Fastest Japanese Sport Bikes

From the land of the rising sun, these bikes fly faster than the speed of sound

Japanese motorcycle manufacturers first made their presence felt with the amazing UJMs of decades past. By the mid to late 80s, these companies had been developing motorcycles for almost every niche, ranging from dual-sport bikes to superbikes. Thanks to the Kawasaki Ninja, the world saw what Japan was capable of in the sport bike game.

Just as JDM cars were influential during the 90s to early 00s, Japanese sport bikes were all the craze in the same time period. These motorcycles offered a lot of speed for not a lot of money, and provided reliable and exciting rides to those that owned them. Over the years, Japanese sport bikes have only grown faster and more powerful, offering an experience never before seen. It's time to bust out those racing leathers as we take a look at the 10 fastest Japanese sport bikes.

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After Yamaha decided to pull the plug on the bike, the YZF-R6 is a bike that left a large hole in the market, given that its influence on the middleweight sport bike scene was so powerful that the bike simply refuses to become a memory. Due to the bike's stellar performance, it was a popular ride of choice both on and off the track, as Yamaha used it as their racing bike in the World SSP racing series, winning seven world championships with it.

First built in 1999, years of development have made the R6's 599cc inline-four engine produce 120 horsepower and 42.4 pound-feet of torque. The bike achieves this thanks to sixteen valves and liquid cooling, pushing the bike to speeds of up to 165 mph.

When it was first introduced in 1985, the Suzuki GSX-R750 rewrote the supersport middleweight rulebook. It was the world's first true racer-replica, and buyers loved the bike for its performance. After almost 40 years of constant development and upgrades, the 2022 GSX-R750 has continued the bike's heritage as a potent weapon on and off the track.

The engine is a 750cc inline-four that makes around 121 horsepower and 53 pound-feet of torque, and with Suzuki's six-speed gearbox completing the pairing, the bike can achieve speeds of up to 170 mph. The bike also achieves this thanks to its chassis, as its lightweight twin-spar aluminum alloy construction provides weight savings without compromising strength.

Considered as the apex predator of the middleweight sport bikes, the Kawasaki ZX-6R carries the most powerful engine for a middleweight bike, a 636cc inline-four engine that produces 131 horsepower and 52.1 pound-feet of torque.

Largely considered as a "baby ZX-10R", the ZX-6R is the company's effort to capture more riders into their brand, especially those looking for a step up from their beginner bikes. Thanks to the bike's agility and lightweight construction, the ZX-6R is a popular choice for riders looking for a track bike and Sunday steed in one. From the bike's six-speed gearbox and monster of an engine, riders can cruise up to speeds of 175 mph easily.

The GSX-R series from Suzuki is considered to be the brand's most successful models, ranging from beginner-friendly bikes to track monsters like the bike in question. The GSX-R1000R is a lean and mean machine that can blitz corners and drag it out through the straights.

The bike carries a 999.8cc liquid-cooled inline-four engine that injects 199 horses straight into the rear wheels. With over 86.7 pound-feet of torque, the bike's gearbox lets riders harness every ounce of speed that they can get from the bike, topping out at 186 mph. We all know this is electronically-limited thanks to the "gentlemen's agreement".

Another victim of the "gentlemen's agreement" but owner of one of the best names ever given to a bike, the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP is Honda's flagship superbike with all the bits and pieces that make it an icon. The bike shows off its heritage with how it looks and feels, giving off the 90s aesthetic that made everyone fall in love with the Fireblade in the first place.

Within the legend is a 999cc liquid-cooled inline-four engine that borrows some features from Honda's RC213V in MotoGP. Coupled with a specially-made Akrapovič exhaust system, the engine makes 214 horses and 82.6 pound-feet of torque. Despite all this power, the bike is limited to "just" 186 mph, but it can definitely go faster.

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The Kawasaki ZX-10RR is a certified WSBK icon, leading to the bike's immense popularity in any superbike list. With a successful history of making speed demons since the ‘80s, Kawasaki has dominated the production motorcycle speed records list. The ZX-10RR is no different from its high-end siblings, showing off cutting-edge aerodynamics and premium Pankl engine parts.

The engine is nearly identical with the ZX-10R, but the tuning and Pankl parts help it make 214 horsepower and 82.5 pound-feet of torque. Showing off its race-breeding, owners can expect amazing agility and power with advanced electronics and integrated aero features on the cowl, given that it is a homologation model for WSBK.

Yamaha is a historic brand in the motorcycle world, much more so thanks to the successful relationship they had with Valentino Rossi in MotoGP. From 2004 up to his retirement in 2021, the Doctor rode under the brand and won titles and races.

From their MotoGP endeavors, Yamaha developed and refined the YZF-R1. Taking developments from the M1 used in MotoGP, engineers saw more potential in the R1 platform that eventually resulted in the R1M in 2015. The bike carries Yamaha's signature crossplane inline-four engine, pushing out 200 horses and 83 pound-feet of torque that results in an easy ride to a top speed of 186 mph. The ride is made smoother thanks to Ӧhlins suspensions and other tech innovationsӦhlins suspensions and other tech innovations that make in an M1 for the streets.

Before the "gentlemen's agreement", manufacturers pushed the boundaries of innovation and engineering to break the 200 mph barrier. The most famous of these pre-agreement bikes is the mythical Suzuki Hayabusa. Named after the Peregrine falcon, the Japanese crotch rocket is as fast as its name.

When it first hit the markets, the bike's 1299cc inline-four engine made 173 horses and a whopping 110 pound-feet of torque on tap. As soon as Suzuki took it for a spin, the bike broke records such as being the most powerful production motorcycle, the fastest production bike, and the first to break the 186 mph barrier with a top speed of 194 mph.

With nicknames as menacing as "Hayabusa killer" and "Quarter-mile King", the ZX-14R is a superbike cult classic thanks to its insane acceleration, speed, and unmistakable silhouette. The engine is a gigantic 1,441cc inline-four engine capable of swatting Hayabusas off with 208 horsepower and 108 pound-feet of torque off the line. This lets the bike achieve a top speed of 195 mph, a single mph higher than the Hayabusa.

Despite the large size of its engine and body, the bike provides a quiet and comfortable ride. WIth 0 to 60 times of just under 2.5 seconds, ZX-14R owners can easily and comfortably wreck any competition they might go up against at the drag strip.

The fastest production motorcycle out of the factory and the king of speed when it comes to bikes is none other than the Kawasaki Ninja H2R. The track-only beast makes every other bike eat its dust while staying bone-stock, sitting comfortably with around 310 horsepower and a monstrous 121.5 pound-feet of torque.

RELATED: Things To Know Before Buying A Kawasaki Ninja H2RAs the bike carries a supercharger that provides 30 psi of boost to the 998cc liquid-cooled inline-four engine, riders can reach speeds of up to 249 mph. Fitting a ram air intake can add more power to the bike, giving near-unlimited power and pushing the boundaries of speed.

A part-time writer and a full-time automotive enthusiast. If it has wheels and looks pretty, he's all over it.While he loves European cars more than other cars, nothing can match his love for motorcycles, especially the classic ones. You can find him parked in a café or shredding chicken strips around the twisties.