Ayup everyone,
This is the inevitable part two you asked for after I made the first Dangerous Motorcycles video. Sorry it has taken so long. This time it is the motorcycles that came later. More modern bikes, that still have that certain dangerous gene. A gene that gave us motorcycles like the original Kawasaki H2 and the RD350LC to name just two.
One thing I will say, I am going to stick to Internal combustion engined motorcycles here. ICE is what I know best, so I’m sticking to that for now.
Today’s list sort of goes from extreme to extreme. From extreme speed, to extreme power. I start with the obvious winners and the many ballistic Superbikes you all know, through to the less obvious choices, before I reveal the motorcycle that I think stands out above all the others.
Each and every one has something that separates them from the average. Whether that is speed, absolute power, or something else, you will have to wait and see.
Unless you are one of those people with no attention span who just has to know now, in which case, I have included time stamps so you can jump around between sections and listen to them in the order you want to.
Talking of which, the videos have been longer recently and this is the longest of all. It wont always be like that, but if like this one there are 18 bikes, making it shorter would mean it would be impossible without leaving key bikes or information out. I’m sure you can appreciate that this inevitably makes both the research and the production take significantly longer. That means sometimes it may be more than a week between videos. I will still try, but better videos take longer to produce. It really is that simple.
With part one of the Dangerous Motorcycles video now at over a million views, I have thank everyone for all the support you have given me, and I do feel truly blessed with the fantastic community of subscribers that have helped along the way.
If you haven’t already subscribed and you enjoy the video, clicking the subscribe button helps us a lot, and it means you get to find out first when our latest videos are released each week.
I’m always interested to hear about the bikes you think I have missed too, but maybe have a look around the other videos on the channel to see what is there. I don’t like to get too repetitive. There are many fantastic motorcycles featured in different videos and you may find exactly what you have been looking for.
Kawasaki H2
To get started, first and most obvious today is the Kawasaki H2 and H2R.
Kawasaki have rewritten the rule book many times and the H2 name has a long history, which I talked about in the first Dangerous Motorcycles video linked above. Even the standard H2 will now do over 200mph, but the H2R is long gone with a recognised top speed of 240mph.
Now let us be clear, this is no ordinary motorcycle. There is absolutely nothing normal about this bike except that is has 2 wheels and an engine, and that engine is what makes the Kawasaki H2. The H2R is not a road-going motorcycle, but it has to be mentioned.
Powered by a unique 1000cc supercharged inline 4 engine that produces around 200HP in the standard models and over 300HP on the R model, this really is an astonishing piece of engineering. That power means every last component of the engine needed a stronger solution, The H2 and H2R are both masterpieces of engineering prowess, that solidify the position Kawasaki once had as the king of Japanese high power engine manufacturers.
Now I have listened to hardened racers talk about how “without the tech the H2R is unrideable” and both the H2 and H2R are dripping with tech from front to rear. Even if I just listed the different items the video would be an hour long, and to explain what some of that tech actually does would be another story entirely.
The H2 is tamed, yes, but it could never be described as tame. There is a difference. It produces its power lower and so it is just as much of a missile as its track based brother. It has more power than any of us could use on the road even if it was pulling a trailer.
Let us be clear, there are very few H2 or H2R owners that will ever ride them at wide open throttle, and even if they did, the various electronic systems onboard would dial that power out in 99 out of 100 situations.
This is a prestige bike for people who want to be noticed. If that is your thing, then fine, you need to look no further.
Price for the standard H2 is about £25,000 in the UK and $30,000 in the USA. For the H2R model UK price is around £50,000 and in the USA that is $57,000.
Now there have been plenty of you mention this next bike and I told you it would find its place, but before we start there is a little explanation.
Suzuki Hayabusa
A Hayabusa is a Peregrine Falcon, the fastest animal on the planet, it also happens to eat Blackbirds. Which part of that statement drove Suzuki to the name of their new Hyper-bike in 1999 I wonder?
The Suzuki Hayabusa stood alone as king of the high speed road bikes for years, in many ways, because of a simple decision that enough was enough.
The first-generation Suzuki Hayabusa had a top speed of 194 mph or 312 km/h and took the crown for the fastest production motorcycle ever made.
Then, later in 1999, the big four Japanese motorcycle manufacturers thought “This is ridiculous. Nobody should be riding that fast.” They came to a “gentleman’s agreement” to limit the top speed of production motorcycles to 300 km/h or 186 mph, ish.
