Guy Martin - Triumph Rocket Streamliner

[TrickyDicky]

Guy Martin has been learning to ride the Triumph Rocket Streamliner on the BSF this week and is planning an official attempt on the FIM outright land speed record for 2-wheelers.

http://triumphlandspeed.com/

https://guymartinracing.co.uk/triumph-motorcycles-confirms-new-world-land-speed-record-attempt/

Two questions:

• What sort of profile does Guy have in the USA?  I had assumed 'none' but then saw he had been signing autographs with Valerie Thompson.
• Assuming cooperation from the weather, what do the experts here think are his chances of achieving his target? As far as I know it's his first year on the salt so he's on a steep learning curve.

[Stainless1]

I thought he was the guy riding the Triumph liner the last time we had enough salt crust to run...

As far as I know there are no experts here to judge his chances... he has the same shot as anyone if he has the HP and the ability to put it to the ground. 

I guess we will see 

[kiwi belly tank]

I agree, most of us here don't know $hit about the bike.
  Sid.

[goingfaster5]

Guy has huge following worldwide.  He is probably the most famous, current Isle of Man TT competitor, although he retired recently.  Now that is a little bit like saying he is "a famous land speed racer", but the TT does have a big following.

He was briefly rumored to be a contender for taking over the popular TV show Top Gear when Clarkson imploded.

My Triumph riding buddies are all over this.  It is interesting to have a manufacturer involved in LSR with the marketing budget and all that come with it.

Eric

[Dynoroom]

Their Facebook page is posting that the are currently the fastest ever Triumph motorcycle @ 274 mph. Runs from yesterday at Cook's privet test?

[JoshH]

https://www.facebook.com/CookLSS

[Stan Back]

If he's an Isle of Mann champ, he certainly doesn't lack courage.

[Malcolm UK]

I agree, most of us here don't know $hit about the bike.

Which is a shame as the whole bike was built in the USA - the chassis by Hot Rod Conspiracy and engines by Carpenter Racing.  A track racer and record holder on sit-on bikes known as Jason DiSalvo rode it when first tested on the salt in 2013.  The bike manufacturer has been smart to have the TT rider Guy Martin take over the controls, as that brings TV coverage in the UK (as part of his series of speed record bids). (And the PR team are getting massive worldwide exposure too).   

[TrickyDicky]

Their Facebook page is posting that the are currently the fastest ever Triumph motorcycle @ 274 mph. Runs from yesterday at Cook's privet test?

Yes, yesterday morning.

Cynically, I would suggest 274.2 mph is likely to have been the peak speed recorded during a single run.  But I don't know...

Whenever someone claims to be the fastest ever something I wonder who they consider to be the second fastest.  In this case, the candidates I can come up with are as follows.

• Fastest officially-recognised record by a Triumph-engine vehicle: Bob Leppan, Gyronaut X-1, 25 August 1966, 245.667 mph FIM and AMA record
• Fastest officially-timed one-way run: Bob Leppan, Gyronaut X-1, 19 or 20 October 1970, 264.437 mph with an estimated top speed "around 270 mph"
• Fastest unofficially-timed one-way run: Boris Murray, Manning Murray streamliner, some time in 1972?, about 272 mph

So for maximum publicity, Guy should set the outright record in just over 2 weeks time, which would be 50 years to the day after the last time a Triumph-engined motorcycle set the record.

[RansomT]

Which is a shame as the whole bike was built in the USA - the chassis by Hot Rod Conspiracy and engines by Carpenter Racing. 

I wouldn't say that ... the "core" Rocket III engines were designed and manufactured in Thailand.  Bob just did a heck of a job converting them into race engines. 

[BHR301]

I am waiting for results.....that is "In the record book, official results".
Bill

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Guy was making some runs in their bakery delivery truck (or whatever - it zoomed past while we were setting up our pit.  Sounded like a turbo diesel - looks like a big version of a "toaster'shaped" car.  It had a wing on the back, but down far enough it probably didn't cause too much drag   I hear he ran in the 160 range.

[wobblywalrus]

Triumph switched production of the smaller and simpler engines to Asia.  They made the big triple in the UK, as of a few years ago.  I was going to go and see the triples being made at Hinckley but could not figure out the bus schedule from London.

Guy is a truck mechanic by trade and a normal guy by LSR standards.  Just like most of us.

The bike has good aero and maybe the best.  A lot of development is in the area around here and we locals know nothing.  I am sure if we really cared, and looked hard, we could figure out what is going on.  We discussed this among ourselves and decided if they want to be left alone we will oblige.

[Buzz Lightbeer]

Both Guy & Valerie are new to streamliners. They are both on a steep learning curve, so its not about who or where the liners or engines were built or by who.
Its about racing for record speeds, both are great riders in their own right & getting used to new riding/driving style, so lets just see what transpires when the liners are ready to go for the records.
   

[Seldom Seen Slim]

I was talking with some Cook event people about how Guy got in the 'liner and left the line hard -- and had the skids/training wheels up damn quick.  Get after it and go!