Are you in New Zealand or planning a trip there anytime soon? If you’re interested in motorcycle history, then you’ll want to pay a visit to the Classic Motorcycle Mecca in Invercargill, NZ. On February 6, 2023, it formally announced the expansion of its John Britten exhibit—which it now says is the largest single exhibition of the legendary Kiwi engineer’s bikes in the world.
I’ve been lucky enough to see a single Britten V1100 in person, but the collection now on display at the Classic Motorcycle Mecca has four entire Britten machines, as well as two other key pieces of Britten’s development as an inimitable engineer. CMM is showing the very first (of ten ever built) V1100 Cardinal, as well as the Precursor, the V1000 Aero-D-Zero, and the V1000 Aero-D-One. For additional context, it’s also showcasing Britten’s modified 1948 Triumph Tiger, as well as the relatively tiny single-cylinder engine project that was completed a mere two weeks after the man’s death.
