⚠️ ATTENTION: Need to register or title your motorcycle? Be prepared to satisfy any insurance requirements. Click below for a free insurance quote.
Please enter your ZIP to get started:
The fastest production motorcycle is considered to be the stock motorcycle (unmodified) with the highest top speed that was produced for the mass market during a given year.

Other motorcycles that have been modified or that are produced for track/speed-specific purposes are not considered in the official list.
The fastest productions motorcycles over the years can be found in the table below.
Production Model Years | Motorcycle Make/Model | Top Speed |
---|---|---|
1894 to 1897 | Hilderbrand & Wolfmuller | 28 mph |
1898 to 1900 | Werner Motocyclette | 22 mph |
1901 to 1908 | Werner New Werner | 30 mph |
1911 to 1931 | FN Four | 40 mph |
1912 | Scott Two-Speed | 50 mph |
1913 to 1920 | Williamson Flat Twin | 55 mph |
1914 to 1920 | Pope Model L | 70 mph |
1916 to 1917 | Cyclone V-Twin | 85 mph |
1918 to 1931 | Excelsior V-Twin | 80 mph |
1925 to 1940 | Brough Superios SS100 | 100 mph |
1927 to 1940 | Brough Superior SS100 Pendine | 110 mph |
1934 to 1940 | Brough Superior SS100 Apline Grand Sports | 110 mph |
1936 to 1940 | Vincent Series A Rapide | 110 mph |
1936 to 1941 | Crocker V-Twin | 110 mph |
1949 to 1952 | Vincent Black Lightening | 150 mph |
1956 to 1963 | BSA Gold Star Clubman | 110 mph |
1962 to 1967 | Norton 650SS | 115 mph |
1968 to 1975 | BSA Rocket 3, Triumph Trident | 125 mph |
1972 to 1975 | Kawasaki Z1 | 132 mph |
1975 to 1982 | Ducati 900SS | 135 mph |
1976 to 1981 | Laverda Jota | 146 mph |
1984 to 1988 | Honda VF1000R | 150 mph |
1984 to 1996 | Kawasaki GPZ900R Ninja | 158 mph |
1986 to 1988 | Suzuki GSX-R 1100 | 160 mph |
1987 to 1988 | Yamaha FZR1000 | 160 mph |
1987 to 1999 | Honda CBR1000F | 164 mph |
1988 to 1990 | Kawazaki Tomcat ZX10 | 165 mph |
1989 to 1995 | Yamaha FZR1000 | 167 mph |
1989 to 1990 | Bimota YB6 | 170 mph |
1990 to 2001 | Kawasaki Ninja ZX-11 | 176 mph |
1992 to 1993 | Bimota YB8 Furano | 172 mph |
1996 to 2007 | Honda CBR1100XX Super Blackbird | 180 mph |
1999 to 2007 | Suzuki Hayabusa | 194 mph |
2000 to 2005 | Kawasaki ZX-12R | 186 mph |
2006 – | Kawasaki ZX-14 | 186 mph |
2007 to 2008 | MV Agusta F4 R 312 | 193 mph |
2009 – 2019 | BMW S1000RR | 188 mph |
2013 – | Ducati Panigale R | 202 mph |
2014 – | Lighting LS-218 | 218 mph |
2019 – | BMW S1000RR (2nd Gen) | 193 mph |
Motorcycle Top Speed Gentlemen’s Agreement
Prompted by pressure from regulators and politicians, there was an unofficial gentlemen’s agreement between some of the major motorcycle manufacturers following the Suzuki’s release of the 1999 Hayabusa.
This gentlemen’s agreement stated that motorcycle produced beginning with model year 2000, would not be able to exceed 200 mph with the tampering with speed limiting unit.
Plenty of non-production motorcycle and track-only motorcycles are built to exceed this 200 mph threshold.
What is the Fastest Motorcycle in the World?
Some of the fastest non-production motorcycle in the world include:
- The Kawasaki Ninja H2R, a limited production model with a top speed of 250 mph.
- The Dodge Tomahawk, a concept motorcycle with a top speed of 420 mph.
How Fast Can a Motorcycle Go?
As you can see from the lists above, motorcycles can be built to go fast.
However, most production bikes that the average motorcyclists rides and buys will typically fall in the top speed range from about 110 to 150 mph.
