Motion Pictures The Worlds Fastest Indian

Right after the movie came out I read an interview with his son (?) Burt was a VERY interesting man !!! And from what I read quite the Playa' !!!

 

Great movie. Glad my Dad got to see it before he passed away. He liked the traveling part, and sleeping with a strange woman along the way. (although he never admitted it, I could see it in his eyes).

 

Thanks for that, Pete. Great to have you here. Please stick around. I know We've so much to learn from you. When it comes to traditional Hot Rodding, You have so much to offer. We look forward to your contributions on other threads of the HAMB.

 

We all love the movie because we are gearheads, I wonder if it would have been recieved better by the general public if the title was different. Burts story was far more than just Motorcycles, it was an inspirational movie, that made you feel good. Bob

 

Anyone want a free copy? I have two, though it does not have all the extras that people have been talking about, just the movie and thats it.................whaddya' want for free!!

Doc.

 

X2 Pete. You built traditional cars way before it was considered cool. You and Tardel and Jacobs are my inspiration. Post some pictures from the old days please.

 

Wife and I watched the movie again Tuesday night on Netflix streaming. Very funny and inspirational story.

 

Right now we are visiting southern California..... seeing the sights and of course TRYing to see & do as much as we can in a limited amount of time.

Had a very nice but brief visit with Kewi Kev yesterday afternoon..... we could have talked all day!!!!!

THANKS KEV FOR THE INVITE!!!!!!

Planning to go to So Cal Speed Shop & also NHRA Museum today. Then off to Vegas for our son's wedding.

Each trip we are chipping away at seeing the people, places, & things which made hot rodding what it is today.

Last time we were in L.A. we were able to go to the LA Roadster Show. Seeing so many great & also historic hot rods was an unforgettable experience. What made the day even more special was talking to a married couple who had been going to BONNEVILLE SPEED WEEK for many years. Since before they were married.

Going to BONNEVILLE has been on my to-do list since I was a kid. After seeing "Fastest Indian" I had an increased desire to get to the Salt Flats one day.... after talking to the couple at the roadster show getting to Bonneville is now near the TOP of my BUCKET LIST.

From a "wanna do" to a "gotta do".

When we get back to Pittsburgh next week going to re-watch the movie...... thanks to everyone who has this thread so inspirational & motivating.....

 

I have people at work talk about this movie so I looked it up thru Netflix. Just finished watching it. IT WAS GREAT!! Loved all the cars in it too.

 

170 would be Burt Munros pre-entered for SpeedWeek.

 

Great Movie.

 

some random pics taken from the set (salt flats & wendover)

sunrise: the first day. we would see a lot of these.


the art department was scary accurate!


if not for "wfi", this scene would have never taken place! l-r: the pumpkin seed; the redhead; the challenger; the flying caduceus.


preparing to shoot a scene.


"burt" gets a bag of money - btw: burt's son was on the salt and following completion of this scene he gave a little talk and had with him the bag that held the money that was given to burt.


anthony hopkins and roger donaldson (writer/director) discuss the shooting of this scene, shot around the pool, which didn't make it in the movie.


my dad's hiboy in front of the replica sign.


this is the shot taken from behind the redhead for the scene where it is allegedly being driven down the salt while being followed by a camera. they shot it static with a crane and two sets of tracks using a wide angle lens and digitized the moving salt and black line to give it the illusion of movement.


if you look at the reflection on the side of the car in this scene, and the one with the challenger, you can see parked cars and people - maybe even myself - not moving. notice the pic shows it with our number (69). the art department had already removed the cover over our number that had "147", the original number on the redhead, in it.
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i have more pics from the set here.

 

Greatest motorhead movie ever made. I never get tired of watching it. I enjoy this thread which adds alot of additional information and pictures.

 

Wow! Thanks for posting those behind the scenes shots. I was there in '62 and in some of those shots, if I squint a bit, it looks just like I remember it. Always loved the Bell "Oasis".

 

There were cars in the movie? I guess I need to look closer. I was focused on Munroe/Hopkins and the Indian too much each time I have seen it.

Dean Hensley was a nice guy. I saw the bike at Davenport, Iowa years ago. He would fire it up now and then. I was standing within 5 feet of that beast, what an incredible sound!! That movie is one of the best ever. I hope to go to Bonneville during the BUB motorcycle trials.

BobW
motocyclebob

 

If you go to the blog associated with Bert( worlds fastest indian) you'll find one of his nephews stating he got a time ticket from Bert of a 212mph pass. The down side of cast in ground pistons was their fraility. Bert often had a good first pass but blew the backup run.
One of my racing friends heard the bike when he stopped at Motts motorcycles in San Bernardino Ca. on his way to the Salt. Jack said Bert was crazy to run it.

