Burt Munro’s great nephew and Indian together for land speed record recreation

IT'S BEEN 50 years since Burt Munro took his Indian Scout Streamline to the Bonneville Salt Flats and made history. In celebration of such an important anniversary, Indian Motorcycles has announced that it will be recreating Munro’s historic speed run at the Bonneville Salt Flats on August 13.

A modern Indian Scout will be used for the recreation, fittingly ridden by Burt’s great nephew, Kiwi road racer Lee Munro. The bike has been worked on after hours by Indian’s engineering team and will have a modified powertrain, in an effort to become the world’s fastest modern Indian.

The recreation will not break Burt’s record, but is intended to honour Munro’s story and legacy, which is depicted in the 2005 film The World’s Fastest Indian, starring Anthony Hopkins.

‘My uncle Burt was a significant inspiration for my own racing career, and his appetite for speed is clearly a part of my DNA,’ said Lee Munro. ‘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 honor of my Uncle and the 50th anniversary of his historic record.’

Lee clearly has the same passion for speed as his great uncle – he’s a handy downhill mountain bike racer who finished second in the NZ national championship, has had success with motorcycle road racing in New Zealand and intends to take part in the Isle of Man TT and won the vintage class at the Methven Street Races earlier this year on a 1941 Indian motorcycle.