There’s something about speed trials that just hits different. No crowds, no wheel-to-wheel drama, no podiums. Just a rider, a machine, and an endless stretch of salt. Bonneville has always been that kind of place, a sort of blank canvas for people insane enough to chase a number. It’s where motorcycles and their riders go to defy the laws of physics.
This year, all eyes are on Chris Rivas, as he’s setting his sights on something wild: breaking the 400-mile-per-hour barrier on a motorcycle. That’s over 640 kilometers an hour. Faster than most airplanes take off. It’s the kind of number that makes you question reality, and if such a feat is even possible.
Surely, you can’t help but root for someone gutsy enough to even try.
Now, it’s important to note that Chris isn’t new to speed. He’s been around drag racing for years, ran in NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle, and comes from a family that lives and breathes performance. His dad, Ray, was a well-known engine builder, and now Chris is passing the torch to his own kids, who are also into bikes. You could say the whole Rivas clan runs on race fuel.
To pull this off, Chris will be riding the BUB Seven Streamliner. And let’s just take a moment here—because this thing is absolutely mental.
It’s not a bike, it’s a bullet.
Picture a 2,997cc turbocharged V4 engine stuffed inside a carbon-fiber shell that looks like it belongs in a fighter jet hangar. It was already the fastest motorcycle in the world when Rocky Robinson rode it to 376.156 mph, and now it’s been sharpened even further.
The video above shows a previous run of the BUB Seven Streamliner way back in 2009, and it sounds absolutely ungodly. That engine, that boost, that ridiculous top speed—it’s probably like standing next to a war cry from the gods of combustion. It’s the kind of machine that humbles you just by sitting still. And once it rolls out onto the salt, everything else fades into the background. It’s all about pure speed, zero distractions.
And sure, most of us will never come close to riding at these speeds. That’s not really the point. What makes this so cool is what it represents. It’s proof that there’s always someone out there chasing the edge, pushing what’s possible on two wheels. It’s a reminder that motorcycling isn’t just about commuting or carving corners. Sometimes, it’s about taking something you love and seeing just how far you can go with it.
Chris Rivas might break a record, or he might not. But the fact that he’s trying—really trying—is something to respect. Because deep down, that’s the heart of the motorcycle world. Passion, obsession, and a never-ending need to go just a little bit faster.
