Indian is marking 50 years since Burt Munro took his Indian Scout Streamliner to Bonneville and sparked the story that would be told in The World’s Fastest Indian. The firm asked his great nephew to ride the Spirit of Munro tribute bike at Bonneville this year to recognise the anniversary.
So on 13th August, Lee Munro, a Kiwi road racer and great nephew of Burt, will make a run on the salt and turn back the clock by half a century.
Indian revealed the Spirit of Munro Scout as a show bike back in 2013, using it to debut the new water-cooled engine that is now used in the production Scout model. A combination of engine modifications and the streamlined shell mean its top speed is far higher than the showroom model’s, though.
While Indian isn’t aiming for any particular records, and isn’t intended to top Burt’s original speed, but the run is in itself a homage to Burt Munro.
“Motorcycling is about shedding boundaries and limitations to go beyond the norm and there is no better example of that than Burt Munro,” said Reid Wilson, Indian Motorcycle Marketing Director. “Driven by unparalleled determination and a legendary passion for the pursuit, Burt Munro embodies the spirit of Indian Motorcycle and we couldn’t be prouder to honour his legacy with an updated version of his historic record on the Bonneville Salt Flats in August.”
Lee Munro said: “My uncle Burt was a significant inspiration for my own racing career and his appetite for speed is clearly a part of my DNA. What Indian Motorcycle is doing is fantastic and I couldn’t be prouder to partner with them and pilot my own Scout at Bonneville in honour of my uncle and the 50th anniversary of his historic record.”
Lee is a road racer from New Zealand who won the vintage class at the Methven Street Races earlier this year on a 1941 Indian. He’s got plans to race at the Isle of Man in the future.
