Fastest Production Motorcycle: Do We Need To Know? Hot

The sport-bike world can be a testosterone-filled, chest-beating, bicep-flexing speed-fest.  It’s a game of numbers – peak horsepower, peak torque, roll-on specs, ¼ mile time…the list goes on.  A manufacturer that can squeeze one more horsepower out of a high-revving hunk of aluminum will reap benefits where it counts – at the cash register.  What we don’t see advertised anymore are the top speeds of the fastest motorcycles in the world.

What is the fastest production motorcycle?  Short answer: there isn’t one.  Since 2001, the major motorcycle manufacturers have been adhering to a “gentlemen’s agreement” to limit their hyper-bikes to 186 mph (300 km/h).  You may ask why would manufacturers who sell bikes based on astronomical performance numbers “agree” to this.  Simply put, they did not want Asian, European, and North American governments to place outside restrictions on them. 

In the late 90s, there was a growing push in both Europe and America to place import limitations on open-class motorcycles due to their ever expanding speed ceiling.  Societal and rider safety was clearly the reason.  You may ask, “What’s the difference between a 186 mph crash and a 200+ mph crash?”  Probably not much.  Both would reap total and spectacular destruction.  However, for manufactures to seemingly promote such reckless quests for speed by advertising astronomical top speeds, would be a public relations nightmare.   It would also surely attract negative governmental attention.

In effect, what the restrictions have done is change the question to, “What is POTENTIALLY the fastest motorcycle?”  You know what I’m getting at here.  We motorcyclists are chronic modifiers.  An exhaust system here, an intake de-restriction there, and a computer remap to eliminate the “gentlemen’s agreement” settings – then what’s the fastest?  Do we really need to know?  On the drag strip, yes.  On public streets, definitely not.

Let me give you a little author perspective here, lest you think I’m some kind of anal-retentive, Vespa pilot.  I own a very fast motorcycle – one that produces over 150 horsepower and has a top speed somewhere north of 180 mph.  Yes, I sometimes ride fast – sometimes I’m too loose with my adherence to posted speed limits (especially when the road gets twisty).  However, I have never hit the speed limiter on my motorcycle.  An unexpected pothole or a deer at those speeds would ruin my whole day.

Now you may ask, “Then why do you own a really fast motorcycle?”  There is a simple answer – POTENTIAL is a cool thing.  Riding something that COULD go 180+ is exhilarating.  Also, most really fast motorcycles are a blast to ride at more reasonable speeds.  I simply would not have as much fun on a 60 horsepower motorcycle.  Plus, who knows, if Armageddon happens, I may NEED to outrun a billowing nuclear cloud at 185 mph.  Then the risk would probably be worth it!

So there you have it.  There is no fastest production motorcycle, and that’s OK with me.  I will keep looking at horsepower and torque charts.  I will still be interested in braking distance.  Heck, I’ll keep trying to understand things like the rake and trail of a motorcycle.  All of those things matter to me at every speed at which I ride.  Top speed?  I don’t need to know, because I won’t use it.  If you do, more power (or should I say speed) to you.  Just steer clear of those pot holes and deer – and most importantly steer clear of me.

Just so you don’t have to do it, here is a video of a stock Suzuki Hayabusa hitting its top speed limiter.  The run is done precisely where it shouldn’t be – on a public street.