Indian Motorcycle is to pay tribute to Bonneville legend Bert Munro’s historic Land Speed Record of 50 years ago, backing an attempt by the New Zealander’s great nephew, road racer Lee Munro, to set a new Land Speed Record at Bonneville this year (August 13).
“Motorcycling is about shedding boundaries and limitations to go beyond the norm, and there is no better example of that than Burt Munro,” said Reid Wilson, Indian Motorcycle Marketing Director. “Driven by unparalleled determination and a legendary passion for the pursuit, Burt Munro embodies the spirit of Indian Motorcycle, and we couldn’t be prouder to honor his legacy with an updated version of his historic record on the Bonneville Salt Flats in August.”
For the updated record attempt, Lee Munro will pilot a modern Indian Scout with a powertrain modified by the Indian Motorcycle engineering team in an effort to become the world’s fastest modern Indian motorcycle. The attempt will not break Burt’s record, but instead will honor his storied legacy in the world of motorcycling. Fueled by their own ambition to push beyond boundaries, Indian’s team of engineers volunteered to be a part of this historic attempt, working on the project “after hours.” The team will undergo several test runs in El Mirage, Calif., before Lee Munro takes to the “The Great White Dyno.”
“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, the grandson of Burt’s first cousin. “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.” Born and raised in Invercargill, New Zealand, the same town as his great uncle Burt, Lee Munro has captured numerous titles on every road and street race circuit in the South Island of New Zealand.
With plans to race the Isle of Man, Lee attended the Manx GP in 2016 to gain knowledge of the track and better prepare himself. Most recently, Lee won the vintage class at the Methven Street Races earlier this year on a 1941 Indian motorcycle.