Motorcycle with marine engine

The König 500 GP can without exaggeration be described as a meteor that fell into the motorcycle Grand Prix series in 1972. His rider was New Zealander Kim Newcombe (January 2, 1944 – August 14, 1973). In 1968 he started working as a technician at the legendary manufacturer of racing marine engines König Motorenbau in West Berlin. The fateful meeting of the technical talents of Dieter König and Kim Newcombe began a short but brilliant phase in the development of racing motorcycles. The gentlemen realized their genius idea and built a racing motorcycle around a light but very powerful marine engine. The first start in the Grand Prix series was at the German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring in 1972, finishing in a great 3rd place. In the 1973 season, he stood on the podium a total of 4 times, and even won the Grand Prix of Yugoslavia. Despite a tragic accident at the Silverstone circuit (August 11, 1973), Newcombe finished in second place overall behind Giacomo Agostini in 1973. In the 1972-1973 seasons, König was the only machine in the Grand Prix series that was able to "pass" the factory MV Agusta. He also started at the Czechoslovak Grand Prix in Brno. The motorcycle has been fully reconstructed and is in the colors in which it competed in the 1973 Czechoslovak Grand Prix and in the fateful race at Silverstone in the UK. This unique machine is in a private collection and will be exhibited at the Brno Grand Prix Revival.

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