The 7 Fastest Motorcycles in the World: Top-Speed Demons (2023)

(Last updated on January 18th, 2023)

Do you have a need for speed on two wheels? There’s nothing quite like watching a fleet of bikes roaring by at top speed. That rush of adrenaline can be yours, too. All you need is one of these incredible superbikes.

In this article, we’re going to talk about the fastest motorcycles in the world. Surprisingly, many of them are street-legal and affordable! We’ll give you the details on our top fastest bikes and let you know which one is our favorite. Let’s get started.

The Fastest Motorcycle a Pro Can Ride

As far as setting speed records can go, Jorge Martin set the record in 2022 for a long straight when his Pramac Ducati hit a massive 225.9 mph during the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello in 2022.

Corners are an entirely different story. MotoGP riders can take corners as fast as 68 to 86 mph and 52 to 65 mph if the corners are super sharp.

Not all of us are looking for speeds that high – we just want the rush of a roaring engine as we fly down the highway. There are plenty of fast motorcycles that you can ride on the street and a few that are only intended for closed courses.

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The Fastest Motorcycle That You Can Actually Buy

Just because you can buy one of these speed machines doesn’t mean they’re actually street-legal. Some are quite affordable and ready for the road, while others will cost you excessive amounts of your hard-earned cash and can only be used on a closed course. But hey, it’s a small price to pay if it’s top speed you are after.

	Yamaha YZF R1	Kawasaki Ninja H2R	Suzuki Hayabusa	Honda Blackbird	BMW S1000RR	Harley-Davidson VROD	Dodge Tomahawk
Top Speed	185 mph	250 mph	194 mph	178 mph	188 MPH	130 mph	420 mph
0 – 60	2.9 seconds	2.93 seconds	2.47 seconds	2.77 seconds	2.96 seconds	3.59 seconds	2.5 seconds
Street Legal	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Price	$17,999	$57,500	$14,799	$10,599 used	$16,995	$10,900 used	$500,000+
Engine Displacement	998 ccs	998 ccs	1340 ccs	1137 ccs	999 ccs	1247 ccs	8277 ccs
	Best for the More Experienced Racer and Rider	Best for the Dedicated Racer	Best All-Around	Best for the Vintage Lover	Best Prestige Bike	Best for the Racing Purist	Best for the Pro Racer
Rating	9/10	9.5/10	10/10	9/10	9/10	9/10	8/10

You can buy the standard Yamaha YZF R1, or if you’re really lucky, you can get your hands on the 60th-anniversary edition with special details like gold forks, gold wheels, and commemorative badging.

Our Verdict

We give this a 9/10 because although it’s a great bike at a great price, it isn’t the right one for a beginner.

The Ninja is updated for 2023, but what isn’t new is its impressive speed. Unfortunately, this is a closed-course-only bike – you won’t be riding it on your local highway, and it’s definitely not your average commuter bike.

Our Verdict

This bike gets a 9.5 out of 10. It’s fast, it accelerates quickly, but it doesn’t get a 10 because it’s pricey and is only good for a closed course.

The Hayabusa boasts its status as motorcycling’s Ultimate Sportbike. It boasts an iconic and aerodynamic silhouette, coupled with its electronic rider aids for a distinctive and muscular superbike. In addition, the four-cylinder engine features an updated chassis for 2022 with new vent shapes, redesigned logos, LED lighting system, and so many more distinctive and iconic Hayabusa features.

If you’re looking for a superbike, you can race on the weekends and ride to work. You might focus on the Hayabusa superbike. It indeed does it all, with impressive speed, handling, and balance at a reasonable price.

Our Verdict

This bike gets a 10/10! We love this bike because it effectively straddles both the daily driver world as well as the race world. It does it all and for a great price.

If you love vintage and motorcycles, you’ll love the Honda Blackbird. Sadly, you can only get this superfast bike used, but it was certainly ahead of its time as far as speed. This bike makes the list for its iconic speed and handling.    

Our Verdict

This is such a cool vintage bike and it was definitely way ahead of its time. If you need to save a little cash, this is a great choice for getting into racing. However, it only gets a 9/10 because you can only get it used and its a little tough to get parts.

If you want a prestigious bike that pushes the boundaries of performance, you’ll be interested in a BMW S100RR. It boasts a lightweight, aerodynamic frame with an amazing riding experience.

Everything good about BMW is summed up in this superbike. From the road to the race track, this bike is fast and furious.

Our Verdict

This is an upscale bike and its simply beautiful. But it only gets a 9/10 because it just has too much on it and its acceleration could be faster.

There is nothing more iconic than a Harley-Davidson, and if you’re among the purist of the motorcycle realm, this one is for you.

