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List of fastest production motorcycles

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Summary

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The fastest production motorcycle for a given year is the unmodified motorcycle with the highest tested top speed that was manufactured in series and available for purchase by the general public. Modified or specially produced motorcycles are a different class, motorcycle land-speed record. Unlike those records, which are officially sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), production model tests were conducted under a variety of unequal or undefined conditions, and tested by numerous different sources, mainly motorcycling magazines. This has led to inconsistent and sometimes contradictory speed statistics from various sources.

Fastest production motorcycles

Several models went out of production before being surpassed by a contemporary with a higher top speed. Until a model was introduced that was faster than any previous motorcycle, the fastest bike on the market for a given year was actually slower than an earlier, out of production bike. Models which are actual top speed record holders have their make, model, and speed in bold font, while slower models which were the fastest only in their own time are in italic. For example, in 1956, the Vincent Black Shadow remained the fastest motorcycle to date, with a 125 mph top speed, but it was no longer in production. The fastest model on the market in 1956 was the BSA Gold Star Clubman, which at 110 mph was not a record holder, but is listed for the sake of illustrating a more complete timeline.

Make & modelModel yearsEngineDisplacementPowerTop speedImageNotes
BMW S 1000 RR (second generation)2019–presentInline four999 cc205 hp310 kph[[File:Motor Balap BMW Superbike IIMS 2019.jpg100x100px]]By some measures, faster than MV Agusta F4 R 312.
BMW S 1000 RR (first generation)2009–2018Inline four999 cc199 bhp188 mph[[File:Paris_-_Salon_de_la_moto_2011_-_BMW_-_S1000_RR_-_003.jpg100x100px]]By some measures, faster than MV Agusta F4 R 312. BMW considered to have initiated the "gentlemen's agreement"; first party to agreement to exceed self-imposed limit.
MV Agusta F4 R 3122007–08Inline four998 cc183 bhp{{Convert185.4-193.24mphsigfig=3adj=ri0abbr=on}}[[File:MV_Agusta_F4_1000_R_312.jpg100px]]
Kawasaki ZX-142006–Inline four1352 cc163.3 hp300 kph[[File:Kawasaki-ZZR1400_2007TMCS.jpg100px]]Speed limited
Kawasaki ZX-12R2000–05Inline four1199 cc178 bhp300 kph[[File:Kawasaki_Ninja_ZX-12R.jpg100px]]2000 model year not speed limited, 2001 & later speed limited
Suzuki Hayabusa (first generation)2000–2007Inline four1299 cc173 bhp300 kph[[File:2002modelblauwzwart.jpg100px]]Speed limited
Suzuki Hayabusa (first generation)1999Inline four1299 cc173 bhp188 -[[File:1999modelzwart.JPG100px]]Last model before gentlemen's agreement.
Honda CBR1100XX Super Blackbird1996–2007Inline four1137 cc162 bhp170 -[[File:Honda_CBR_1100_XX_silver_vr.jpg100px]]
Bimota YB8 Furano1992–1993Inline four1002 cc164 hp172 mphBy some measures, faster than Kawasaki Ninja ZX-11.
Kawasaki Ninja ZX-111990–2001Inline four1052 cc145 bhp169 -[[File:Kawasaki_ZZR1100_01.jpg100px]]
