Eight men in black Harley jackets stand behind the Sportster streamliner in the desert.

THE WORLD’S FASTEST HARLEY-DAVIDSON

Built for Speed. Born for Glory. The Return of a Legend.

The Harley-Davidson Museum is proud to welcome home one of the boldest machines ever to wear the #1—the 1970 Sportster Streamliner, a motorcycle that didn’t just break records, it shattered expectations. 

An image of the orange Sportster streamliner in action, racing across the salt flats, as the background blurs with the speed.

HARLEY-DAVIDSON FACTORY RACING

TEARING ACROSS THE SALT

Cal Rayborn sets the world land speed record for motorcycles on October 15, 1970.

Born from the fire of competition and the fearless spirit of innovation, this 16-foot rocket on two wheels was handcrafted in the late ‘60s by engineering renegades Dennis Manning and Warner Riley, in collaboration with The Motor Company. At its heart roared a heavily modified Sportster V-Twin, punched out to 89 cubic inches and fed a custom-blended fuel mix hot enough to burn across the Bonneville Salt Flats – making it the fastest Harley-Davidson to date.

  • An orange, rocket shaped Harley races through the Bonneville Salt Flats. The text reads “World’s Fastest Motorcycle... 265.492 mph. Cal Rayborn pilots single-engine Sportster streamliner to new motorcycle mark on Utah’s famed Bonneville Salt Flats.”
  • A shot inside the Sportster streamliner in a garage, showing the almost empty metal inside with the handlebars, seatbelt, and a few other gadgets.

With Harley-Davidson factory racer Cal Rayborn—a two-time Daytona 200 champ—in the cockpit, the Streamliner made history on October 15, 1970, tearing across the salt at 255.380 mph, setting a new world land speed record for motorcycles. And Rayborn wasn’t done. The very next day, with the throttle wide open and nothing but sky ahead, he pushed the machine even harder, posting a blazing average of 265.492 mph—a speed that still echoes through time. (Though it is not the fastest Harley-Davidson on record: that honor goes to a streamliner build from Dave Campos that bested Rayborn’s historic Bonneville run some years later). 

AT ITS HEART ROARED A HEAVILY MODIFIED SPORTSTER V-TWIN, PUNCHED OUT TO 89 CUBIC INCHES AND FED A CUSTOM-BLENDED FUEL MIX HOT ENOUGH TO BURN ACROSS THE BONNEVILLE SALT FLATS.

  • One man sits inside the streamliner, strapped in and helmet on, while two other men stand around him checking his straps.
  • A patch showing the world’s fastest motorcycle and the Harley-Davidson One. The text on the patch reads “World’s fastest motorcycle!! 265.492 MPH!”

Tucked inside its bullet-shaped body, Rayborn rode stretched flat, relying on side-view panels and nothing but sheer guts to guide him down the black lines of the course. Balance came from small air-powered skids; courage came from somewhere deeper. 

After decades on display at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, the Sportster Streamliner was welcomed back into the Harley-Davidson Archives in 2021. And now, this piece of pure speed history is ready to take its rightful place at the Harley-Davidson Museum in our new exhibit, “This Is Me,” opening May 24, 2025. 

EXPERIENCE THE HISTORY OF HARLEY-DAVIDSON

Discover culture and history through stories and exhibits that celebrate expression, camaraderie and love for the sport.

The logo structure outside the Harley-Davidson Museum

The exhibit will also honor Dick O’Brien, our legendary Chief Racing Engineer in 1970, whose hands and vision helped forge the Streamliner’s legacy. 

This isn’t just a motorcycle. It’s a milestone. This isn’t just history. It’s Harley-Davidson.

EXPLORE MORE FROM THE ARCHIVES

All From the Archives
An old photograph shows Leslie “Red” Parkhurst sitting on his Harley in his riding gear.

LESLIE “RED” PARKHURST

Parkhurst was a good-natured athlete whose enthusiasm made him a real crowd-pleaser, both on and off the track.

Soldier uses his motorcycle as a barrier to prop his rifle on

HARLEY-DAVIDSON DURING WWII

A brief look at how the Harley-Davidson Motor Company, employees and riders contributed to the war effort.

Harley-Davidson's founders pose for a photo

THE FOUNDERS OF HARLEY-DAVIDSON

They could have scarcely imagined what they had started.

Willie G poses with a paintbrush

WILLIE G. DAVIDSON

A tireless artist, enthusiastic rider, and grandson of a co-founder of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company.

Two racers battle for the lead on a round track

10 PEOPLE YOU SHOULD KNOW FROM HARLEY-DAVIDSON HISTORY

Countless riders, employees, and fans have been at the heart of Harley-Davidson's 120 year history.

A vintage leather jacket on a mannequin

120 YEARS OF STYLE

From instant icons to just plain cool: a glimpse at historic Harley-Davidson® apparel.

Juneau Avenue headquarters under construction

BUILDING A MILWAUKEE ICON

Explore the legendary campus that remains Harley-Davidson's headquarters through this look at how the Juneau Ave. factory developed from 1906 through the 1920s.