This 334-HP V8 Superbike Claims It’s The World’s Strongest, But There’s A Catch

When Australian engineer Paul Maloney set out to build the PGM V8, he created a 334-horsepower, eight-cylinder superbike that packs a purpose-built, naturally aspirated 1,996cc V8 built with components derived from Yamaha’s R1 superbike engines. It pumps out a claimed 334 horsepower at 12,800 rpm and 158 pound-feet of torque at 9,500 rpm. The power output is measured at the countershaft sprocket rather than the crankshaft. High-end hardware supports the setup, including Öhlins suspension, Brembo brakes, and Marchesini wheels on a chassis built to manage the weight. The machine has a claimed wet weight of 534 pounds.

However, its title as the world’s most powerful production motorcycle comes with a catch. Other extreme machines challenge this claim, such as the MTT 420RR turbine-powered motorcycle, which relies on a Rolls-Royce helicopter engine to produce 420 horsepower, and the track-only Kawasaki Ninja H2R, which pushes out a claimed 322 horsepower in US specification. Furthermore, manufacturers measure horsepower differently, and standard comparisons are complex.

Questions also surround its production status. Back in 2016, Australian Motorcycle News reported that just one PGM V8 existed as a registered, working prototype. While the motorcycle was offered to customers, publicly documented production numbers remain elusive, leaving the true scale of manufacturing unverified.