Although known for the top speed, it was only the 1999 model with the copper brown livery that was unrestricted. All the later models from 2000 to the present day were speed restricted via the ECU. This can be reprogrammed, but it is that first model year that are the real collectors items.
Some might say 3, but I would argue there are 4 generations of Hayabusa, and all have scared the pants off many riders ill prepared for them. For me, the first year is significant, but the next of the so called first gen run from 2000 to 2007 was the motorcycle that began the love affair many people have stuck with,
This first generation engine was 1298cc with an 11 to 1 compression ratio. That produced a then unthinkable 175HP and 140Nm of torque.
However, it was in 2008 that I think the most deadly of all the Hayabusa’s was born. Capacity was upped to 1340cc and power increased to 194HP with a 12.5:1 compression ratio. Torque also went up, from 140Nm to 155Nm. All that, and the only rider aid was a steering damper.
After that, in 2013-2014, the bike was tamed with ABS and multi map power modes. Then the 2021 update gave us Cornering ABS and Traction Control, cruise control and a quick shifter. Power was also slightly neutered at 187HP and torque down to 150Nm.
So you can see I am sure, why I think that the period from 2008 to 2014 was the golden era of the Hayabusa. All the power and none of the safety belts. The only thing to help you control that endless surge of power is your personal skill. And the only limits are the length of the road, and the size of your gonads.
The modern Hayabusa comes in at around £18,000 in the UK, but only about $18,700 in the USA, so some customs official, distributor or politicians are pocketing something somewhere.
If absolute top speed is your only criteria and you can deal with the love it or hate it looks, the Hayabusa is probably the first motorcycle to consider for most people and I cant see that changing any time soon.
Ducati Panigale V4
Now as much as I hate the marketing exercise the Ducati Panigale V4, V4R and various SP models seems to have become, I have to acknowledge the sheer power of these bikes. Starting at a meagre 211Hp on the first standard models, that rises to almost 240HP on the newest V4R model. That bike also weighs in at 198Kg wet. How wet is a different question.
Now speed figures quoted can be misleading, but the accepted figures for the Ducati Panigale V4R are 198mph with the standard ECU, but that goes up to at least 210 and maybe even 215mph with the restrictions removed and the chip tweaked.
Now let us be clear. These motorcycles might have wings, but they aren’t going to help most of us fly. They were built for the racetrack and that is the place where they belong in my opinion. Learning the intricacies of overtaking with advanced aerodynamic packages amidst turbulent air has proven a challenge even for the best in MotoGP and World Superbikes, so I can only imagine the issues it might cause for us mere mortals on roads filled with lorries and potholes.
They were built so that the best riders in the world could go as fast as possible around a racetrack, and even those riders now struggle to get 100% of the power down. So every trick in every electronics control manual has been used to try and make sure you don’t crash these fantastic bikes before you even get to the first corner.
I did get the chance to ride one of the first 2018 model V4’s, but after one lap of Cadwell I took it back and sat quietly for a while. The owner took great pains to explain how the anti wheelie control worked and how the 6 axis IMU was going to help, and how easy it was with the up down quickshifter and on and on until I glazed over. My mistake. Without all those controls I doubt I would even have got around a whole lap.
One thing to watch out for, is you have to totally ignore what you might think any of the model lettering might mean with the exception of the R models. Some of the SP models and S models are standard power, some slightly raised, some of the SP and special edition models are no different when it comes to power. The standard Ducati Panigale V4R is priced at around £39,000 in the UK and $45,000 in the USA.
The price of the SP models and limited editions is another thing entirely.
I’m sure it won’t be long before we get a V4RR SP03 Special Edition of some sort, just check it actually produces more power before you part with the extra price tag it will inevitably come with.
Before I go on, I have to mention one very special motorcycle. A special version of the motorcycle that the Panigale V4 replaced. This is, for some people, possibly the best Ducati Ever made.
Ducati Superleggera
That motorcycle is I believe the most powerful V-Twin production bike ever built, and the Ducati 1299 Superleggera has to be included on any list like this. This is a motorcycle that produced around 215HP and just short of 150Nm of torque, from a bike that weighed just 167Kg or 368lbs wet.
A limited edition run of just 500 units, most of which will have gone to very specific “special” customers, means that this motorcycle will always be close to the top of any exclusivity lists, but there are various V-Twin Panigale’s that are almost as amazing.
