John Britten
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John Britten | |
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Born | John Kenton Britten 1 August 1950 Christchurch, New Zealand |
Died | 5 September 1995 Christchurch, New Zealand | (aged 45)
Occupations |
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Known for |
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Notable work | Britten V1000 |
John Kenton Britten (1 August 1950 – 5 September 1995) was a New Zealand mechanical engineer who designed a world-record-setting motorcycle with innovative features and materials.
Biography
John Britten was born to Bruce and Ruvae Britten in
His childhood heroes were notable fellow New Zealanders,
Britten completed a four-year mechanical engineering course at night school before joining ICI as a cadet draughtsman, giving him a wide range of work experience including mould design, pattern design, metal spinning and various mechanical engineering designs.
Britten travelled to England where he worked for four months with Sir Alexander Gibb & Partners on a highway design linking the M1 motorway to the M4 motorway.
Back in New Zealand he was design engineer for Rowe Engineering, designing off-road equipment and heavy machinery. In 1976, he built glass kilns and went into business as a fine artist designing and making hand-made glass lighting, later joining the family property management and development business. In 1978, Britten and his wife bought a historic residence in Matai Street, Riccarton, that they spent the next six years renovating. As of 2018, one of their daughters lived in the house with her family.[1]
In February 1995 John Britten was elected to the Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand (now
Britten designed
Britten worked on motorcycle design for some years, developing innovative methods using composite materials and performance engine designs. He created the Britten Motorcycle Company in 1992 to produce machines to his own design made of light materials and using engines that he had built himself, which became famous around the world.
His Britten motorcycles won races and set numerous speed records on the international circuits, and astounded the motorcycle world in 1991 when they finished second and third against the factory machines in the Battle of the Twins at Daytona, United States of America.
One of Britten's motorcycles is on permanent display at the
Death
Diagnosed with an inoperable
Motorcycle
Only 10 Britten V1000 and Britten V1100 motorcycles, not including 1 prototype, were ever constructed.
Britten's designs included:
- Carbon fibre body work including wheels, front suspension fork, and swingarm
- Hand cast, 4 valves per cylinder alloy engine
- Frame-less chassis with engine acting as a stressed member
- Radiator located under the rider's seat
- Carbon fibre fasteners (joining bodywork together)
- Rear suspension shock located in front of engine
- Engine data logging.
Non-Britten Components:
- Tyres
- Brakes
- Steel cylinder liners
- Gearbox (sourced from a Suzuki)
- Suspension shocks
- Various electrical components.
References
- Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
- ISBN 9781869435486.
- ^ Britten, John. "Britten V1000 Motorcycle". Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
- ^ Price, Felicity (September–October 2005). "The Making of John Britten". New Zealand Geographic. No. 75. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
Further reading
- Hanna, Tim (January 2003). John Britten. Nelson: Craig Potton Publishing. ISBN 9781877333088.
- Price, Felicity (December 2004). Britten Motorcycles: The John Britten Story. Motorbooks. ISBN 9780760320563.
- John Britten (subject), Harry Ruffell (director). One Man's Dream: The Britten Bike Story (DVD). Britten Motorcycle Company and Ruffell Films.
External links
- Britten Motorcycle Company
- Britten – Backyard Visionary a full-length documentary from 1993 on NZ On Screen
- Biography of John Britten from the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
- John Britten and the Superbike from Christchurch City Library
- NZ Edge – John Britten Maverick genius of motorcycle design