On Display When introduced in 1999 the Suzuki Hayabusa was the world’s fastest production motorcycle. Speeds above 190mph were claimed in the press but, with simple modifications, over 200mph could be achieved.
During the 1990s an arms race developed between the leading motorcycle manufacturers, each wanting to claim the title of fastest production bike. Before the Hayabusa, Honda held top position with the CBR1100XX Super Blackbird (176 mph, 164bhp). Amid rumours of new legislation and import bans to curb these escalating top speeds, European and Japanese manufacturers entered a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ and voluntarily limited top speed to 186mph (300km/h) from the year 2000. The pre 2000 Hayabusa is likely to remain the fastest production motorcycle.
