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From the Library
ONE GOOD RUN: THE LEGEND OF BURT MUNRO by Tim Hanna
This is the amazing and entertaining story of the Kiwi
motorcycling legend, backyard engineering genius and
land speed record holder Burt Munro. (Burt was
originally Bert, but adopted the American version of his
name). Munro was the archetypal eccentric, ‘number-
eight-wire’ Kiwi inventor. He took an original Indian
motorbike and modified it in his Christchurch shed so
that it was capable of extreme speeds. With this bike he
broke several international speed records at the
Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah in 1967 (he was clocked on
several occasions at over 200mph). From small town
Invercargill in the 1920s to heroic deeds in the USA,
Munro was still inventing (and planning another
‘assault on the salt’) up until his death in 1978.
This is very much a true-life ‘little guy beats the odds’
story; Munro still holds several records in the US - as a
mark of respect the category he raced in was ‘frozen’ for
all time. The 2005 publication of this book was timed to
coincide with the movie, “The World’s Fastest Indian”,
directed by Roger Donaldson and starring Sir Anthony
Hopkins. The author, Tim Hanna, is a former
advertising copy writer - so knows how to sell a story!
He has also written for television, is a motorcycle
enthusiast in his own right and has personal connections to the movie director Roger
Donaldson.
Any car or motorcycle enthusiast who has enjoyed the movie “The World’s Fastest Indian”
- or indeed who has not yet seen the movie will certainly enjoy this book, despite it being
an unauthorised biography and likely a certain amount ‘made up’ or imagined. However, I
am not recommending the book for its absolute accuracy, but for the detailed descriptions of
a true eccentric who stubbornly challenged himself and his machines, and in the process
achieved extraordinary outcomes in the world of speed records.
It is truly amazing to me that he made so many complicated and precision engine parts by
hand and basic machine tools. His quoted approach of, “If it blows up before the line it’s too
hot. If it blows up after the line it isn’t hot enough. If it blows up on the line, then it’s just
right,” shows his approach of persistent and continual striving for improvement. His
interesting life will leave you inspired to reach for more
in your life.
Recommended as a jolly good yarn!
Mark L. Jones
VSCC Librarian
Browse the club library. Its ever growing collection of
books about motor sport, motoring history and more is
available for free loan to VSCC members.