FROM THE ARCHIVE: A few days ago, one of the lads asked me, “What’s the fastest bike you’ve tested, Dave?” It was a question I couldn’t really answer accurately.
Before becoming a long-time contribultor to Heavy Duty Magazine and its core of cruiser-style bikes, I did get to test a lot of sports and high-performance machinery for Kiwi Rider Magazine.
Mostly sports-tourers, but with a few properly serious weapons mixed in every now and then. I've also had the opportunity to ride some high-performance Harleys for Heavy Duty as well.
Apart from the odd track day, it's predominantly been road testing, so the desire to seriously tap them out has been tempered by the necessities of keeping my licence, and avoiding having them impounded - and some vague nod toward social responsibility - or not.
I did have quick spins on proper Yamaha R1s, Ninjas and Gixxers, but not far or long enough to be really objective. So this bit comprises machines that I had for a reasonable amount of time with and covered reasonable distance on.
Far from definitive - but a personal a catalogue.
The fastest I’ve been on a bike was on a Buell 1125R that saw 240kph on the dial briefly.
Obviously
The Formula track machines. Twist hard at your own risk, because, J-I-I-I-MINY!
Probably the fastest
MV Agusta F4
I think the overall fastest — and also one of the best looking — bikes I’ve ever ridden . This thing was wicked-quick. And just stunning.
Renaissance superbike
Honda Fireblade
The 'renaissance' CBR RR was another contender. Stupid-fast, beautifully presented and almost as good looking as the MV. Temptation be thy name.
SUPERBIKE STARTEr
Aprilia RSV4
The Aprilia RSV4 was scary fast too. Compact, sharp and properly serious. Early days of Superbike dominance.
The Hyperbikes
Huge engines, massive power, ridiculous pull and an unnerving feeling that the next corner has started coming at you very very quickly.
Effortless speed
Suzuki Hayabusa
I had several licence-threatening incidents on the ’busa simply by not watching the speedo at all times. Going really fast on these is entirely effortless.
Warp drive
Kawasaki ZX-14
Just like the ’busa, the ZX-14 made transitions to warp speed feel far too easy. A very fast way to get into trouble.
The Fast UJM
Honda CB 1300 S
Not quite in the hyper-bike class, it was tuned more for grunt that poke, but it still could get along at a very rapid clip if encouraged.
Brutus Forceus
The bikes to out-muscle the rest. Huge mills, bigger torque and ultimate-tier launching prowess.
Effortless power
Triumph Rocket 3 R
I had several licence-threatening incidents on the ’busa simply by not watching the speedo at all times. Going really fast on one is entirely effortless.
Torqus Monsterous
Suzuki M109 R
Just like the ’busa, the ZX-14 made transitions to warp speed feel far too easy. A very fast way to get into trouble.
Biggest daddy grunt
Yamaha V-Max
It might be dressed as a cruiser, but the V-Max is the big daddy of straight-line grunt. Around 200 ponies out of the box, and all of them addictive.
Real-world F-F-Fast
Some of these masqueraded as touring bikes, others play the novelty card, but they all got rapid really quickly.
Hair trigger
Ducati MH900e
The Mike Hailwood replica was very fast and super responsive, with a hair-trigger edge that made 'everything' feel very immediate.
Underrated weapon
Honda VFR1200
People overlook this bike because it was marketed as a sports-tourer (with sadly limited fuel range). What they miss is that it wasn’t far off hyper-bike status, speed-wise.
Busa with buttons
BMW K1300S
A very potent BMW. It performed similarly to a Hyabusa, only with lots of extra bells, doohickeys and German engineering. A marker in their development of high perfrormance machines.
what might have been
Buell 1125R / 1125CR
What could have been. Rotax engines, Buell design handling and 145 horsepower in a lightweight rig. Gone too soon.
Bahnstorming
BMW K1600 B
6-cylinders, massive torque and 160 horsepower. State of the art chassis and suspension make it very rewarding to wick up.
ZX sports-tourer
Kawasaki Z1000SX
A supposedly detuned Ninja that still has some serious hurry-up with more relaxed ergonomics.
The Street-wise Versions
These 'nekkid' and streetified versions deserve a fast-mention too. They may have been de-tuned for road use, but that still left more than enough chutzpah to make a licence disappear in a hurry.
Street ’blade
Honda CB1000R
The nekkid ’blade, de-tuned for street use, and still awesomely quick.
R1 in there
Yamaha FZ1 Fazer
A de-tuned R1 for street use. It pulled close to 160kph in first gear and still had a distinct power band.
Favourite streetfighter
Kawasaki Z1000
Another streetified machine that could make a licence disappear before you reached for second. This was my favourite of the class.
Fast on any road
Some bikes are not about terminal velocity as much as the pace they can carry. They arrive at speed from a different angle: chassis, drive, brakes, leverage and confidence.
All-time favourite
BMW HP2 Megamoto
Not the fastest maximum speed-wise, but the pace and agility it carried into corners, then the pull of the big boxer on exit, made it one of the fastest bikes I’ve ridden. Still my favourite test bike of all time.
Sick, sick, sickness
KTM 950 Supermoto
Like the Megamoto, not so much about terminal velocity as handling, light weight, power-to-weight and sheer fun. Wicked on a tight track.
Adventure surprise
Harley-Davidson Pan America
Yep. Even though it’s an adventure bike, it makes 160 horses and has great suspension and manners. Underestimate an old geezer on one of these at your peril.
Fast Harleys
The haters tell me there is no such thing as a fast Harley. Au contraire! A moment's inattention to the speedometer on these hot rods will attract some very pretty blue and red lights in short order.
m8 maxed
160hp Low Rider S
This Morgan & Wacker build bolted-on 160 horses to a standard M8. With upgraded running gear to match, it was a joy to launch.
Next-level V-twin
122-cube Low Rider
This Gasoline Alley build took the M8 platform to the next level with a 122 cube kit and all the fruit. Brutal off the mark.
UN-tap-able
Stage V Road King
Yep. Stage five. Buit by Darling Downs H-D - they bet me I couldn't tap it out. They were correct. A wolf in bagger clothing.
Honourable mentions
Turbo Low Rider
As with a number of boosted Harleys - 200 horsepower straight line speed was impressive - and the sound was intoxicating.
Triumph Speed Triple
The factory streetfighter is not in the top class here, but still gets along apace aplenty if you ask it the right questions.
Indian FTR 1200
Also gone too soon. This was a great motorcycle for those who appreciate minimalism, a not to the past, AND performance .
LiveWire
A shock inclusion. With 100 percent torque always available, winding it on at 100kph kicked you back in the saddle very rewardingly.
So, the fastest?
Probably the MV Agusta F4. Most effortless? The ’busa and ZX-14. Most addictive? The V-Max or the Rocket 3. Fastest across a stretch of bad road? The Megamoto still has a very strong case.
View the original image gallery on Flickr .