The World's Fastest Indian
In Theatres February 3rd

"You live more in five minutes on a bike… than some people live in their lifetime," says the plucky, gravel-voiced Burt Munro (Anthony Hopkins), early on in writer-director Roger Donaldson's The World's Fastest Indian. That line and the scene containing it eloquently sum up Munro's fearless devotion to his lifelong love: speed racing, specifically on his re-conditioned 1920s-era Indian motorcycle. World's Fastest is part biopic, part road movie, part triumph of the sprit moviemaking, but, underneath all that, it's a tribute to the aging Munro, whose grit and tenacity elevated him for small-time obscurity to the status of motorcycling legend--the holder of several land speed records.

Donaldson's movie focuses on Munro's 1967 odyssey from his remote New Zealand town to his record-setting speed trials in Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats. Though plagued by a heart ailment, Munro soldiers on, modifying his ancient Indian motorcycle using nothing more than junkyard parts and his try-anything chutzpah. Backed by the goodwill of his townsfolk, Munro ships off to Los Angeles where he commences his cross-country trek towards Utah and the record books.

World's Fastest is, in many ways, thoroughly conventional, but it's executed with such conviction and love for its subject matter that it disarms the viewer completely. Most contemporary movies are so dramatically overreaching, their appeal to our sympathies so strained, that they end up putting us in a defensive posture; we find ourselves continually on guard against their assaults on our intelligence. Donaldson's movie puts no such artificial pressures on its drama and, in effect, makes no undue demands of the viewer. His script never overplays the conflicts in Munro's life: His heart condition, for instance, or the resistance he meets in Bonneville, or his scant resources never inundate the narrative the way they might in a standard-issue Hollywood screenplay. These conflicts do have a place in Munro's life, but Donaldson, to his credit, keeps them at a low simmer.

Yet that most endearing aspect of the script also points to its most glaring weakness. Munro is a hard-nosed scrapper, no doubt, but, at no point, does Donaldson's script isolate and develop a deeper theme to drive the story's dramatic engine -- apart from the rather generic theme of courage conquering fear. The narrative has a pleasant rhythm following the beat-by-beat of Munro overcoming one obstacle after another on his way to the speed trials. But those beats often feel pat and easy -- especially the saccharine sequences of Munro's encounters with a Hollywood transvestite (Chris Williams), with a Latino used-car dealer (Paul Rodriguez) then, later, with a Native American (Saginaw Grant) and a lonely homesteader (Diane Ladd). These simply forward Munro's American experience, failing to evolve his character and to enrich our understanding of him (See the letter at right - Editor).

While World's Fastest's script may not reach any profound heights, what keeps us rooted to the movie (and rooting for Munro) are its motorcycle sequences and Hopkins' performance. Together with cinematographer David Gribble and editor John Gilbert, Donaldson expertly crafts moments of pure open-road exhilaration. Whenever Munro takes off on his bike, the movie achieves a heart-stirring virtuosity on par with the sound barrier-breaking sequences in Philip Kaufman's The Right Stuff and the hell-for-leather acrobatics in last year's The Aviator.

It's those moments that give this otherwise mild-and-polished affair its emotional spikes, but what binds the whole contraption together is Hopkins himself. The world-class Hopkins more than compensates for Donaldson's script, inhabiting his

role with such authenticity and verve that it's impossible to stray your attention from him.
Without an actor of Hopkins' caliber, The World's Fastest Indian might've sunk in its own puddle of overly sweet but honorable intentions. It's thanks to Hopkins that Donaldson serves Burt Munro proudly.
–film review by Jay Antan / FilmCritic.com

If you've ever worked on your own motorcycle or car, rebuilding your race bike in a motel room at 11 'clock on a Saturday race night or pullin g the engine out of your Camaro on your parent's front yard, The World's Fastest Indian is a movie most motorcyclists can relate to on any level. It problably won't win too many Academy Awards (except possibly a Best Actor for Hopkins), but in the small cadre of motorcycle movies that have been were pretty much all bad, this one is sold gold.

