Riding with the throttle pinned down on the Isle of Man requires a third ball, but trying to break the world speed record on a motorcycle also requires your three balls are made of high-carbon steel. And that’s probably why Triumph has invited Guy Martin to take their new machine north of 370 mph.
Triumph Motorcycles confirmed it will attempt a new world record speed attempt this month having North Lincolnshire road racer Guy Martin ride its 1000 hp streamliner at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.
The current speed record for two-wheeled vehicles stands at 376.63 mph (606.12 km/h) but Triumph and Guy are keen the new machine will be able to set the bar higher soon.
“I can’t wait to take the Triumph Infor Rocket Streamliner onto the salt at Bonneville for the first time this summer,” Guy said in a press conference. “The Triumph engineers have built an amazing machine, giving us the very best chance to beat the two-wheeled land speed record.”
Looking nothing like a motorcycle, the Infor Rocket is the latest Triumph streamliner, measuring 25 feet in length, wearing a carbon-fiber monocoque structure and being powered by two turbocharged Rocket III engines that add up for 1,000 hp.
Triumph Motorcycles got their fame in the US in 1954, when Pete Dalio’s Triumph shop in Dallas decided to beat the 180 mph (289.7 km/h) record Wilhelm Herz established on an NSU. Pete took his mechanic Jack Wilson along with airline pilot and engineer Stormy Mangham and created The Devil’s Arrow.
It was a unique, missile-shaped streamliner made without the aid of an air tunnel and, legend has it, they also used any parts that were available at the time, including a few farm tractor and cultivator parts. Power was provided by a tuned Thunderbird 650 engine that pushed the vehicle up to 193.7 mph (311.7 km/h).
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