WINNING IS POWER
It takes a good engine and handling package to win a race, yet most racers would trade their sister to have an engine more powerful than their opponent.
Besides passing, having an abundance of power can be used to advantage in a number of other ways, too, such as placing less stress on the tyres during a race, or perhaps just to keep pace with the other riders. But the racer’s deal is, when you’ve got it – you’ll use it!
The iconic Britten bikes were one such machine, and while the motorcycle was a stunning piece of kit, the New Zealand-built engine was the life and soul of the bike. Just to see and hear one start up draws a huge crowd – it’s an event not to miss.
The incredible homemade 60° water-cooled Britten 1000/1100cc powerplant featured fuel injection, but incorporated a five-speed Suzuki GSX1100 gearbox. The standard V-1000 has a 99mm bore x 64mm stroke while the V1100, which has not been used since 1994, uses a 72mm stroke and produced 170hp at 10,500rpm.
A novel idea was the under-seat radiator, but it was the early engine management system with data logging that helped the team control the V-twin’s output via a red button on the left handlebar. Years ahead of its time, it was enough to attain the
