Classic Motorcycle Mecca unveils revamped John Britten motorbike display
Classic Motorcycle Mecca – the leading classic motorcycle museum in the Southern Hemisphere – has revamped its tribute to legendary Kiwi designer John Britten.
The bigger and better exhibit comes just in time for Invercargill’s famed Burt Munro Challenge, which draws thousands of motorbike enthusiasts to the southern city.
The exhibit is the largest collection of Britten bikes on public display in the world.
Transport World executive director Joc O’Donnell says the new-look display also includes the addition of the Britten Aero-D-Zero.
“Britten bikes can only be seen in four museums around the world – ours included – but we are exceptionally proud to lead the pack, with the Aero-D-Zero bringing our John Britten collection up to a whopping four bikes. We feel privileged to have been asked to display this bike in our collection by its owner, and we know our guests will absolutely love it,” she says.
“Our team has worked incredibly hard to create a new-look display to showcase one of New Zealand’s all-time greats in the motorcycling world. John Britten was a creative genius and a backyard visionary, and his legacy is one we’re very excited to share with everybody heading to Invercargill for the Burt Munro Challenge 2023.”
The Aero-D-Zero represents the beginning of the bikes that made John Britten a star on the world stage.
Back in the mid-1980s, John Britten and his good mate Mike Brosnan decided to build themselves two race bikes: one for each of them. The Aero bikes started out as a styling project, featuring extended aerodynamic fronts with spoilers and avant-garde bodywork. Their design was sleek and slick, with the shape conforming to their riders’ bodies.
Mike Brosnan was very successful racing the Aero-D-Zero. The bike was first run in the March 1987 BEARS speed trial, clocking 234.02 kph (145.41 mph). It went on to win the 1988 and 1990 speed trials, with speeds of 242.72 kph (150.82 mph) and 247.80 kph (153.98 mph) respectively.
Classic Motorcycle Mecca’s John Britten display also includes the V1100 Cardinal, The Precursor, the V1000 Aero-D-One, John’s 1948 Triumph Tiger, and the John Britten single motor.