The Superleggera produces a more raw, less refined punch than the V4 Panigale, and it undoubtedly takes a more skilled rider to get the absolute most from them, but if your name is Casey Stoner or Carl Fogarty, Ducati will let you have a go on one I’m sure.
Honda RC213V
Next we have another road going race bike. The Honda RC213VS is literally a road going version of Honda’s 2013 and 2014 championship winning V4 MotoGP race bike.
First seen in 2015 and released in 2016, the RC213VS was and still is the closest thing to a MotoGP bike that had ever been made legal for use on the roads. In standard trim it produced around 160HP, but with the HRC performance kit, that was bumped up to 215HP. That same kit takes torque up to 118Nm and lowers dry weight to just 160Kg.
If we compare that figure, even though it is now effectively an 8 year old design, with 20 litres of fuel added, it would still be 20Kg lighter than the newest 2023 Ducati Panigale V4R is with no fuel in.
I have heard it described as the most expensive production motorcycle available too. The reality is, if you have to ask the price you almost certainly can’t afford it. In 2022 an “as new” un-crated RC213V went through the Auctions at over £182,000 and I guarantee that price will only go up as time goes on.
The only real technical differences between the road bike and the MotoGP bike seem to be that the pneumatic valves of the MotoGP bike are replaced with coil springs and the seamless gearbox is replaced with a regular road-going one taken from the RCV1000R race bike. Both of these changes are described as making the bike more durable for long term use in the Honda marketing spiel.
With the standard drive train, the unfettered RC213VS is rated for a top speed of over 217mph. So again it stands alongside the much newer Ducati Panigale V4R. For once the Ducati is the cheaper option though. Close to £150,000 cheaper.
Unless you are the ghost of Joey Dunlop, a bricklayer from Morecambe or a lorry mechanic from darkest Lincolnshire, I wouldn’t recommend trying to take this bike around the Isle of Man TT course though. I doubt most people would get past Quarterbridge.
Here is some footage.
The Superbikes
Next, I have a bit of a problem, you see, despite the bikes that have broken it, that gentleman’s agreement is still being stuck to in general. So we have not one but 5 motorcycles that I will group together, with 2 others lagging slightly behind. These are the race rep Superbikes that are speed limited as they come out of the showroom.
Now don’t get me wrong, these bikes are still ridiculously fast. Much faster than me that is for sure. However, it is hard to compare them to motorcycles that have been left to run free.
There are many realities here when it comes to speed,
The first is, that most won’t ever be ridden even close to their limits.
Secondly, despite that, many will still be tuned for more power and to remove the aforementioned limiter.
Thirdly, all of them are astonishing motorcycles that are well beyond the abilities of mortal men,
Fourthly, getting accurate figures for stock motorcycles is all but impossible.
That said, I have tried to use only verified figures, usually from circuit times on acceleration, and they are all for stock, completely standard bikes. Even changing a sprocket here and there would undoubtedly give us a very different list, that is how close they all are.
Aprilia RSV4
First mention goes to Aprilia. The Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory, their top of the range Superbike, will produce around 217HP and is limited to 195mph. The best 0-60mph time I could find was 2.7 seconds but the average was around 3 seconds and the ¼ mile time was 9.7 seconds with an exit speed of 150mph. Prices are around £23,000 in the UK and $26,000 in the USA from what I can gather. In some ways you might say this is the fastest, but listen on.
Honda CBR1000RR
Next we have the good old Fireblade. The latest Honda CBR1000RR SP carries on from a long line of ‘Blades’. It produces around 215HP but is limited to between 185 and 190mph depending on who you believe. The best 0-60mph time I could find was 3.1 seconds but the average was around 3.3 seconds and the ¼ mile time was 10.4 seconds with an exit speed of 162mph.
In the UK the price is around £25,000 but in the States the prices seem to vary a lot, It looks like the list price is around $28,000 but I have seen prices as low as $16,500 on the main Honda US website. Can you really get them at that price I wonder? Let me know in the comments below if you would.
Despite the incredible price difference, the performance of the Fireblade Superbike has still outperformed the RC213V on many occasions, and despite rumours of it being discontinued for many years, it is the bike that keeps on giving.
