Lot details
Registration No: N/A
Frame No: 3222779
Engine No: 3222779
cc: 250
MOT Expiry Date: N/A

NSU announced their withdrawal, as a factory entrant, from racing at the end of the 1954 season leaving an apparent void in the 250cc field for the coming season. They did however, announce the release of a new single cylinder 250cc racer, the Sportmax, that would be made available to privateers for the coming season.
The new machine displaced 247cc with engine dimensions of 69mm x 66mm which, with a compression ratio of 9.8:1 resulted in a power output of 28bhp at 9,000rpm. An Amal GP carburettor metered the fuel and air mixture into the engine, with the geared primary drive to the four speed in unit gearbox. A pressed steel backbone frame equipped with a swinging arm and pressed steel, leading link forks, both controlled by hydraulic shock absorbers constituted the chassis and 210mm drum brakes retarded the machine.
The prototype had first been seen towards the end of the 1953 season and further examples were campaigned throughout 1954 as private entries by Knopf and Braun. These development efforts were rewarded in the model's first "official" season when Herman Muller won the 250cc World Championship, on a "semi-works" entry, taking a win, a third place, two fourth place finishes and a sixth place to secure the title in front of Bill Lomas. The Sportmax had quickly found favour with other top-flight riders, with John Surtees, Sammy Miller and Georg Braun all campaigning examples in its first season of availability. As the decade progressed other great riders would use examples of the Sportmax to great affect in the 250cc class, both at national and international level, among them Mike Hailwood, Tommy Robb and Hans Baltisburger, helping the Sportmax to achieve a record of wins and placings unsurpassed by any other 250cc machine in the fifties and continuing to be competitive well into the sixties.
The example offered was originally supplied to Belgian racer R Orinel from Thimster who used it to win several local races and to secure 9th place in the 1961 Belgium Grand Prix at Francorchamps.
Following the machine's acquisition by the vendor an extensive restoration was undertaken during 2000 to "concours" condition throughout. The engine, which is equipped with a twin spark head and a 30mm Amal carburettor was overhauled by the German NSU specialist and tuner Mr Baltisberger. A replica alloy fuel tank was fitted to the motorcycle at the time of its refurbishment.
Included with the machine is a list of results and pictures of it competing during the fifties and sixties.