Top Gear: Britten V1000 Racing Motorcycle 

One of the few men in this world I look up to. He took on the world and excelled. What a true hero. RIP John Britten

This man was off the genius scale.

Just think what he could have done over the last twenty years if he hadn't died. What an amazing man

What a brilliant talented guy. He could not only envision it he could make it happen. A rare combination.

This has got to be the most amazing bike ever built.

That really is one of the greatest motoring achievements ever! R.I.P. John, we will never forget your genius.

John Britten and Burt Munro, two legends of New Zealand motorcycling........:):)

WOW, just imagine this: a team, between races, welds a fucking cylinder liner! It would be unbelievable today, and those guys did it. New Zealand gave us some of the most iconic and awesome guys in the world of motorcycles, Burt munro, John Britten and their determination of becoming the best. I just hope we'll see some more in the future.

Saw the one at Te Papa today - what a work of art. Another admirer was there, and he insisted on telling me all about the technical ins and outs, then we got to the cancer, i had to walk away before he started to cry,thats the emotional effect that bike carries. Ahead of it's time, so was John. RIP mate you'll always be a legend!

Simply the best motorcycle project in modern history. Thank you again John for making us dream even today.

I'm from Christchurch too, I have recently built up my first bike from parts - but to completely design and fabricate one from scratch? Now that's something else entirely. A true legend, RIP John.

Heartbreaking story. I remember that bike...there were several articles on Italian motorcycle magazines, everything was astonishing - design, engine, everything. Sure John Britten deserves a place near Tamburini among the Lords of Motorcycles.

love this bike, every time i go to TePapa I stand and stare at it for ages. if you're not from wellington (NZ) and get a chance, there's one on permanent display at the museum up stairs by the cafe.

Love it. We used to have a bit of that spirit over here in Aus, when Jack Brabham designed, built, and drove his own car to the 1966 Formula1 championship, but I feel we've lost more of this "can do" attitude than the Kiwi's. Good onya NZ, and much respect to John Britten.

So cruel that such a genius was taken so young... I remember fondly seeing the V-1000 racing at Phillip Island many years back and it literally played with the other bikes down the long main straight... It could just pop the front wheel up whenever the rider chose and seemed to have limitless power... We all lost out with the passing of this great man... We can now only wonder what incredible creations we have missed without his creativity. Rest peacefully Mr Britten...

i remember watching the britten racing in nz when i was at high school and then sitting on one about 13 or 14 years ago, and watching that clip is enough to bring a tear to the eye. JB was an absolute bloody genius. makes me truly proud to be a kiwi.

I was lucky enough to see a Britten in Las Vegas at the Gugenheim Art Of The Motorcycle exhibit at the Venician . My daughter had to tear me away from it . The bike was a complete work of genius . The fact that it was built by a small group of guys working in a garage is just mind blowing .

Back in 2015 I got to see 4 of them on the race track at the same time. It was here in the US at the Barbers Vintage motorcycle show. To see one is one thing but to hear 4 of them on a race track at the same time is another story.

the greatest bike ever forged, saw one in Te Papa museum in wellington. Astonishing. Shame he was taken so young. One can only imagine what he could have done in an average lifetime.

Such a shame that amazing people like this get taken from us so soon...

someone should do a movie of this...such a great history

An absolute legend and so far ahead of his time. A real shame to have lost him so early in life. Imagine what he could have achieved had he lived a full lifetime.

Thanks for posting this video, a truly remarkable and motivated individual. I have read much about him in the past, a man with incredible energy. A sad loss.

The bike, and more importantly the man, has always been an inspiration to me. Thank you for this.

I'm reading Tim Hanna's biography of John at the moment, he was a genuine genius, and the bikes he made were as much artworks as functional machinery. This is the first time I've seen footage of the bikes in action, or of John himself. Thank you 71bsab50 for posting this up. RIP John Britten, you were taken from us too soon.....

An incredible individual. He left his mark in this world.

I remember at the age of maybe fourteen seeing this bike debut at Pukekohe race track in Auckland New Zealand. With a new rider on it's seat after about three laps having beaten all track records at Pukekohe Britten announced he was happy with the way it handles so was going to now focus on some real power. WTF! I have never seen so many jaws drop at one time since. A truly amazing bike and a truly amazing man. Kiwi's rule.

Saw this bike when it was being developed, racing here in wanganui and at manfield in fielding. I feel privileged to see such an engineering masterpiece in action

John is truely one of lifes gifts to us all,a pioneer in so many ways.makes me proud to be a NewZealander.

I've heard about this motorcycle, but this is the first time I've seen it for real, it's more awesome then I thought.

Genius is a word both fitting and inadequate.

'Found this on an old VHS tape and thought it far too important not to share.' Damn right, and thank you for sharing.

I remember as a kid reading a book on Bikes and the Britten was on it. It was spectacular to look at!

so much genius and patience involved in the production of a great motorcycle

my uncle worked on this bike doing carbon fiber..its a great bike...thankyou very much for uploading this.

The single, greatest motorcycle racing bike ever made. Nobody else could reinvent a motorcycle and ‘make it work,’ but Britten did. He is the greatest loss to motorcycling in history. He was the most brilliant engineer. RIP Mr Britten. Your work will live on in history.

i read about this bike and John Britten in german bike magazines, but never saw the bike or the man in moving pictures..thank u so much 4 posting , i didnt know he passed away :-( what a loss 4 NZ and the world!

A truly remarkable human being and my number one favorite bike of all time.

A Genius. Such a big loss..... Thanks for sharing.