Kawasaki ZX10RR
The Kawasaki ZX10RR was king of the Superbike world for many years and the latest ZX10RR produces 214Hp and is limited to around 190mph. The best 0-60mph time I could find was 2.9 seconds, with the average around 3.1 seconds and the ¼ mile time was 9.98 seconds, but with an exit speed of 151mph.
Prices come in at around £25,000 in the UK and $30,000 in the USA.
BMW M1000RR
The BMW S1000RR and M1000RR are the BMW flagship Superbikes. The BMW M1000RR produces around 212HP and is limited to 195mph. The best 0-60mph time I could find was 3 seconds and that was the average too, so it was the most consistent. The ¼ mile time was 10.2 seconds with an exit speed of 162mph.
At £30,000 in the UK and around $38,000 in the USA, the M1000RR is one of the more expensive bikes from the Superbike club, is it worth it?
MV Agusta F4
Last of the first five is the MV Agusta F4. Specifically the Claudio Castiglioni Special. It will produce around 212HP and is limited to 195mph. The best 0-60mph time I could find was 2.95 seconds, because it had to be under 3 seconds, but the average was around 3 seconds and the ¼ mile time was 9.95 seconds with an exit speed of 144mph.
Because it is no longer being made, at least for now, the F4 is difficult to price. Second hand models go for anything between £14,000 and £50,000 in the UK, but I am sure that can be very different in different countries.
Will KTM relaunch the F4 do you think? Will it still be made from Italian made parts?
Now I said there were two more bikes following behind, because unfortunately the elephant in the room is the fact that the R1 and GSXR 1000 aren’t there. I left them until last because they are now lagging behind the rest a little in some ways, and I do say that sadly.
Yamaha YZF R1M
The new Yamaha YZF R1M is still only producing the same 200HP that it did way back in 2015. and it has got 2 Kg or just over 4lbs heavier in that time too. It is actually the 2015 model R1 that gave me the fastest 0-60 time of all the Superbikes included, at 2.5 seconds, although the average was around 2.9 seconds. The ¼ mile time was 9.8 seconds with an exit speed of 149mph.
Listed at £24,000 in the UK and around $26,000 in the USA is it still competitive?
Suzuki GSXR 1000 R
The Suzuki GSXR 1000 R, in a similar way, is still only producing the same 199HP that it did years ago. But at least it doesn’t seem to have got any heavier I guess. The fastest 0-60 time I could find was 3 seconds, with the average being around 3.1 seconds. The ¼ mile time was 10 seconds flat, with an exit speed of 151mph.
Listed at £18,000 in the UK and around $18,500 in the USA, this bike, as well as the Fireblade, begs the question, why are there sometimes such huge discrepancies on UK and US prices in relation to currency values? I have no idea I am sure.
Questions and Conclusions
Why is the Suzuki comparatively cheaper in the USA?
Why is the Honda so much cheaper there too?
And why is the Vmax, which comes next, so much cheaper by comparison in the UK?
Both the Yamaha and the GSXR are limited to that agreed lower maximum speed of around 185mph. I just wonder why still?
Now looking at those figures you might have noticed something very interesting. Although it is markedly less powerful than the rest, the R1 from 2015 still has the fastest 0-60 time of all of the bikes included. It is also only beaten to the end of the quarter mile by the Aprilia RSV4. What that shows, is that none of the multiple riders on any of the other bikes could actually get the extra power they made down onto the tarmac in time to beat the Yamaha, but they won’t tell you that in the marketing.
I left the exit speed times in here to illustrate something else too. I have talked about motorcycle gear ratio’s before and as I said above, altering a gear ratio can make a huge difference in the real world. I don’t know the conversations and decisions made at each company, but you can easily see from the figures above, that although the BMW and Honda were slower off the mark, their exit speed was higher.
Now to a degree you can say that the extra time the run takes gives these motorcycles longer to build up a faster terminal speed, and that is right to a certain extent, but it isn’t the only thing involved.
The gearing of the bike, both the final drive ratio and the various individual gear ratios, all play a part. Give a bike a shorter first gear and it will try and take off faster. Give it a longer first gear but closer ratios in the box, and it may initially take off a little slower, but it might gain an advantage as a good rider flicks through the gears faster to achieve a faster terminal speed in a set distance.
These choices will all be part of the initial design criteria, and some companies will focus on acceleration more than speed.
Suffice to say, all of these motorcycles were made to be good enough for the best riders in the world.
