On average motorcycles are faster than cars due to their power to weight ratio. When riding a motorcycle even a mere 60 mph feels like 120 mph. Due to their small structure, they are light and have low wind and drag resistance. In recent times however due to the available tech at hand, motorcycles are some of the fastest vehicles on this planet today. Most companies only have claimed top speed figures as only a few actually ask a rider to test its top speed. Today we will take a look at some of the absolute fastest motorcycles that have ever been produced, both in terms of acceleration and top speed.
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| Make & Model Name | Top Speed |
| Dodge Tomahawk | 676 km/h |
| 2017 MTT 420RR | 440 km/h |
| Kawasaki Ninja H2R | 400 km/h |
| 2000 MTT Y2K Superbike | 365 km/h |
| 2020 Lightning LS-218 | 351 km/h |
| 2021 Suzuki Hayabusa GSX1300R | 312 km/h |
| Ducati Superleggera V4 | 299 km/h |
| Ducati Panigale V4R | 299 km/h |
| Kawasaki Ninja H2 | 293 km/h |
| 2020 Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory | 280 km/h |
Have a look and understand the functioning & specifications of each bike listed below:
There aren't a lot of people that demand more power after riding the Aprilia RSV4, however, for those who do so, the RSV4 1100 Factory stands ready. This is the quickest, lightest, and most powerful RSV4 ever created by Aprilia. With a top speed of 280 km/h, this bike is mainly built using carbon fibre panels and has a fairing that comes straight from MotoGP while also being up to date with respect to the latest technological systems built in. The Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory comes equipped with a 1077cc V4 engine that pushes 217 bhp while only weighing in at 199 kgs and also includes the Smart EC 2.0 semi-active suspension system. The shock absorbers can be customised and calibrated using the semi-active or manual mode simply through buttons on the handlebar while also having 3 stages of maps in order to regulate the suspension set up.
Kawasaki dropped jaws when they first announced their supercharged H2 in the year 2015. This was mainly due to the fact that it was the first time in decades anyone had chosen the path of force induction when building a motorcycle for mass production. The H2 comes with a 999-cc inline 4 engine with an output of 220 bhp, allowing the bike to reach a top speed of 293 that is electronically limited. The beautifully crafted centrifugal type of supercharger compresses air at up to 2.4 times the atmospheric pressure. The Kawasaki Ninja H2 is also equipped with dog-ring transmissions inspired by MotoGP, this, in turn, allows for contactless quick upshifts amidst quick accelerations. If one isn't a fan of fully-faired superbikes, one could opt for the Z H2, the naked variant of the Ninja H2. The mirror coated spark black paint finish on the Ninja H2 consists of actual silver particles in it as well and is also capable of self-healing certain types of scratches. This is due to the fact that the paint has microscopic soft and hard parts that work like a chemical spring in order to create a trampoline effect and absorb impacts.
The Panigale V4 R has a beautifully constructed bare- aluminium tank. This is a hallmark trait of every special Ducati there is. The Ducati Panigale V4 R comes with a 998cc V4 engine that pushes 234 bhp with the racing kit equipped. These specs enable the bike to reach speeds of 299 km/h. This machine weighs in at just 165.5 kgs, in turn providing a power to weight ratio of 1.41. With all this power and a lightweight frame, aerodynamics plays a crucial role. The aerodynamics package makes the bike look as if it is on the verge of taking flight, however it does help the motorcycle to cut the wind smoothly. The V4R also comes with an STM EVO-SBK dry clutch. The dry clutch enables certain ease of handling due to greatly increasing the efficacy of the slipping factor of the clutch and fluid shifting whether on or off the throttle.
The Superleggera V4 is the most technologically advanced and powerful bike Ducati has ever produced, while also being the most exclusive one yet. Only 500 of these are ever to be produced and each comes with its own certificate of authenticity. Equipped with a 998cc V4 engine, the Superleggera produces the same 234 bhp as its Panigale sibling however it weighs in at just 152 kgs with the racing kit on. The bike reaches 299 km/h in terms of speed and is electronically limited to it. The word Superleggera means super light, a fitting name for this automotive marvel. Interestingly the Superleggera V4 has a lot more carbon fibre under the fairing itself. These include the subframe, the wheels, the mainframe and the swingarm, all carbon fibre. The weight reduction is taken to such an extent that the bolts used on the Superleggera V4 are made of titanium.
In the year 1999 when the Suzuki Hayabusa was first launched it was so advanced in terms of technology that it created a whole new segment in the sports bike sector, with the combination of touring and super sport performance in mind. In today's time, almost everyone has heard the name Hayabusa. The Suzuki Hayabusa is a legend in the motorcycle community. The Motorbike is primarily distinguished by its elongated frame and its dual exhaust setup. The Hayabusa first came into being when Honda came out with their quickest bike ever, the CBR1100XX Super Blackbird.
In order to be up to speed with its competition, Suzuki produced the Hayabusa which translates to the word Peregrine Falcon, the fastest animal on the planet that hunts blackbirds as prey. The Hayabusa came equipped with a 1298cc inline-four engine that initially produced 175 bhp and had worn the crown for the fastest production bike for over a decade. The current generation of the Hayabusa however produces 190 bhp and has a top speed of 312 km/h.