Nostalgic and vintage race bike. In other words, it is really cool! But sales in America dropped, and the VROD didn’t comply with the euro 4 norms, so Harley dropped it from its lineup, sadly. And although we love this bike for its nostalgia and its speed, you can no longer purchase it new. However, you can still purchase them used.

Our Verdict

If you love Harleys or you love a good old race bike, this bike is a treasure. It gets a 9/10 because it’s a little on the slower side, but still epic.

What is the fastest motorcycle in the world? It’s probably the Dodge Tomahawk. The Tomahawk boasts a top speed of 350 mph and can go from 0 to 60 in as few as 1.75 seconds!

The Tomahawk isn’t exactly street-legal in the United States, considering it actually has four wheels and a throttle intake instead of headlights. But it IS a really cool superbike with a ten-valve, four-stroke engine – the same engine you’ll find in a Dodge Viper!

 This motorcycle is truly a feat of engineering and just gives you an idea of what a motorcycle can do! Although most bikes, even superbikes, can’t hit speeds quite that high, there are plenty of motorcycles you can buy that still go extremely fast.

Our Verdict

It makes the list for its pure speed and ingenuity. But it only gets an 8/10 because the average racer just can’t afford it, find it, or maintain it. And to be completely honest, we think it’s too fast!

How We Picked the Fastest Motorcycles in the World

It isn’t all cut and dried when you’re looking for the fastest motorcycle in the world. There are a lot of considerations, and not just speed. So let’s talk about it.

Max Speed

Unfortunately, a motorcycle manufacturer can’t just take their bike out on the street to see how fast it can go. This just wouldn’t be safe for traffic and pedestrians. So speed tests are typically carried out on closed courses under ideal conditions.

So when a motorcycle reports its maximum speed, you might not ever be able to achieve this on the road – and you definitely shouldn’t since it’s clearly illegal.

Of course, the fastest bike on this list is the Dodge Tomahawk. This is a unique bike, being able to hit speeds of 450 mph under the right conditions. But no one is going to drive on the street that quickly.

In fact, some of these street-legal bikes have speed caps to help you be safe. The slowest bike on this list is the Harley-Davidson VROD, which may seem a little slower by today’s standards, but it stands on its two feet (or wheels) as an amazing race bike for its time.

0 – 60

Along with top speed comes acceleration. A bike’s top speed is only as good as how fast it can get there. If it takes too long to reach its max, you aren’t going to win the race. It’s amazing how fast these bikes can overcome the forces of being at rest and accelerating. The Suzuki Hayabusa is the fastest by far. This is a combination of factors, including engine size, bike size and weight, and the rider, too.

Is It Street Legal?

Another factor you might want to consider when you purchase a bike is if it is street-legal or not. There’s a whole continuum here. On one end, you have bikes like the Kawasaki Ninja that aren’t street-legal. They are only for racing, but they are exceptionally good at it. On the other hand, they’re also more expensive, so you’ll only want one of these if you’re a really serious racer.

On the other end, less expensive bikes, such as the Suzuki Hayabusa, were made to be both street-legal and great race bikes. Again, this is a pretty affordable bike. It’s street legal, so you can make it your daily driver if you want, but it is still able to hit high enough speeds and accelerations to make it a worthwhile race bike, too.

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Can You Find the Parts You Need?

No one wants to get their bike repaired, but sometimes repairs are necessary, and you’ll need to be able to get the parts. So while vintage bikes, like the Honda Blackbird, are affordable and fast, you might have trouble finding replacement parts. BMWs are a little trickier to repair, too, so you might want to stick to something that’s a little bit more accessible, especially if you’ll be putting on a lot of miles.

Cost

There are no cheap motorcycles. These are serious vehicles, and they require some serious cash. Vintage bikes will save you money upfront, but they may cost more in the long run because they’ll need more repairs with hard-to-find parts. On the other hand, you’re not going to easily repair a Dodge Tomahawk, but if you can afford one, that’s probably not an issue for you.

Most of the bikes, though, are both pretty affordable and not too expensive to repair.

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Final Thoughts On Motorcycles

Of all of these motorcycles, we love the Suzuki Hayabusa the best of all. They’re all great bikes, of course. But for the average person who wants to race on the weekend, the Hayabusa is the clear winner.

First of all, it’s both street-legal and race-worthy. It can straddle both worlds with ease. It hits those high speeds of 194 mph and can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.47 seconds. At lower speeds, it’s a docile and comfortable bike, so it is ok if you’re still a beginner. But it revs up smoothly and rides fast on the course, too.

Coming in under $15,000, it’s less expensive than a car, handles well, and is a well-balanced superbike. It’s a win all around.

Frequently Asked Questions