It was a chance viewing of the film ‘The World’s Fastest Indian’ one night that introduced me to the determined, obsessive and unique character of Burt Munro, the legendary record-breaking New Zealand motorcyclist.
When my Kiwi bother-in-law told a story about when he was a child in the 1960s, going to see Burt Munro race locally, my interest grew. I wanted to know more about Burt Munro’s life before the famous speed runs on the Bonneville Salt Flats, and what led to his obsession with building the fastest bike.
It makes sense to refer to Burt Munro by his first name, because that is how he is known around New Zealand, and it’s likely that is what he would have preferred. He avoided formality, was straight talking (and acting) with little time for convention – especially if it was in his way.
Born on March 25, 1899, Burt grew up in Southland, the most southerly part of the South Island. Burt’s father was a farmer and the family moved from farm to farm, with Burt working on the farms alongside the rest of the family as he grew up. It was a tough way of life, typical for the early 1900s. Burt’s family had their share of bad fortune – his unnamed twin sister died at birth and his brother, Ernest, was killed in an accident in 1912; the parents raised four sisters and one younger brother alongside Burt.
