‘Murica is known for making some of the best (and definitely some of the most popular) cruisers and tourers on the planet. What it isn’t known for is its sports bikes. Heck, even if we’re presented with a road course for motorcycle racing, we want to race baggers on it. Yes, that makes for some incredible action, but it is the two-wheeled equivalent of Stadium Super Truck racing, minus the dirt and the jumps.

However, do a little research, and you’ll realize that America has had some fantastic sports bikes over the years as well. Some of them were from famous brands (Harley-Davidson VR 1000, Buell 1125R) while others weren’t as famous but were engineering marvels in their own right (Fischer MRX 650, MotoCzysz C1). The number of American sport bikes has reduced in recent years, but there still are a few that can keep up with the Europeans and Japanese, and even outrun them. Here are 8 powerful American sport bikes for speed junkies.

8

Damon Hypersport SE

Power: 100 HP

The Hypersport is available in a total of five different variants, and three different battery packs, power outputs, and ranges. The SE is the entry point to the Hypersport, and you get an 11 kWh battery pack, 100 horsepower, a top speed of more than 120 MPH, and just over 100 miles of range. Acceleration to 60 MPH is the same as the other models, so there is not a big difference in real world usage if you stick to city limits. It also gets all the expected Damon tech like the HyperDrive driveline, CoPilot safety features, and the ‘Shift’ movable handlebars and footpegs. If you don’t have the need for a high-capacity battery pack or a lot of power, then the SE will be more than enough.

7

Zero SR/S

Power: 111 HP

Zero’s SR/S is the apex of its range and offers 600 cc-ish performance. It has quality mechanical parts as well, with fully adjustable suspension from Showa and brakes from J.Juan, with twin 320 mm front discs. Zero offers a battery upgrade called a Power Tank that takes battery capacity up to 21 kWh, which is on par with the best in the business. Of course, both range as well as charge times go up with the optional Power Tank specced. Worth mentioning is the fact that the 124 MPH top speed figure can only be achieved in bursts, which is alright – we’ve seen the ‘overboost’ in Porsches for a while now – but sustained top speed is 106 MPH.

6

Lightning Strike C

Power: 142 HP

Lightning’s LS-218 grabs a lot of the headlines with good reason, but the Strike C is what will make the company grow. This is now the entry point to the Lightning range of motorcycles and was priced at just $12,998 for the base model at the time of launch. Evidently everyone recognized what great value that was, because the current production run is completely sold out. The Strike C offers decent performance, too (142 horsepower and 186 pound-feet with a top speed of 135 miles per hour). The standard 20 kWh battery will offer a 250+ mile combined range, but you can always spec it with the larger 23 kWh battery with 306 miles of range, and the Lightning-Fast charging system.

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5

Lightning Strike R

Power: 180 HP

The Strike R sits in the middle of the Lightning range, and offers 180 horsepower. That figure makes it one of the most powerful electric motorcycles on the planet today, so at just under $27,000, it could seem like good value. Also catering to its sporty credentials is the ‘Carbon’ variant that uses carbon fiber to reduce weight. The options list is also quite long, starting with a 24 kWh battery that offer 312 miles of range and the Lightning-Fast charging system. Then, there’s an Ohlins steering damper (Ohlins suspension is standard with the Strike R), carbon or forged magnesium wheels, a carbon swingarm, a CCS level 2+3 charger, and a custom paint job.

4

Buell Hammerhead 1190

Power: 185 HP

Buell has always had interesting motorcycles, and it is no different with the Hammerhead 1190. It is powered by a liquid-cooled narrow angle V-twin that is good for 185 horsepower and 102 pound-feet of torque. It also has Buell signature innovations like the unique frame that is also the fuel tank, and the perimeter disc for the front brake. Plus, this is the only liter-class supersport with a belt final drive instead of a chain. The Hammerhead 1190 has everything going for it, but it needs an electronics package to make it truly compete.

3

Damon Hypersport Premier

Power: 200 HP

The Hypersport Premier is the all-singing, all-dancing variant of the Hypersport range. It gets a 20 kWh battery, 200 horsepower, can hit 200 MPH, and has a combined city/highway range of 200 miles. It also gets fast-charging support, and with an adapter, can take advantage of the Tesla Supercharger network as well. This is all available in the Hypersport HS as well, but what distinguishes it are the top-shelf Ohlins suspension, and Brembo brakes. When we talked about the HyperSport SE, we’ve already mentioned tech like HyperDrive, CoPilot, and Shift, and needless to say, all of those technologies are present on the Hypersport Premier as well. It is very easy to spot a Hypersport Premier, as it is the only variant with a dual-tone paint scheme.

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2

Lightning LS-218

Power: 244 HP

Lightning LS-218

The LS-218 is an amalgamation of superlatives, and not just for an electric motorcycle. Lightning Motors decided to make an electric motorcycle that could beat gas-powered ones fair and square, and it achieved its target, managing a top speed of 218 MPH with a pre-production version. The standard LS-218 has a 15 kWh battery and offers 188 miles of range, but you can upgrade that to a 20 kWh battery with 255 miles of range.

Or even a 28 kWh battery with a humongous 335 miles of range. You’d think waiting for it to charge would take forever, but tying up with battery company Enevate has given it record-breaking charge times. Lightning claims it has done 700+ miles in a single day on an LS-218 during testing of the new battery pack. Speed, range, and quick charge times – the LS-218 has the holy trinity of electric vehicles nailed down.

1

MTT 420RR

Power: 420 HP

The MTT 420RR remains one of the most unique motorcycles the world has ever seen. It is powered by repurposed engines retired from helicopter duty. These engines are turbines, and can run on a number of fuels, including diesel, kerosene, and tequila. It has some truly eye-popping numbers: 420 horsepower at 52,000 RPM, 500 pound-feet, and a claimed top speed of 274 miles an hour. Prices start at a quarter of a million dollars and will increase the more carbon fiber you spec it with, and you can – all 420RRs are custom built to order. You might have to wait for a helicopter to donate its heart, though.