Dare To Dream: The John Britten Story
John Britten was a visionary, a genius, a motivational legend of the late 20th century whose distinctive home-built bright pink and blue Britten motorcycle achieved iconic status world-wide.
His achievements would never have happened if it hadn't been for the dedicated team of people who went along for the ride - mechanics, engineers, designers, spray painters, riders, sponsors, family and friends.
The bike, however, was just one of John's dreams. There were many other projects he worked on - some were successful, some not. All along, John remained the boy who refused to grow up, the daredevil Peter Pan who would have a go at anything, utterly fearless of the consequences.
Dare to Dream is the first easy-to-read explanation of the bike - why it was good and what is special about it - as well as the good times and bad times John and his team encountered on their way to achieving world recognition and fame. It also covers the other things John accomplished in his short lifetime - the beautiful things he built, the cars and bikes he owned, the adventures he had, the wondrous parties he threw. And it takes a close look at his family - his beautiful model wife Kirsteen, his children, his mother and sisters - to find out what shaped him into the visionary he became, what was so special about him and what might have happened if he hadn't died.
Author Biography
Author Felicity Price has interviewed more than fifty people associated with John during his lifetime and after he died - the people who worked through the night with him on developing the world-beating bike, his friends and family, and the people associated with the myriad of other innovative, creative and daredevil activities he undertook.
A journalist for over sixteen years, Felicity currently runs public relations company Price Rennie with her husband Chris Rennie. She worked for The Press for many years as a reporter, sub editor, columnist and feature writer, for Radio, TVNZ ("Science Express"), North and South and the Woman's Weekly.
Felicity also has two published novels to her credit - Dancing in the Wilderness (2001), No Angel (2002) and a third, soon to be published.
Felicity was in John's class at primary school and knew him and his family during the years he was working on developing the Britten bike. Although she is the first to admit she didn't know a lot about motorbikes, she believes this has been an advantage in writing the book as it has meant she has had to learn and be able to explain the mechanics and special features in a way that will appeal to the general public and bike fans alike. In so doing Felicity has earned the deep respect of the Christchurch bike community.