A brand-new Royal Enfield Continental GT has set a new land-speed record at the legendary Bonneville Salt Flats – with 18-year old Cayla Rivas at the controls. The Fresno, California based female rider navigated the five-mile salt-flats course to an average speed eclipsing 150 miles per hour and backed it up during the return trip to officially set a land speed record during the annual Speed Weeks.
Royal Enfield is set to introduce two new models to the market in November, the Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650. As an early marketing effort, the manufacturer decided to put their Continental GT 650 up to the ultimate test, by trying to set a land speed record. To ensure they got the most out of their new bike, they recruited Cayla Rivas – a twelve-time last speed record holder at the tender age of 18-years old.
Rivas is no newcomer to motorcycles – in fact, it’s in her blood. She is the daughter of NHRA Pro Stock motorcycle rider Chris Rivas, who set a 204-mph land speed record on a V-twin bagger. The Continental ridden by the twelve-time record holder was slightly modified by Harris Performance. It essentially took the café racer into a drag-ready beast with a few quietly held secrets. However, they did announce that they added a tubular frame, a shorter saddle, and added Ohlins suspension for starters, in an effort to take advantage of the five-mile course.
In modified trim, the Continental GT 650 an unofficial 150 miles per hour, which needs to be verified first before it’s added to the official record books. The new Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 and Interceptor 650 will launch globally in November – with its 47 horsepower engines that are less likely to set any land speed records – much less stimulate many speed tickets on highways and byways.
Tags: Motorcycles, Records