One Good Run: The Legend of Burt Munro

by Tim Hanna

One Good Run is the amazing story of Kiwi motorcycling legend, backyard engineering genius, and land speed record holder Burt Munro. He broke several international speed records with a motorbike he modified in his Christchurch shed and still holds several records in the US. Now a motion picture called The World's Fastest Indian and with Sir Anthony Hopkins playing Burt, this true-life, little guy beats the odds story is bound to renew...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0143019740
• ISBN13: 9780143019749
• Release Date: July 2007
• Publisher: Penguin Random House New Zealand Limited
• Length: 310 Pages
• Weight: 0.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.1" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

A great read for speed freak wrench heads, or wannabes.

Tim Hanna, the author, has nailed the essence of both Burt Munro and late '60s hot rodding. This book is delightful in its exposition of what it's like to follow a dream, even into old age. It's a treatise on just being yourself, without pandering to society. It's about learning to talk to people to win them over. It's about doing with your own hands what "the experts" say can't be done. If ever there was an opposite to "chick lit" this is truly it.

One good run

An awesome insight into the life of this brilliant man, warts & all. The detail of machines, races & records as well as his personal nuances makes very easy reading. Anybody who had heard of Bert or the film based on his record run will find this book gives life to the details!

A great book

I saw the movie first and absolutely loved it. Got the book from Europe after two failed attempts to order in the US. It is an inspiring story with a good mix of technical detail and personal info about Burt Munro. It's well written all in all, not high literature, but a good bio style. Captivating and easy to read. Has some nice photographs also. I loved the movie but thought that some scenes must have been exaggerated for dramatic purposes. Reading the book made me rethink: attaching a tree to the trailer to fix a lost wheel, old men need love too, mowing grass by burning it with gas,... It all appears in the book also, maybe slightly rearranged in the timeline though. Some things the man has done make you shake your head in disbelief. If you like bikes, liked the movie, and like to read, you more than likely will enjoy this book also.

one good run : The Legend of Burt Munro

Just brilliant. A great true storey of perseverance persistence and dedication to his one love his trusty Indian Scout. Having bought it brand new in 1920 as a 21 year old, then selling and eventually buying it back. Burt was self taught as a mechanic engineer and manufacturer. As parts were modified he made them, and made them using the most rudimentary tools and any second hand materials he could find. From a small rural town in New Zealand he took his, by now, much modified bike to Bonneville Salt Flats and 200 miles an hour, when the bike was more than forty years old. This book is called The Worlds Fastest Indian in other markets, the same name as the equally brilliant movie which hi-lights some of Burt's adventures. He loved to travel to America and the people he met there. He most certainly loved riding and modifying his Indian Scout.