Bimota YB6 EXUP1989–1990Inline four1002 cc147 bhp170 mph[[File:Yamaha Bimota YB6 1000.jpg100px]]
Yamaha FZR1000 "EXUP"1989–1995Inline four1003 cc145 hp167 mph[[File:Yamaha FZR1000 "EXUP" (1989).jpgframeless100x100px]]
Kawasaki Tomcat ZX-101988–1990Inline four997 cc135 hp165 mph[[File:Kawasaki_ZX-10.jpg100px]]
Yamaha FZR1000 "Genesis"1987–1988Inline four989 cc135 hp158.4 –[[File:Yamaha FZR1000 MY 1989 at Invercargill NZ.jpg100px]]By some measures, faster than Honda CBR1000F.
Honda CBR1000F1987–1999Inline four998 cc132 hp154-164 mph[[File:Flickr - ronsaunders47 - HONDA CBR 1000F MOTORCYCLE..jpgframeless100x100px]]
Suzuki GSX-R 1100 (G-H-J)1986–1988Inline four1052 cc125 hp160 mph[[File:Suzuki GSX-R1100.JPGframeless100x100px]]
Kawasaki GPZ900R Ninja1984–1996Inline four908 cc113 -151 -[[File:Kawasaki_GPZ900R_Ninja_01.jpg100px]]
Honda VF1000R1984–1988V-four998 cc122 bhp150 mph[[File:V_Retro_Auto%26Moto_Galicia,_Honda_VF_1000_RF,_1984.JPG100px]]First to exceed Vincent Black Lightning after 35 years
Laverda Jota1976–1981Inline three981 cc90 bhp140-146 mph[[File:LAVERDA_JOTA_1000cc._ITALY_1976-1982.jpg100px]]
Ducati 900SS1975–1982V-twin864 cc79 bhp135 mph[[File:Ducati_900SuperSport.JPG100px]]
Kawasaki Z11972–1975Inline four903 cc82 bhp132 mph[[File:KAWASAKI_Z1.jpg100px]]
BSA Rocket 3/Triumph Trident1968–1975Inline three740 cc58 bhp125 mph[[File:T160_Triumph_Trident_750cc_motorcycle.jpg100px]]
Harley-Davidson XLCH Sportster1958–1971V-twin883 cc55 bhp122 mph[[File:Harley-Davidson XLCH Sportster 1969.jpg100px]]
BSA Gold Star Clubman1956–1963Single499 cc42 bhp110 mph[[File:BSA_Gold_Star_Clubmans_three_quarter_rear.jpg100px]]
Vincent Black Lightning1949–1952V-twin998 cc70 bhp150 mph[[File:VINCENT_Black_Lightning.jpg100px]]First to exceed Brough Superior SS100 Pendine after 22 years. Record held for 35 years.
Vincent Series A Rapide 1936–1940V-twin998 cc45 bhp110 mph
Crocker V-twin1936–ca. 1941V-twin998 cc50 bhp110 mph[[File:Crocker-right.jpg100px]]
Brough Superior SS100 Alpine Grand Sports1934–1940V-twin996 cc75 bhp110 mph[[File:Brough_Superior_SS_100_Alpine_Grand_Sports.jpg100px]]
Brough Superior SS100 Pendine1927–1940V-twin981 cc45 bhp110 mphRecord held for 22 years
Brough Superior SS1001925–1940V-twin988 cc45 bhp100 mph[[File:Brough_Superior_of_T.E._Lawrence.jpg100px]]
Excelsior V-twin1918–1931V-twin992 cc20 bhp80 mph
Cyclone V-twin1916–1917V-twin996 cc25 bhp85 mph[[File:1914_Cyclone_(2)_-_The_Art_of_the_Motorcycle_-_Memphis.jpg100px]]
Pope Model L1914–1920V-twin999 cc12 bhp70 mph[[File:Pope_L14_1000_cc_1914.jpg100px]]
Williamson Flat Twin1913–1920Flat twin964 cc 55 mph[[File:1913_Williamson_Flat_Twin_motorcycle.JPG100px]]
Scott two speed1912–Parallel twin532 cc3 bhp50 mph[[File:Scott_550_1913.jpg100px]]
FN Four1911–1931Inline four491 cc4 bhp40 mph[[File:FN_363_cc_viercilinder_1905.jpg100px]]
Werner New Werner1901–1908Single230 -2 -30 mph[[File:Werner_230_cc_1904.jpg100px]]
Werner Motocyclette1898–1900Single216 cc15.5 -[[File:Werner Motocyclette advert 1900.jpg100px]]
Hildebrand & Wolfmüller1894–1897Parallel twin1500 cc2.5 hp25 -[[File:Hildebrand-Wolfm%C3%BCller_1894.jpg100px]]First production motorcycle.

