Custodian of Worlds Fastest Indian

Ross Nicol · 06-08-09, 08:27 AM

In Feb earlier this year while racing the RF40 in the South Island of New Zealand I called in to the hardware store I worked at when I was a lot younger. This store is a must visit if you ever go to Invercargill as 'Neville Hayes' (pictured) is the owner and also the custodian of the original collection of Burt Munro.The worlds fastest Indian hero. also some photos are taken at Nevilles' home where he has amongst a lot of bikes, some Burt Munro hand made pistons and other interesting stuff.
Ross

Simon · 06-08-09, 08:35 AM

Ross, Thanks for posting that, REALLY interesting.
Simon

Dave S · 06-08-09, 08:37 AM

Nice pics Ross....The movie was awesome.....what talent....what is it with kiwi's and motorsport??

Ron Earp · 06-08-09, 08:43 AM

Thanks for posting that!

Jack Houpe · 06-08-09, 10:27 AM

That is absolutely wonderful, Thank You!

There are a lot of famous Kiwi's, lets not forget Bob Wallace who help developed and refine some famous Lamborghini's, Mura Jota, Countach, many others.

Molleur · 06-08-09, 11:33 AM

Awsome dude! Thanks for the interesting photo's..

Pete McCluskey. · 06-08-09, 06:18 PM

Thanks Ross, very interesting, the movie about Munro was a cracker. It even taught me how to grow good lemons.

Malcolm · 06-09-09, 04:07 AM

It was a good movie. Only saw it recently and enjoyed it enormously. When you get me my G&T, Pete, can I have a lime in it instead?

Ross Nicol · 06-09-09, 07:54 AM

What a sheltered life you've lived Pete, it was common knowledge in NZ that lemon trees grew much better if you peed on them. Malc don't worry about Pete pouring you a drink with his lemon attached, he's joined the Toffs and is waited on these days. Corporate box at the Melbourne Grand Prix and all that stuff old chap, what! ( those last 3 words to be articulated with an English gentlemans character). He even missed the girls dancing on the piano in Petes bar, well while I was there anyway.
Oops better shoot off now may have overstayed my welcome

Ross

Dave Bilyk · 06-09-09, 04:31 PM

Ross,
awesome, can't help but love and be inspired by the man. Never knew anything about him until I saw the film, what a guy.
Your post got me wondering if there was any actual footage and pics of him on the marvel that is youtube, so I had a look, and came up with these two for starters.
YouTube - Burt Munro & The World's Fastest Indian (Billy Idol - Speed)
and
YouTube - Burt Munro

enjoy

Dave

p.s It's not hot enough for lemon trees up here in Scotland, but my fir trees are doing nicely

Pete McCluskey. · 06-09-09, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ross nicol

What a sheltered life you've lived Pete, it was common knowledge in NZ that lemon trees grew much better if you peed on them. Malc don't worry about Pete pouring you a drink with his lemon attached, he's joined the Toffs and is waited on these days. Corporate box at the Melbourne Grand Prix and all that stuff old chap, what! ( those last 3 words to be articulated with an English gentlemans character). He even missed the girls dancing on the piano in Petes bar, well while I was there anyway.
Oops better shoot off now may have overstayed my welcome

Ross

Ha ha and I thought you blokes only knew about sheep and drinking. The corporate box was courtesy of a very good friend...Sorry I missed you in Pete's bar. But I didn't miss the girls.

Molleur · 06-09-09, 06:36 PM

That would make a nice lamp fixture...

Cliff Beer · 06-10-09, 01:41 AM

When the fire is REALLY big they come down head first, it's just a little faster.....

JimmyMac · 06-10-09, 02:42 AM

Thanks Ross,
It's such a shame that we are losing too many places like that these days.

Regarding Pete's photo,

Quote:

Originally Posted by ross nicol

and all that stuff old chap, what! ( those last 3 words to be articulated with an English gentlemans character)

Surely his expression was ~ 'Bottoms up! down the hatch old chap !'

WEGENER Engineering · 06-10-09, 10:57 PM

Thanks for the great pictures Ross. I was fortunate to have met and befriended Dean Hensley, the gentleman who restored Munro's Indian. In fact the first time I saw him he was being "towed" behind a '55 Chevy. Not in a car but in a wheelchair. A California dirt bike desert racer he was confined to a wheelchair after a nasty accident. Friends told me how he would only keep a semi steady job so that he could drive his van to the Mojave desert and ride for 2 days straight.
Always smiling and always buzzed with a beer in his hand he told stories of the awsome arm strength of the paraplegic that enabled him to pop many an implant of the careless floozies that entered his van. He died when the van careened of the freeway and everybody said that no doubt there was alcohol involved

He left a legacy of beautiful restored motorcycles, many of them Indians because of his close relationship to Eddie Kretz Sr. and Jr. of Indian racing fame.
Munro's Indian was displayed "on the halfshell" at the Bonneville Speedweek the year we ran our B-production Dodge Hemi. It was stunning and I finally got to see the bike of Burt Munro and Dean Hensley. Two Gentlemen who lived life to its fullest.

Ross Nicol · 06-11-09, 10:49 AM

The best book about Burt was written by George Begg another racing constructor/legend from Southern NZ. Has a lot of technical info, also describes how Burt left the frame to his bike in California and would return to NZ with his prized engine.Of course he would refit the motor on future trips to Bonneville. I believe it is this frame that has been built up in the USA but It is not Burt's original bike and doesn't have his motor in it, thats for sure. The bike in the Hardware store in Invercargill is the real deal. Neville was quite angry that some of the detail in the WFI book by Hannah is incorrect. I suggested he should sell his hardware store to the chinese importers and tour the world with the real Munro Indian and Velocette.

Ross