2022 marks the 50th anniversary of Bert Monroe's speed record, which is still relevant in motorsports today. In honor of the occasion, his nephew Lee Monroe, also a professional motorcycle racer, recreated his uncle's historic Bonneville run of the Indian Scout trimliner. Bert Monroe was a purposeful man who can be understood not only by an enthusiastic motorcyclist who does not hesitate to smear his hands in motor oil. Leaving his mark on the history of mankind, it was he who said the words that became an aphorism and motto for many: “If you give up your dream, you turn into a vegetable.”
Youth
Bert Monroe's youth took place at the beginning of the twentieth century. These were the golden years of technological progress. Motorcycles, cars, planes, trains - all this fascinated the young man. And Bert really wanted to see the big world with his own eyes. Soon Monroe Jr. joined the army and returned home only after the end of the 1st World War. His father sold the farm and had nowhere to work, so the future racer got a job as a construction worker. Soon the head of the family decided to take up farming again, bought a plot of land and called his son back.
MV Agusta 832 Monza (231 km/h)
Quite famous, despite the limited production of most models, the motorcycle manufacturer presented this model to the general public in 1978. Interestingly, the motorcycle has a five-speed gearbox, disc brake, and a camshaft. The engine of this high-speed bike was not very large: only 837 cubic centimeters. However, its power performance could be the envy of many competitors: 105 horses of the engine located across the supporting frame accelerated the bike to 231 kilometers per hour, which automatically made the Monza one of the fastest motorcycles in the world at that time.
"Velochette MSS"
By that time, Bert Monroe, about whom a film would be made in 2005, had acquired another motorcycle, the Velocette MCC. He also modified it: installed slick tires, modified the suspension, made new parts for the engine and re-welded the frame. Thus, the rider reduced the weight of the bike and increased the engine capacity to 650 cc. Bert mainly used the Velocette for straight racing.
"Munro Special" - the first reboot
He began modernizing his Indian in 1926. Bert did everything himself and in very unconventional ways. He converted old water pipes into cylinders, and cast pistons in tin cans from “pieces of Chevrolet and Ford.” And these parts withstood compression of 143 tons! He adapted the tractor axle to create connecting rods, and replaced the spring fork with a springer fork from an Indian Prince motorcycle. He invented his own lubricant and made his own clutch, flywheel, valves, pushrods, rocker bars and slick tires. So, his bike got its own name, and he became a speedway racer.
Its upgrades increased speed by an average of 5.2 km/h per year over the next 44 years. This corresponds to the increase in power of production motorcycles over the same period. He independently and with his own hands walked the path that the largest bike manufacturers around the world have traveled for half a century with the efforts of many designers!
Burt Monroe's speed record
Ten years later, the racer's bikes were so fast that none of New Zealand's bikes could match them. Bert decided to go to the dry lakes in Australia, but changed his mind after visiting Bonneville in 1957. Monroe wanted to set records on a salt lake that was located in Utah. In 1962, he took all his savings, borrowed money from friends and left for America on a cargo ship. But even the available funds were not enough for him. Monroe had to work part-time as a cook on this ship. Upon arriving in Los Angeles, he bought an old station wagon for $90, attached a trailer with an Indiana to it, and drove to Bonneville Salt Lake in Utah.
It should be noted that the rules for participating in the race were strikingly different from those in New Zealand. At home everything was simple - I came, registered and went. Here Bert was not allowed to enter the race, since he did not inform in advance about his participation. Monroe was helped by famous racers and American friends who were able to come to an agreement with the organizers.
In total, the hero of this article has been to Utah ten times. He became as popular in the media as Bert Stern, Marilyn Monroe and other celebrities of the time. The first time he came there was in 1957 to set a speed record. And the other nine times I simply took part in races.
In August 1962, the fastest at Bonneville was Bert Monroe. The speed record was almost 179 miles per hour, and the driver set it in his first race. The engine capacity of his motorcycle was 850 cubic meters. Monroe later set two more records - 168 mph (1966) and 183 mph (1967). At that time, his scout's engine was increased to 950 cc. In one of the qualifying races, Monroe managed to reach a record speed of 200 miles per hour. But, unfortunately, this race was not officially taken into account.
Heritage
Director Roger Donaldson turned Monroe's inspiring life story into his 2005 film The World's Fastest Indian, starring Anthony Hopkins. The film was considered by the motorcycle community to be the best motorcycle film since the classic documentary Any Given Sunday, made in the early 1970s. It was also New Zealand's largest domestically produced film.
The Southland Motorcycle Club paid tribute to Munro by launching the Bert Munro Challenge, which is now one of New Zealand's largest motorsport events.
In March 2013, Indian Motorcycle announced a custom faired variant called the Spirit of Munro in honor of Munro's achievements. The streamliner showcased the Thunder Stroke 111 engine that was later used in one of their 2014 road models.
Former Australian butterfly swimmer Neville Hayes now owns a special Munro bike known as the "Munro Special". The bike is currently on display at E. Hayes & Sons, Invercargill.
The second bike, said to be the original Munro Special, is now on display at the Te Papa Museum in Wellington.
Accidents and injuries
In 1967, Bert was involved in an accident in his Indiana. He later spoke about it in detail in an interview with a New Zealand magazine. Monroe was driving at a very high speed, and after covering half the distance, wobbling began. To slow down, the rider rose above the fairing, but the strong wind tore off his glasses and crushed his eyeballs so that he could not see anything. It was literally a miracle that Bert did not collide with the steel marker. In the end, Monroe made a decision and laid the bike on its side. This allowed him to escape with just a couple of scratches.
By the way, even before this, Indian had accidents or broke down many times. It’s impossible to count all the many homemade parts that Bert made for this motorcycle - valves, connecting rods, cylinders, pistons...