Some note of interest: We were at the National Hot rod Show at Pamona, CA, last weekend and ran into the Califonia collector who now owns the origional Burt Munro Indian in purfectly restored condition. Everything on the bike from the frame up was hand built by Munro and it is a real trip to see. We are making plans now to have it on display at the LA Calendar Motorcycle Show in July.

And speaking of bad motorcycle movies, remember little Burt and Big Halsey - the dirt bike movie from the 1970's starting Robert Redford and Michael J. Pollard?
We ran into Pollard this weekend at our favorite Sunday morning biker coffee shop meeting place in Malibu, CA. Pollard definetly looks older and the worse for wear, having been caught up in the Hollywood party scene during the '70s. He still takes acting workshops and goes out on castings, but hasn't had a significant role in years. - Editor

The World's Fastest Indian websites to check out:
www.WorldsFastestIndian.com
Burt Munro Story and photos
www.IndianMotorbikes.com

Below: The real Bert Munro at home in Australia with his beloved Indians. In February 1957 he set a NZ Open Beach record of 131.38 mph, raising this in 1975 to 136 mph at Oreti Beach. In April 1957 he set a 75Occ Road Record at Christchurch at 143.59 mph. In March 1962 he covered the standing 1/4 mile at Invercargill in 12.31 seconds.

Burt, then a grandfather, visited the Bonneville salt flats several times from 1962 onwards. In that year he set a then world record of 178.971 mph with his engine out to 51 cu.in. (85Occ). In 1963 a con-rod broke while he was traveling at an estimated 195mph. In 1966 it was displacing 920cc, when Burt, unhappy with some loss in top speed, completely rebuilt it again.

In 1967, with his engine punched out to 58 cu.in. (950cc) he set a class record of 183.586 mph. To qualify he made a one-way run of 190.07 mph, the fastest ever officially recorded speed on an Indian.

NEW CONTEST
Win the Next Fast Dates Calendar!
FastDates.com readers are invited to get involved in the difficult, stressful, creative process of producing the upcoming 2007 Fast Dates Racebike Pinup calendar.

Try to guess which month of the 2007 Calendar this picture of our Ducati 999R project bike with Playboy Playmate Tamara Witmer will be appearing. Send your guess with your name and mailing address to
Contact@FastDates.com.

From the correct answers, a winner will be drawn at random to receive an autographed copy of the 2007 Fast Dates calendar when it World Premiers this summer July st on FastDates.com,

Click to Order Now!
Fast Dates Racebike Pinup
& Garage Girls

Folks Who Knew
Burt Munro
My husband knew H.J Bert Munro and is sorry that he was not able to talk to the people who wrote this story. Bert stopped by Gene's Gas Station when he saw Gene working on his motorcycle. Bert had come into town and was just walking down the street, in his old dirty clothes.Gene thought he was a bum and was not sure what he wanted. Gene befriended him and he and his wife invited Bert to stay at their home, because Bert had no where to stay. He knew no one and was waiting for his Indian bike to arrive. He then stayed for 3 weeks and bought a 1937 Oldsmobile sedan,so he would have transportation for his trip. He traveled to Bolder Dam and went on to see other points of interest. While there he spun a rod bearing and had to find a place to work on the car. He found a ditch, then he straddled the ditch, so he could get under the car and pull the pan. Then proceeded to make a bearing for the rod out of leather, which he carved out of his shoes. Put the pan back on, and put the oil back in that he had drained out of the motor. He continued on his journey without a problem. He drove back to Oakland.

Bert then stayed with Gene again. When his bike arrived, Bert then went on to Utah to the Salt Flats. After Bert left for Australia he wrote letters to them, and Gene still has the letters to this day. It would have been a nice addition to the story to know what happened, when he first arrived in Oakland. I am now Gene's wife for over 11 years, and sharing what he told to me. We are looking forward to seeing this movie as soon as we find it. I didn't know where to send this information and hope it will be received. These events happened in the 1950's. Gene is now 70 and has a fond recollection of the times he spent with Bert. Just a post script to an interesting story of a very talented man. I am sure Anthony Hopkins plays a great part in this movie. He is the best! Mary & Gene Borello/ Georgetown,California

Mid Ohio to Launch Track Riding & Racing Schools
Jan 31st - TrueSports, Inc., owner and operator of the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and The Mid-Ohio School, plans to add motorcycle riding instruction to its diverse curriculum when it launches The Mid-Ohio Motorcycle Riding School in April.

