett.
I read the story and have started watching the video in the link at the bottom - Love, speed and loss.
I had heard of the Konig's but must admit I new very little about them or of how they were developed by Kim Newcombe.
Such a sad loss of a very talented man taken way too young.
 
Met his Dad in a fish'n chips shop one evening . Said " He died doing what he loved ," a few other words along the lines of better to die a hero than live a coward ( if he hadnt done what he believed he should ) He himself thought he would
probly regret it more if he had tried to stop him / hadnt supported him , or WHINED and antagonised him .
 
Some people go through life without experiencing the sheer joy of riding a fast motorcycle on a race circuit. I look back on my early racing and I marvel that I am still alive at age 71. I would not have missed it for quids. I suggest we all need to get our priorities right and live a little.
 
Good post, I must swat up on my Kiwi racers, I see Ginger Malloy from time to time at the club meetings and at the track with his Bulltacos, I'd talk to him but " I'm not worthy"
Saw that Konig replica a few years back at Puke, pretty cool machine.
I should read the book on Crosby as he was pretty amazing in his day too.
 
I watched Ginger Molloy race the 350cc Bultaco in about 1970 - very impressive. Hugh Anderson is interesting, he told me he had the choice of working in the mines in NZ or road racing un Europe, so he became World Champ on Suzukis. He also said 'on your day, when you are good, nobody can beat you' !
 
Found the pic of the Konig I took, and have just bought the book.

Konig 500 GP
 
I have no idea, Taken at Pukekohe maybe 4 or 5 years ago.
I'm brushing up on my motorcycle racing history.
Off topic , went to see Rush at the movies, Hunt and Lauda in F1, good movie.
 
Just a thought, what would happened if someone built a replica König 500 GP bike and entered it at the classic bike race meetings :?:
 
Hi

Bernard, at the Classic TT an original bike was raced by a Dutch racer who has owned it from new. That is just a beautiful thought to linger on. I know there are 2 others in the UK & the rebuild of 1 was featured in Classic Racer. CRMC rules are pretty specific about replicas & copies.

Chris
 
What can you do with an old GP bike ? The historic guys already get freaky about such things as trick frames - Seeley, Rickman etc. When historic racing started in Australia in October 1973, it was sold as a way of preserving old race bikes. It became the only source of constructors' and development classes. The guys were racing so cheaters became the norm. These days it is impossible to find a mint Manx Norton, they are all modified. One was even bored to 700cc. I suggest that if you find an old GP bike, use it for parade laps and buy yourself something different to race .
 
If anybody is ever in or near Birmingham, Alabama, they must stop at the Barber Museum.

They happen to have this on display at the moment:
Konig 500 GP

Konig 250 GP bike

Quite a few English bikes there, too...and Brian Slark is on the museum staff.
 
Chris said:
CRMC rules are pretty specific about replicas & copies.
Click to expand...


How do all these replica Manxes and G50's and KTT Mk8's get on then ?
There wouldn't be an 'original' bike that was racing or competitive these days,
the newly minted ones are sooo much better.... ??
 
Rohan said:
Chris said:
CRMC rules are pretty specific about replicas & copies.
Click to expand...


How do all these replica Manxes and G50's and KTT Mk8's get on then ?
There wouldn't be an 'original' bike that was racing or competitive these days,
the newly minted ones are sooo much better.... ??
Click to expand...

Over here they seem to approve, I applied for running in pre 72 thinking I was pushing the point as my 1973
BMW has disc brakes.....but while I was waiting for the start I saw the only
Commando in the race has Brembos...front and rear... :roll: , some say there are no pre 72 parts on it at all...maybe even no original Norton bits at all.
Makes me wonder what the point of racing it is as its to me a new bike that looks like an old one. The same goes for the Manx Norton replicas.
 
Anybody who races a genuine Manx is insane. It's true value must be appreciated. It is no longer a race bike, but a museum exhibit. guys If you want to race, a Molnar Manx or a two valve Jawa in a replica featherbed frame is the way to go. THe big thing about a genuine Manx, is that when you ride it you experience what the good guys rode in the old days. Racing a manx in modern historic races and developing it, destroys the opportunity to experience the real deal. I've ridden a 1961 500cc ex-Ginger Molloy manx. I know it's power characteristics , steering etc. I value that experience, it is a benchmark for me when I ride my own bikes. In the future most guys won't have the opportunity to gain that experiential information.
 

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