The Mk.6 KTT today…..

This is a further additional blog to one I did earlier on the Mk.6 KTT and so I won’t include photos already posted there.

There were three mk.6 prototype KTTs built for the 1936 IOM TT as mentioned, however several were used in Europe throughout 1936, winning the Junior race in the Belgium GP ridden by Ted Mellors. See photo below…

Ted Mellors victory in 1936 Belgium GP on a Mk.6 KTT.

Ted Mellors during the Eilenreide races.

Mellors also rode a Mk.6 KTT in early April in the Eilenriede races situated in a forest area near Hannover, Germany at which he won the 350cc class against DKWs, etc.

This was reported in the German motorcycle magazine “Das Motorrad” and the report is included in this blog.

It was always the first show-down for the German professional racers and the main companies as BMW, DKW and NSU. Today it is used for bicycle races.

The petrol tank used for this event was not the same as used in the IOM, it was more like the earlier “dog-kennel” racers of 1935.

Where are these Mk.6 KTTs today….?

It seems the Mk.6 KTT that Roger Loyer used ended up in the hands of Bruno Ahlswede who lived in Hannover and was destroyed in the fire storm air raid bombing by the Allies during WW2.

One came to Australia with Frank Mussett when he left as WW2 was underway in 1939.

Below is a photo of it used at Bonnie Vale in Victoria ( Australia) in 1947. It was later owned by Norm Osborne, but its where-a-bouts today are unknown.

Two photos of the Mk.6 KTT that went to Australia in 1939 with Frank Mussett.

This leaves the third, which is owned by Gert Boll in Germany is now restored and leads this article….

Gert obtained the engine from Leipzig in the former East Germany and the frame came from France.

They are unlikely to have been together before, but who knows….

The engine is KTT621 and from the works records for the IOM TT you can see this was allotted to H.E.Newman. The frame is frame number 6TT4 which was allotted to Billy Tiffin of Carlisle, Scotland.

There are photos, below, showing the engine as it was dismantled by Gert and the frame as it was cleaned and primed for painting. Its dimensions are the same as the Mk.7 KTT which followed it which was a production KTT sold to the racing public.

Looking at the oil feed on the top bevel cover of several of the bikes, there were two versions, Gert Boll’s now Mk.6 is the same as the Newman engine of 1936, whereas the Australian Mk.6 appears to be the same as Loyer and Tiffin’s. Loyer’s machine was destroyed as mentioned, so the machine outstanding in Australia is likely to have been Tiffin’s engine, but as his frame is with Gert Boll it must have one of the others.

There obviously was mixing of engines and frames.

During 1937, Ernie Thomas rode a Mk.6 in the IOM TT, as did Les Archer and even Noel Pope.

Full marks to Gert Boll for his tenacity in tracking down this rare machine and I think we can confidently say it is the sole remaining Mk.6 left in the world.

Acknowlegement is made to Mike Kingwell author of "Touring and Sporting Motorcycles in Australia, 1916-66", Morton's Motor Cycle Media, Gert Boll, Motor Presse Verlag for use of the various photographs.

Left click on images to enlarge.

Roger Loyer's Mk.6 KTT likely in Europe 1936.

Gert Boll's frame, 6TT4, formerly Billy Tiffin's 1936 TT machine.

Gert Boll's stripped and primed Mk.6 KTT frame, 6TT4.