The owner, Dutchman Hans De Wit, bought it new from Kim Newcome in Berlin, one of 6 or 7 made and now he was attempting to race it over the Mountain Circuit as a Newcomer. The Konig is a flat four, rotary valve two stroke outboard boat motor adapted to racing motorcycles. Kiwi Newcome developed the racer and challenged MV when no one else was. He finished 2nd to the MV of Phil Read in the 500 World Championship in 1973 posthumously, having died at a non championship event at Silverstone late in the season. There is a terrific documentary of the Kim Newcome/Konig story:
http://www.nzonscreen.com/title/love-speed-and-loss-2007
Hans seized his Konig Wed evening on the Cronk-y-Vody straight, but I saw him Thurs. evening ready to go out for practice again, having plugged in a spare motor. I'm not sure what eventually happened as he didn't start the race. Perhaps he didn't qualify or ran out of spare motors, but I really admire Hans for continuing to race this original bike over forty years.
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| The toothed belts drive the rotary valve which sits on top of the motor and feeds all four cyls. The carb is a Webber from an Alfa Romeo. The 'O'rings drive the water pump. |
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| The motor has a Hy-Vo primary chain to the Shaftleitner 6 speed gearbox. Hans added a syringe filled with grease to give the chain a shot of lube on the fly. |
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