Henry Koring

Henry Koring

EV, Heinrich Koring or Henry as he is usually known, was from German stock, the son of an army Captain. Henry was born in South London in 1914. He spent the inter war years touring Europe with a group of friends racing their motorcycles and earning just enough to live on. He was in quality control at various aircraft component manufacturers during the second war and when peace returned he opened a motor cycle shop in Tottenham Court Road. He would catch the train to Wolverhampton and collect a new machine from the Norton Racing Dept. and then train it north to the Isle of Man and the T.T. Races. Henry had several spills and eventually decided that 4 wheels might be safer. He bought the Mk3 Smith from Ken Smith and after the Norton engine failed in spectacular fashion at Brands Hatch, he replaced it with a dry sump Road Race JAP. This improved the handling of the Smith dramatically and Henry had several successful years with it including winning the Consolation Final at Brands in October 1955, the JAP race in March '57, Junior Drivers in June, then the JAP race at Brands in April 1958 and numerous good placings in the other JAP only races run at that time, before it was sold on to David Kamm. Henry then raced a Cooper which he bought in an accident damaged state from the father of a young doctor who was killed while driving it at Brands Hatch. Soon after this Henry hung up his helmet in favour of married bliss, but continued to tinker with and ride bikes. He moved from London to St. Austell in 1961. Henry Koring passed away at the start of February 2007 at the age of 93.

At Brands Hatch in '55