If you honestly think you can get the most from them, try watching Peter Hickman or Michael Dunlop do a lap of the TT circuit on a SuperStock bike. If you can ride any of these bikes that fast then you are one of a very chosen few.
Just look at the riding here.
Next lets change the mood a little. Here we have a completely different motorcycle. It might well be the slowest motorcycle on today’s list, but that is a small part of the story.
Yamaha Vmax 1700.
Just as its berserk ancestor was central to the first part of the Dangerous Motorcycles video, this video would simply not be complete without the Yamaha Vmax 1700.
Although it weighs over 300Kg the Vmax 1700 takes all the ideas of the early VMX 1200 and just gives you more. A 1679cc V-Four engine gives you over 200Hp but it is the 170Nm of Torque that sets this bike apart. With low gearing for the fastest acceleration, the Vmax 1700 will take off from the lights faster than most motorcycles. The fastest 0-60 time was just 2.6 seconds, but the Vmax times varied much more than most. To me, that shows that despite the power it really is only that fast in the right hands.
Quoted best ¼ mile times had the same variation, ranging from around 9.5 seconds up to 10.5. The Vmax is pretty much hitting its restricted maximum speed by then too.
To call the torque of the Vmax arm stretching is like calling a whale large, it might be true, but it is a bit of an under-statement to say the least. Even with the electronics to help control the beast, it will happily try and tear your arms out of their sockets given the slightest opportunity.
Yamaha did work really hard to make this bike handle and stop better than the original Vmax, and it does. Just don’t expect it to corner and stop like a Superbike. It isn’t a Superbike. It isn’t even close.
To call The Vmax a muscle bike doesn’t do it justice either. In comparison, despite the fact the Diavel V4 is lighter, it can only keep up until around 60mph. By the end of the quarter mile the Vmax has left it in the dust and put its launch control and anti wheelie devices well in their place.
The acceleration of the Vmax really is vicious, and despite lacking in outright top speed, it is the savage way it will launch you off from the lights, that makes the Vmax worth its place on this list. That, and the fact that it is one of the least expensive options here depending where you live. It is priced at around $19,000 dollars in the USA, but this time, we got the better prices, with prices in the UK closer to £15,000 if you can find one.
The next motorcycle is one of those semi mythical beasts of the motorcycle world. Some were built, but details are few and far between.
FGR Midalu
In 2010 I remember seeing the first articles about the FGR Midalu. Then in 2011, I remember hearing that Project Midalu had been scrapped. That only one prototype was made, and that about 10 engines were made for spare parts.
Then in 2016, we were told it was finally in production. Then Quiet.
Then on Nov 12, 2019 rumours began again, and we were told FGR were finally ready to start selling.
How many of these motorcycles have been made I honestly have no idea, but some were built.
The Midalu is a brutish hyper naked monster, built around a 2,442cc, 90-degree V-6 engine.
With around 240 horsepower and 220Nm of torque, the Midalu has more pulling power than a Sherman tank.
By using a trellis frame with wide bore tubing and lightweight carbon fibre bodywork, dry weight has been kept down to a claimed 262Kg or 578 lbs, which when compared to the Triumph Rocket 3 is pretty incredible. Considering the Kawasaki H2 is only 20Kg lighter, it is a pretty amazing achievement for this tiny Czech company.
This is a motorcycle dripping with the best Ohlins suspension and gigantic Brembo race-spec brakes. The intricately machined swingarm could stand alone in a gallery as a piece of Brutalist Art, and its polished carbon and muscular design stretch from wheel to wheel.
Priced at around $132,000 dollars or 120,000 Euro’s it would be an expensive motorcycle compared to some here, but it isn’t the most expensive for sure.
It looks like someone took an Ariel Ace and force fed it steroids and growth hormones until it burst out of its own skin.
This motorcycle takes muscle to a whole new level, and given the chance, may even challenge the mighty Yamaha Vmax off the line.
Now that is a drag race I would like to see.
KTM 1290 Superduke R
Next we come another motorcycle you will all know. The KTM 1290 Superduke R. This is a 180HP V-Twin engined hooligan of a motorcycle that produces around 140Nm of torque. It will punch well above its weight in many real world situations.
The price comes in at around £24,000 in the UK, or 27,000 Euros in Europe where it is supposedly made, yet somehow the price in the USA seems to be closer to $20,000? can some of the subscribers from the USA confirm that please?
If so, how? and why KTM?
