MMovie Review: The World's Fastest Indian

**G.Irish** · 02-24-2006, 10:08 AM

I went to see The World's Fastest Indian last Wednesday and I came away thoroughly impressed. For the third time in just a few years a new racing movie has joined the list of the elite racing classics (Faster and Dust 2 Glory being the other two).

The story follows New Zealander Burt Monro as he tries to achieve his dream of breaking a world record at the Bonneville Salt Flats during Speed Week with his 1920's Indian Scout (Indian is an American motorcycle brand that died out some time ago, was resurrected a few years ago, but went bankrupt again). The film does an excellent job of capturing the eccentricity of ole' Burt as well as the burning passion he has for achieving his goal.

His trip to Bonneville is full of funny and quirky side stories and he makes a likable hero. Its actually pretty funny in an off beat kind of way. One of my favorite scenes is when he goes to tech inspection with his ghetto fab bike.

The World's Fastest Indian is based on a true story but has a lot more character than a pure documentary. Some of the motorcycle shots are pretty darned good but this is more about the man than the machine. It touches the essence of why we go to such great lengths to achieve speed.

If you have the chance to see it before its out of theaters (next Tuesday for NOVA folks) definitely get out and give it a go.

4.5 stars out of 5 from me

Ginger · 02-24-2006, 11:02 AM

A damn good movie - I caught the a showing last night with my Dad... I really enjoyed it, they put it together really well - it's just too bad that it didn't get more exposure.

**JohnC** · 03-28-2006, 09:15 AM

This finally came to Charlottesville - I caught a showing yesterday. Makes me want to go to Bonneville :lol:

BLINGMW · 09-11-2006, 05:27 PM

rented it over the weekend... very odd directing, but I liked it! Unique story and very cool. The backstory really made me like the guy and cheer for him. I could identify with him during tech inspection, although I've never shoepolished my tires... :lol:

Anyone check the records they mentioned at the end? From what I could find, he only went like 170 something the first time he visited Bonneville, it wasn't until later visits that he got a one way record of like 195. Never hit 200 from what I can tell. I couldn't find, however, any definitive thing saying his record still held for 1000cc's or less. I kind of had a hard time beleiving it couldn't be beaten by a modern engine. And I can only imagine it's 1000cc N/A...

I saw one site saying they went like 225 with a liter bike, which pretty much blows it up, but is there a site where all this crap is actually listed officially? Cause I didn't find much. Maybe just not that many people have tried with a liter or less, because I found much more with streamlined, twin-turbo designs based off 1300cc Hyabusas and the like, and they shoot for 300+.

**G.Irish** · 09-11-2006, 05:31 PM

Its probably a record for an air cooled V-Twin or something like that. Yeah dude, that tech inspection scene was easily the most ghetto tech inspection of all time. "Is that a door hinge?"

BLINGMW · 09-11-2006, 05:34 PM

G.Irish Wrote:Its probably a record for an air cooled V-Twin or something like that.

yeah, it's gotta be. I did find one thing that said he was building his own heads from scratch and had a 4 cam design at one point! That's some crazy engineering from a guy in a shed.

Ginger · 09-11-2006, 05:43 PM

BLINGMW Wrote:
G.Irish Wrote:Its probably a record for an air cooled V-Twin or something like that.

yeah, it's gotta be. I did find one thing that said he was building his own heads from scratch and had a 4 cam design at one point! That's some crazy engineering from a guy in a shed.

Yep yep, air cooled twins. It may actually be valve number specific, too, but I can't recall off the top of my head. And hey, what else are you going to do during your retirement? Wink

**Goodspeed** · 09-11-2006, 07:33 PM

Saw this movie over the summer, it was a great film and any one who hasn't seen it yet should. The best scene was the one on the beach w/ the biker gang, I couldn't stop laughing at how that started

BLINGMW · 09-12-2006, 12:16 PM

yes, that would fit under the "odd directing" I was talking about.

Like... where the hell did this random biker gang come from, and why the hell would they come pick on this old guy? And they're all like horribly overdone stereotype biker guys too :lol:

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