Austin Munks

Austin Munks was a motorcycle racing legend who won the Junior and Senior Manx Grand Prix in 1933 and 1936, and the Lightweight class in 1947. He also flew aircraft and owned his own aircraft. He was born in Leverton, Lincolnshire, in 1909 and died in 1982. Here are some more facts about him and his motorcycles:

• He rode Velocette, Norton, and Moto Guzzi bikes in his racing career. He was the first man to win the double, the Junior and the Senior, on Velocette and Norton machines respectively.
• He lost his left eye in a shooting accident in 1935, but this did not stop him from racing and flying. He retired from racing in 1936, but returned to win the Lightweight class on a Moto Guzzi in 1947.
• He owned a 1939 Brough Superior motorcycle, the Rolls-Royce of superbikes, which he bought from Norton. It was sold for £42,200 at an auction in 2002.
• He also owned a works Norton 500T trials bike, which he used for off-road riding. It was sold for £12,650 at an auction in 2013.
• He was friends with Alex Henshaw, a former test pilot, and they both used a landing strip at Hurn End, Lincolnshire. He flew to Milan in his Auster aircraft to pick up his Moto Guzzi in 1947.

https://www.lincolnshirelife.co.uk/posts/view/motorcycling-heroes