Since the creation of the first motorcycle, there was one goal. Go fast.
Over the last 100 years or so there have been plenty of records broken on a variety of motorcycle types. With speeds in the early 1900’s that reached over 100 mph to the modern day creations that can top out over 300 mph, the need to go faster continues to grow.
These are not all the speed records, but some of the more notable ones. They are listed in speed order, from lowest to highest and include a mix of traditional and modified motorcycles.
Glenn Curtiss
Glenn Curtiss achieved 136.27 mph on January 24, 1907 at Ormond Beach, Florida using a V8 motorcycle that he created.
Rollie Free
Rollie Free is best known for setting the American motorcycle one-mile speed record in 1948. He rode a British-made Vincent HRD Black Shadow to a speed of 150.313 mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. He is also part of what is considered one of the most famous photos in racing due to his desire to free ride wearing only a bathing suit.
Ernest Henne
Ernst Henne set a new World Landspeed Record of 173.68 mph on a 500cc supercharged BMW motorcycle in 1937. This was done on a closed German autobahn.
Burt Munro
Burt Munro set an under 1000cc record of 183.59 mph on an Indian Scout in 1967 at Bonneville Salt Flats.
Ryuji Tsuruta
Mobitec was over the moon when races Ryuji Tsuruta reached speeds of 204 mph to create a new FIM Land Speed World Record. What makes this record special is that the bike is electric, but it is not the first bike to break 200 mph. That distinction goes to Lightening Motorcycles back in 2011.
Erin Sills
Twelve-time land speed record holder Erin Sills piloted Hunter Sills Racing’s BMW S1000 RR to 219.3 mph from a standing start on the Mojave Magnum 1.5 mile distance and to 210.1MPH over the Mojave Mile distance.
Erin is just one of many women who broke barriers in the motorcycle industry.
Hiro Koiso
Hiro Koiso achieved 226.1 mph on a Harley-Davidson/JIMS motorcycle in the 3000cc A-PBF class in 2017 at Bonneville.
Ralph Hudson
Ralph Hudson was a FIM World Record holder for the fastest run on a non-streamliner motorcycle. He was clocked in 2018 at the speed of 292 mph on the Salar de Uyuni, in Bolivia. This feat was accomplished on a Suzuki GSX-R1000-powered motorcycle that was partially streamlined.
Bill Warner
In 2011, Bill Warner set a new world motorcycle land speed record of 311.94 mph. This record took place at the Loring Timing Association’s Land Speed Race, in Limestone, Maine on a modified turbocharged Suzuki Hayabusa.
Don Vesco
Don Vesco broke the 300 mph barrier in the Silver Bird Yamaha (powered by twin Yamaha TZ750 motors) in 1975. In 1978 he broke his own record, turning 318.59 mph in a twin Kawasaki turbo rig. That record held for 12 years.
Dave Campos
Dave Campos set both the AMA and FIM absolute speed records in 1990 with an overall average speed of 322.87 mph. The bike was a 23 foot long streamliner named Easyriders and was powered by two Ruxton-Harley-Davidson 1500 cc engines.
He definitely could have been a great addition to the original Harley racing team called the Wrecking Crew!
Valerie Thompson
Valerie Thompson is a 10x land speed record holder, but in 2018 she broke a new record at the Dry Lake Racers Australia Speed Week competition at Lake Gairdner. Riding the BUB 7 she set a new speed record of 328.467 mph to become Australia’s fastest female streamliner motorcycle racer.
Chris Carr
Chris Carr set the wheel-driven record of 367.38 mph on the BUB 7 streamliner in 2009 at Bonneville Salt Flats.
Rocky Robinson
In 2010, Rocky Robinson and the TOP 1 Ack Attack reached 376.36 mph at the Bonneville Speedway. The TOP 1 Ack Attack is powered by two Suzuki Hayabusa in-line four-cylinder engines that can reach a maximum of 12,000 rpm with a net horsepower of 700 to 900.
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