Montana motorcyclist dies in 385 km/h crash at Bonneville Salt Flats

[E-Fishin-C]

WENDOVER, Utah - A 47-year-old record-setting motorcycle racer from Montana has died in a crash on the Bonneville Salt Flats.

 

Investigators weren't sure what caused Cliff Gullett of Bozeman, Mont., to lose control of the motorcycle Wednesday during a time trial. He was racing along at just under 385 kilometres an hour at the time.

 

The American Motorcyclist Association said on its website that Gullett was competing in the 500cc Streamliner class at the Salt Flats.

 

Drivers go for speed records every summer on the flats, an open space just east of the Nevada state line.

 

Gullett owned Team Bozeman Motorsports, a motorcycle and snowmobile dealership. He had set a handful of world land-speed records and wanted to eventually become the first to reach 400 mph, or almost 650 km/h, on a two-wheeled Streamliner.

 

Curt Lance, Team Bozeman's general manager, said "Cliff always told me that if anything happened on the Salt, he wanted it to be quick and not lingering. He died doing the thing he loved to do most - racing at Bonneville."

[Squidley]

Thats the way to go, fast and doing what you love...hope I'm that lucky

[juggler]

Thats the way to go, fast and doing what you love...hope I'm that lucky

 

 

Well the record is still unbroken so you have a chance at trying or both.

 

Personally I'll sit back at watch. That's a wee bit faster than I need to go.

[Cerviperus]

Well the record is still unbroken so you have a chance at trying or both.

 

Personally I'll sit back at watch. That's a wee bit faster than I need to go.

That's something I'd love to do one day, make it out there just to watch. I'm all for the occasional adrenaline rush, but I think I'll stick to a fun run through the twisties!

[Mariner Fan]

That's something I'd love to do one day, make it out there just to watch. I'm all for the occasional adrenaline rush, but I think I'll stick to a fun run through the twisties!

 

It's really not that fun to watch. First off, it's hot as hell on the salt. Second, the flats are so huge that all you see is a dot of a car moving in a straight line. It's much more fun just looking at the cars.

[Guest ReinyRooster]

I can't even wrap my head around going that fast...especially on 2 wheels!!

[Bob Myers]

234mph, pretty quick, danged quick actually