Two Wheel Absolute Records

Note:

  1. The records listed below are those recognised by the FIM and its predecessors
  2. All Speeds in miles per hour
  3. IC refers to Internal Combustion Piston Engines

 

The motorcycle land speed record is the fastest speed achieved by a motorcycle on land. It is standardized as the speed over a course of fixed length, averaged over two runs in opposite directions. These are special or modified motorcycles, distinct from the fastest production motorcycles.

The record was first set unofficially by Glenn Curtiss in 1903. The first officially sanctioned Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) record was not set until 1920. The first FIM-sanctioned record to exceed Curtiss' unofficial record did not occur until 1930, although there was controversy when the Osborn Engineering Company claimed to be the first to exceed Curtiss - on the basis of evidence from a publicity photo - submitted some days after the Zenith Motorcycles company claimed that it had been the first to exceed Curtiss. "It was quite a while before the controversy died down.


Date Location Rider Country Vehicle Power Kilo Speed Mile Speed Comments
1903 Yonkers, U.S. Glenn Curtiss USA Curtiss IC   64 over the mile, first (unofficial) World Speed Record, Hercules V-twin
January 24, 1907 Ormond Beach, U.S. Glenn Curtiss USA Curtiss IC   136.27 Unofficial record stood over 20 years
4 Aug 1911 Brooklands, Great Britain Jake de Rosier USA Indian IC 88.77 85.38  
11 Aug 1911 Brooklands, Great Britain C.R. Collier Great Britain Matchless-JAP IC 91.37 91.23  
2 Apr 1914 Brooklands, Great Britain Sidney George Great Britain Indian IC   93.48  
15 Feb 1920 Ormond Beach, USA Leslie 'Red' Parkhurst USA Harley-Davidson IC 103.18 103.756  
14 Apr 1920 Dayton Beach, USA Gene Walker USA Indian IC 105.26 105.78  
9 Sep 1923 Bois de Boulogne, France Fred W. Dixon Great Britain Harley Davidson IC   106.8  
10 Nov 1923 Brooklands, Great Britain Herbert Le Vack USA Temple-Anzani IC 108.48 108.48  
6 Jul 1924 Arpajon, France Herbert Le Vack USA Brough-Superior-JAP IC   118.93  
9 May 1926 Arpajon, France Claude F. Temple Great Britain OEC-Temple-Anzani IC 121.41    
25 Aug 1928 Arpajon, France Oliver M. Baldwin Great Britain Zenith-JAP IC 124.48 124.62  
25 Aug 1929 Arpajon, France Herbert Le Vack USA Brough-Superior-JAP IC 128.34 129.07  
19 Sep 1929 Schleifheim, Germany Ernst J. Henne Germany BMW IC   134.68  
31 Aug 1930 Arpajon, France Joseph S. Wright Great Britain OEC-Temple-JAP IC 135.85 137.32  
21 Sep 1930 Ingolstadt, Germany Ernst J. Henne Germany BMW IC   137.66  
6 Nov 1930 Cork, Ireland Joseph S. Wright Great Britain OEC-Temple-JAP IC   150.74 First official record to exceed Curtiss' pioneering effort
2 Nov 1932 Tat, Hungary Ernst J. Henne Germany BMW IC   151.87  
28 Oct 1934 Tat, Hungary Ernst J. Henne Germany BMW IC   152.904  
27 Sep 1935 Frankfurt, Germany Ernst J. Henne Germany BMW IC   159.104  
12 Oct 1936 Frankfurt, Germany Ernst J. Henne Germany BMW IC 153.26 169.021 First record over 250 km/h (160 mph)
19 Apr 1937 Gyon, Hungary Eric C. Fernihough Great Britain Brough-Superior-JAP IC 168.38 169.791  
21 Oct 1937 Bergamo to Brescia, Italy Piero Taruffi Italy Gilera Rondine IC   170.373  
28 Nov 1937 Frankfurt, Germany Ernst J. Henne Germany BMW IC 171.67 173.68  
12 Apr 1951 Ingolstadt, Germany Wilhelm Herz Germany NSU IC 179.15 180.11  
2 Jul 1955 Swannanoa, New Zealand Russell Wright New Zealand Vincent Black Lightning IC   185.15  
4 Aug 1956 Bonneville,   USA Wilhelm Herz Germany NSU Delphin III IC 210.896    
Aug 1956 Bonneville,   USA John Allen USA Triumph 'Texas Ceegar' IC 214.4   FIM refused to sanction this attempt
5 Sep 1962 Bonneville,   USA William A. Johnson USA Triumph Dudek Streamliner IC   224.57  
25 Aug 1966 Bonneville,   USA Robert Leppan USA Triumph Gyronaut X-1 IC 245.616    
17 Sep 1970 Bonneville,   USA Don Vesco USA Yamaha IC 251.924
405.25		   First record over 250 mph (402 km/h)
15 Oct 1970 Bonneville,   USA Cal Rayborn USA Harley-Davidson IC 255.38    
16 Oct 1970 Bonneville,   USA Cal Rayborn USA Harley-Davidson IC 265.492    
1 Oct 1974 Bonneville,   USA Don Vesco USA Yamaha IC 281.714    
28 Sep 1975 Bonneville,   USA Don Vesco USA Yamaha Silver Bird IC 302.928
487.515		   First record over 300 mph (483 km/h)
23 Aug 1978 Bonneville,   USA Don Vesco USA Kawasaki Lightning Bolt IC 315.441   First record over 500 km/h (311 mph)
25 Aug 1978 Bonneville,   USA Don Vesco USA Kawasaki Lightning Bolt IC 318.598
509.757		    
14 Jul 1990 Bonneville,   USA Dave Campos USA Harley-Davidson 'Easy Rider' IC 322.149
518.450		 322.101 Longest held official record, 16 years (see Curtiss' 20 year unofficial record)
3 Sep 2006Bonneville,   USARocky RobinsonUSAAck AttackI/C turbo343.127342.792
551.678		Mike Akatiff owner/builder/designer
5 Sept 2006 Bonneville,   USA Chris Carr USA BUB 7 I/C Custom 351.062 350.885
564.693		 Dennis Manning owner/builder/designer
26 Sep 2008 Bonneville,   USA Rocky Robinson USA Ack Attack I/C turbo   360.913
358.881		 Mike Akatiff owner/builder/designer
24 Sep 2009 Bonneville,   USA Chris Carr USA BUB - 7 I/C turbo   367.383
591.244		  
25 Sep 2010 Bonneville,   USA Rocky Robinson USA Ack Attack I/C turbo   376.363
605.697		 First record over 600 km/h (373 mph)