Land speed racing is a very exciting motorcycle racing event. In the race, one competitor races against the clock to beat top speeds in his/her category. The track is a flat, straight, smooth surface ideal for speeding toward the clock point at the end.
Although the race does not seem as dangerous as multi-competitor track events, the extreme speeds of land speed racing make this event very dangerous — any bump or misalignment can send the 300 mph vehicle careening off the track. Let’s take a look at motorcycle land record history to give you an idea of exactly how fast these machines can go.
Motorcycle Land Records
The International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) governs all motorcycle races and speed records, and they first recorded a land speed record in 1920, when Gene Walker claimed the record on his 994 cc Indian in Daytona Beach, FL. Walker topped out at 104.12 mph (notably below an unsanctioned record of 136 mph in 1907).
Over the years, mph steadily increased, bringing in a record of 173.68 in 1937 before closing shop for World War II and a decade-long post-war clean up.
In 1951, when land record racing resumed, the top mph went to Wilhelm Herz at 180.29. The following couple decades were dedicated to topping speeds of 200 mph, pulling in a speed of 254.84 in 1970.
Finally topping speeds of 300 mph, Don Vesco brought in the first 300-plus mph record at 302.92 in his Yamaha 1480 cc in 1975. However, over a quarter of a century later, the 400-mph era is still on our current horizon — the last recorded speed came in at 376.363, won by Rocky Robinson on September 25, 2010.
As you can see, motorcycle land racing speeds can be extreme — and this is only piston-engine machines. Thrust-powered motorcycles are in an extreme class of their own.