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Competitor Profile: Keith Bryen

TT Career Summary

Position111323DNF
No of times1313

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Biography

Keith Bryen started racing in 1947 on small dirt circuits in Australia, using modified road machines and graduated to road racing about 1949 after purchasing a new 7R AJS Then in 1952 he became half owner of a new K.T.T Velo. which ,after being tuned by the late Dave Jenkins, was a real racing bike. Had Keith been more experienced, better results would have been obtained. The Velo was then sold so that he could finance his first trip to the U.K. in 1953. A pair of Nortons, 350 & 500, were used in the Isle of Man and the "Continental Circus". Returning to Australia at the end of the 1953 season and the set-up was repeated in 1954, however Keith crashed on the first lap of practice at the Ulster, breaking his shoulder and collarbone. He returned home and was fit enough by then to ride in the first 24hour race at Mount Druitt, the team winning the 650cc. class. The same team competed in 1955 with the same results. By this time Keith was married to Gwen and both returned to England, in 1956, collected two Nortons and did the "Circus" and the Island., staying over there during the winter to be on hand for the 1957 season. In the TT he rode the factory AJS and Matchless machines for Tom Arter and Bob Foster respectfully. Then after the Dutch TT, Moto Guzzi asked Keith Bryen to try one of their 350cc. machines at the Belgian Grand Prix. Subsequently signing up with them in time for the Ulster and Italian Grands Prix. History records that most of the factories retired from racing at the end of `57, and with their daughter Stephanie arriving in December that year, Keith and Gwen decided it wiser to settle down and concentrate on family life. Those years of racing are always foremost in our minds and Keith is thankful that together, we often recall little incidents of that era.

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