:*Other models that tied the Trident at 125 mph are the 1972 Laverda SFC and Moto Guzzi V7 Sport. :†Rear wheel horsepower. See Motorcycle testing and measurement.

Motorcycles not meeting all criteria

These motorcycles are mentioned here because they meet some of this list's criteria, and are often discussed in media in the same context as production, street-legal motorcycles, but they do not strictly meet all of the criteria, being limited production or made to order, or not generally available for immediate sale to the public, or are track-only and not generally street legal in Europe, Asia, and North America.

Make & modelModel yearsEngineDisplacementPowerTop speedImageNotes
Kawasaki Ninja H2R2015–presentInline 4998 cc310 / (without/with ram air)250 mph[[File:Kawasaki Ninja H2R Seattle motorcycle show.jpgalt=100x100px]]Excluded as the record-beating H2R variant is track-only and not street-legal.
Lightning LS-2182014–presentElectric motorN/A200 bhp215.960 mph[[File:Lightning LS-218 (19805047992).jpgframeless100x100px]]The 216 mph record was set using an LS-218 modified from street-legal form, with "high-speed gearing and fairing". The top speed of the stock production vehicle has not been clearly defined by an independent, verifiable source.
Ducati Panigale R2013-2017V-twin1198 cc202 bhp202 mph[[File:Ducati_1199_Panigale_R_(8226624471).jpg100px]]Top speed achieved with OEM track-only exhaust system.

Gentlemen's agreement to end competition

After just over a century of one-upmanship by motorcycle manufacturers, beginning with the 1894–1897 Hildebrand & Wolfmüller, the competition to create the fastest production motorcycle reached a truce, with the arrival of the 1999 Suzuki Hayabusa, that lasted about 8 years. A gentlemen's agreement was made among the major motorcycle manufacturers to limit the speed of their machines to 300 km/h (186 mph), starting with 2000 models.

After the 1999 Hayabusa sent shockwaves by exceeding the Honda CBR1100XX's record by more than 10 mph (16 km/h), and rumors and leaks from Kawasaki hinted that their upcoming 2000 Ninja ZX-12R would pass the 200 mph (322 km/h) milestone, some regulators and politicians in Europe called for an import ban against high speed motorcycles. There were fears that there would be "an outbreak of illegal racing as riders try to break the 200 mph barrier". To preempt regulation and avoid negative publicity, the manufacturers voluntarily ended the race to ever higher speeds.

Sources vary as to whether this unofficial agreement is precise or only approximate, and whether it is defined as 300 km/h or as 186 mph, though the European and Japanese manufacturers normally use metric units. While Honda did announce that its motorcycles would not go faster than 300 km/h, Suzuki and Kawasaki would not speak on record about this issue. The agreement between them and the other brands has never been officially acknowledged by the manufacturers, though media sources report it via unnamed informants, and by testing the top speed of motorcycles known to be capable of exceeding the arbitrary maximum. So for 2000

Breakaways from the agreement

MV Agusta advertised their 2007 F4 R 312 as capable of 312 km/h, hence the "312" in the name, "because MV sees no reason to abide by the manufacturers' agreement ... Politics be damned: MV is Italian and the Italians have a national imperative to make their bikes as fast as possible," in the opinion of motoring journalist Roland Brown.

Cycle World reported that "the same BMW who instigated the 'agreement' in the first place" had broken it with the 188 mph BMW S1000RR, whose top speed was reported in July, 2010.

The 2013 Ducati 1199 Panigale R was delivered with an electronic speedometer that blanked when the motorcycle exceeded 186 mph (300 km/h), leading commentators to question if Ducati was signaling their withdrawal from the gentlemen's agreement.

In 2014, Kawasaki announced that the upcoming Ninja H2 will have a non-street legal "track-only" version (Ninja H2R) making 296 hp that will not have a speed limiter, reaching 210 mph in testing, but Kawasaki did not specify whether they planned to speed limit the street-legal version, which has about 200 hp, to conform to the gentlemen's agreement.

Notes

References

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