Britten of Your Very Own?

BRITTEN OF YOUR VERY OWN?

CAN A HAND-BUILT, ONEoff motorcycle overcome the might of one of the world’s most successful factory racing departments? John Britten’s outrageously styled and stunningly effective Britten Daytona V-l100 nearly did just that last March, when it came within a miswired electrical connection of stealing the Daytona SuperTwins event from Pascal Picotte’s Fast by Ferracci Ducati.

Such a fine showing might satisfy some people, but not Britten, who handcrafted the bike in his 3000-square-foot workshop in New Zealand. He has additional plans for the motorcycle.

First, he hopes to enjoy what he figures will be a successful racing season with the bike, which he continues to develop. And once he establishes that “The bike is definitely competitive against the factory Ducatis,” Britten plans to develop a street-legal version of the bike that can be sold to anyone with the craving and the cash.

How much cash? “Oh, at least what the top-model Ducati goes for,” said Britten. For you stalwarts with platinum-lined wallets, that would be $55,000, the sticker on an 888 Corse Polen Replica,

which is nowhere near streetlegal.

Britten says if all works out, he’ll build a total of 50 of the bikes. Each will be equipped with an electric starter, street lighting and exhaust system, and an engine tuned to produce about 155 horsepower, 15 fewer than the racebike now develops. Britten says a street version of the bike will weigh about 340 pounds, or about 33 pounds more than the bike does in race trim.

Explained Britten, a design engineer who dabbled in fine art and property development before turning to the design and construction of his own motorcycle, “We’re only looking for a tiny market. We want every bike to be especially loved and cherished by its owner.”

Jon F. Thompson