CB160s battle it out at the Bonneville Vintage GP
The 4th Annual Bonneville Vintage GP is coming up fast, with a full roster of vintage racing at the super-cool Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah, just west of Salt Lake City. We’ve been beating the drums for the Bonneville Vintage GP since it first launched back in 2006, and this will be our third year as presenting sponsor. This is a killer weekend of classic motorcycling, including AHRMA vintage motorcycle racing, the BUB Motorcycle Speed Trials at the Bonneville Salt Flats, and the Motorcycle Classics Classic Bike Show at Miller.
I’m planning on heading out early to catch the tail end of the BUB speed trials, now heading into its sixth year. This is a piece of the week you’ve just gotta witness to believe. Even if you’ve poured over pics of the Flats and seen footage of bikes or other land speed record contenders blasting across the vast expanse that is the Flats, nothing compares with actually being there, soaking in the atmosphere of the eerie, pancake-flat Great Basin as guys – and gals – line up to take a blast across the salt. Most of them know they’re not going to set any new records, but more than a few are there for just that, looking to fill the books in some of the more obscure categories, especially for small-displacement, naturally aspirated bikes.
Triumph will be the featured marque, a fitting tip of the hat to the old Meriden, England, firm, whose most successful model, the Triumph Bonneville, was introduced for the 1959 model year following Triumph’s successes at the Flats in 1956. We’ll be handing out trophies in six categories, including Best Triumph and People’s Choice, and if past years are any indication there’ll be a tasty selection of classic bikes on display at the Motorcycle Classics tent in the east paddock. Register for the show now, then pack your bags and get ready for another great weekend of classic motorcycle mania. – Richard Backus