Any list of the fastest motorcycles in the world brings with it a certain amount of insanity. Driving fast, turbocharged supercars seems dangerous enough with hundreds of horsepower pushing a metal box north of 190 mph. But, that would-be speeding driver has four wheels, crumple zones and airbags if something goes amiss.
If the speedster can’t handle the power and unforgiving precious of the planet’s fastest motorcycles, that rider has only body armor and a helmet between him and an afterlife in a bucket.
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Most bike enthusiasts put the 2003 Dodge Tomahawk (above) atop the Fastest Motorcycles list. It seems an obvious move since some mad scientists put an 8.3 liter, 500 horsepower V10 engine in the middle of it. To put that into perspective, that was the Dodge Viper’s engine of the time. Some of those turbocharged supercars I mentioned are capable of 190+ that utilize an engine a little more than half that size.
During the design phase, Dodge engineers claimed the Tomahawk would do north of 400 mph. After building it, they brought that estimate down to about 300 mph. So, why not simply install at #1 on the fastest motorcycles list and go about our business?
First of all, it was never really a production consumer vehicle and never street legal. It was a concept machine — a decorative show piece to feature Dodge aspiration and aesthetics. Now, it’s a museum piece. In production, it would have sat atop the fastest motorcycles food chain while costing in the mid six figures — and while splattering men’s corpses across the countryside.
Second, it never really achieved 300 mph because no maniac would try to ride a motorcycle or anything remotely close to it around or at more than 300 mph. Finally, it’s not really a motorcycle. If you look closely, it’s more of a quad bike with closely set pairs of wheels front and back.
In the end, we mention the Tomahawk as a little salute to two-wheeled speed — but the actual fastest motorcycles to go into commercial production are below.
Top Five Fastest Motorcycles in the World
Fastest Motorcycles in the World
Any rider would need to rev up the skill and courage to handle the fastest motorcycles in the world.
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Fastest Motorcycles in the World
Still in production, the Suzuki Hayabusa is the two-wheeled speed king and would outrun all but a few supercars at 248 mph.
Price tag: ~$15,000.
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Fastest Motorcycles in the World
Built by a small enthusiast company out of Louisiana, the MTT Turbine Superbike reaches 227 mph.
Price tag: ~$175,000.
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Fastest Motorcycles in the World
Retired in 2007, the Honda CBR1100XX Blackbird could get to 190 mph before most riders could remember its product number.
Price tag: ~$6,000+
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Fastest Motorcycles in the World
Still available from Yamaha Motorcycles, the current YZF R1 promises to put out a race-worthy 186 mph.
Price tag: $16,490
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Fastest Motorcycles in the World
Designed and built by a small brand in Italy, the MV Agusta F4 1000 R will outrun more famous Ducatis at 176 mph.
Price tag: ~$9,000+
