THE 12 FASTESTAND MOST POWERFUL
STREET LEGAL MOTORCYCLES
By Peter Kaye
2015 Kawasaki Ninja H2
One of many Kawasaki Ninja models to make the Dirty Dozen list is the 2015 Kawasaki Ninja H2. Considered a supercharged supersport motorcycle, the 2015 Kawasaki Ninja H2 ran the 1/4 mile in just 9.62 seconds at 152.01 mph. The super-powerful engine gets 310 horsepower and with modifications and the right environment can get almost up to 326 horsepower. The 2015 Kawasaki Ninja H2’s engine also comes equipped with a variable-speed centrifugal supercharger.
MV Agusta F4 LH44
This Italian speed bike is a luxury that can cost an eager driver big. The MV Agusta F4 LH44 is not only beautiful on the outside but it is also is one of the fastest bikes that you can buy. There are some models that cost under $40,000 but once you start adding on performance and/or appearance packages, you can easily add on another $20,000 to bring the total over $60,000. Puts out 212 hp @ 13600 rpm and maximum speed of 302km/h (187.65 mph).
MV Agusta F4 RC
The MV Agusta F4 RC was only recently made a street-legal bike and made available for the public. Originally, the bike was used for racing purposes only and buyers now have the option to add on a race kit to the current model. The street-legal version of the engine produces 205 horsepower. If you add on the extra racing kit, you will add a little more weight which will help with controlling the added horses. The MV Agusta F4 RC can go from 0 to 60 mph in 2.4 seconds and has a 998 cc, Liquid-cooled, four-cylinder-engine.
Ducati Panigale 1199R
The Ducati Panigale 1199R is one of the motorcycles that can just tick off all of the boxes. It’s not only impressive on the outside but it is also agile, powerful and extremely fast. The Ducati Panigale 1199R is expensive as well but full of character and worth every penny that it will cost. It has an 1199cc engine that cranks out 205 horsepower and 100 lb-ft of torque and it also has a top speed of 186 mph. You can swap it to race settings for an even faster ride.
Aprilia RSV4 RF
This is the force that will never let up with the Aprilia RSV4 RF. If you were ever in doubt about the Aprilia RSV4 RF’s speeding capabilities then you can just check out its racing history and the fact that it has won over 5 World Championships. It has 201 horsepower at 13,000 rpm and 848.8 lb-ft of torque at 10,500 rpm. The whole bike is powered by a 999.6cc, 65 degree V4 engine and it has a dry weight of 397 pounds.
MV Agusta F4 RR
Though the MV Agusta F4 RR is not a production model, it is still one of the best bikes to add to the Dirty Dozen list. It performs like a custom made motorcycle although it isn’t, and all of the MV Agusta F4 RR’s were made special. It has an all-powerful 998cc, 16 valve engine that gets 201 horsepower at 13,600 rpm and 82 lb-ft of torque at 9,600 rpm. It has a lightweight engine and the whole thing weighs 418 pounds. It is claimed to have a top speed of 185 mph.
Lightning LS-218
The Lightning LS-218 in some aspects can be considered one of the fastest production motorcycles on the road. It isn’t called lightning for any reason although some motorcycle enthusiasts don’t care for the bike at all because it is electric. The Lightning LS-218 has a top speed of 218 mph; the number that comes after the name. Some of the specs on the Lightning LS-218 include having 200 horsepower, 168 lb-ft of torque, and it goes 0-60mph in 2 seconds flat. Though it has a factory limit of 190 mph, this BMW motorcycle can go a lot faster.
Yamaha YZF-R1M
This top spec’d out Yamaha YZF-R1M is next on the Dirty Dozen list. It is more track-focused than the other standard R1 packages that are available. This Yamaha YZF-R1M is more lightweight and has a power increase to help get the driver an extra boost. It has a 998cc inline-four cross-plane engine that has 200 horsepower and 83 lb-ft of torque; the Yamaha YZF-R1M can also exceed speeds of 186 mph. It is lightweight at 438 lbs and also has MotoGP derived electronics to help with control.
Suzuki GSX-R1000R
Though the Suzuki GSX-R1000R may not be as expensive or luxurious as some of its competition, it is one of the fastest bikes you can get. It is oftentimes compared to the Honda CBR1000RR SP and the Kawasaki ZX10RR. Its newer models come with 199 horsepower and a slimmer engine to help with acceleration. It has a base MSRP of $17,199 which is a lot cheaper than some of its slower counterparts.
2008 Ducati Desmosedici RR
Good luck saying the name of this entry three times fast, the 2008 Ducati Desmosedici RR is one of the older motorcycles on this list but is just as fast as the newest bikes. The 2008 Ducati Desmosedici RR is one of the only bikes in history at the time of this writing to crack the 9.5-second mark in the quarter-mile run. It came in second only behind the ZX-14R which was .02 seconds faster. Though the RR in the name stands for “Racing Replica”, the 2008 Ducati Desmosedici RR has a street-legal version available now. 196HP.
BMW S1000RR HP4
Another great bike from BMW, the BMW S1000RR HP4 is a frequent placer for fastest bike lists. Though the BMW S1000RR HP4 has a factory limit of 190 mph, it can reach speeds of 196 and beyond thanks to its equipped racing technology from BMW. It comes equipped with a 999cc transverse four-cylinder liquid-cooled engine and has 83 lb-ft of torque as well. You can easily mod the bike if you are looking for even more horsepower or if you want to change the look.
2019 Ducati Panigale V4
This won’t be the last time that a Ducati will be on a fastest bike list. The 2019 Ducati Panigale V4 can be considered an Italian space shuttle and has a MotoGP-derived 1,103cc V-4 engine and 80 pound-feet torque. It has a peak of 186 horsepower and weighs 436 pounds with a 0.43 power-to-weight ratio. Ducati has teased some special additions coming out in the future including a Streetfighter V4 version that will sit more upright.