Triumph's record-breaking run at Bonneville Salt Flats in 1956

Photo: Paul A. Valentine/Wikimedia commons

This year marks 70 years since Triumph set the incredible land speed record of 343.5 km/h on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah with the Streamliner Texas Cee-Gar, designed by pilot JH "stormy" Mangham and Jack Wilson. The record put Triumph firmly on the world map, and would eventually give its name to one of the most legendary motorcycles in motorcycle history, Triumph T120 Bonneville .

A style icon; Triumph T120 Bonneville 650, 1959 model

Johnny Allen set the famous and remarkable land speed record at Bonneville Salt Flats in 1956 – one of the classic years in American land speed history. Bonneville was already famous for record attempts made earlier by figures such as Malcolm Campbell, and later by American pioneers in the hot-rod world. The 1956 speed races were part of this tradition, and Johnny Allen's efforts and daring were remembered as an important contribution to American record culture.

Speed Twin 500 arrived in 1937, and formed the basis for all of Triumph's twins until 1983.

The Streamliner Texas Cee-Gar: The year was 1956, and Johnny Allen was taking part in a speed test at one of the annual “Speed Week” events on the Utah Salt Flats. These competitions brought together both professional teams and private enthusiasts who wanted to push the limits of what a vehicle could do. Allen was driving a custom-built Streamliner called the Texas Cee-Gar, a cigar-shaped vehicle designed for minimal drag, solely for top speed, on the hard flat salt flats of the desert.

With dual carburetors, the 650 cc engine had a power output of 46 hp.

343.5 km/h: When the cigar-shaped streamliner, powered by a 650cc twin engine from Triumph Thunderbird , fed with methanol for the occasion, crossed the finish line, the speedometer read 214.5 mph, or 343.5 km/h. The record was sensational to say the least, and Triumph could now market its motorcycles under the motto "The World's Fastest Motorcycle".

Bonneville was, if we believe the model prefix T120, good for 120 mph, or 192 km/h

Good advertising: The record attempt gave Triumph a reputation for producing powerful and robust engines, and gave the British motorcycle industry a boost in prestige in the post-war period. The record brought Triumph great popularity in the United States, and gave its name to Triumph's most popular model from 1959 until 1983, the sporty twin Bonneville .

The Bonneville had a pre-unit engine until the unit engine was introduced in 1963.

Bonneville T120, 650 cc: Not only was the record highly impressive considering that the Streamliner had an engine starting from a "modest" 650 cc. It would resonate throughout the entire motorcycle world as Triumph took full advantage of the event by giving the name Bonneville to its sportiest roadster, the T120 Bonneville 650, three years later.

In 1973, the T140 Bonneville with a 750 engine was introduced.

Bonneville T140, 750 cc: In 1973 Bonneville was upgraded with a new 750cc engine, and this was used until 1983, which was the last year Bonneville was in production. Triumph now closed down the factory in Meriden, and the rights were eventually bought by the English businessman John Bloor. In 1990 Triumph was back on the scene, now in modern packaging and with updated technology, and of course Bonneville eventually returned to the sales brochures.