Lee Munro Breaks Speed Record on an Indian Scout

There’s a new world’s fastest Indian. Motorcycle racer Lee Munro is the great nephew of Burt Munro, whom you may know as the man portrayed by Sir Anthony Hopkins in the 2006 film “The World’s Fastest Indian.” If you haven’t seen the movie, it tells the true story of New Zealand native Burt Munro breaking the under-1000cc land speed record in 1967 at the age of 68. He used a heavily modified 600cc 1920 Indian Scout, which hit 183.59 mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats and has an unofficial top speed of over 200 mph.

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the historic record, Lee Munro has been saddling up on a modified Indian Scout of his own called the Spirit of Munro. In this commemoration, a new record was broken in the MPS-G (Modified Partial Streamliner—Gas) motorcycle class with a blistering speed of 186.861 mph.

The Spirit of Munro doesn’t have much in common with the production version of the Indian Scout. Instead of the 1131cc V-twin in the stock bike, the new record breaker has a 1350cc V-twin and a uniquely fabricated body for superior aerodynamics.

Naturally, Indian is very excited to be cooperating in this endeavor. “Motorcycling is about shedding boundaries and limitations to go beyond the norm and there is no better example of that than Burt Munro,” Indian marketing director Reid Wilson told Motorcycle News. “Driven by unparalleled determination and a legendary passion for the pursuit, Burt Munro embodies the spirit of Indian Motorcycle and we couldn’t be prouder to honor his legacy with an updated version of his historic record on the Bonneville Salt Flats in August.”

Lee Munro and his Indian will be attending Speed Week at Bonneville August 12-18. Here's the new bike's first run at El Mirage hitting 141 mph.