about the hyabusa this morning, apparently all the major motorcyle manufacturers have signed an agreement not to make anymore bikes exceeding 305kmh
seems a shame really as it would be interesting to see just how far manufacturers could have taken engine and design technology.

They certainly have push back the boundarys. Although it might be a good thing in some ways. The busa seems to have been dogged with some sub-frame problems and some other hassles. Maybe they don't have the materials to make a 200mph road bike yet. I wouldn't like governments to bring in a limit either, which might happen if the bikes keep getting faster.

Although someone might just decide to break the agreement. I think it was broken when Kawasaki released the ZZR.

Good news for bike tuning companies.... people always want to go faster....

But is there really any need? Most bikes can already go faster than most can handle and its only going to get you either locked up or killed. I don't think it will mean more business for the bike tuners. If a lot of people start modifying their bikes the EU will start thinking about banning performance enhancing modifications too.

Like the guy on the prog was saying at those kinds of speeds The slightest mistake is going to get you killed Take a second and imagine a blowout at 180+mph the next transport you get is gonna be an ambulance or coroners car..
Don't get me wrong i like to have the power under my right hand but i dunno if i could sustain those kinds of speeds for long..
perhaps a large bike cbt might not be a bad idea?

But there is always some one who would like it.....! to some too much is never enough.

Somebody will always want something faster. They'll probably not be able to handle it or ever use it. It just seems to be bragging rights.

Manufacturers should move toward looking at torque. They should tune and gera engines to belt it out between 20 and eighty or summat. After all people always say of super moto type bikes that they are fun without threatening your licence - in other words the grunty lower speed riding is as enjoyable as going terribly fast.

I have done a ton on my red zed and it was fast - i have done a ton twenty and it also seemed fast. I have also done ( an indicated ) one eighty six and to be honest it didnt seem much different to the ton. Drive out of bends would be better than top end for all of us. As a side issue I have noticed how magazines and tv progs now refer to the gixer thou as 'yesterdays news' and 'lacking in power and handling' when talking about the new blade or the tenarr. Only maybe a little over a year ago it was ' a brutal road missile with handling to match'.

It will deffinitely end in tears or as Ian mentioned some sort of enforced restriction or gps style speed trapping or on board tacho discs like lorries for the perusal of any bored bobby at the side of the road.

We ride bikes for lots of reasons and going fast is deffinetly one of the reasons. If we all had 180 or 190 hp bikes we'd all hit some crazy speeds from time to time. We just wouldnt be able to help ourselves. Its not all sportsikes either, read or watch a review of almost any big tourer and the reviewer will undoubtedly say at some point that the bike can cruise all day at three figure speeds - then usually tag on the end about that being on the autobahn ( as if its legal there!) Its almost as if when you buy a powerful bike the whole world will think you a w$nker if you dont go sh!t fast all the time you can.

Bottom line is if the bike has the power then the rider WILL use it at some point. I got to the point on my red zed where it felt just ordinary red lining through the first three gears ( thats nought to about a hundred and fourty) yet when i bought it i just couldnt believe the pull on that thing could possibly be legal. The new ten arr dwarfs the zeds power output and weighs less than my wallet. It cant go on like this it really cant. If limits are introduced the oomph will get used to up acceleration for instance.

i dont know its a tricky one.

Last time they made a gentlemans agreement of a hundred horsy limit. then triumph brought out the daytona twelve with around a hundred and fourty! We just cant help opurselves I tells ya!

Not heard of this signed agreement on speed restrictions. There is a verbal agreement to not build a bike to go more than 186 Mph. The suzuki needn't worry about that anyway as Triumph now have the Bullet that will kick the arris of any bike of the mark including the Busa. I never get anywhere near those speeds. I maybe touch 130+ on a quick section between twisties but apart from that I haven't found anywhere that warrants those kind of speeds apart from the motorway and lets face it any fool can squeeze the trigger in a straight line and I don't consider that a riding skill that I want to use.

I know a bloke who's well known here as a complete nutter - yet he sold his Busa cos he said he kept trying to find out how fast it would go and he knew he'd kill himself if he kept on!

You have a good point Nickr6. riding a bike fast is not a skill - anyone can do it if the road is long enough and straight enough! For my sins my speed runs are always on the Elmstead bypass - quite why there are no speed cameras on this bit of road is a mystery to us here as it is like a blur on wedne3sday night s in the summer!

i suffer from what Bikergran says - I buy a new bike then cane it to the limit to see how fast it goes. Im not big ( well i am but you know what i mean) and im not clever. This behaviour is childish to say the least and i am ashamed of it but it demonstrates what Im on about - a lot of riders are like me but do it most of the time instead of once or twice. Give us/them more poke and well experiment with it to the potential detriment of ourselves and everyone else who is unfortunate enough to be in the way when we lose it at over a ton eighty.

Some good points there Zombie. Gotta say it is easier to look in a magazine to see what your bike will do. Not knocking the straight line speed thing, well not this time anyway, it just doesn't do it for me. This all goes to make biking what it is. Everyone can have different agenda's but still be united under the biker flag. Its not like a car where the main reason for having one is to get from A to B. Ok, I use my bike to get to work but I choose the bike for the journey and not the end result of getting to work. I confused my self there.