Although electric motorcycles haven't gained a lot of traction in terms of sales, the lightning LS-218 shouldn't go unnoticed. The company created its first electric motorcycle in the year 2006 and now has been selling the fastest electric bike ever, the LS-218. This electric machine has a top speed of 350 kmph that is made possible due to its electric motor that pushes out 200 bhp. In the year 2013, lightning brought one of its electric motorcycles to race in the legendary Pikes Peak Hull Climb. Not only did they beat every other electric motorbike in the category, but it also smashed the records of multiple petrol-powered motorcycles too with a top speed of 351 km/h.
This machine was MTT's first ever attempt to create the world's fastest superbike. The Y2K was the first of its kind, a turbine powered street legal bike that's available for purchase on the market. The Y2K was powered by a Rolls-Royce Allison Model 250 C18 gas turbine engine that had an output of 320 bhp and indeed was the fastest motorbike ever at one point. Even with the huge turbine engine the motorcycle only weighed in at 208.6 Kgs Due to its light weight and aerodynamic design the Y2K teared through the air with a top speed of 402 Kmph. Although it had the highest speed of any bike of that time, the Y2K also held two world records from Guinness World Records for the most expensive production motorcycle at a minimum of $1,75,000, and also the most powerful production motorcycle ever.
We have discussed the fastest bike that one might get an opportunity to see, however from here, down the list are motorbikes that may seem almost too science fictional to be true.
The Kawasaki Ninja H2R is the track-only variant of the Ninja H2. With no requirement of meeting road norms or restrictions, the H2R looks like something made out of alien technology and is quick too. The motorcycle comes equipped with a supercharged 998-cc inline-four engine that has an output of 326 bhp. Even though the H2R is fast enough for the rider to go blind in a straight line, its primary focus is track domination. Due to this the H2R comes equipped with Kawasaki's cornering management system, launch control, traction control, a quick shifter, and an engine brake control. The suspension too is fully adjustable while the transmission is inspired by MotoGP. The H2R also comes stock with Bridgestone's super slick tires and is one of the absolute fastest motorbikes to have ever been produced with a top speed of 400 km/h.
Although MTT created a superbike quick enough to achieve two world records, they weren't going to stop at that. The MTT 420RR was their second gas turbine powered superbike. The New MTT motorcycle came equipped with an all-new Rolls Royce Allison 250-C2- Series gas turbine engine with a total output of a whopping 420 bhp. With respect to performance, in addition to the turbine engine the 420RR also came with all carbon fibre fairings, ultra-light 17-inch carbon fibre wheels and a frame made of aluminium alloy. The “RR” in the 420RR stands for “race ready”. MTT's words with respect to this machine's top speed is, “Faster than you will ever dear to go” and we absolutely believe so too.
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Bonus Motorcycle (An Exception)
The absolute fastest bike ever in a straight line made in the world, the Dodge Tomahawk reaches from 0-60 Mph in just 2.5 seconds and has a claimed top speed of roughly 420 Mph! The Tomahawk has a price tag of $550,000 (approximately ₹4 Crore)
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Dodge was never really known to build motorbikes but is mainly known for its muscle cars such as the Challenger and the Viper, however, they are the ones who built the fastest bike in the world Debuted back in 2003 this was first nothing more than a concept and we all thought, there is no way we were to see this in production, we were wrong. This behemoth of a machine comes with four tyres two on each side for all the four wheels that are separated by a few inches while being on an independent suspension per wheel, a two-speed transmission, and a Viper motor. The motor is an 8.3 Litre 20 valve V10 SRT 10. That's right this motorcycle has a V10 with an output of 507 bhp at 5600 rpm. The brakes consist of 20-inch perimeter mounted drilled rotors, one on each wheel. The front brakes consist of four-piston callipers per wheel made of aluminium and the rear uses a single four-piston aluminium calliper. The clutch is a double-disc, dry plate with a number of organic friction materials used and is actuated by a hand lever. Although it may seem as if this motorbike can't ride like one, it comes equipped with a swingarm at each end and a hub-centred steering column, meaning it does indeed lean and counter-steer like a motorcycle even with the 680 Kgs in terms of weight. The steering is a dual-hub centre type, and the linkage uses a rocker and a push/pull rod that consist of bearings. The steering yoke is made of billet aluminium where the grips are aluminium, and the levers are billet. Only nine of these machines were ever produced. Dodge says these are not just motorcycles but rolling sculptures, we agree.
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The world's fastest motorbike is the Dodge Tomahawk, which can reportedly achieve a top speed of 420 mph.
The fastest production bike is either the Kawasaki Ninja H2R or the MTT Turbine Superbike Y2K, the latter of which are custom-made. Both bikes have been reported to reach a top speed of 250 mph.
The fastest road-legal motorcycle one can buy today is the Lightning LS with a top speed of 218 Mph.
There are three motorcycles on the market that are supercharged today, and all of them are by Kawasaki:
