Japan is one of a handful of countries whose motorcycles dominate the global market. Japanese manufacturers have a reputation for building big, powerful sports bikes that often dominate the world of two-wheeled motorsports.
The first of the Japanese superbikes was the Honda CB750, which was launched in the 1970s, but Japanese companies were making two-wheelers long before that. The first truly Japanese motorcycle was built in 1908 by Nazaro Shimazu, who installed a gas-powered 400cc engine onto a bicycle frame.
Over a century later, Japanese motorcycles are not only more powerful but are also much faster, with speeds around 200mph possible on some of the top-of-the-range bikes.
10 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R - 187mph
There are several different Kawasaki Ninja motorbikes on the market, although the original was the GPZ900R which was launched in 1984. That bike had a top speed of 158mph, which would see it well and truly beaten by 21st century Ninja models.
The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R, for example, has a top speed of 187mph and was first unveiled in 2012 as a more powerful version of the original Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14. Known as the “King of the Quarter Mile”, the ZX-14R has beaten all comers when it comes to drag races.
9 Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP - 186mph
Many of the best Japanese motorcycles started life on the track and were then adapted and often toned down to become road legal. The Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP is one such bike.
Although many of the best racing features remain – including launch control for fast starts and lighter brake calipers – it is an entirely road legal bike, with switchable ABS modes, depending on whether you are riding on the road or the track. The top speed of 186mph is best saved for race days, however.
8 Suzuki Hayabusa GSX-1300R - 193.9mph
When it was first launched in 1999, the original Suzuki Hayabusa had a top speed of 194mph. However, as competitors tried to up the ante, and increase speeds, there was pressure for the motorcycle industry to behave more responsibly, and manufacturers came to a “gentleman’s agreement” to limit motorcycles to 186mph.
This agreement lasted until 2007 when MV Augusta launched their 194mph F4 sports bike, and once again speed is king. The current Suzuki Hayabusa GSX-1300R model also exceeds the old limit, with a top speed of 193.3mph.
7 Kawasaki Ninja H2 - 209mph
Another take on the classic Kawasaki Ninja, the H2 model is currently the fastest road-legal production bike in existence, with an eye-watering top speed of 209mph. It shares many features with track motorcycles, including lighter carbon-fiber panels and a supercharged engine.
Kawasaki launched the Ninja H2 in 2015, and just a few years later in 2018 Japanese rider Shigeru Yamashita and his team set a new speed record for bikes with engines of less than 1000cc when he hit 209.442mph at the prestigious Bonneville Speed Week event in the US.
6 Kawasaki Ninja H2R - 248.5mph
However, the 209mph Kawasaki Ninja H2 pales in comparison with the fastest production motorcycle in the world; its big brother, the Kawasaki Ninja H2R. Although considered a production bike, don’t plan on taking the Ninja H2R for a run out on the streets any time soon, as it solely designed for the track and isn’t road legal.
With a top speed of 248.5mph, it would be too tempting for many bikers, and far too dangerous for other road users. Although the top recorded speed of the Ninja H2R is 248.5mph, some riders think that the bike could travel at speeds over 260mph, given the right conditions.
5 Suzuki GSX-R1000R - 186.4mph
Suzuki launched their GSX-R1000 in 2001, often referred to as simply the Gixxer to get around that unwieldy name. 15 or so years later and the company decided that their popular bike needed a bit of an upgrade and went on to launch the Suzuki GSX-R1000R in 2017 with a top speed of 186.4mph, compared to 173mph for the original model.
The GSX-R1000R also comes with added track-inspired features such as launch control and a bi-directional quick shifter.
4 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR - 186mph
Another take on the successful Kawasaki Ninja model is the ZX-10RR, a sports bike which was launched in 2004. The ZX-10RR not only has an impressive top speed of 186mph but also won the award for Best Superbike in 2004 and 2005 from respected magazine Cycle World.
Kawasaki has updated the Ninja ZK-10RR almost every year, adding new features to improve the bike’s performance and handling, and a racing-only version of the bike was ridden by Jonathan Rea during his Superbike World Championship winning season in 2019.
3 Honda CBR1100XX Super Blackbird - 178mph
Until the Suzuki Hayabusa came out in 1999, the Honda CBR1100XX Super Blackbird had briefly held the title of the fastest production motorcycle with a top speed of 178mph. By the time Suzuki brought production of the bike to an end in 2007, there were reports that the second-generation Super Blackbird could hit speeds of up to 190mph though this was never confirmed.
Although it is now 25 years old, the Honda CBR1100XX Super Blackbird still feels and looks like a 21st century motorcycle and boasts many of the features bikers would expect to find on their superbikes today.
2 Kawasaki Z H2 - 200mph
You could be forgiven for thinking that Kawasaki has relied entirely on their Ninja bikes for sales in recent years, but the Japanese manufacturer has also enjoyed some commercial success with the Z-Series bikes.
The Z-Series refers to a range of what are called “naked” motorbikes; a sportbike with some of the extra bodywork removed which makes them both cheaper and more comfortable to ride. The Kawasaki Z H2 is a naked version of the Kawasaki Ninja H2 and can still manage an impressive top speed of 200mph.
1 Yamaha YZF-R1M - 185.7mph
The "basic" model, the Yamaha YZF-R1, has been on the go for almost 25 years, having made its debut on the motorcycle market back in 1998. It was only in 2015 that Yamaha introduced the Yamaha YZF-R1M with its top speed of 185.7mph.
The R1M comes with higher-spec features as standard, including wider tires, carbon fiber bodywork, and some impressive hi-tech additions such as the Y-TRAC data logging system which connects to your smartphone and records information about the bike’s performance and highlights areas which may need repairs.