Kyle and Tyler Malinky of Low Brow Customs could still be considered the new kids on the block at Bonneville Salt Flats Speed Week, but their bikes and their reputation for breaking records have quickly earned them the respect of seasoned salt flat racers. As if being capable of breaking world land speed records isn’t enough, the brothers are also very capable of building jaw-droppingly, good looking motorcycles which has pretty much everyone else in the custom motorcycle scene showing the Low Brow crew plenty of kudos. I managed to get hold of Tyler Malinky during his busy schedule of attending events, building bikes and managing their world class online parts store (lowbrowcustoms.com) for the low down on Low Brow’s land speed racing exploits…
“Our land speed racing endeavours started with participation in Bonneville Speed Week 2010, with interest piqued by our friend Wes White of Four Aces Cycle, who had already been racing a 1950 500cc Triumph there for 4 years. Our first efforts were on purpose-built bikes, Kyle (Tyler’s brother) built a 650cc 1967 Triumph, and I built a 1955 Triumph that was bored out enough to bump me into the 750cc Class. We learned much our first year, and I did qualify for a land speed record but bent a valve on the return run, losing my chance that year.”
“I set two records and then beat them both later that week.”
“Speed Week 2011 found us back on the salt with two modified machines, having made modifications based on knowledge gleaned from the previous year’s efforts. We made large strides, I set two records and then beat them both later that week. Kyle beat an existing land speed record that year as well, for a total of three land speed records for Lowbrow.”
“The winter of 2011 and spring of 2012 was a busy one, with both of us building new bikes, Kyle using the same, with a rebuilt motor, and building an entire new bike including a one-off race frame. I ended up engineering and building Double Trouble in my home garage, a dual engine 1955 Triumph that would compete in the 1350cc (Triumph 650cc engine x 2) class in A-VF (special construction, vintage fuel. Vintage is pre-1956).”
“Two thousand and twelve found another victory for Lowbrow when Double Vision beat an existing record, set in 2006 on a big inch Harley-Davidson flathead by a mere ¼ mile an hour, with a top speed of 129mph despite clutch slip and some minor teething problems for the new bike. Kyle had an exciting day, which happened to coincide with his 34th birthday, when he snapped a connecting rod while accelerating at over 100mph and made some new, large vent holes in his crankcase. He managed to keep it upright and pull safely off the course, disaster averted.”
“This coming year will find us with race bikes in tow, westward bound 2,200 miles from Medina, Ohio to Wendover, Utah, intent on higher top speeds and more thrills. Stay tuned.”
You can keep up with the brothers high speed exploits by checking in on the Low Brow Customs website, or by following their posts on Chop Cult.
If you want to see more shots of the Low Brow Customs Speed Racing Bikes, including shots of the 2010/11 bikes, take a look at our ‘Beasts of Bonneville’ Facebook gallery.
