The 405 Coffee Break with O.K. Solberg
Oct 5, 2026 · 7 min · 5 segments
it's Jay and Joe's Motor Monday. Today its The Legend of Bert Munro. [Click here to view the episode transcript.](https://share.transistor.fm/s/c9e3ef42/transcript "Click here to view the episode…
The book is called One Good Run, The Legend of Burt Munro, written by Tim Hanna, and it tells the true story of a remarkable New Zealander named Burt Munro, a motorcycle racer, an inventor, a mechanic, and from everything I can tell, just a little bit eccentric.
Guys, I won't do it justice in one short episode, but I will do other episodes as the days and months go by.
He bought the Indian in 1920 when he was 21 years old, and he was still modifying and racing that same motorcycle nearly 50 years later.
He made his own parts, as in Burt melted down old pistons and cast the metal into new pistons of his own design.
He modified the engine, experimented with pistons, with cylinders, valve gear and flywheels, and continually looked for ways to make that Indian go faster.
He had a little workshop of his own, a lot of mechanical ability, and a determination that apparently wouldn't take no for an answer.
I will quote from the book itself as it tells of him planning a trip just to observe and learn.
And it's stated on page 153, and I quote, After he was finished packing, he heard his neighbor sing out to him, I hear you're going on a trip, Burt.
Later that day, he walked next door and inspected the slasher, the lawnmower, and the can of petrol.
He wet his finger and held it to the air to confirm there was a gentle breeze blowing towards the road.
The book is called One Good Run, The Legend of Burt Munro, written by Tim Hanna, and it tells the true story of a remarkable New Zealander named Burt Munro, a motorcycle racer, an inventor, a mechanic, and from everything I can tell, just a little bit eccentric.
Guys, I won't do it justice in one short episode, but I will do other episodes as the days and months go by.
He bought the Indian in 1920 when he was 21 years old, and he was still modifying and racing that same motorcycle nearly 50 years later.
He made his own parts, as in Burt melted down old pistons and cast the metal into new pistons of his own design.
He modified the engine, experimented with pistons, with cylinders, valve gear and flywheels, and continually looked for ways to make that Indian go faster.
He had a little workshop of his own, a lot of mechanical ability, and a determination that apparently wouldn't take no for an answer.
I will quote from the book itself as it tells of him planning a trip just to observe and learn.
And it's stated on page 153, and I quote, After he was finished packing, he heard his neighbor sing out to him, I hear you're going on a trip, Burt.
Later that day, he walked next door and inspected the slasher, the lawnmower, and the can of petrol.
He wet his finger and held it to the air to confirm there was a gentle breeze blowing towards the road.
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