Curriculums at the Mid-Ohio Motorcycle Riding School will include Motorcycle Safety Foundation courses for Beginning and Experienced riders, as well as Advanced Cornering and Performance Track Riding programs. The riding school will be operated in partnership with Motorcycle Riding School, based in Chicago, Ill., and Sportbike Track Time, Delta, Ohio. The programs will be priced from $185 to $295.

“This is a move we've been planning for quite a while, and the growth in motorcycle sales and the rising demand for quality riding instruction made the timing right,” said TrueSports President Michelle Trueman Gajoch. “The Mid-Ohio Motorcycle Riding School is one more element in a larger strategy for TrueSports, Inc. to make Mid-Ohio a comprehensive training facility appealing to both two- and four-wheeled audiences.”

Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is a 2.4-mile, 15-turn permanent road racing circuit in Lexington, Ohio. The Mid-Ohio School offers 19 different programs. Students partake in classroom sessions, skill drills, expert personal instruction and lapping. The school has graduated more than 19,000 students since its inception in 1993.

Rumor Control
Ducati Confirms a
Super Hot Hypermoto R
Jan 26th - We just open a letter that arrived today from Bologna:

Dear Jim, Thank you for your note on the Hypermoto prototype. Your comments do make a lot of sense and in fact we are already incorporating some of them (see below) in a (suprise suprise) more agressive version of the origional prototype.

I hope to see you in Laguna!

Frederico Minoli,
President & CEO,
Ducati Motor Holding spa

Jan 20th - The outrageous looking Ducati Hypermoto prototype was the star of the 2005 Milan Motorcycle Show, representing the latest flair from controversial designer Pierre Treblance, also responsible for the controversial 999/749, the trio of Sport Classics now in dealer's showrooms, and the totally great Multistrada which was awarded FastDates.com's Bike of the Year.

We reported last fall that Treblanche was let go from his Cheif Desinger position at Ducati as the company's world wide sales slumped in 2004 and 2005. In actuality, Pierre was demoted as Chief Designer and taken off the factory payrole, but is continuing to work for Ducati as an outside contractor, working from his own studio in Turin, 125 miles from the Bologna factory.

We love his new Hypermoto as a lightened, naked, kick ass version of our favorite bike -the Multistrada. But the Hypermoto's proposed DS1000 2-valve aircooled motor is a bit too tame for our liking, and the single front brake assembly is not enough stoppiing power for a 385lb. canyon racer. A hard core Ducati fan, FastDates.com editor Jim Gianatsis has been lobbying our friends at Ducati fo offer an additional hotter viersions of the protype Hypermoto which is planned for production.

What we'd like to see Ducati offer in addition to the base DS1000 engine 100hp model which they are advertising at 385lbs., two additional higher spec R model versions both with full Ohlins Superbike Suspension. Parhaps an R1 model with the hotter DS1000 3-valve watercooled head engine from their touring bike line with 120hp to still try and keep it light weight. But our first choice for the most radial naked bike ever would be a full race R2 version with the 140hp Testastretta 4-valve full watercooled engine.

We see our proposed new Hypermoto R2 Testastretta as the ultimate canyon carver, dominator in the expected new Supermoto 1000cc International class, and even a Superbike race winner in both club racing and on tigher race tracks at AMA Superbike Nationals.

