NSU 125cc Rupert Hollaus MV Agusta Ubbiali Eysink start 1954 Dutch lightweight

Description

A superb and rare photo of the start of the
1954
125cc Grand Prix of the
Netherlands
, a.k.a. the
Dutch T.T.
, which was ridden on
July 10, 1954
.
On this magnificent photograph we see the
winner
of the race ánd the
125cc World Champion
of that year,
Rupert Hollaus
on his works
N.S.U. 125
(starting number 4). Hollaus would
WIN
the race with an average speed of
85.32 mph
(
137.31 km/h
)
AND
he went on to become the 1954 125cc World Champion with the photographed machine!
Also visible are the great Italian
Carlo Ubbiali
on his
works MV Agusta
(nr. 6); German
Hans Müller
on NSU
(nr. 7); Italian
Alfredo Copeta
on
MV Agusta
(nr. 7); Dutchman
Gerrit Dupont
on
MV Agusta
(nr. 29); Italian
Guido Sala
(
MV Agusta
nr. 8); German
Hans Baltisberger
(
NSU
nr. 3) and with nr. 27 Dutchman
Dick van der Waerdt
on a Dutch
Eysink
machine.
Rupert Hollaus would not only win the race, he went on to become the 1954 125cc World Champion before Ubiali (2ND) en Müller (3RD).
All three men are visible on this great photograph!
NSU Motorenwerke AG
, (normally just NSU), was founded in 1873. NSU began as a knitting machine manufacturer in the town of
Riedlingen
on the
Danube
in 1873, and moved to Neckarsulm, where the river Sulm flows into the river
Neckar
, in 1884. The company soon began to produce bicycles as well, and by 1892, bicycle manufacturing had completely replaced the knitting machine production. At about this time, the name NSU (from
Neckar
and Sulm) appeared as brand name. The first NSU motorcycle appeared in 1901, followed by the first NSU car in
1905. In
1932 the car production in
Heilbronn
was sold to Fiat. During World War II NSU designed and produced the famous Kettenkrad, the NSU HK101, a half-tracked motorcycle with the engine of the Opel Olympia. After the war, NSU restarted in a completely destroyed plant with pre-war constructions like the Quick, OSL and Konsul motorbikes; furthermore, the HK101 continued to be sold by NSU as an all-terrain vehicle in a civil version. The first post-war construction was the NSU Fox in 1949, available in a 2-stroke and a 4-stroke version. In 1953 the famous NSU Max followed, a 250 cc motorbike with a unique overhead camdrive with connecting rods. All these new models had a very innovative monocoque frame of pressed steel and a central rear suspension unit. Albert Roder, the genius chief engineer behind the success story, made it possible that in 1955 NSU became the biggest motorcycle producer in the world. NSU also holds 4 world records for speed: 1951, 1953, 1954 and
1955. In
1956 Wilhelm Herz started at the
Bonneville Salt Flats
,
Utah
. Herz was the first man to ride a motorcycle faster than
200 miles
per hour, in August 1956. Motorbike production continued until 1968. NSU's last production motorcycle was the Quick
50. A
museum in Neckarsulm, the Deutsches Zweirad- und NSU-Museum, has many of NSU's products on display. NSU had several successes in the Isle of Man TT races in the 1950s. NSU holds 4 World records for speed: 1951, 1953, 1954 and 1955. During the 1930s, and in the mid 1950s NSU was the largest motorcycle producer of the world. The NSU Quickly was the most popular moped of its time. It was produced between 1953 and
1966 in
over 1.000.000 examples and still can be found today all over the world as more than 60% were exported.
M.V. Agusta
began as an offshoot of the Agusta aviation company which was formed by Count Giovanni Agusta in 1923. The Count died in 1927, leaving the company in the hands of his wife and sons, Domenico (on the photo), Vincenzo, Mario and Corrado. Count Vincenzo Agusta together with his brother Domenico formed MV Agusta (the MV stood for Meccanica Verghera) at the end of the Second World War as a means to save the jobs of employees of the Agusta firm and also to fill the post-war need for cheap, efficient transportation. Count Vincenzo and Domenico Agusta had a passion for mechanical workings and for motorcycle racing. They were determined to have the best Grand Prix motorcycle racing team in the world and spared no expense on their passion. They achieved this goal by hiring some of the best riders of the time, namely Carlo Ubbiali, John Surtees, Mike Hailwood, Giacomo Agostini, Phil Read, and others, and having the best engineers, most notably Arturo Magni. The fire-engine red racing machines became a hallmark of Grand Prix racing in the 1960s and early 1970s, winning 17 consecutive 500 cc World Championships, and 63 World Championships overall. With the death of Count Domenico Agusta in 1971, the company lost its guiding force. The company won their last Grand Prix in 1976 and by 1980, stopped producing motorcycles altogether. The Agusta aviation branch continued on with its successful helicopter business. Interestingly, MV produced their first prototype, ironically called "Vespa," in 1945. After learning of Piaggio's brand new motorscooter of the same name, it was changed to MV 98. The company successfully manufactured small-displacement, quintessential Café racer style motorcycles (mostly 125-350 cc) through the 1950s and 1960s, followed by the big four cylinder 600cc and 750cc bikes in the 1960s and 1970s.
It is a very nice non period photo that reflects a wonderful era of motorcycling’s rich history in a wonderful way. This is your rare chance to own this photo, therefore it is printed in a nice large format of ca. 8" x 12" (ca.20 x
30 cm
).
Check out our auctions or contact us for more motorcycle photos and use the shipping discount!
Shipping costs will only be $ 7.00 regardless of how many photos you buy.   For 5 or more photos, shipping is free!
(Note: A. Herl, Inc. does not appear on photo, for ebay purposes only)
No copyright expressed or implied. Sold as collectable item only. We are clearing out our archives that we have gathered from various sources.
All items always sent well protected in PVC clear files
and board backed envelopes.
We have photographs that came from professional collections and/or were bought from the original photographer or press studio! They are all of professional and excellent quality.
After many decades of professionally collecting photographs and posters we are clearing out our archives. They make the perfect gift and are perfectly suited for framing. They will look gorgeous unframed and will be a true asset nicely framed with a border. They are a gorgeous and great asset in every home, workshop, workplace, restaurant, bar or club!
First come - first served. And you can always contact us for your requests. Please ask any questions before the auction ends.