 

Finaly got to see it last night on NetFlix, Awesome movie!! what was even better was my 15 year old daughter came out of her room to get something from the kitchen she stopped and started watching it with me.She even asked which movie it was and where I was watching it from.

 

A great classic indeed!

 

I have never seen the Movie,and have Helped restore a dozen or more Original INDIAN Motorcycles,I repair the frames and sheetmetal and cosmetics(paint) My Shop was in an Industrial area and there was no Cable available,I lived at the Shop from 85 thru 2005 so NO TV.Wish I Had taken more pic's but here are a few.I need to find a way to see that movie.I have a TV now,so maybe someday

 

Cool deal, my daughter (she will be 17 in August) saw it with me at the theater and still watches it on DVD once in a while.

 

"The World's Fastest Indian" is a movie about an old coot and his motorcycle, yes, but it is also about a kind of heroism that has gone out of style. Burt Munro is a codger in his 60s who lives in Invercargill, New Zealand, takes nitro pills for his heart condition, and has spent years tinkering with a 1920 Indian motorcycle. His neighbors wish he would take a break once in a while to mow the grass.

By 1967, Burt thinks the Indian may be about ready to travel to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah and take part in the annual Speed Week. This project involves fund-raising in Invercargill, and a long journey that takes him overland in America, where he meets among others an accommodating widow who takes him to visit her husband's grave. In Bonneville, where millionaire drivers are sponsored by big corporations, no one has ever seen anyone like Burt or anything like his ancient machine.

He should have registered weeks ago, but the officials lack the heart to turn him away. They are amazed when they inspect his machine. No braking chute? No brakes? "Where's your fire suit?" Can that be a cork on his gas tank? There is no tread on his tires. Is that mechanical part a -- kitchen hinge?

Why do they allow this man to risk his life in defiance of every safety standard at Bonneville? I think it is because Burt loves his motorcycle, and cannot believe she would harm him; the steadfastness of his trust seduces them. When Burt discusses his motorcycle, which he rhymes with Popsicle, he gets into theories he must have pondered long into the night in his garage in New Zealand: "The center of pressure is behind the center of gravity," he explains, as if that explained anything. Or maybe it does. With Burt, you can never be sure.


- Roger Ebert 2/3/06 (He gave it three out four stars)

 

You can download this movie "torrent" for free on "The Pirate Bay"

http://thepiratebay.se/torrent/4320468/The.Worlds.Fastest.Indian[2005]DvDrip[Eng]-aXXo

 

Funny, my grandmas maiden name is the same too. Shes also Scottish.


I love the movie, it really got me started on this nostalgic trip, the whole movie is awesome, the cars the people and the places, all wonderful. I dont ever say "I cant" becuase of Burt, he did all the things you "cant" do, and lived his dream. I felt like I needed lots of coin, or a Dad whos in the industry to get what I have now, I wish I could thank him, but lot of thanks too to the guys who made the movie happen.

 

The May 2013 issue of Cycle World has an article about a tribute bike called the "The Spirit of Munro" that will meets todays SCTA rules and be powered by Indians new 111 inch V-twin. It will hit the show circuit this year and be raced next year. Sorry if this has been mentioned already

 

There was discussion on Land Speed that it does not meet the rules. Will probably be run at a private event, not SCTA.

 

I love the little white RPU at the starting line......

 

Very, very well done by Roger Ebert......almost sounds like he understands the soul of a racer/hot rodder . May he rest in peace

 

Seen it for the first time on the bus heading home from the Detriot autorama,I will need to get a DVD since I want to see it again.

 

Was deleting e-mails & came across the replies to this older thread that I have been following off & on for quite awhile.

As the owner of an '03 Indian I am & always have been an Indian motorcycle lover.

I bought it just when it was announced that the Gilroy, California attempt at returning the Indian motorcycle to its former glory had failed & production had stopped.

Since owing my Indian ..... no matter where I go people flock around it asking all about it. Whether it be at a bike night, show or at a STOP sign/light.

There always has been "mystic" about Indian morotcycles. Hopefully this time around the attempt to produce a quality motorcycle that will be competitive with Harley & other brands of motorcycles today will be successful.

Love the commericals I have been seeing on TV lately..... here's my favorite so far:

Go To: http://www.indianmotorcycle.com/en-us/introduction/video/jul-13-tv-commercial[/B]

 

A truly great movie,one of my stepsons is in the beach scene,he was payed well and said Anthony Hopkins was the nicest guy to be around. Totally cool. JW