The name Burt Munro is known to motorcyclists around the world, primarily through the 2005 movie, “The World’s Fastest Indian”, starring Anthony Hopkins. Burt was born and lived his life here in Invercargill, the southern most city in New Zealand, and is a local hero. There are two main exhibits honoring him and his famous motorcycle, which bagan life as a 1920 Indian Scout. If you make the pilgrimage to Invercargill you will find a small exhibition in the regional Southland Museum along with a recently completed life size bronze statue of Burt riding his streamlined machine. But the actual machine, along with lots of other bikes and a few cars can only be seen by taking a run downtown to the E Hayes Hardware Store to see the E Hayes Motorworks Collection. Yes, it is a real working hardware store. Inside, among the shelves of normal hardware items you’ll find a very worthwhile collection of motoring history with pride of place going to Burt’s actual bike inside a glass case.
