1974
 
Page updated 17-Apr-2011
Team Gus Kuhn reverted to Nortons for endurance racing in 1974 [Classic Racer Spring 1990]:

March 3rd at Mallory Park (National): In the 1,000cc race Potter is 3rd (750 Kuhn Norton).

10th March at Cadwell Park: Cowie (Kuhn Norton) is 5th in the 750cc race

17th March at Snettterton (Club): Fresh back from Daytona, Barry Sheene set the day's fastest lap. On a water-cooled 500cc Suzuki twin which he was trying for the first time, he twice clocked the first 90mph plus lap. However, he pulled out of each race, leaving the prizes to the clubmen. In the 500-1,000cc race Dave Miles (750 Kuhn Seeley) finished 4th. He also did very well in the 500 races on his Coleshill Seeley, winning one and finishing 2nd in the other two.

24th March (Sunday) at Brands Hatch: With a second and a third in the 0ver 500cc races John Cowie on his Gus Kuhn Norton was one of the most successful of the big-bike men. [Motor Cycle 30/3/1974]

12th April Good Friday at Brands Hatch (short circuit): Tony Smith wins the production race on his 750 Kuhn Norton, beating Dave Potter's lap record. In the 750 race Potter (Kuhn Norton) is 6th. In the 1,000cc race: 5th Potter (850 Kuhn Norton), 6th Cowie (750 Kuhn Norton).

May 18th: Mick Woollett's Race Gossip in Motor Cycle: Willy on a Kuhn: With no works machine for the Production TT, John Player Norton team-leader Peter Williams will ride a Gus Kuhn 850 Norton Commando in the Island next month. He heads a three-man Kuhn-entered team along with Derby's Geoff Barry and Chelsea's John Cowie, who already races a 750 Norton in open races for the South London dealer. Peter will not, however, be riding a machine completely new to him. In fact, two of the three bikes are, except for the power units and some of the running gear, the works models raced to victory by the factory in the 500-miler at Thruxton last October and very similar to last year's works IoM bikes.

May 11th Saturday at Brands Hatch: In the third 501-1,000cc race Dave Miles (750 Kuhn Norton) was 3rd.

June at the TT: Geoff Barry finished 4th in the 1000cc production race. Peter Williams replaced Cowie and was in third place in the early stages on the Gus Kuhn Norton, but retired on lap two at the Highlander. [http://www.iomtt.com] Peter won the Formula 750 race on the John Player Norton.

23rd June at Lydden: Dave Potter's luck was really out at the Lord of Lydden meeting. One of the favourites to take the title from Pat Mahoney, he performed well in practice but his Kuhn Norton damaged a camshaft badly enough to put him out of the racing. Dave's got plenty of time on his hands though. No longer employed at Gus Kuhn's, he's looking for a job. “Anything will do,” he said “even digging roads.” [Mick Woollett, Motor Cycle 29/6/1974]

Gary Green & Dave Potter changing over, while Dave Sleat holds the bike and Vincent Davey inspects the rear tyre.

Green & Potter pit stop at
Montjuich Park
Photo from Gus Kuhn archive.

July 6th & 7th at Barcelona 24 hour race: Saddest man in Spain on Sunday was Vincent Davey of Gus Kuhn. He was blaming himself for losing a ‘cert' second place in the Barcelona 24-hour race. The Kuhn 750cc Norton Commando, ridden by Dave Potter and Gary Green, was lying third after eight hours, just two laps behind the eventual winners, when a refuelling error, which Vincent blames himself for, stopped the bike on the course– costing ten laps as Potter pushed in. Restarting in 14th place, Potter and Green rode on to finish seventh, the first British machine home. [Charlie Rous, Motor Cycle 13/7/1974] John Cowie and John McKiernan retired in the third hour.

August 4th at Brands Hatch: Hutchinson 100. Dave Potter led the 20 lap production race from start to finish on the Kuhn Commando in wet conditions. Second place went to Tony Smith on another Norton.

September 29th at Thruxton: Motor Cycle Powerbike race. Gus Kuhn entered three teams. Potter and Green were originally entered on a 750 Kuhn Norton. This was replaced at a late stage by Green's Triumph Trident. After half an hour Barry Ditchburn on the Boyer Kawasaki was was 16s ahead and Tait (Triumph) was having to fight hard to hang onto Gary Green (Triumph Trident) who was really flying. The Potter/Green Triumph maintained second place through to the end. Adrian Rivett & Ron Mellor on the 900 Gus Kuhn BMW finished 18th. Pat Mahoney & John Cowie on the 830 Gus Kuhn Norton retired on lap 53 with a broken crankshaft and dry primary chaincase.

October 26th & 27th at Brands Hatch: Race of the South, Powerbike International: Dave Potter is entered in final round Superbike championship on the GK Norton, but he crashed at Clearways along with several others after Grant touched Trollope's machine, bringing him off.