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This is a series of blogs featuring the Australian privateer, Keith Bryen ( finally rewarded with a factory Moto Guzzi ride in late 1956) from photographs he kindly provided me from his private collection.
He briefly wrote to me over them, and they tell the story well of the nomadic life led by these intrepid racers on the "Continental Circus"...a far cry from the MotoGP of today...
Keith says...
"...1956 was a good year for me as I gradually improved and gained a lot of confidence.
Never at any stage did I harbour any thoughts of becoming a factory rider, I was just enjoying the racing and being able to see other parts of the world and having Gwen with me made it all so much more enjoyable....."
Below is Keith in his first race in 1956 in Europe at Silverstone, UK and it was wet....
Left click on the images to enlarge...
















Racing in Florreffe, Belgium, 6th May 1956....















Hotel de Florreffe, Belgium.....


















20th May 1956, Chimay, Belgium, surveying a seized 350cc Norton...
















Refuelling depot in the pits, Hockenheim, Germany.















Hockenheim, Germany, 13th May 1956...






























Gwen holds Keith goggles preparing for racing at Hockenheim.
















On the starting grid at Hockenhein, 13th May 1956.

Keith Bryen had assembled his photos, scanned by himself, into folders of the various years he raced motorcycles.
As mentioned he was in the IOM in 1954 for the TT races, he comments...
..." I had prospects of a good season ahead of me for 1954 but as the result of a stupid mistake in the first lap of practice at the Ulster GP I broke my shoulder and collarbone. So I decided I would return home, as the season would be virtually be finished by the time I would be fit to race again."
It would be 1956 before he returned to Europe again.
These following photos are from the early part of that 1954 season and in the IOM.
Left click on the images to enlarge...
The caption for this is..."going down Bray Hill IOM TT, motor stop"...


















During the Senior TT IOM 1954, Keith finished 13th.

















At Ginger Hall during the Senior TT, IOM 1954























At Braddan Bridge during the Senior TT, 1954

















The start for Keith during the Senior TT, 1954.


















During the 1954 Junior TT, a short in the magneto condensor caused his retirement.

















Finish of the 1954 Senior TT...

I'm fortunate to have some of the personal racing photographs of riders from the special era from 1950's through the 1960's...I've mentioned Allen Burt before in this blog...a friend who I was involved in his care in the last years of his life to earlier this year when he passed away. I mentioned he was a bachelor, although I considered he was married to racing motorcycles!
I often took photos from his home to his nursing home residence and we'd discuss them and I'd pencil details on the back. Regretably I never did them all, but that isn't going to stop me showing you more... if fact you may be able to help with a possible place and date... fingers crossed...
Left click on images to enlarge...
I've published this before but is shows the two great mates, on the left on the P & R Williams supported ex works Velocette, Bob Brown and sitting on the other P & R's supported bike, an AJS 7R is Allen Burt. It's at the Mt.Druitt circuit, on the western outskirts of Sydney in 1953. Standing in the centre on the left is Les Slaughter a succesful rider in Australia, with Eric McPherson, another ex international from an earlier era.
Bob and Allen, members of the Western Suburbs MCC sailed to Europe in 1955 to collect new AJS and Matchless racers. Sadly Allen's crash during the TT practice of that year meant it wasn't until 1958 that he returned again to re-contest the GP's of Europe as a member of the Continental circus.



















In the pits somewhere in Europe, Allen in dirty white overalls in front of the converted bus that he and Bob Brown used as transport, looks on as an unknown rider makes adjustments to his machine...any ideas who? Tommy Robb..?























During the Junior TT, 1958, Allen at speed on a 7R AJS down Bray Hill (G.V.Neale photograph)


















At the bottom of Bray Hill... (G.V.Neale photograph)



















Prior to the TT in June, riders often contested lesser known meetings in Europe to garner much needed start money and hopefully some place money to assist in funding their years racing. These several photos are at Laxenburg, Austria 27th April 1958. Allen is rider #78 on a 7R AJS and following could be Tommy Robb #30 by the large shamrock on his helmet...photo credit Artur Fenzlau, Vienna, Austria.
Since I made up this blog I've had an email from Abraham Rehorst who suggests the rider #30 behind Allen may be Ladi Richter who was the Austrian 350cc champion in 1959.
Thanks Abraham....
















