The John Britten story is simply amazing. If you visit The Kneeslider, you’re probably aware that he designed and built the motorcycle that bears his name, but until watching this DVD, I didn’t really know many of the details about the person behind the bike and the team of people he assembled to create this world class racer.
John Britten was from New Zealand, and as the film points out, it’s a very long way to anywhere when you need spare parts, so the population of the island has become quite the nation of do it yourselfers, fixing, modifying or making from scratch and John was right up there at the top of that group. He started with go karts, then found an old Indian Scout which he restored, followed by an old International truck which he dragged out of a swamp and fully restored. His house was converted from a stable and he turned it into a stunning place and when he couldn’t find what he wanted, like cabinet handles or plumbing fixtures, he simply designed what he needed and cast them up.
It takes about 2 minutes of watching this before you’re totally engrossed, the range of skills and knowledge involved in creating the Britten V-1000 is immense, as will be your respect for what he did. The engine was designed and built from scratch, creating the molds and casting the metal parts in his garage. The body, suspension, literally almost everything was built right there!
Britten wanted to race against the best from around the world and he knew you weren’t going to beat the factory teams at their own game, so he figured he would just build a better bike, and he did. Watching the Britten power wheelie while passing a Ducati at high speed, the other racer in full tuck as the homebuilt Britten motors on by is pretty darned impressive.
The Britten V-1000 itself is mechanical eye candy, a perfect example of the idea that great engineering looks good and something John Britten was aware of, he worked hard to make it look right. What a combination, great looks and high performance, something many attempt but few pull off.
It is truly unfortunate that cancer claimed John Britten so young at the age of 45. As many have so often wondered, what else might he have accomplished had he had more years to develop his ideas.
The underlying story here that became so very apparent to me was how John Britten exemplified the “doer” attitude. The words “can’t be done” weren’t part of his vocabulary and no matter how many obstacles appeared in his path, he kept moving forward.
This DVD is a remastered version of the VHS tape that was available in the past. It also has some additional items not on the old tape, there is on board video at Ruapuna and the Isle of Man as well as a photo slide show. There’s a lot of commentary by John Britten throughout which gives you a sense of who he was and you see him working with his team under extraordinary time pressure to finish the bike before Daytona.
If you like The Kneeslider and the kinds of bikes we feature here, if you love the idea of building mechanical things, if workshops and engineering are words that make you sit up and take notice, and above all, if you like the positive “doer” attitude, buy this DVD. I recommend it without reservation.
One caution, if you think this would be a great Christmas gift for someone, order immediately. It is shipped from New Zealand and takes a while to arrive. Order today!
UPDATE: Now available in NTSC format from Amazon:
Link: Britten Story DVD
todd says
I’ve always been surprised I haven’t seen a chinese knock-off of this bike all these years.
Here’s to the most beautiful bike ever and the man that created it.
-todd
Lohmann says
John Britten is one of my only heroes! Even though he passed away all too soon, he accomplished more than most people twice his aged
His bike was so revolutionary, even today more than 15 years after it was build! Carbon fiber everywhere, Hossack derived front suspension, fuel injection ect.!
Britten had the courage to do things differently, and a lot of his ideas took a further 10 years for the established industry to adopt. Even today the only GP machine with carbon frame is the Ducati Desmosedici.
I’ve seen the bike at the national museum in Wellington, New Zealand. I’ve got the book about his life. And for a long time I was so sad, that One Man’s Dream was available only as VHS. So when I saw the ad for the DVD at Kneeslider a few days ago I’ve ordered a copy at biker-gifts.co.uk (a whole lot cheaper for us Europeans, than ordering from New Zealand). Can’t wait for that DVD to arrive!
B*A*M*F says
That bike still looks advanced and futuristic today. Among John Britten, Burt Monroe, and Bruce McLaren, New Zealand can proudly count some of the most creative minds the motor world has ever known.
John Findlay says
If Rossi is the greatest rider of all time John Britten is the greatest bike builder of all time. The thing I find surprising is that with all the re-born motorcycle marks in the world know one has has the guts or vision to build Brittens. A road going vershion of this bike would be the ultimate.
If there is a heaven he and Burt Munroe are building some great bikes !
Emmet says
A true david vs. goliath story. He will inspire motorcycle builders for generations to come. Long live John Britten!
rohorn says
Not sure when I’ll get the DVD, but this just gave me the push to buy a copy of Tim Hanna’s Britten book a few minutes ago…
tim says
All you guys should come out to New Zealand. Beautiful roads, and willing women. One of the first things you see when you walk into our National museum (In Wellington) is a Britten bike.
I’m a fan, its fair to say.
sfw says
“Beautiful roads, and willing women”, you’re correct the women may be willing but aren’t much to look at. The roads are good but your coppers are little Hitlers.
