Munro is the Man

[dangerous]

Yee frigen haaa................. I watched NZ's fastest Indian race Ausies fastest Indian today and what a bloody awesome thing to get too see... sorry guys but you really had to be there.
Heres a few pics I took you know which bike is Burt Munro's the other is a 4valve headed Indian from 1924 the real thing were as Burt's is a replica built for the movie.
You have to see these things move to believe it..... the 4v was pulling whellies down the main straight at Rupuna, I shit you not.

In the drag race betwen these bikes the Munro would pull out frount but mid track the 4v would pull out frount with the Munro then catching with only a bike lenth or 2 between them...... I think looking at the frount sprocket that the Munro was geared to high for such a small run.

Bugger it people I have a vid of the 1st drag on the camera but have no idea how to get it on the web for you guys to injoy.......... ohhhhhhhhhh the sound was beautafull.

[dangerous]

Ok... heres a few more.

[Kickaha]

The Aussie 4 valver was wheelstanding out of the dipper

[dangerous]

The Aussie 4 valver was wheelstanding out of the dipper

I knowwwwwww.................... how frecking cool was that

opps..... were you there? thought I forgot something

[gav]

Makes you wonder how good they would be if they were still around today

[TonyB]

I didn't get to see the Munro replica running (fuggit!) but the Aussie 4 valver was an amazing beast- heaps of go, awesome sound. Dangerous, if you go to www.photobucket.com you can set up user name etc there, then you can link a URL to the movie file, or perhaps do a direct link.
Just a wee story to give you an idea of what a beast the Munro bike was (appologies for the sketchy details but sadly both of these good men died of cancer, so I can't refresh the details- find out all you can before they're gone):
My father in law (Len) and his brother in law (John) were 'milk bar cowboys' back in the 60's. They used to compete in the odd event, and on one occasion they went to some beach racing. I forget exactly what John was riding, but it was a Triumph of some description and was regarded as pretty quick at the time. Anyway, they lined them all up and John noticed 'this old bloke on this clapped out old Indian' sitting someway further back. John didn't know it, but it was Burt Munro and he was sitting back there because they had handicapped his bike. So John thought 'I'm not gonna sit up here while that old bloke on that POS is sitting way back there' so he pushed his bike back and lined up beside him. The flag dropped and the Munro bike "took off like a shower of shit" John couldn't see anything for all the sand it was kicking up. Apparently it blew past the other bikes and rapidly receeded into the distance, wheelspinning madly all the way.

I guess the only way of comparing it would be if someone dragged off your 05 GSXR1000 on something from the 60's...or maybe if your factory Ducati got its arse kicked by a bike 'built in a backyard shed' by some eccentric bloke in NZ...

[Wolf]

or maybe if your factory Ducati got its arse kicked by a bike 'built in a backyard shed' by some eccentric bloke in NZ...

Yeah, but how often does that happen?

[dangerous]

the Munro bike "took off like a shower of shit"

The Munro bike started of as a 596 Indian Scout in 1920 it ended up pulling 295.3kph (183.5mph) at Bonneville in 1967

[Kickaha]

Yeah, but how often does that happen?

In real life? it hasn't yet,built in a back shed by one bloke my arse!

[dangerous]

In real life? it hasn't yet,built in a back shed by one bloke my arse!

LOL... yeah GSX gear box for a start IIRC

[TonyB]

In real life? it hasn't yet,built in a back shed by one bloke my arse!

Yeh, I know I know. I've got the book. Sounds good for marketing purposes and perpetuating the Kiwi myth though, eh?
wonder if Munro really did it on HIS own???

[dangerous]

Wonder if Munro really did it on HIS own???

aparantly so........ cant wait for the movie to come out

[Kickaha]

Yeh, I know I know. I've got the book. Sounds good for marketing purposes and perpetuating the Kiwi myth though, eh?
wonder if Munro really did it on HIS own???

I think it far more likely that a person of that era would be doing it on his own but I would think that anyone would sometimes have help from their friends etc form time to time

[Stevo]

I think it far more likely that a person of that era would be doing it on his own but I would think that anyone would sometimes have help from their friends etc form time to time

Hmmmmm. If ya want I will help your new sidecar by fitting a Honda POWERplant in there for ya mate. Be the biggest help anyone could be for ya. Ya might actually win then

[speedpro]

In real life? it hasn't yet,built in a back shed by one bloke my arse!

Jim Steadman's 750 triple was built in his shed, by him alone. He lives in the shed as well. OK he only made the crankcases and crankshaft but that would be comparable effort-wise to Burt I think.