One Man's Dream - the Britten Bike Story by Harry Ruffell |
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| Monday, 11 April 2011 09:29 | |||
 Any fan of racing will remember the lurid pink and blue machine that literally thundered around the world’s race tracks and made the established motorcycle manufacturers sit up and take notice. Winning at Daytona in the US is a feat not to be sneezed at, even for the might of the Japanese factories, but for a hand-built machine from New Zealand, it was a real David and Goliath victory!All of a sudden, people were regarding the bikes designer and builder, John Britten as much more than some eccentric playing at building bikes. The reality was very much that while many have talked of designing the ultimate "Super' bike. John Britten had actually done it and then built it at home by hand! This fascinating DVD charts the story of the bike and while it is worth watching for that reason alone, it is also worth watching as an inspiration to anybody who is thinking of trying to turn dreams into reality. Even if you are thinking of doing something as basic as restoring a bike in a shed measuring 6 x4 with no tools or electricity, this DVD will have you starting tomorrow! This is an amazing true story and this fascinating video captures all the drama - the dreams and the nightmares, the triumphs and the tragedies. It is also shows that you can actually challenge the might and wisdom of the world's great motorcycle production factories and build a revolutionary bike that flies in the face of convention. The Britten V-1000 was called "The World's Most Advanced Motorcycle" by Cycle World in the USA and "The Most Powerful Four Stroke in the World" by Revs magazine in Australia’ Britten himself was dubbed "Renaissance Man" by Cycle magazine in the USA. Such accolades are not given likely, but by the end of this excellent 96 minute documentary you understand why they were. A definite must watch for bike fans and those who like to be inspired! It is available in the UK for £18.99 from www.manxshop.com Review by Ian Kerr
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