Allen at the same meeting and judging by the changed riding number, #81, is using his Matchless G45 in another event, likely the Senior race. The weather looks decidely unpleasant for racing.... Photo credit Artur Fenzlau, Vienna, Austria.
























This shot is where ??? It is Allen Burt by his helmet...he's on his G45 Matchless....

Keith included another folder with the CD-R he gave me of his racing history in photos and it was titled...." Photos of other riders and bikes of the past".
Lets have a further look...there is enough for a few more blogs as well as more of Keith's own racing adventures.....
Left click on the images to enlarge them....
A Zundapp outfit seen it the pits at The Noris-Ring circuit, 1953.
















The pits at the Belgium GP, 1953...
















Ray Amm with Keith's van, somewhere in Germany, 1953...
















Ray Amm and Ken Kavenagh walk the circuit at the Belgium GP, 1953
















Keith on a recce of the IOM circuit, here pictured at Bishop's Gate.















The Moto Guzzi works team bikes, Belgium GP, 1953.















Gilera factory bikes, Belgium GP 1953.

Keith included another folder with the CD-R he gave me of his racing history in photos and it was titled...." Photos of other riders and bikes of the past".
What a little treasure trove of interesting pics which I just have to share with you over a few more blogs on and off in the next few months......
Left click on images to enlarge.....
Ken Kavenagh at Silverstone, late 1953














A G45 at Silverstone, late 1953















Silverstone, late 1953















The Norton team, Silverstone, late 1953















125cc works Mondial, Silverstone, late 1953















125cc works MV Augustas, Silverstone , late 1953
















Silverstone, late 1953- Ken Kavenagh, Jack Brett and Ray Amm














125cc racing Tilbrook, circa 1952, made in South Australia.

As I mentioned in my last blog, Keith Bryen,left Sydney, Australia around April 1953 and sailed to England, collected racing motorcycles and became one of the
enthusiastic group of privateers who formed the "Continental Circus" with an old van purchased somewhere in the UK they camped at, and raced in the various motorcycle GPs throughout Europe with the pinnacle being the Isle of Man TT races, to which most young men who raced motorcycles aspired to.
This series of photographs were taken by Keith, his wife Gwen and perhaps friends or a professional photographic company who I regretably don't know and so can't credit the photos to.
This is your opportunity to view the racing from the eyes of a privateer who as I mentioned in the last blog eventually was offered a factory Moto Guzzi ride, only to have it withdrawn after Moto Guzzi withdrew from motorcycle racing at the end of the 1957 season.
Keith continues in a note to me.....
"..I soon realised after speaking with Eric McPherson ( another well known Aussie privateer who spent time in the UK and Europe on the Continental Circus from the late 1940's ) and reading "The MotorCycle" and "MotorCycling" that it would take about five years to get as much race experience in Australia as you could get in one season overseas, so in 1953 I ordered a brace of Nortons and set sail. Being a complete unknown, it was not easy to get a start at some meetings but as I became known it was a bit easier ..."
Left click on images to enlarge.....
At machine examination with his 350 Norton...IOM TT.























Ready for practice in the Senior IOM TT....this is an S.R.Keig Ltd photo to whom I acknowledge use.




















During practice on the 500 Norton, IOM TT.

















During practice on the 500 Norton, Ken Kavenagh about to pass him, IOM TT.



















A happy bunch of privateers in Douglas, IOM













Keith and Ken Kavenagh ready for the start of the Senior TT.



















The Bryen's van and Nortons in the pits of the Dutch TT at Assen.















The pit area the day after the Dutch TT.















A roadside foodstop on the Hannover to Berlin Autobahn.















Fellow privateers on the road in Europe...Rob Fitton, B.Mathews, H.Clarke,B.Hall.















Keith lapping Tommy Wood during the German GP at Schotten. The star riders of the Norton, Gilera, AJS and Guzzi teams refused to start in the 350 and 500 classes on the grounds of the excessive danger of the course.



















The Avis Ring at Berlin.