Suzuki Hayabusa
The legend is back!
Now in its third generation, the Suzuki Hayabusa is the stuff of legend. Let’s not forget that Suzuki had in fact killed off the Hayabusa a while ago, and yet here we are on the brand new BS6/Euro 5 compliant Hayabusa. When news first broke of the return of the Busa, the interwebs exploded with lore about the motorcycle that had raged against the dying of the light. Suzuki hadn’t been very helpful either, adding fuel to the fire when they let slip that they were considering forced induction for the new generation of their flagship hyperbike. Immediately a frenzy broke out across forums on the internet, as fanbois waited froth faced for the return of the forced induction 1.3-litre hyperbike.
Unsurprisingly, when Suzuki returned to say that the new generation of the Hayabusa would neither have a larger displacement motor nor forced induction and would actually make less power and torque from the same 1,340cc motor and be based around the same chassis, that same frenzied mob on the internet turned on them. And violently
so. Regardless of this turn of events, I’m here to tell you, if the Hayabusa is a motorcycle that you feel channels your style of riding best, then this new one is the perfect way to have it.
Let’s first talk a little about the new design. For this new generation, the Hayabusa dons a sharper battle garb that improves on the aero without the use of winglets, with a better coefficient of drag than the smooth outlines of the previous generation. In addition, the new design, also somehow looks more modern without alienating the original form of the Hayabusa. Under the sleeker sharper skin, is the tried and tested twin-spar aluminium frame from the older generation motorcycle. As a result, the dimensions have not changed much either. The wheelbase is still 1,480mm, although the new Hayabusa has an 800mm seat and a lower ground clearance at 120mm. Better materials on the Euro 5 compliant exhaust also add
THE HAYABUSA DONS A SHARPER BATTLE GARB THAT IMPROVES ON THE AERO WITHOUT THE USE OF WINGLETS ON THE FRONT, WITH A BETTER COEFFICIENT OF DRAG THAN THE SMOOTH OUTLINES OF THE PREVIOUS GENERATION
to weight savings. Suspension components have been reworked too, with improved units from Showa making their way onto the new Busa, in addition to sticky Bridgestone Battlax S22 and top-shelf stopping force courtesy of the Brembo Stylema callipers. To add to that the headlamps are LEDs and the dashboard, while still primarily analogue, gets a central TFT screen that lets the rider interface with the controls.
From the saddle though, the first thing you’re going to notice, more so if you are familiar with the outgoing bike, is the new riding position. The old bike felt like someone had attached a handlebar to the nose of a cruise missile and placed you on the dorsal tail. The reach worked well at high speeds, but it was the slower stuff that was usually a nerve-wracking experience. On this new one, the handlebar comes up a little higher and meets you halfway. This makes a world of difference to the way the Hayabusa interfaces with you in traffic. It took all of two minutes for me to go from being cautious to lane splitting with confidence in rush hour. Full tuck is still easily done with a long seat that has plenty of room and a bum stop for when the Hayabusa turns in a horizon vacuum (more on this later). It’s a small change, but the impact on the overall ride experience is massive. This theme of small changes that make a huge difference is a common occurrence with this new motorcycle. To me, it gives the sense that Suzuki understands this motorcycle intimately and knows exactly the pain points and how to refine them.
On the subject, the ride on the new Hayabusa is exceptional. The old Hayabusa was comfortable for sure, but this one does all of that while being extremely pliant even on surfaces where you probably shouldn’t take your 1300cc+ Hyperbike whose ground clearance is now lower. Pile on the speed and the stability and the grip is still unmatched, and with the way the Hayabusa piles on the speed, you’ll be thankful for it. Another big change, thanks to the new Brembo Stylema callipers is the stopping force, which is now significantly better. Brake hard and it’s like hitting a brick wall, no matter what the speed, the Brembos work instantly and confidently on the 264kg Busa. If you’ve ridden the old Busa and needed to brake suddenly, you and your riding pants will appreciate the improvement.
Now even though on paper the engine may be similar, it’s been almost entirely reworked. The entire engine has been reconstructed with new pistons, con-rods and injectors being just some of the big changes made. For the most part especially if you’re not an armchair enthusiast this is an all-new engine. Better materials constitute a large part of the 2kg of weight saved in this new generation. Output though has dropped marginally, with maximum power dropping from 197bhp to 190bhp and peak torque dropping by 10Nm to 150Nm. Suzuki however assures that thanks to a reworked torque delivery, that this is (even if by a hair’s breadth) the “quickest Hayabusa ever”.
The execution of this claim comes thanks to the electronics package which on the Hayabusa feels like a quantum leap with a new 6-axis IMU featuring ten levels of traction control, ten levels of anti-wheelie control, three levels of engine brake control, three power modes, launch control, cruise control, cornering ABS and hill hold control.
Finally, on to the question that matters, is it faster than the old Hayabusa. Let me put that into perspective for you, on the perfect day with the perfect temperature and the best set of tyres the old one might eke out a little gap on a run to 300kmph. On any other day though, this new one will have it simply because there’s a lot more power in the usable range than ever before. An extensive electronics package on the Hayabusa is the update we didn’t really want but it’s one we needed.