Fastest Production Bikes - Historical List

[Duke of Prunes]

Some interesting details in there ....

eg. The Vincent Black Lightning held the top spot unchallenged for over 35 years !!
70 bhp , giving a top speed of 150 mph
In the mid-Thirties The Brough Superior SS100 only managed 110 mph with a 75 bhp engine
A bike much loved by T.E. Lawrence ( the one he died on was his seventh ) .

The only Ducati on the list is the 900SS

Also interesting to note :-

" 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 "

List of fastest production motorcycles - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[JAT]

As standard the Black Shadow would do 125mph, the 150 was it’s record on the Salt Flats I believe.

 

[Robarano]

Fake News !

I knew the 350LC I had when I was 17 was the fastest bike ever made, and had its performance enhanced by myself with the addition of a pair of Microns. Strange that it's not on the list.

 

[Barry Hell]

I knew a guy that attached a hairdryer to his FS1E as a supercharger, he swore it was well fast until the extension cord let go

 

[Duke of Prunes]

As standard the Black Shadow would do 125mph, the 150 was it’s record on the Salt Flats I believe.

Yes .

There are so many variables and unknowns on that Wiki list ...... type of surface ? , temperatures ? weather conditions ?

Definitely not to be taken as gospel , and from the various notes in the article it shows that the list is sort of " curated" .
Examples -
A Panigale would have been included but for the custom exhaust used to get the reported figures ,
so their definition of " production models " ruled it out ........ and they also say this -
"Several models went out of production before being surpassed by a contemporary with a higher top speed"

Just a bit of fun / interest really ..... something to trigger a pleasant trip down memory lane .....

BTW - you've got me started on Vincents ..... yet again
I've just been reading up on some of those Vincent model details ...... Prince vs. Shadow vs. Lightning

 

[West Cork Paul]

I can’t believe there’s a Harley on that list

 

[Barry Hell]

I can’t believe there’s a Harley on that list

Yeah, Evel Knevel got some of them going quite quick during various cliff jump attempts

 

[Gimlet]

A ZZR 1100 was faster than a 1000 Exup.

 

[Robarano]

I can’t believe there’s a Harley on that list

...and no GS.

 

[JAT]

Yes .

There are so many variables and unknowns on that Wiki list ...... type of surface ? , temperatures ? weather conditions ?

Definitely not to be taken as gospel , and from the various notes in the article it shows that the list is sort of " curated" .
Examples -
A Panigale would have been included but for the custom exhaust used to get the reported figures ,
so their definition of " production models " ruled it out ........ and they also say this -
"Several models went out of production before being surpassed by a contemporary with a higher top speed"

Just a bit of fun / interest really ..... something to trigger a pleasant trip down memory lane .....

BTW - you've got me started on Vincents ..... yet again
I've just been reading up on some of those Vincent model details ...... Prince vs. Shadow vs. Lightning

Stunning bikes and so far ahead of their time.
Another bike to add to the dream garage collection.

 

[Dirty Leeds]

Some interesting details in there ....

eg. The Vincent Black Lightning held the top spot unchallenged for over 35 years !!
70 bhp , giving a top speed of 150 mph
In the mid-Thirties The Brough Superior SS100 only managed 110 mph with a 75 bhp engine
A bike much loved by T.E. Lawrence ( the one he died on was his seventh ) .

The only Ducati on the list is the 900SS

Also interesting to note :-

" 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 "

List of fastest production motorcycles - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The Italians especially mv didn’t sign it