Triumph to attempt new land speed record at Bonneville

Iconic British motorbike brand Triumph Motorcycles has confirmed its intention to break the motorcycle land speed record at the Bonneville salt flats, USA, in August 2015.

Isle of Man TT racer, truck mechanic and TV presenter Guy Martin will pilot a purpose built 1,000PS Triumph Rocket III Streamliner for the world record attempt.

While the current record stands at 376.363 mph (605.697 kmph), the Triumph team is aiming to surpass that over the measured mile.

“We are extremely excited to see adrenaline junkie Guy Martin confirmed as pilot for the Triumph world record attempt and will be tuned in from the 23-27 August 2015. We wish Guy and the entire team all the very best to break the motorcycle land speed record at the salt flats of Bonneville, USA,” said Vimal Sumbly, Managing Director, Triumph Motorcycles India.

The 2015 Triumph Rocket Streamliner features a carbon Kevlar monocoque construction with two turbocharged Triumph Rocket III engines producing a combined power of over 1,000PS at 9,000rpm. Powered by methanol fuel, the bike is competing in the Division C (streamlined motorcycle) category.

Triumph has a long legacy of smashing the land speed record and held the title of "World's Fastest Motorcycle" from 1955 to 1970 with the exception of a brief 33-day period. The record-breaking Triumph streamliners of that period were Devil's Arrow, Texas Cee-gar, Dudek Streamliner and Gyronaut X1, the former achieving a top speed of 245.667 mph (395.28 kmph). Today's bar, held by Rocky Robinson since 2010 riding the Top Oil-Ack Attack streamliner, sits at 376.363 mph (605.697 kmph).

The iconic Bonneville name for Triumph was conceived following Johnny Allen’s land speed record runs at the Salt Flats in September 1955, when he reached the record breaking speed of 193.72 mph (311.762 kmph). The first T120 Bonneville model was unveiled at the Earls Court Bike Show and went on sale in 1959.