Are we just being taken for idiots, again?
It may be a little down on power compared to the Superbikes of today, but it is lighter than all of them except the RC213V. It weighs just 180Kg.
The Superduke R is the equal to the early Hayabusa’s when it comes to power and torque and it’s weight is an unimaginable 80Kg less. Yes it will never be as fast without the fairings of the Hayabusa, but speed isn’t everything as they say.
It even has self learning fully active suspension that actually adjusts the WP suspension units for your own particular riding style, unless it ever decides not to of course.
The electronics package can only be rivalled by that of the Ducati Panigale V4, and for some, that will mean the difference between life and death I’m sure.
For me, it is the electronics that terrify me more than the power, but I’m just a Luddite at heart when it comes to many things.
What I can’t and wouldn’t say, is that the electronics package takes away the joy of riding such a fantastic motorcycle. It doesn’t, The bike is so far beyond the abilities of most riders that the electronics are a justifiable safety blanket on this truly ballistic 170mph HyperMotard.
That is what this bike is. A ballistic engine with the smallest possible frame with wide wheels and minimal bodywork attached. So if you have a minimalist soul, maybe this is the one for you.
Horex VR6.
Horex are a company that started in Germany in the 1920’s but when ownership passed to Daimler Benz in the 1960’s after a turbulent history, motorcycle production was terminated. Then, in 2010, it was announced that the Horex name would be revived, 3C Carbon would become the new owners, and a compact VR configuration 6 cylinder 1218cc engine would be at the heart of the new motorcycle.
This engine was built, like the VW cars, with the cylinders offset, so that the V-Angle could be narrowed to make a more compact engine.
Initially in 2013, it was tuned for around 120HP. In the latest model that is increased to over 160HP All that and the weight is listed as just 215Kg dry if that can be believed. Torque on the early models was around 120Nm, but again, on the latest models, this has been pushed up to around 140Nm.
This will give riders plenty of push, with more grunt than a Ducati Diavel, and just a little less power than the KTM.
It is difficult to find any verified figures for the performance of the Horex VR6, but I have seen a 0-60 time of 3.1 seconds quoted. If it is geared for acceleration that is perfectly possible, and with a top speed limited to 155mph, that would seem like a reasonable figure.
This motorcycle may not be as big or brash as some of the motorcycles on the list, but I am sure it would keep any rider entertained, and it deserves its place here for the sheer audacity of the builders.
Remarkably for such a high end motorcycle with top quality cycle parts, this bike can be found at prices the other bikes in the list would struggle to match. Although the new price is listed at around 50,000 Euros, right now, there is one 2014 model, with 16,000km on the clock, available in Germany, for around 10,000 Euros. There are several more between 10 and 20,000 Euros too. So if something different, and a V6 engine sound is what you want, this bike might actually be worth looking at.
PGM V8
Next we have another unique motorcycle that some of my subscribers in Australia may well know more about than me. If the words big and brash were to be compressed into a motorcycle, this is the motorcycle that would be. You may ask why this motorcycle wasn’t further up the list where it maybe should be. The simple answer to that, is that details here aren’t easily confirmed, and I just wanted to keep it until later in the list.
This and the motorcycle that follows, despite being very different, could both easily have featured at the top of the list. Their placement is more difficult than the others.
The Australian-built PGM V8 has a 1996cc V8 engine, built using two Yamaha R1 engine blocks mounted onto a single custom built crankcase and crankshaft. When first built, the engine produced an immense 300HP, which at one point made it the most powerful production motorcycle ever made outright. The H2R may have come along in between, but the PGM V8 is a road going motorcycle, not a track bike and just to rub salt into Kawasaki’s wounds, PGM retuned the latest version for 335HP and 214Nm of torque, so there are no arguments. Just to get even more ridiculous, PGM have recently said that they think they can take it up to around 400HP with no reliability problems now.
Weight is listed as just 242 kg (534 lb), but I have to say, I would like to see that shown on a weighbridge. If it is right, which being honest I have my doubts about, there are plenty of 1000cc bikes that weigh more than this potentially great piece of design work.
I have little idea on performance figures with this one. In PGM’s own words, the performance is measured by “How brave are you?” which doesn’t help much.
The familiar Brembo brakes and Ohlins suspension are ever present and you get the top of the range Marchesini forged rims too. This motorcycle is described as a usable motorcycle, even by some of the more reliable journo’s out there, but we know how much old journo’s like to stretch the truth. One thing is for sure, I really don’t think a lack of power will be a problem it ever has.
