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Story: Veterans and masters sport

Roadside Stories: Burt Munro and 'the world's fastest Indian'

This Roadside Story describes the achievements of Burt Munro, who modified and raced a 1920 Indian motorbike. In 1962, 1966 and 1967 Munro set under-1,000cc world speed records on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. He was 63 years old when he set the first of these records.

Roadside Stories is a series of audio guides to places around New Zealand.

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How to cite this page

Roger Robinson, Veterans and masters sport – Sport and recreation for older people, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/interactive/37822/roadside-stories-burt-munro-and-the-worlds-fastest-indian (accessed 5 June 2026).

Story by Roger Robinson, published 12 April 2012.