Hillclimb is one of the oldest, most entertaining forms of motorcycle racing. Many historians credit Indian Motorcycle with inventing the sport at the turn of the 20th century.
“In the early 1900s, Indian would run their motorcycles up the steepest hills around the Springfield Massachusetts factory to prove that they were powerful enough to go over some of the roughest terrains.” –Old Bike Barn
By 1910, the exhibitions had involved into a full-fledged sport with Harley-Davidson and Excelsior fielding their own purpose-built machines and factory teams. As the board track era faded during the Great Depression, hillclimbing became the nation’s most popular form of motorcycle racing, with separate AMA championships on the east and west coast.
“At its height on the national stage, the hillclimb reigned supreme from Oakland to Rochester, and its champions…were the heroes of American motorsport…. The image of the lean rider manhandling his wild hillclimber harkens back to the lore of the West and the silhouette of a cowboy wrangling his bucking bronco.” –Archive Moto
The bikes continued to evolve over the decades. By the 1960s, 300-hp nitromethane-powered monsters were rocketing up what seemed sheer vertical faces.
Our friend Peter Goertz of Pete’s Classic Cycle was interviewing a legend of the nitro era, 10-time Canadian and 6-time American hillclimb champion John Williams, when he realized he had an even bigger story on his hands than he anticipated.
“The more I dug into it the more I realized exactly how big they were and the impact they had on the sport. To put it into perspective, STP would send John on tour with Richard Petty and Mario Andretti to various trade shows together; he was legitimately a rockstar in his own right. That plus the fact they are THE MOST successful team in Canadian Motorsport History…this was a story that people had to know.”
Two years later, the documentary is here, NITRO: THE WILLIAMS DYNASTY. John Williams and his sons aren’t just incredible “slant artists” (as the early hillclimbers were sometimes called), but they’re damn entertaining storytellers as well.
Below you’ll find our interview with Pete about the inspiration for documentary, the making of the film, and more of his own history. A big thanks to Pete for bringing these stories to the screen!
NITRO Hillclimb Film: Filmmaker Interview
• Please tell us a bit about yourself, your history with motorcycles, and Pete’s Classic Cycle.
I grew in a family that was involved in powersports so I had that passion instilled in me from a very young age, but my love for classic bikes didn’t start until I was older, in my mid 20s.
After my dad passed away, we had to sell one of his classics, a 1972 Kawasaki H2. Since then, I was on the hunt to replace that bike, which lead me to my first Kawasaki H2 750. It wasn’t long after that I caught the bug and became addicted.
From there I started to work on my dad’s 1973 Yamaha RD350 and uploaded videos to YouTube so I can share the progress with my family. And that was how “Pete’s Classic Cycle” was born. Since then, I have grown the platform and use it to share my passion, support the community and tell some pretty cool stories.
• What was the inspiration for NITRO: THE WILLIAMS DYNASTY?
I have a YouTube series on my channel called Moto Spirit, where I interview various people in the motorcycle world and share their stories. A friend suggested I interview John Williams, the world champion hillclimber. I had heard about John but really didn’t know anything else. I gave John a call and during our first conversation quickly learnt how much of a character he was. During that conversation he said, “You need to also talk to my two boys and Nick Kemp who built the bikes”.
So, 3.5 hours of interview footage later, I knew that there was no way this would fit into a 15-min YouTube video. This story was far bigger than what I had initially thought. The more I dug into it the more I realized exactly how big they were and the impact they had on the sport. To put it into perspective, STP would send John on tour with Richard Petty and Mario Andretti to various trade shows together; he was legitimately a rockstar in his own right. That plus the fact they are THE MOST successful team in Canadian Motorsport History…this was a story that people had to know.
Unfortunately, with their career predating the internet, this history was slowly fading away with time, so I knew I had to do my very best to represent the team and give them the platform to tell their story and secure their legacy.
• How long did it take to make the film? Were there any funny stories or big challenges along the way?
It took around two years to complete the film, working on it off and on while balancing work / family life. The two biggest challenges were first organizing all the interview footage in a way that best told their story, and second, which clips to keep and ultimately which to cut from the film. There were SO MANY great stories that weren’t included for various reasons. Perhaps some bonus footage is in order.
As for funny stories, John himself could be a comedian in a second life. His ability to hold the room and tell stories might equal his talent on the bike. He truly is a showman and there were so many laughs shared on and off camera during this whole process.
It was such an honor to work with the team and to see them together again. Especially in uniform falling back into their roles on the bike was like going back in time. It was incredible and something I do not take lightly.
• Do you have a personal favorite nitro hillclimb bike?
Since the Benelli came and went before I was born, I would have to say my favorite nitro hillclimber is the last 800 Honda that Greg raced. It is absolutely gorgeous and looks like it’s moving 100 mph just sitting there. Everything on those bikes is purpose-built with no excess waste. If you’re a gearhead, you can get lost in the details for hours.
• Can you tell us where to find more from Pete’s Classic Cycle?
Pete’s Classic Cycle is available on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. However, YouTube is where I post my long form creative content where FB / IG are more of a dumping ground for my short reels and photos. So, if you’re looking for more in-depth videos, I always encourage people to go to my YouTube first: @PetesClassicCycle.
