John Britten

A Genius Inventor, A Hard-Working Team, and a Motorcycle That Almost Changed the World

One of the greatest stories in motorcycling is that of John Britten and his revolutionary racing machine. In Christchurch, New Zealand, he and and his dedicated team designed and built the Britten V-twin motorcycle from scratch. The Britten V-twin roared onto the track and proved itself an iconic machine that could outrace the factory-built twin-cylinder motorcycles of the time. John Britten tragically died from cancer in 1995, but the legend of the man and machine is one of the most incredible engineering and design feats of the twentieth century.

After years of research, author Tim Hanna was able to give due credit to the man and his achievements. The biography details Britten’s early life, the development of his vision and the early prototype motorcycles, and dives into the grueling cycle of hard work, setbacks, and failures before the Britten V-twin finally was able to beat the world’s best. His bikes had legions of fans worldwide who not only were captivated by the elegance, originality, and power of his machines, but also by the romance of his story—an individual taking on some of the world’s biggest and best motorcycle manufacturers and winning.

This updated and revised edition includes a new foreword from the author and all new stunning period photography of the man, the team, and the powerful machines they created. Printed for the first time in a high-quality hardcover format, this title appeals to readers both inside and outside the motorcycle fraternity because of its universally inspiring theme—that extraordinary things are possible when a person turns their dreams into reality.

"The New Zealander who stood the world of racing-motorcycle design on its head." – Guggenheim Museum Curator Ultan Guilfoyle

"Across the world the competition are using computer modeling and entire design teams. John's doing it by guesswork and imagination, relying again and again on an ability to make whatever's near at hand work for him." – Backyard Visionary Documentary