I am sure it would be much more usable crossing the Nullarbor Plains than it would picking its way through single track roads in the Yorkshire Dales, but its quoted weight portrays the determination of the designer and builders, and if it is half as tractable and usable as it has been described, then there are maybe some serious lessons for some other bigger manufacturers to learn from.
In theory, even without a fairing the sheer brute force of this engine will drag you up to a top speed of over 205mph or 330kph. If you can hang on that is. It does seem a little bit ridiculous to build a 300HP bike with no fairing of any sort though.
With this bike, again accurate figures are hard to gauge, and of course affected massively by the riders ability. I saw one 2 second 0-60 time quoted which just seems impossible on standard tyres to me. Other sources set it at a more believable 2.5 to 2.7 seconds. Suffice to say. The only limit with this motorcycle is going to be the wind resistance and the riders ability to hang on. Popeye might be alright, but I am not sure how many people will be trying that out.
At 180,000 Australian Dollars or around £91,000 in the UK even before import tariffs, VAT and shipping are counted, it isn’t going to be a bike for the masses that is for sure.
Crighton CR700
Now we come to the last and in my view the most prestigious of the bikes included here today, and we begin with three names.
Brian Crighton, Crighton Motorcycles and Rotron Power, might not be the household names that made up the top part of this list, but the Crighton CR700 Rotary, is in many ways a motorcycle in a league of its own.
Brian Crighton was the Genius behind the Norton Rotary race bike of the late 80’s and he describes the CR700 Rotary as the culmination of his life’s work. Rotron Power are the company than gave him the ability to manufacture such an unbelievable motorcycle. With a limit of only 25 bikes that will ever be made, and a price tag of over £100,000 before any taxes, you aren’t likely to see a CR700 very often, but if you do, you wont forget it.
You wont see it at any local coffee shops either, it is a dedicated track bike. This, as far as I am aware, is the motorcycle that produces more power per litre than any other motorcycle other than the latest H2R, but I will be interested if you think you know otherwise, just let me know in the comments below.
Most of the present MotoGP bikes and even the Ferrari F1 car only produce around 300HP per litre, The Crighton CR700 produces around 220HP and over 140Nm of torque. That equates to an unbelievable output figure of 320HP per litre, which is almost on a par with the Kawasaki H2R. We will come to the weight difference shortly.
Without a counter rotating crank to push the front wheel into the ground during acceleration, I don’t think you would use many front tyres on this bike,
For those of you that know, you might recognise the unique lines of the classic Spondon Engineering derived chassis. You get an adjustable headstock and adjustable swingarm pivots, Dymag carbon wheels, and Brembo Monobloc race spec brakes.
You also get the choice of Bitubo suspension for those who know, or Ohlins for those that don’t.
It is hard to see a single area of this motorcycle that could be improved in my honest opinion.
I guess that is a testament to two things, the years of work as both a racer and designer that Brian Crighton has put in to the design of this motorcycle, and the ability of Rotron Power to manufacture something to such close tolerances.
With a dry weight of just 130Kg, this is one of few motorcycles that can make the bikes from MotoGP look decidedly ordinary. Even comparing its admittedly expensive price, to the price of the Honda RC213V, should help you put the achievements of this company into perspective.
An RC213V will cost you at least half as much again as a brand new Crighton CR700 would.
The CR700 produces almost 1.7HP per kilo, while the Kawasaki H2R sits around 1,5HP per Kilo The PGM at less than 1.4HP per kilo, while the RC213V can only get up to just above 1.3HP per kilo.
So you can see now, why I say this motorcycle is in a league of its own.
And that doesnt even mention or consider the sound of this truly unique motorcycle.
On that note, I will leave you to ponder. I am not even going to include any honourable mentions today. The video is long enough already.
Thanks for watching and as always I look forward to hearing your comments.
If a winning lottery ticket landed in your hands tomorrow, which would be your choice?
Even if I was to win the lottery, which is unlikely seeing as I’ve never played it, I can’t imagine spending £100,000 on a motorcycle.
On the other hand, I would be a liar if I said I wasn’t at least a little bit tempted by the Horex at 10,000 Euros. That seems like one hell of a lot of motorcycle for that money.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this video and can take the time to look around the channel to watch some of the other’s you will find.
