Triumph land speed record attempt a goer

Following a successful test session at the Bonneville Salt Flats with the Triumph Rocket Streamliner hitting 274.2mph (441.3km/h) – the fastest ever Triumph – the British company has now declared it will try to wrest the motorcycle land speed record in mid-September 2016.

Piloted by TT star Guy Martin, the 1000hp Rocket Streamliner will return to the famous Bonneville Salt Flats and attempt to beat the current 376.8mph (606.4km/h) record speed on an 11 mile-long course.

The recent practice week, which ended with Martin hitting the aforementioned 274.2mph run on August 9, saw the team achieve all of the goals set by crew chief and Streamliner designer Matt Markstaller.

“We achieved a great deal during our test week at Bonneville and feel we are in a great position to move ahead with our record attempt," said Markstaller. "Guy settled into the Streamliner very quickly and impressed us with the speed in which he mastered both the motorcycle and riding on the salt.

“While conditions were some of the best I have seen over the last few years, we feel there is still some room for improvement. When chasing a record such as this on two wheels the conditions have to be the very best they can be, to give us the greatest chance of achieving the speeds we require to set a new record.

"We feel that waiting a few further weeks will provide us with even better conditions and put us in the ideal position to make our record attempt.”

The Rocket Streamliner features a carbon Kevlar monocoque construction with two turbocharged Triumph Rocket III engines producing a combined 1000hp at 9000 rpm. The motorcycle is 25.5 feet long, two feet wide and three feet tall. Powered by methanol fuel, the bike is competing in the Division C (streamlined motorcycle) category.