In general, the list of injuries received by the racer is impressive. So twice he fell on his head and lay unconscious for the whole day. In 1927, Monroe flew off the track at a speed of 140 km/h, suffering a concussion and numerous injuries. In 1932, a racer was driving past a farm and was attacked by a dog. The result is a concussion. In 1937, Bert, while racing on the beach, crashed into his competitor and lost all his teeth. In 1959, in a fall, he severely tore off the skin and crushed the joint on his finger.
Bert Monroe: biography in numbers
1915 - first motorcycle - English Douglas.
1916 - crashed on it and remained unconscious for a whole day.
1917 – Began racing the Clyno motorcycle.
1920 – acquired the legendary Indian Scout.
1921 – unconscious for a whole day after riding a motorcycle while standing.
1927 – concussion and multiple bruises after flying off the race track.
1932 – concussion and deep wounds on the head after another accident.
1937 – Lost all his teeth and broke his collarbone after racing on the beach.
1940 – New Zealand speed record – 194.4 km/h.
1959 - almost all the skin was torn off and a new concussion was the result of a new accident.
1962 and 1967 - two world speed records.
Last years
In the late 50s, Bert Monroe (see photo above) fell ill with a sore throat. It caused complications that caused the driver to have a stroke in 1977. Although doctors banned Bert from participating in races back in 1975. But he continued to race on his bikes - Velochette and Indian. According to doctors, Monroe's health was undermined by numerous injuries received over the years of racing. Bert understood that after the stroke he would never drive again. Therefore, the motorcycle racing legend sold all the bikes he owned to one of his fellow countrymen. In early 1978, Bert Monroe's heart stopped. The motorcycle racer was 78 years old.
Ducati 900SS (221 km/h)
This Italian speed monster was first presented to the public back in 1988, and it was produced unchanged until 2003. The abbreviation of two letters S means “super sport”, which perfectly characterizes this motorcycle as a high-speed one. The designers of the Ducati 900SS had two design goals in mind: to create a lightweight design with a narrow chassis while maintaining ease of handling. As can be concluded from the above, they were able to achieve these goals completely successfully, and this model during testing reached speeds of up to 221 kilometers per hour, which allowed this motorcycle to easily outperform many global competitors from a variety of manufacturers.
The engine type of this high-speed beast is two-valve, four-stroke. The engine has an excellent air cooling system, and its displacement is estimated at 904 cubic meters. cm. With this volume, the motorcycle has 80 “horses” of engine power and has fairly fast acceleration. However, the parameters described above did not allow her to beat the next participant in our selection.
MV Agusta F4 R 312 (320 km/h)
The unsurpassed leader in our ranking of the fastest motorcycles in the world is the model of the famous Italian, which has long established itself as one of the world's leading manufacturers in this field. The relatively light model of this bike carries 183 horsepower under the seat, which allows it to reach a truly incredible speed of 320 kilometers per hour. Indications of the developed speed have been officially confirmed by numerous publications, the latest of which dates back to 2010.
Bold engineering solutions and attention to even the smallest details allowed the Italian manufacturers to achieve their desired goals and produce the fastest motorcycle in the world today. However, time and technology do not stand still and perhaps in the near future this list will be able to be replenished with another, more “fleet-footed” participant.
Motorcycles Equipment
Honda CBR1100XX Super Blackbird (290 km/h)
The bronze medal in our ranking of fast motorcycles goes to a model from Japanese manufacturers from Honda. The bike was released back in 1996, but it was possible to achieve high speed results only three years later, when a 153 hp engine was reinstalled on the bike. Changes in the design did not bypass the gearbox - it was replaced with a six-speed one. The maximum developed speed during testing is 290 km/h.
The motorcycle is loved by owners all over the world for its reliability, comfort and phenomenal power. “Blackbird” is still in great demand on the market, which in itself is the best review of the model.
Kawasaki Ninja GPZ900R (255 km/h)
The Kawasaki brand, well known among fans of good motorcycle equipment, produced this model until 2003. The Ninja was one of the first sports bikes produced by this Japanese manufacturer, and was certainly one of the best-made and fastest motorcycles of its time. The daring sporty design, innovative for that period of time, gave the bike aerodynamics, but it was not thanks to air streamlining alone that the Ninja reached speeds of up to 255 kilometers per hour: the superbly executed sixteen-valve engine with a liquid cooling system, as well as the fairly high reliability of all components, played a role and motorcycle components. The model was recognized as one of the highest quality and reliable, and became widespread throughout the world.
Honda VF1000R (240 km/h)
And finally, the first representative of the Japanese motorcycle industry appears in our selection. Honda began producing one of the fastest motorcycles in the world back in 1984, but this model was sold exclusively on the European market, as it was initially aimed at sales in European countries, but circumstances soon changed.
Over time, sales of the bike grew, the model became very popular not only in European countries, but also abroad, and the management of the manufacturing company decided to start sales in the USA. What was it that attracted Western buyers so much? Of course, first of all, it was the speed developed by this iron beast, which reached 240 km/h, which at that time was an absolutely unprecedented value.
Bimota YB6 EXUP (270 km/h)
The year 1989 was marked by a significant event for motorcycle enthusiasts: the union of two major Japanese and Italian motorcycle manufacturers gave birth to a miracle of motorcycle technology, capable of reaching speeds of up to 270 km/h and having an engine power of 145 horses. The engine was also chain driven and liquid cooled with a displacement of approximately 1003 cc. see. The motorcycle quickly gained popularity, and one of the factories in Rimini began to produce it continuously. It is noteworthy that the engine was developed by Japanese professionals, while the Italians were responsible for the style and design of the future creation. Both manufacturers did a great job, resulting in one of the fastest motorcycles in the world for its time entering world markets.
