The 2025 Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials concluded late last week, marked by a mix of record-breaking achievements and fierce weather challenges that tested the limits of riders and their machines. Despite intermittent rain and strong winds that forced the cancellation of racing on Monday and the closure of the International Track on the final day, three determined riders successfully set four new FIM World Records.
The unsettled weather, a major hurdle for land speed racing, thwarted an attempt to break the FIM-accredited absolute Land Speed World Record. The challenging conditions meant that high-speed streamliners, like the one ridden by Chris Rivas, could not get the crucial long run-up and slow-down sections needed for a safe attempt.
However, the action on the shorter Mountain Track was a different story, delivering a series of historic runs. The first new FIM World Record was set by Liane Langlois, a 50-year-old HR manager from Alberta, Canada. Riding her Triumph Rocket III Roadster with a sidecar, she set a new FIM World Record of 136.331 mph (219.404 km/h) over the timed kilometer.
Dale Zlock, a 69-year-old veteran of Bonneville, also added to his impressive list of records. Piloting his partially streamlined Suzuki SV, he achieved a new kilometer average of 151.100 mph (243.172 km/h), shattering his previous mark by a significant margin.
The final two world records were claimed by 56-year-old Lisa Cipolla, a Youth Services Librarian from Washington State. Riding her Kawasaki ZX-6R, she first set a new FIM World Record with a top speed of 146.799 mph (236.251 km/h) over the timed kilometer in a partially streamlined configuration. The very next day, she returned to the course with the bodywork removed and set a new unfaired FIM World Record, with a kilometer speed of 135.466 mph (217.979 km/h).
These four records, which now await official ratification from the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), are a testament to the perseverance and skill of the riders who faced down the unpredictable elements of the Bonneville Salt Flats. While the ultimate speed record remains unbroken, the 2025 Speed Trials proved once again that the spirit of land speed racing remains undiminished.
