2997cc turbo-charged V-four motorcycle tipped to exceed 400mph
An American rider by the name of Chris Rivas is hoping to do something we’ve never seen before, which is achieve 400mph at the Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials (BMST).
This year’s BMST will again feature American rider Chris Rivas, who is hoping to obliterate the existing speed record.
The Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials has been home to some pretty earth-shattering speeds over the years, with the current record achieved in 2010 by Rocky Robinson on a Suzuki Hayabusa. On that occasion, the Suzuki rider clocked a speed 376.156mph, which is an FIM-accredited Land Speed World Record for a motorcycle.
However, Rivas is hopeful of becoming the new record holder by setting the first-ever 400mph speed run. To help him do that, the 57-year-old will ride a BUB Seven Streamliner powered by a 2,997cc, turbo-charged V-four engine.
Rivas will be aided in his attempt by Land Speed legend Denis Manning, who has been responsible for designing and building the motorcycle. Manning and his BUB Seven Streamliner held the record on two previous occasions.
His machine first achieved the record in 2006 and again in 2009, with the second attempt taking the record to 367.382mph. That speed record stood for 366 days before Robinson regained it.
Speaking about his upcoming record attempt, Rivas said: “Everybody’s looking for four-hundred miles per hour. It’s about the accomplishment of doing something no-one else has done.”
“At Bonneville there’s definitely such a thing as too much horsepower. In Drag Racing you basically pin the throttle all the way and never let up until the end. At Bonneville you have to constantly play with the throttle to make sure the traction stays consistent. Coming from Drag Racing it was a steep learning curve and I had to learn to ride the motorcycle differently.”
The 2025 Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trails will take place from August 23 to the 28. More information can be found on the official website.
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After graduating with a sports journalism degree, Robert joined Crash.net to lead the WorldSBK coverage in 2021, while also providing MotoGP coverage. Fulfilling that role for over three years, Robert was able to put his knowledge about all things racing to the test.
