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If you were looking for a place to find a motorcycle that held a number of world land speed records on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, one place you might have overlooked is Invercargill. About 20 years ago, there was a movie called 'The World's Fastest Indian', starring, if memory serves, Anthony Hopkins. I has nothing to do with either the inhabitants of the sub-continent, nor indigenous North Americans. It deals with the exploits of Bert Munro and his Indian motor cycle.
As Bert was a Kiwi, and came from around Invercargill, it is here that his story starts. Ernest Hayes started a hardware shop in Invercargill in 1932, and is still a family business today. Bert and Hayes were friends and his collection ended up being displayed in the store.
This is a rather quirky setup, as it's a full operating hardware store combined with a museum. The shop advertises the collection as 'Free to view during normal shop hours'.
See the pictures below to get some idea of how this works.
<Above> 'Burt's other bike' - a 1936 500cc Velocette. Clocked at 138mph.
<Right> The World's Fastest Indian (1920 Indian Scout)
<Below> Custom bike built around a 1965 Chev Corvair flat 6 engine.
1975 Suzuki RE5 500cc Wankel rotary engine next to 20lt Jerry Cans.
A row of immaculate Triumphs next to laundry accessories like pegs and baskets.
1964 Velocette Thruxton 500cc alongside an Ariel and a racing Mini.
1911 New Hudson with belt drive.
1922 Triumph Ricardo 500cc next to a Weber Kettle at right.
1915 Smith Motor Wheel alongside a line of lawn mowers.
<Above> Two Triumphs, a BSA, and a leaf blower. Note drip tray for UK bikes.
<Right> A 2008 Brabham BT21R open wheeler in the front window.
"Offerings to the God of Speed" - part of Bert's workshop's bits and pieces.
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