Bob says
Anybody know where to get high-res versions of those photos that ran in Cycle World? I’ve got my own collection of Britten magazine clippings. A timeless, beautiful bike… an amazing achievement. Britten has become the standard by which independent sport/racing bike designers have been measured. I remember one designer pointing to the Britten family resources to moderate the sense of the scope of Britten’s accomplishment. It’s irrelevant how it was paid for. A small cadre of people built it from the most basic components. People with greater resources (financial and human) have achieved less and made less memorable bikes. Britten was swimming in the small pond of BOTT and BEARS. But to look at that magnificent bike… that something so beautiful, so innovative and elegant won races, it’s just breathtaking.
Hawk says
Years ago I saw a Britten being run at out now defunct local track, Westwood. Gary Goodfellow was the rider and, I was told, just doing some sorting out for John Britten.
I was struck by the innovative design concepts and, as I was taking ever closer looks, realised that I was indeed, looking at a piece of motorcycle history. The open serpentine belts were facinating. A fuel injection system that actually worked and controlled by a programmable on-board computer. After a couple of laps, Gary came in and, of all things, they plugged a laptop into a port by the steering head to download data. This was amazing stuff in those days ….. After a huddle out of earshot of the unwashed, some keystrokes were made and the laptop was reconnected to tell the on-board unit what to do.
Looking the bike over, it was obvious that the front profile was minimal obstruction to the airflow. The scoops not only pressurised the airbox, they provided air through a miniscule radiator located almost horizontal under the seat. The warmed air was discharged into the low pressure area behind the tail cone, which had a scavenging effect at speed. Power was phenominal. It appeared that Gary could loft the front wheel at will.
When I heard that, due to being rushed and overtired, the battery was incorrectly connected at Daytona and the fire went out, I was so devastated for John and the whole team. I understand that they were running second at the time and primarily gathering data …. knowing that they could crank it up to take the lead at will.
Later, I was told of John’s tragic illness …. and lamented the loss of such a brilliant mind. But I’m grateful to have seen that wonderful piece of machinery in action.
Tom says
Is this a region free DVD? I ask because I don’t have region free DVD player but rather a US one and Japanese one.
Also, Britten is a huge part of the reason why critics blast HD. Britten did what he did in his garage and yet a multi-billion dollar company tucked tail between its legs and scurried back to Milwaukee. Britten had heart, soul, and balls that no other company had…or has today really.
dan says
Last I heard before his shattering death was he was going to revise Indian and race them for America! Reminds me of Highlands Motorcycles and that tragedy. Parallel stories of failed American great success stories! The skill and creativity involved in that bike were likely the greatest leap forward in motorcycling ever! Engineering in American motorcycles can lead the world one day, but it’ll have to come from car racing or some other theater because bike builders here have not really discovered rear suspension let alone handling!
MikeC says
This is a PAL format DVD. Unless you have a region free player (highly unlikely in North America it will not play. North America uses NTSC format exclusively. It should however play on any computer. Not sure about BlueRay players.
mxs says
Region flag and what system are DVDs recorder are two different things …. just so someone doesn’t think otherwise.
Oldyeller8 says
Gord McMartin (former part-owner of Imperial Motorcycles, here in BC) designed the “Octopus”, the name they gave to the exhaust – When “Goody” was testing it at Westwood in the early 90’s. Gord too was one of those guys. Give him an idea and he would work something out. When he worked on my bikes I would get all sorts of interesting stories from him about the Britten.
Kai says
A massive v-twin stressed member?
Started building in a garage, learning carbon fibre as they went?
Brilliant.
What I find most interesting, is that they never had it fighting at full potential.
The fact that they could do so well, with so little, fighting a front end that didn’t want to stay down, and the usual new bike teething/reliability issues…
Just imagine if they’d been able to let the bike go.
Puts the big operations to shame 🙂
Scotduke says
A very clever guy and dead before his time.
joe says
I’ve seen a few of these bikes and I’m always curious why no one has taken over production and started turning out new ones.It seems a pity that a bike with so much promise has become nothing more than a museum piece.
Dr Robert Harms says
The “Paymate” for international purchases would not open for me ??????
WRXr says
While I certainly respect the technical tour-de-force of the Britten, I would never call it beautiful. Interesting. Fascinating. Eye-catching. But not beautiful.
NIck56289 says
Epics genius, a sad loss he died.
woolyhead says
No one ever said life was fair. My fire dimished after 45, until then I loved to make something better……or preferably my own idea from scratch. Alas, one gets too wise in old age……functionality take precedent over the beauty in mechanical things….but things wait on no man.
Scheffers says
This DVD made me cry, this man is a Legend!
Lohmann says
Tom -> On the back of the cover there’s a small logo containing a globe and the numbers 1-2-3-4-5-6, so i guess it’s a region free. And by the way in 4:3 PAL format.
Tom says
Lohmann, thanks for the info. I’ll be getting one for Christmas then.
FREEMAN says
I watched this story and I fully recommend it to everyone. A worthy watch and a great story about a true doer.
I, however, would rather not see a production version of this bike, as some of the comments suggest. I can’t help but feel that without Britten himself, then it just wouldn’t be a Britten motorcycle at all.
Da Gold says
New Zealand ?
Burt Munro and John Britten .