This post was originally published by Franz & Grubb in 2017. I'm primarily reposting it so I can easily search for it if I want to quickly find it again.
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| From the 1962 Triumph Baltimore sales catalog |
Still, no one has gone faster than Gary Richards did in 1961 with any 650 Triumph motorcycle without a fairing at Bonneville.
His two way average of 159.542 mph still stands as an AMA certified record to this day.
The fact that no one has been able to
beat this record in 56 years is amazing in itself, however when you take
into account his bike it is even more impressive.
His naturally aspirated stock rigid frame
Pre Unit looked like a street bike, with a peanut tank and stock length
fork. His father Rich Richards did the tuning, and they managed a
160.272 mph average over one mile, and a return average of 158.812 mph
for an official record of 159.542 mph.
Most people don’t realize that the timing
trap at Bonneville is one full mile long, and speeding up or slowing
down will affect your average speed, which is then averaged with your
return mile speed to reach your qualifying speed.
Gary Richards currently produces Dixon
Cylinder heads, and from 1961 to today is still the Bonneville record
holder of the world’s fastest unfaired Triumph 650 of all time.
Photo of Gary in 1962 courtesy of the AMERICAN HOT ROD FOUNDATION.
