Britten V1000 fans.

[Mack]

The January issue of "Motorcylist Magazine" has a nice write up on John Britten and his V1000. I thought it was pretty well done for an American moto mag, and some nice pics were included as well.

If anyone has suggestions on which books on John Britten and/or the V1000 are worth purchasing, I would be interested to hear their opinions.

Anyone planing on going to the Britten ten year in NZed this coming year? I had planned to, but as my buddy has decided not to go, I am currently undecided. Sure would like make it back down that way for some more fantastic riding and all around good times.

[Possu]

Had the video since ity came out (10 years?). Worth buying or getting your hands on a copy, Can't recommend it enough.

Some good moments in it, one that springs to mind is John Britten casting engine cases at home. He needs to quench but the heat in the cases is boiling the water away to quick, funny watching him run about stealing water from the pool to top up the quenching tub.

One of those who died far to young IMO, sadly missed Who knows what else he would have come up with?

[RoyB]

Taken at the Barber Museum, Birmingham Al............

More Photographs Here.....
http://http://public.fotki.com/Rbert..._museum__smok/

[Rubbadog]

I was fortunate and was working pit crew for a friend of mine racing in the Battle of the twins class on a bevel drive Ducati at Thruxton when the Britten was there. Listening to it come down the pit straight it sounded like a mixture of V twin and V four, struggling to keep the front wheel down. Very quick. It also had a double wishbone Hossack setup on the front suspension, similar to the new K1200S BMW.

[Ricardo Kuhn]

, thanks for the pictures of a incredible work of art

Originally Posted by RoyB

More Photographs Here.....
http://http://public.fotki.com/Rbertalotto/barber_museum__smok/

[norton73]

One upside to living in Alabama is having the Barber museum 30 min away. I have been there 3 times this summer, and still havn't seen it all. Hell, I could go stare at the Britten all day, and there's still another 899 bikes to see.


"Britten Motorcycles,the John Britten Story" was published this fall. I ordered a copy at Mid-Ohio Vintage days in July, and got a early copy in Sept. Whitehorse Press has it http://www.whitehorsepress.com/advan...733195&x=9&y=9
Nice coffee table book, lots of pictures, brought tears to my eyes in the final chapters.

The Video is "One Man's Dream, The Britten Story", available through Waldridge Motors is Canada, http://www.walridge.com/videos.html

While you're ordering, get either "V-four Victory on video, or "the Roadracers & V-four Victory" on DVD, a lap of the Isle Of Mann TT with a onboard camera on Joey Dunlop's RC30. It'll scare the crap out of you

Saw one of the Brittens at Mid -Ohio race in 1999, still have fond memories of the sound, and the sight of the bike wheeliing the full length of the start/finish straight away.

[Possu]

Watched a couple of Britten's racing at Thruxton (UK) in the mid 90's. One was traditional blue & pink, the other was black with yellow trim & owned by a wealthy Italian. to him for actually racing a $50k bike.

The blue/pink bike was ridden by Aussie Andrew Stroud, unfortunately it was raining & the Britten had too much torque & power for the wet track, wheelspinning everywhere. Came second to Mike Edwards riding an F650 powered Singles Racer.

Sat on Strouds bike after the race & inadvertantly kicked the tailpiece quite hard as I got on

There was also a Harley VR1000 racing but not that you'd know it

[HarveyMushman]

Originally Posted by Steve Pickford

There was also a Harley VR1000 racing but not that you'd know it

An interesting tidbit in the Motorcyclist article is that the Britten heads are based on a design provided by the dude who designed the Harley's heads. Both are 60-degree vee's, see.

[Mack]

Thanks for the input, I am going to treat myself to some "Britten Books/Video" for Xmas.

So far I have seen either Jim Hunters bike or the Barber museums #7 bike at the "Art of Motorcyle" exhibit in Las Vegas, not sure which it was. (#7 was on loan to the Met, when I visited the Barber Museum during the AMA Superbike races.)

I spent almost two hours sipping expresso and drooling over bike #2 at the National Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington, NZed.

http://www.nzedge.com/heroes/britten.html

http://www.tepapa.govt.nz/TePapa/Eng....htm#essential

http://www.tepapa.govt.nz/TePapa/Eng...Search=britten

***********************************************
This is the even I wanted to attend: John Britten Memorial Race Meeting.

http://www.brittenrace.co.nz/

***********************************************

http://www.britten.co.nz/

[Rubbadog]

That would be the same meeting I was at. How come you didn't buy me a beer?

Originally Posted by Steve Pickford

Watched a couple of Britten's racing at Thruxton (UK) in the mid 90's. One was traditional blue & pink, the other was black with yellow trim & owned by a wealthy Italian. to him for actually racing a $50k bike.

The blue/pink bike was ridden by Aussie Andrew Stroud, unfortunately it was raining & the Britten had too much torque & power for the wet track, wheelspinning everywhere. Came second to Mike Edwards riding an F650 powered Singles Racer.

Sat on Strouds bike after the race & inadvertantly kicked the tailpiece quite hard as I got on

There was also a Harley VR1000 racing but not that you'd know it

[Possu]

Originally Posted by Rubbadog

That would be the same meeting I was at. How come you didn't buy me a beer?

Never met you but I'd been advised that you were best avoided even then

[Rubbadog]

Originally Posted by Steve Pickford

Never met you but I'd been advised that you were best avoided even then

Oh, so you've heard too.
They never managed to prove it you know...

[hondav2]

Hay Andrew Stroud is a Kiwi , I went to last years John Britten Memorial race meeting at Ruapuna Christchurch New Zealand and are going to the 2005 meeting as well. They had about 5 Brittens there and are hopeing to have more in 05. Any one heading down this way send me an email and we can have a beer ect ect. Cheers Toddy

[Ray of Sunshine]

While you're ordering, get either "V-four Victory on video, or "the Roadracers & V-four Victory" on DVD, a lap of the Isle Of Mann TT with a onboard camera on Joey Dunlop's RC30. It'll scare the crap out of you

Best quote from "Yer Maun": "You've got to watch out for this wall, because you brush your head against it."

One more reason why he was the greatest road racer.

[gaspipe]

The V-Four Victory lap of IOM is awesome. I wore out the videotape, and have th DVD now. It'll make ya dizzy. Godspeed JD.

Originally Posted by Darksideofthetree

While you're ordering, get either "V-four Victory on video, or "the Roadracers & V-four Victory" on DVD, a lap of the Isle Of Mann TT with a onboard camera on Joey Dunlop's RC30. It'll scare the crap out of you

Best quote from "Yer Maun": "You've got to watch out for this wall, because you brush your head against it."

One more reason why he was the greatest road racer.