Ducati Tests Surveys Different New Hypermoto Versions On Line
It seems Ducati is taking our suggestion very seriously, as they are now conducting a survey on the Ducati.com Website to see if anyone else besides us would like to buy a hotter Testastretta engine Hypermoto with full Ohlins suspension. If such a bike gets you excited, we invite you to go on the Ducati website, register, take the survey and cast your vote for our proposed new Hypermoto Testastretta Cast your Opinion in the "New Concept bike" "HyperMotard Wins Best of Show" link pop-up window at Ducati.com

The 2006 Pirelli Calendar Revealed!
the world's most exclusive and expensively produced pinup calendar
from the word's biggest tire manufacturer.

More Pirelli 2006 Calendar - Caution Nudity!

Hire a FastDates.com
Calendar Angel
Now available for your special event and booking needs direct from CaliforniaHostess.com!
Ask for a FastDates.com Calendar Kitten when you call
Dominique at 1-310-430-4301

Supermoto World Champ Boris Chambon signs with Yamaha
Jan 1st - With KTM's surprising withdrawl from the SuperMoto World Championship beginning win 2006 everyone was left wondering what would happen to the Championshiip with the loss of its most important top factory team, and it's newly crowned World Championshipopen class rider.

Supermoto S2 World Champion, Boris Chambon has finally signed a two years deal with Yamaha Evolution, and will defend his title for the Japanese brand. "Before Latina I had only one offer, but when I got the title I had several opportunities and the most interesting for me was to go with Yamaha Evolution. I always raced for European companies, Husqvarna and later KTM, and I wanted to race one day for a Japanese brand. I had a good offer from this team, and I'm ready for the challenge," said Boris in Monaco during the Off Road Awards ceremony.

Boris had the opportunity to met in Monaco Laurens Kleinkoerkamp (Yamaha Europe) and will start testing the bike in January. "I know that we didn't saw so many times a Yamaha in front of the pack, but Andrea Bartolini got some good results, including a win in Namur with a Yamaha. We'll be supported by Yamaha Italy and Yamaha Europe, and I will have factory support from Michelin," added Boris who will probably have Max Manzo as team-mate in the S2 class.

American Suzuki Reorganizes
Motorcycle Division
The management team has been reorganized at American Suzuki Motor Corp. (ASMC) Motorcycle/ATV Division's Brea, Calif., headquarters and manufacturing facility in Rome, GA.

Steve Bortolamedi, formerly the dealer network manager for the Motorcycle/ATV Division, has been named advertising manager. He will be responsible for national and regional advertising for the Motorcycle/ATV Division, including in-store materials and signage and product brochures. Bortolamedi will continue to oversee the Web sites for both Suzuki's motorcycle and marine product groups and the Suzuki Sales P.R.O. retail kiosks. He has worked at ASMC for more than 13 years.

Glenn Hansen will move into the new position of communications manager, responsible for working with media for the introduction of all new motorcycles and ATVs. The Communications Group also will be responsible for product information booklets, model sales guides and more, for enhanced dealership salesperson knowledge. Formerly the advertising and press relations manager for American Suzuki's Motorcycle/ATV Division, Hansen has been with ASMC for three years and has an extensive background in media relations.

Dirk Gould, sales support manager, who currently oversees the Retail Finance Department, will take on additional responsibilities to assist Vice President Mel Harris with sales programs and budgeting. Gould has worked at ASMC for nearly nine years, gaining experience in data analysis and finance.

JAMA: Japan's Cycle Production Up 3% in 2005
January 31st - Japan's four largest motorcycle manufacturers produced 161,278 units in December 2005, down five percent or 8,545 units from 169,823 units produced in December 2004, according to Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA), which also said Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki produced a total of 1,791,585 units in 2005, up three percent or 52,001 units from 2004 year-end production of 1,739,584 units.

For December 2005, Honda produced 48,460 units, down from 50,571 units in December 2004; Suzuki produced 44,179 units, down from 44,812; Yamaha produced 43,588, down from 51,467; and Kawasaki produced 25,016, down from 22,954.

For the full-year 2005, Honda produced 590,251 units, down from 567,628 units in 2004; Suzuki produced 489,005 units, up from 397,104; Yamaha produced 471,254, down from 554,181; and Kawasaki produced 240,648, up from 220,308.