The scooter in question is a Benelli 491, sporting custom graphics by Aldo Drudi and meticulously tuned by Malossi using 50cc, 85cc, and 100cc RC-One engines— built to absolute maximum performance with the help of the legendary two-stroke guru, Jörg Möller. Putting the power to the salt was Pirelli, a key partner involved in the venture right from the starting line.
The records
The first two records of the From Bologna to Bonneville project were smashed by engineer Fabio Fazi on Sunday, 27th August 2017, in the 50cc category. Fazi clocked a top speed of 114.823 km/h (71.347 mph) for the flying kilometre and 71.294 mph (114.737 km/h) for the flying mile – both calculated from the average speed of two runs in opposite directions.
The following four World Records were claimed on Wednesday, 30th August 2017, by Mauro Sanchini – former World and Italian Superbike racer, current MotoGP commentator for Sky Italia, and a lifelong friend and fan of Malossi. While Sanchini was flying out to the States, Malossi technicians were fine-tuning the 85cc and 100cc engines back home to ensure peak performance. Sanchini hopped into the saddle of the RC-One-crankcase scooter to set four World Records: hitting 133.002 km/h (82.643 mph) on the flying kilometre and 82.436 mph (132.668 km/h) on the flying mile with the 85cc setup, and 142.088 km/h (88.289 mph) and 88.181 mph (141.914 km/h) respectively on the 100cc scooter.
And now the news of all news, the one that makes us even prouder of what we’ve achieved: as of 2026, our records are still unbeaten.
Mauro Sanchini
“I’m thrilled with what we’ve achieved. It’s been an incredible experience in a place that every motorcyclist needs to experience at least once in their lifetime. I want to thank Pirelli, Malossi, Benelli, and once again, the lads in the team for all their hard work in making the vital adjustments the track demanded. It’s only when you actually put your wheels on the salt that you understand the real hidden dangers – which I think makes the record we achieved even more valuable. Now, all that’s left is to up the ante, beat our own times, and go even faster!”
Fabio Fazi
“I only knew Bonneville as a spectator; as a competitor, you learn to appreciate just how harsh the conditions are. That makes me even happier to have personally secured the record in the 50cc category. The scooter handled beautifully. Now, with this victory under our belts, our only goal is to return with the exact same machine and beat our own record.”
