John Britten's Life And Accomplishments
JOHN BRITTEN
John Britten was born on the 1st August 1950 from Bruce and Ruvae Britten in Christchurch, New Zealand. Being dyslexic, it stopped him from doing things a normal child would do; and at school he needed teachers to read him the answers for him to understand them in an exam, and the answers put on a sound tape.
His childhood heroes were notable fellow New Zealanders, Richard Pearse (pioneer aviator), Bill Hamilton (father of the jet boat), Bruce McLaren (champion driver and founder of the McLaren Formula One Team), and Burt Munro (world record motorcycle speedster and subject of the film The World's Fastest Indian).
Britten completed a four-year mechanical engineering course at night school before joining ICI as a cadet draughtsman,
giving him a wide range of work experience including mould design, pattern design, metal spinning and various mechanical engineering designs.
His Britten motorcycles won races and set numerous speed records on the international circuits, and astounded the motorcycle world in 1991 when they came a remarkable second and third against the factory machines in the Battle of the Twins at Daytona, United States Of America. John worked on motorcycle design for some years, developing innovative methods using composite materials and performance engine designs. He created the Britten Motorcycle Company in 1992 to produce revolutionary machines to his own design made of light materials and using engines he built himself, which became famous around the world.
Britten’s most famous motorcycle designs were the Britten V1000 and Britten V1100, both very rare and special, being that none of the original designs are on permanent display.
Britten V1000 and V1100 specs:
• Carbon fibre body work including rims, front suspension fork and swingarm.
• Hand cast, 4 valves per head alloy engine
• Frame-less chassis with engine acting as a stressed member
• Radiator located under the riders seat
• Carbon fibre fasteners (joining body work together)
• Rear suspension shock located in front of engine
• Engine data logging
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New Zealand mourned in 1995 when John died aged 45 after a brief illness related to skin cancer. John Britten will always be known for the amazing head turning motorcycles he designed and are still ridden today with pride.
John Britten was born on the 1st August 1950 from Bruce and Ruvae Britten in Christchurch, New Zealand. Being dyslexic, it stopped him from doing things a normal child would do; and at school he needed teachers to read him the answers for him to understand them in an exam, and the answers put on a sound tape.
His childhood heroes were notable fellow New Zealanders, Richard Pearse (pioneer aviator), Bill Hamilton (father of the jet boat), Bruce McLaren (champion driver and founder of the McLaren Formula One Team), and Burt Munro (world record motorcycle speedster and subject of the film The World's Fastest Indian).
Britten completed a four-year mechanical engineering course at night school before joining ICI as a cadet draughtsman,
giving him a wide range of work experience including mould design, pattern design, metal spinning and various mechanical engineering designs.
His Britten motorcycles won races and set numerous speed records on the international circuits, and astounded the motorcycle world in 1991 when they came a remarkable second and third against the factory machines in the Battle of the Twins at Daytona, United States Of America. John worked on motorcycle design for some years, developing innovative methods using composite materials and performance engine designs. He created the Britten Motorcycle Company in 1992 to produce revolutionary machines to his own design made of light materials and using engines he built himself, which became famous around the world.
Britten’s most famous motorcycle designs were the Britten V1000 and Britten V1100, both very rare and special, being that none of the original designs are on permanent display.
Britten V1000 and V1100 specs:
• Carbon fibre body work including rims, front suspension fork and swingarm.
• Hand cast, 4 valves per head alloy engine
• Frame-less chassis with engine acting as a stressed member
• Radiator located under the riders seat
• Carbon fibre fasteners (joining body work together)
• Rear suspension shock located in front of engine
• Engine data logging
…………………………………………………………………………
New Zealand mourned in 1995 when John died aged 45 after a brief illness related to skin cancer. John Britten will always be known for the amazing head turning motorcycles he designed and are still ridden today with pride.