Triumph Sets New Records at Bonneville Speed Week

September 17, 2008

Matt Capri of South Bay Triumph, California, has set a new land speed record, recording 162.47mph on a turbocharged Triumph Bonneville at the world famous Bonneville Speed Week.

Matt Capri set two new 1000cc Blown Fuel records on his specially prepared twin-cylinder machine, recording a two-way speed of 162.47mph in the kilometre run and 161.188mph in the mile. The speed demon recorded over 169mph on a one-way run but wasn’t able to complete a run in the other direction within the time limit. In order to set a record, runs must be set in two directions, with the average speed counting.

Capri, who has tuned and raced Triumphs for over 40 years, raced at this year’s Speed Week to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of Triumph’s iconic Bonneville model, which was named after the Utah salt flats that play host to the annual festival of speed. The first Bonneville was introduced at the 1958 Earl’s Court motor show, for the 1959 model year, and named in honour of the special streamlined Triumphs that Texan Johnny Allen had ridden to over 200mph in the late 1950s.

Riding alongside Capri was renowned British freelance journalist Alan Cathcart, who rode a normally aspirated Triumph at the event and will write about their adventures for magazines worldwide. He said: “We succeeded in our objective of setting a new officially recognized AMA speed record. I rode a non-supercharged Thruxton at 149.50 mph - not bad for a street-legal Triumph twin - and Matt set two new 1000cc Blown Fuel records, at 162.470 mph for the kilo and 161.188 mph for the mile. The bike ran for the first time only four days before leaving for the Salt Flats, and so although Matt did a one-way run at over 169 mph. It is almost certainly a 200 mph motorcycle, giving me something to aim at when I ride the bike next year and try to join the 200 mph club!”