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Dave,

We Kiwis are a little eccentric and being simple country folk, underprivelaged, but do our damndest to compete on an even footing with other folk! Our forebears, being somewhat short of high tech resources developed a culture of making the most of whatever was at hand in the farm shed or local scrap heap to create the machines of their dreams. John Britten's bike is certainly a class act that was able to beat Honda, Ducati etc at their own game. Shame he died so prematurely of cancer but his company lives on and I believe a handful of bikes are still made to order?

Other eccentric Kiwi innovators include Richard Pearce who (lived not far from Burt Munro) built an aeroplane which local folklore claims flew well before the Wright Brothers - (don't want to start an international incident here!) It was also the first aeroplane to use ailerons for roll control. Pearce apparently did not recognise the historical significance of his achievement (simple country lad!) and thus failed to make arrangement to formally record the event on film at the time.

More details at http://www.ctie.monash.edu.au/hargrave/pearse1.html

Yes New Zealand is a great place to ride a motorcycle but there are many other places that are just as good. I had the privelage of being posted to Canada for three years (where I bought the R1150R) and enjoyed a number of great rides in upstate New York and Vermont around and through the Anarondacks.

By the way - the sheep photo above is of an Aussie farmhand!

Cheers

Ian Gore

Anonymous wrote:Dave,

We Kiwis are a little eccentric and being simple country folk, underprivelaged, but do our damndest to compete on an even footing with other folk! Our forebears, being somewhat short of high tech resources developed a culture of making the most of whatever was at hand in the farm shed or local scrap heap to create the machines of their dreams. John Britten's bike is certainly a class act that was able to beat Honda, Ducati etc at their own game. Shame he died so prematurely of cancer but his company lives on and I believe a handful of bikes are still made to order?

Other eccentric Kiwi innovators include Richard Pearce who (lived not far from Burt Munro) built an aeroplane which local folklore claims flew well before the Wright Brothers - (don't want to start an international incident here!) It was also the first aeroplane to use ailerons for roll control. Pearce apparently did not recognise the historical significance of his achievement (simple country lad!) and thus failed to make arrangement to formally record the event on film at the time.

More details at http://www.ctie.monash.edu.au/hargrave/pearse1.html

Yes New Zealand is a great place to ride a motorcycle but there are many other places that are just as good. I had the privelage of being posted to Canada for three years (where I bought the R1150R) and enjoyed a number of great rides in upstate New York and Vermont around and through the Anarondacks.

By the way - the sheep photo above is of an Aussie farmhand!

Cheers

Ian Gore

Pity the Britten bike was flawed. (and cost a rider his life).

By the way - the sheep photo above is of an Aussie farmhand!

How can you tell....he he...

DJ

Kiwi sheep aren't that friendly!

This film is now getting a wider release in the US although I still had to travel 30 miles to find a cinema showing the film on Saturday night.

The bottom line?

It's a wonderful film, well worth seeing whether you're a bike nut or not. Anthony Hopkins is great as Burt Munro. He portrays the character with just the right amount of stubborness, tenacity, earthiness and good humour to prevent it descending into a sentimental mess.

I defy anyone who sees the film, not to be moved by the moment when he gets to the Bonneville Salt Flats, gets out of his car and just stands on the salt, soaking up the history of the location.

Sheer magic and so much better than most of the CGI nonsense passing as entertainment today.

AN OUTSTANDING MOVIE! I refused to tell my wife what it was about because I knew that if she heard the words "motorcycle" and "land speed record" she wouldn't give it a chance.

Afterwards she couldn't stop raving about it! What makes it a compelling human story is the way in which Hopkins plays Burt. He's the charming underdog that you can't help but pull for.

And the way that he reacts once he finally reaches Bonneville after a lifetime of struggle is real lump-in-the-throat stuff.

But the racing footage is the topper! It puts you right there on the white sand!

Just saw it tonight with my best friend and his father. All three of us were blown away by how good this movie is. I have to agree with everyone on the scene where he finally gets to Bonneville. It's a very compelling scene. The cinematography is outstanding. You really can feel the sense of speed when he's going flat out.

Saw it Yesterday and I would have to rate it

My chicken biriani went through me in about 2 minutes. Now surely THAT is the fastest Indian.

The Worlds fastest Indian screened in NZ a couple of months ago..and in the US last month...but Down Under we have to wait until next month.. April 6...bugger!



http://hoyts.ninemsn.com.au/movie/1575.asp

But...Lucky me got to go to a special advanced screening at a local cinema and even meet one of the main guys in the film.

Can't remember his name but he played the American..Jim Moffit..in the movie...he gave a talk before the movie...nice guy...nice guy in the movie also.

Yes..I had my camera...:icon_mrgreen:



What a great film...and some classic lines all the way through it...like.

When he's packing to leave and says.."Specticals..testicals..and wallet...ok let's go".

Here's a few more of my pics of when I saw the real bike a few weeks ago.













In 1967 (when the film was set)...

I was about the same age as the boy in the movie and lived in a house and area just like in the movie..they did a great job..it was just like that back then.

btw....it's a very Aussie thing to have a lemon tree in the back yard...and it's important to keep it well watered...

..

DJ

Just re-discovered my Souvenir Programme from the 1986 50th Anniversary Cust Grand Prix here in NZ (where did 20 years go??). With the Worlds Fastest Indian being the hit of the moment the following may be of interest, a report on the 1938 Cust Grand Prix, when Burt was still road racing a Velocette.

"Thirty five starters, and a win for the Dunedin Well sinker, Bob Stewart, on his “works tuned" Ulster Rudge, followed home by Burt Munro, the pride of Invercargill who in turn led in L. Lamb of Oamaru on a Tiger 90 Triumph. Burt was renowned for his “do it yourself” methods, and, having set up the Velo., climbed aboard, and set out for Christchurch. Hiking through the hills just south of Oamaru the Velo came to a grinding halt, when the piston which Burt had brewed himself, collapsed. Burt hitched a tow into Oamaru and using his Southland charm on the manager of a large engineering firm, was granted a corner of the workshop where he set to work to strip the motor, clean out the debris, and fit a spare piston. A day and a half later Burt was on his way again, and duly reported for machine examination on the Saturday. Burt set off on practice and completed six laps, and, then pulled into the pits to check on his lap times. Out again, Burt was haring up through the hairpin, when the Velo had another bout of indigestion, symptom, an ear shattering clatter within the barrel. But Burt was not the least dismayed, he still had another piston, and an invitation to use the workshop of Owen Williams saw Burt hard at work. Burt thought that riding it out there would give him some indication that all was well. Then the gun went off, Burt was away with the fast fellows and rode like a man possessed but just lacked the pace to haul in the Dunedin entrant, but created a legend of a man’s determination come what may."

I went to the video store, my kid is addicted to video games....


picked up the World's fastest Indian on DVD...

What a great movie!

The DVD includes a parts of the 1970's documentary made about Burt Munro, well worth it!

This one will make my video collection.

Yes that doc 'Offerings to the God of speed' is great...the real Bert Munro is a classic for sure.

DJ

I just rented this last night. Great movie! Burt was da man! I really enjoyed the 70's documentary too. A true speed freak.
I will definitely buy a copy of this.

So, I understand his record still stands, is that for motorycle streamliner under 1000cc....or is it for an INDIAN streamliner under 1000cc?