CHAPTER 1 CHAPTER 1 THE WORLD'S FASTEST MOTORCYCLES Motorcycles give people thrills both on roads and off With engines humming and the wind in their faces motorcyclists love riding on some of the fastest machines on the planet 4
Although motorcycles can go very fast it’s important to stay within speed limits Some motorcycles may only be driven off-road Track-only motorcycles are allowed on racetracks Motorcycles that are street legal are safe to use on city roads at posted speeds A motorcyclist leans into a curve 5
CHAPTER 2 CHAPTER 2 MOTORCYCLE HISTORY Motorcycles were first produced in 1894 in Germany The top speeds were 25-28 mph 40-45 kph Racing began near the turn of the century In America in the 1910s and 1920s Harley-Davidson and Indian motorcycles sped around dangerous tracks at more than 100 mph 161 kph Board track racing was fast and deadly Motorcycles had no brakes and were raced on oily steeply angled boards
Early motocross racers climb steep hills with the crowd only feet away Motorcycle racing grew in popularity Tracks became safer By the 1950s speeds had increased to 125 mph 201 kph Motorcycles were built especially for track and off-road racing Top speeds continued to go up 77