This makes me feel proud to have met john Britten. I have a print of the bike signed by John Britten on my wall.

thanks a ton for posting this...we woudnt have ever seen this otherwise..a very inspirational story

Wow what an inspiration this man is. simply amazing

New Zealand IS the nation of engineers, nowhere else on earth produces this level back yard shed genius.

Vintage Top gear (when it is featured motorcycles and classic cars), and even had car revues and reports from the worlds motor shows (now there's a thought) not just 3 clowns in Ferraris shoving bananas up each others exhaust pipes and putting cheese in the air con. Thanks for posting.

John Britten, genious, RIP Mark Farmer, TT racer and enthusiast, RIP

I bet my bottom dollar that everyone thats been to "Te papa" and just stare at this bike... Engineering poetry to my eyes!

People like John live for ever

undescribable invention, passion, and of course mortorcycle genius

Brilliant Man and Machine, so happy to see this posted onto the tube.

I think the important thing is that he did what he loved while he lived

its the 20th year of passing of a man who built a legendary bike that went up against the big motor names in the industry..too badd he died way too young..he inspires me to rebuild my tiny yamaha 115cc bike into something of a britten legend one day

What a brilliant mind. Talented hands of a sculptor.

An incredible man & an incredible machine. His achievements will never be equaled in motorcycling, R.I.P

!Greatest motorcycle ever made!! Can you imagine latest creation if this guy was still around? Jimi Hendricks = Guitar Britten = Motorcycle

i remember seeing this on TV many years ago, thanks for posting. R.I.P John.

Legend of a man, cruelly taken too soon!

Thanks for posting this.

How on earth can anyone give this a thumbs down ?

Thanks for uploading this peace of history!!!

Thanks for uploading this.

What a talent!, A real Kiwi Hero. RIP John.

Thank you very much for sharing, I never knew this tape existed, now I gotta get a copy!

A New Zealand hero.

out of a garage ,a bike designed to beat the world...and out a vhs video, that deserve the high honor of youtube museum. thanks for sharing

John Britten, a man before his time, his expertise and dedication to building what was a bike, in technical terms, years ahead of anything we had seen, should never be forgotten 👍🇮🇲

thanks for posting the vid boss. rip john and mark,i always think of you at black dub.

Wow, Thanks for sharing this awesome video! R.I.P. John Britten

This reminds of Monroe the other kiwi who had the worlds fastest Indian. This bike sounded nice and worked unlike other homemade attemps. RIP Britten your a legend indeed!

i got to watch this bike race around the cemetary road corse in wanganui...there will never be another bike or man like this..PERFECTION!!!

Good to see Stroudy still doing weel on the track to this day too

You would think he was the inspiration for Silver Dream Racer, even though that was a good ten years before he really did make a bike that rewrote the book on building motor cycles. Sad to hear John passed not long after this Top Gear clip was made (I remember watching it the first time round on TV), truly inspiring guy. Glad Berry did the segment about Britten, what better way of documenting a mans passion for bikes than a guy who is a motorcycle nut himself?

15 people watching this are Ducati engineers

Thanks for sharing. Awesome bloke

Thanks SO much for this!

John Britten was a brilliant man. Michael Czysz is continuing in John's footsteps today.

Kiwi ingenuity! New Zealenders have a can do attitude & a cottage industry to make anything,why these bikes which were ahead of their time stopped being made? It didn't take long for the Japanese to produce 1000cc v-twin sports bikes,imitation is the sincerest form of flattery! RIP John

Mad respect for this guy. I'd love to go out a bring back rotary superbikes, and this guy really did that. Not bring back rotaries, but put his nose to the grindstone and build a motorcycle from scratch, build the bike he dreamed of and build it his way. That's fucking awesome in itself, and it's even better when you see it successes. What a legend. Also, with my recent ownership of a V-2 beast of a superbike, I really appreciate them so props for picking that engine out. The Britten's twin is easily one of the best sounding ones I've ever heard, if you can't tell I'm loving this thing.

This Man Was A Motorcycle GOD.!

Thank you for sharing this video

Just saw one of these at George Barber’s museum/track in Leeds, Alabama.

John Britten is a hero of mine. He was a brilliant man... a true genius. He is someone all young boys should learn about and look up to.

He's the 20th century DaVinci.

Who would dislike this?

Brilliant post!"One Mans Dream"awesome vid!

guy really was special! Good ones always leave young!!

beautifull mind and a beautifull bike

Truly great man RIP John Britten

Great video, about a great man. Thanks for sharing.

R.I.P. John, A True Kiwi Legend

thanks mate, awsome job

Thanks for sharing.

thanks for sharing , great video

Two of John's mates knew enough to have been able to continue production and development after John's death. One of them had a helicopter, when hikers were stranded on a mountain near by during a storm both volunteered for the rescue mission and died when the chopper crashed.

Definitly agree, if anyone wants to find out more about the Britten V1000 then the film "One Mans Dream" is the way to go. This is a very well done montage of the film that was done for the BBC's Top Gear program that showcased John Brittens remarkably achievements to a wider audience. It also happens to fit within RU-vids 10 minute rule.

The DVD/Video is available on the Britten website in NZ

John Britten and everything about the man and his bike leaves me SPEECHLESS.......So I won't say anything else.

Greatest bike ever designed, built or raced. Period. John Britten: greatest inventor who ever lived.

A Great Man....he is missed

Going to see the bike at Te papa museum in Wellington today. A few days ago some women climbed onto it ignoring the signs. Hope it’s not going to be a issue

Life is so unfair sometimes, this man's genius is parallel to Sir Frank Whittle the genius of the jet engine.