312 kmph! Yes, that was the actual top speed of the Hayabusa back in 1998, when Suzuki did the top speed test run of the Hayabusa, this top speed instantly made the Hayabusa the world’s fastest production motorcycle. 312 a number that’s still considered huge to achieve in a car let alone a motorcycle.
But back when the Hayabusa created this record, not only did it challenge and conquered the top speed king at the time, the Honda Blackbird, it also gave people an idea of what an underdog company like Suzuki can do if they get serious.
The impact that the speed record of the Hayabusa had on the world was so immense that European regulations started fearing what road-going motorcycles are becoming capable of!
The world has been moving at an incredibly fast rate and it has been more than 2 decades since the world speed record for a production bike was created but the name Hayabusa still lives in the heart of enthusiast, and even if you aren’t an enthusiast, you would have still heard the name somehow and with this all-new generation of the Hayabusa Suzuki plans on keeping that legacy alive!
But from the 1st generation to the current generation a lot of things have changed and the Hayabusa has evolved but one thing has remained the same and that is the relentless pursuit of Suzuki in keeping the Hayabusa as the speed king for as long as possible.
In a Nutshell, the Hayabusa is perfectly Poised, in terms of everything!
The 1st generation of the Hayabusa, the original one was on sale for a decade, from 1998 to 2008, and as expected it sold in crazy numbers!
Carrying its legacy came the 2nd generation of the Hayabusa in 2009 and was on sale for a period of 12 years, it was the evolution of the Charmander to Charmeleon.
Now the Charmeleon has finally evolved to Charizard and it’s better than ever! The design, the engine, the chassis, the suspension, the brakes, the electronics everything has got a revision this time, it’s not just a visual update or a small power upgrade, the Hayabusa is now an all-new altogether.
The Hayabusa was never a one-trick pony and it still isn’t, despite being such a bulky and heavy-looking bike, it still handles like a proper liter-class bike that has been tuned for track days.
If you remember the last 2 generations of the Hayabusa, you might remember the Jetfighter feeling you got from the analog dials, well, the jet fighter feeling is the same, it’s just that the dials are now digital and have better electronics to aid the rider.
Another thing that is very noticeable on the all-new Hayabusa is the overall shape and the silhouette of the bike, you see the first 2 generations of the Hayabusa had a lot of curves, they were really curvy, some people loved it, some didn’t, I did.
So, Suzuki, this time has given the Hayabusa some sharp angles, not just curves, especially the front end and to be honest this time the Hayabusa actually looks like a peregrine falcon which is what the Hayabusa ultimately means.
But this Design upgrade of the Hayabusa hasn’t affected the perfect aerodynamic shape of it, it still retains it and the lines flow perfectly from the front, across the fuel tank, and of the upswept tail. It helps in making the rider and the Bike a single entity.
Another noticing point on the previous generations of the Hayabusa was that they weren’t aggressive, they lacked the aggressive element.
So, Suzuki took the feedback and gave the new Hayabusa an aggressive yet elegant face which helps in giving the Hayabusa a new identity.
The Bright and striking colors on the Hayabusa act as a visual expression of the potential that the Hayabusa has.
This time Suzuki has tried to separate the body panels from the functional elements from example, the vents around the sides are chrome-tipped which gives an emphasis to the aerodynamics of the Hayabusa, the muffler is another example that stands out and given an emphasis to the muscular stance of the Hayabusa.
Now since we are talking about aerodynamics, there is yet another aerodynamic element that Suzuki has subtly integrated on the Hayabusa and a normal person won’t be able to see it. It’s the black diffusers that extend from the side of the upper cowls near the handlebar.
If you plan on riding your Hayabusa alone then you can cover the rear seat with a single cowling that will enhance the aerodynamics of the Busa, and when you remove it, it serves as a comfortable rear seat.
Even the wheels on the Hayabusa have received an update, they are now 7 spoke all alloy wheels and they help in improving the grip and tire stability.
If we take a step back and take a look at the Hayabusa, it looks very sophisticated but that sophisticated look results from all the things that Suzuki has tried to integrate into one bike.
Since the 3rd generation, Busa means a lot to Suzuki the attention to detail is on another level, there are little things all around the bike that you and I might not understand but they have some purpose on meaning to them for example the English Hayabusa logo has a long cross stroke on the H which brings out the Busa’s sense of speed.
Now the busa isn’t just meant to be a fast bike, at the end of the day it’s a tourer bike which is meant for doing long tours, and one of the key elements of a good tourer bike is the headlight, better the headlight design and throw, better will the rider be able to ride in the night.
And as expected, the Busa shines as a tourer, the presence of multi-led lights in different configurations in the main headlight provides a crystal-clear light throw. The Taillights have bright LED’s in them. The turn signals while looking aggressive af are very functional Overall the lighting department has done a great job.
I don’t know why but position lights with integrated turn signals would not be available on Indian specification units.
Talking about the heart of the machine that is the engine, the Hayabusa still retains that magnificent 1340 cm^3 liquid-cooled inline-four DOHC 16 Valve engine but now it has gotten a lot better.
Suzuki has used the CAE tool to improve a large number of the internal engine components, and all of this has been done to improve the engine combustion efficiency, environmental responsibility, and durability while ensuring that the engine delivers its maximum potential.
The Hayabusa already was one of the best bikes in terms of delivering power in a smooth way but since there is always room for improvement, Suzuki somehow managed to find a way to further smoothen it out.
Here are all the things that Suzuki has improved in the new busa in respect to the engine, first of all, there is a new exhaust header pipe connecting cylinders 1 and 4 rather than 2 and 3.
The profile of the camshafts has been optimized too. There is also a 1mm reduction in the internal diameter of the throttle body, there is also a 12mm extension in the overall intake pipe length which combined increase the power output at low to mid-range speeds.
The Suzuki side feed injector does a better job of feeding fuel into the engine than the previous design which helps in increasing the power and torque output produced by the engine, 190 PS at 9,700 and 150 nm of torque at 7,000 RPM.
To comply with the emission standards around the world, especially the euro 5 standards, and that is done by the 2-stage catalytic converter, which has different types of collectors.
The twin swirl combustion chamber has been revised to improve the intake flow and increase the combustion efficiency of the engine.
Another great thing that will make Busa fans around the world happy is that the Busa while complying with the regulations still sounds good, it still sounds like satan from the Japanese hell.
To make the buying experience even more fulfilling for the customer, Suzuki has now given a lot more options like different types of colors and finishing options to the customers to choose from.
The Suzuki clutch assist system makes the clutch operation light and effortless, also it makes the upshifts and the downshifts easy thus providing better engine response during engine braking and corner entry.
The ride by throttle wire system is new on the Hayabusa, remember I talked about the smoother power delivery of the engine, well the ride by throttle system is one of the contributing members in this.
The engine control module makes the delivery feel more natural thus enhancing the riding experience. The engine control module is also a crucial part of the electrical systems on the busa.
So, everyone that will be all for the first part of the Hayabusa series, I trust you liked this one, if you did then do share it with your friends and do consider subscribing to Motordrift for more such content in the future.
The second part is coming out next week, so stay tuned for that.
Till then
Ciao
