Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128315
Remembering John Britten Books are like buses - you wait ages for one , and then two come along together. That's what's happened with the long-awa ited chronicle of the life and works of New Zealand property de velope r and motorcycling visionary john Britten, the self-taught engineer who created the ten astoundingly effective and dramatlcally styled Britten V-looo racing motorcycles before his tragic early death from cancer in 1995, at the age of 45 . Two very different books recounting john Britten's life have just been published in New Zealand, one official title supported by john's widow Kirsteen and their three children , the other not. The John B,illen SIOry by Felicity Price published by Hazard Press is the approved vers ion, a 140-page large -format hard-cover coffee-tablesized full-color book containing some magnificent photography of the various bikes as well as many snapshots from the Britten family albums, which gives a real sense of insight into john's life, both as a person and an inventor, aswell as a not-always-successful racer in his own right . Reading it and look ing at the photos is an extremely poignant experience for those of us who knew and adm ired John per- sonally, and those w ho didn't but are interested in his bikes will gain an in-depth insight into the background of their creation by even just a quick flick through its pages . Not as deep, however, as you 'll obtain by reading Craig Potton Publishing's John Brillen by Tim Hanna, a 480 -page paperback volume densely packed with information about john Britten's life from those who knew and worked with him. This is the most detailed work of any motorcycle manufacturer I've yet come across anywhere in the world - a similar book on Soichiro Honda would make interesting reading, but none so far exists in this sort of depth. It took Hanna more than two years to complete, as he criss -crossed NZ aboard his Norton motorcycle seeking out all those who had in any way been associated with the various Britten projects. It's a warts-and-all biography that pulls no punches, but what emerges from the ultradetailed portrait is a man intent on doing it his way and w ith the charm and enthusiasm to spark others into helping him - often at significant per- supermoto series. and we're lookin g forward to the start of our sixth season," stat- biography that will take anyone, even the most avid Britten fan, a long time to read, but it gives a detailed picture of the man and his creations through the eyes of those who helped him make them. Buy either of them (o r both!), and be prepared for a sense of frustration that john Britten is no longer with us to roll out yet another of his amazing creations onto the starting grid at Assen or Daytona. The motorcycle world is much the poorer for his passing, and these two books do an excellent jo b of reminding us why. Alan Cathcart Five-t ime National Arenacross C hampio n fro m racing on Sunday, February 29, at the series awards banq uet in Kansas C ity, M issour i. Antunez's career bega n in 1990 at 16 as a T he Cal Spas SuperMoto Series at Mesa Marin Raceway in Mesa Marin, Californ ia, will start its sixth season this year. The series features race dates with po sted prize money for 2004 exceeding $20,000 . The series features tw o Pro classes - the O pe n Pro and the 4S0 Pro , plus tIhe Amateur Open, 250 Four-Stoke , and Sportsman divisio ns. "We have had gre at success with our Perhaps une xpectedly, these two books complement each other perfectly - Price's more glamorous-looking volume is still a good read , but it has the depth of photographic support that Hanna's much wordier, more detailed tome lacks. The Hanna book - which has far second edition - is a Buddy Antunez announced his retirem ent Conrinued from poge 7 City, Utah. For more information, call 719/495·2624 or visit www. DHMA.com . sonal cost . exceeded its initial print run and is already in its Antunez Retires Briefly... cle," said Antunez , "I am spending more time Antunez said he would missthe adrena line on t he grou nd and in recovery than I am on my bike ." Antunez came into the 2003 season with a br oken wris t that set him back from t he beg inning. He finished out the season ea rning the numb er-th re e spot in th e seri es stand ings. Moving into 2004, he was o n a new bike , rus h that he go t every time that he got the starting gate before a race , and he'll m iss taking his daughter out to the track to watch him ride . But t he Bud rna n's future will be in the ind ustry. In a few weeks, he plans to move to the other side o f the industry and work for Crown Ath lete Managem en t Group. ed Mesa Marin vice president Larry Collins. For more information , call 6611366- 5711 o r visit www.mesamarin .com . Fast By Ferracd has annou nced that it is teaming up with the Ne w York dep artment sto re Lord & Taylor to celeb rate th e launch of its new Men's Contempo rary Sportsw ea r Collect ions. The Fi/t h Avenue store windows are t ricked out with Lord & Taylor's new sp ring looks for men , co mp lemente d by mo re than a doz en Ducat i and MV Agusta motorcycles suppl ied by Fast By Ferraccl , Th e w indow d isplays are also fully loaded w ith nume rous Fast By Ferracd raeing components, including titanium con - necting rods, FBF Pisto n kits, and other high-end engine hardware. Fast By Ferracci's racing history is well represented w ith memorabilia such as an o riginal Factory Corse racer. numerous Da ytona trophies and authentic race leathers from various former team riders. "We are del ighted to team up with this New York landma rk to platform our newest Italian mo to rcycles with their lates t trends for men," said Lawrence Ferracci, vice presiden t of Fast By Ferracci , "Right Irom the ge t-go , our conversation with Lord & Taylor bega n o n the right t rac k and bro ught us to the finish line he re on Fifth Avenue. Special tha nks to Michael Lock, CEO Ducati No rt h Ame rica and Ducati Motorcycles lor thei r cooperation with ma king this possible ." The pr omotion also comes equipped w ith a cont est to win a brand-new 2004 Ducati M620Dark motorcycle valued at $6595 . Lord & Taylor invites consumers to visit Th e Man's Shop "Looking back, I have five championships; I was able to ride supercross and make a living out of something that I love." -Buddy Antune z privatee r, and he went o n to become the Arenacross Champion for five years fro m 199 7 to 200 I, bringing the series to a new leve l of competitio n. In 2002 , he left the arenacro ss circuit to pursue supercro ss, and alter o ne year he was back in the series that made him a cham pion. After suffering many injuries over th e last two years, Antu nez dec ided t hat it was time for him to retire . "If I do n't feel 100-percent con fident eve ry time be fore I get o ut on my mo to rcy- riding fo r Ho nda, and was co nfident that he cou ld do some good t hings. Th e t hird rou nd in Rockfo rd , Illinois, is when he decided that th is w ould be his final year. after o nce again gett ing hurt. "I feel that I have done everything that I can on a motorcycle and have achieved everything that I can ," said Antunez. "Looking back . I have five cham pions hips; I was ab le to ride supercross and make a living out 01 something that I love." www.cy cl enews .com to register to win . No purchase is necessary to enter the contest . Mo nday, March 22, is th e time to reg ister for the 10th annual Friends of the Off· Road Motor Vehicle Recreation Program yearly lobbying day at the Ca lifornia State Capitol, according to the Cali/ornia League of Olf-Road Voters. There will also be a legislative reception at the Sutter Club where off-road enthusiasts w ill be able to meet, greet and mingle w ith legislators, staffers and OHV organizations from all over California. To register. visit www.c1orv.org and complete the on line reg istrdtion form or call 916/447·1761 . CYCLE NEWS • MARCH 17, 2004 9