Gus Kuhn
Gus Kuhn (17 October 1898 – 30 August 1966) was a successful British TT and motorcycle speedway rider during the 1920s and 1930s.[1]
| Born | 17 October 1898 Birmingham, England |
|---|---|
| Died | 30 August 1966 (aged 67) |
| Nationality |  England |
| Current club information | |
| Career status | Retired |
| Career history | |
| 1929–1932 | Stamford Bridge Pensioners |
| 1933–1937 | Wimbledon Dons |
| 1937 | Wembley Lions |
| 1938 | Lea Bridge |
| 1939 | Southampton Saints |
| Team honours | |
| 1929 | Southern League Champion |
| 1932 | National Association Trophy Winner |
| |||||||||||
He was born in Birmingham, England, and served in the Royal Naval Air Service in World War I.[2]
Speedway
Kuhn captained the Stamford Bridge team to victory in the 1929 Southern League Championship, and after Stamford Bridge closed in 1932, he spent nearly five years racing for the Wimbledon Dons.[2] In 1937 he moved to the Wembley Lions and then Lea Bridge Speedway Team in 1938, where he was captain. He retired from speedway in 1939 after a season with the Southampton Saints.
"A wily master of track-craft, a brilliant mechanic, a darned hard man to get past (and not only because of his portly figure), and above all a thorough sportsman and a jolly good fellow". - Speedway News 16 May 1936
Kuhn made his first appearance for England during the first international test match against Australia (1930) and went on to have a number of international appearances throughout the decade.[2]
Isle of Man TT
As a rider in the TT, Kuhn's greatest success came in the 1926 Isle of Man TT in the Junior TT division.
Isle of Man TT results summary
| Position | 5 | 7 | 12 | DNF |
| No of times | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
Off track
In 1932 Kuhn founded Gus Kuhn Motors in Clapham Road, London.[2] The company dealt in Triumphs, BSA and Nortons, its reputation for racing success was not to come until a few years later. After Kuhn's death in 1966, the Gus Kuhn name lived on, the firm now being run by his son-in-law, Vincent Davey. The team focused primarily on racing modifications to Norton Motorcycles and by 1969 they had won the British 500cc Championship, Castrol Championship, Duckhams Trophy, Grovewood Award and Redex Trophy. For a number of years, Norton racing kits and parts were produced for practically every part of the Norton. Over the years these racing machines supplied a number of notable riders including Mick Andrew, Charlie Sanby and Dave Potter.
References
- "Gus Kuhn profile". guskuhn.net. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
- Sandys, Leonard (1948) Broadside to Fame! The Drama of the Speedways, Findon, p. 21