Motorcycle Land Speed Records
The motorcycle land speed record measures top speed over a fixed distance averaged over two runs in each direction of the course, with other nuanced rules depending on the governing body.
The motorcycles used to achieve these speeds are often heavily modified and are not street legal nor are they produced and sold to the public.
The table below shows the motorcycle top speed records over the years.
Year | Location | Rider | Motorcycle Used | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1903 | Yonkers, New York, US | Glenn Curtiss | Curtiss V-2 | 64 mph |
1905 | Blackpool, UK | Henri Cissac | Peugeot 1,489cc V twin | 87 mph |
1907 | Ormond Beach, Florida, US | Glenn Curtiss | Curtiss V-8 | 136.27 mph |
1920 | Daytona Beach, Florida, US | Gene Walker | Indian | 103.56 mph |
1923 | Brooklands, UK | Claude Temple | Anzani | 108.48 mph |
1924 | Arpajon, France | Bert le Vack | Brough Superior-JAP | 118.99 mph |
1926 | Arpajon, France | Claude F. Temple | OEC-Temple | 121.44 mph |
1928 | Arpajon, France | Owen M. Baldwin | Zenith-JAP | 124.27 mph |
1929 | Arpajon, France | Bert Le Vack | Brough-Superior | 129 mph |
1929 | Ingolstadt, Germany | Ernst Jakob Henne | BMW WR 750 | 134.67 mph |
1930 | Arpajon, France | Joseph S. Wright | OEC Temple JAP | 137.23 mph |
1930 | Ingolstadt, Germany | Ernst Jakob Henne | BMW WR 750 | 137.74 mph |
1930 | Cork, Ireland | Joseph S. Wright | Zenith JAP | 150.74 mph |
1932 | Tát, Hungary | Ernst Jakob Henne | BMW | 151.86 mph |
1934 | Gyon, Hungary | Ernst Jakob Henne | BMW | 153 mph |
1935 | A3, Germany | Ernst Jakob Henne | BMW | 159.1 mph |
1936 | A3, Germany | Ernst Jakob Henne | BMW Type 255 | 169.08 mph |
1937 | Gyon, Hungary | Eric Fernihough | Brough Superior-JAP | 169.72 mph |
1937 | A4, Italy | Piero Taruffi | Gilera | 170.37 mph |
1937 | A3, Germany | Ernst Jakob Henne | BMW | 173.68 mph |
1951 | A9, Germany | Wilhelm Herz | NSU Delphin I streamliner | 180.29 mph |
1955 | Swannanoa, New Zealand | Russell Wright | Vincent-HRD | 184.83 mph |
1955 | Bonneville, US | John Allen | Triumph | 192.719 mph |
1956 | Bonneville, US | Wilhelm Herz | NSU Delphin III streamliner | 189.5 mph |
1956 | Bonneville, US | Wilhelm Herz | NSU Delphin III streamliner | 210.64 mph |
1962 | Bonneville, US | Johnny Allen | Triumph Tiger T110 | 214.4 mph |
1966 | Bonneville, US | William A. Johnson | Triumph | 224.57 mph |
1970 | Bonneville, US | Robert Leppan | Triumph Special[8] Gyronaut X-1 streamliner[19] | 245.667 mph |
1970 | Bonneville, US | Don Vesco | Yamaha “Big Red” streamliner | 251.66 mph |
1970 | Bonneville, US | Cal Rayborn | Harley-Davidson | 265.492 mph |
1975 | Bonneville, US | Don Vesco | Yamaha “Silver Bird” streamliner | 302.92 mph |
1978 | Bonneville, US | Don Vesco | Lightning Bolt streamliner | 318.598 mph |
1990 | Bonneville, US | Dave Campos | Easyriders streamliner | 322.15 mph |
2006 | Bonneville, US | Rocky Robinson | Top Oil-Ack Attack streamliner | 342.797 mph |
2006 | Bonneville, US | Chris Carr | BUB Seven streamliner | 350.884 mph |
2008 | Bonneville, US | Rocky Robinson | Top Oil-Ack Attack streamliner | 360.913 mph |
2009 | Bonneville, US | Chris Carr | BUB Seven streamliner | 367.382 mph |
2010 | Bonneville, US | Rocky Robinson | Top Oil-Ack Attack streamliner | 376.363 mph |