Finally the time had come to test the Suzuki Hayabusa and off I went to Suzuki to collect the test unit. When seeing it up close, I must say it does look very intimidating, nevertheless I hopped on. After the knowledgeable Suzuki representative ran through all the feature of the bike, I was off.
Now, I’m not the biggest rider out there, weighing a mere 60 odd kilograms, I found that the rear of the bike became very light at high speed on bumpy roads. I suppose due to the lack of weight over the rear wheel but I’m sure it will settle with a larger rider or with a pillion.
The Suzuki Hayabusa is quite simply the Ultimate Sport bike. Twist the throttle and it responds with awesome acceleration and crisp throttle in every gear with an unbelievable top-end charge. Thanks to a lightweight and rigid twin-spar aluminium frame and state-of-the-art suspension, that performance is matched by equally impressive handling.
It provides exceptional control in tight corners, reassuring stability in sweeping turns and a smooth ride on the highway. The sleek, aerodynamic body work functions as it appears. This being said, I found a few things that could be different or better.
Something Suzuki could have included, as a nice-to-have but not amn essential, is a quick shifter. I also found that the heat from the engine was uncomfortable and seemed to cook my inner thighs even through my Kevlar riding pants. I’m sure this won’t be a problem if you are in leathers but not all riders wear leather all the time.
Overall the Suzuki Hayabusa keeps the bike old school with no electronic aids, except ABS. They have also kept a traditional looking instrument cluster with needle speedo, rev counter, temp and fuel gauge. A nice add-on I would have like to see is a distance to empty feature as part of the instrument cluster.
Specifications of the Suzuki Hayabusa:
Engine:
- Powerful 1340cc in-line 4-cylinder fuel-injected, liquid-cooled DOHC engine built to deliver a broad wave of torque for effortless acceleration.
- Forged three-ring aluminium-alloy slipper pistons provide superior strength, while PVD-coated rings reduce friction and improve cylinder sealing.
- The chrome nitride Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) piston ring coating is harder and smoother than conventional chrome plating, reducing friction while improving sealing to the cylinder.
- Suzuki Composite Electrochemical Material (SCEM) cylinder plating improves heat dissipation, durability and ring seal.
- U-shaped cut-outs in the cylinder-bore sides allow air pressure created by descending pistons to escape to adjacent cylinders to reduce internal pumping pressure and mechanical power losses.
- Lightweight titanium valves allow use of light valve springs and high lift while maintaining accurate valve control.
- Iridium spark plugs produce more complete combustion and last longer than conventional plugs.
- Curved radiator with a compact, dense-core design and two ECM-controlled electric fans keep the engine temperature stable.
- Suzuki Clutch Assist System (SCAS) serves as back-torque-limiting system for smooth downshifts and also contributes to a light clutch pull.
- Close ratio, constant-mesh 6-speed transmission uses dedicated oil spray to the 4th, 5th and 6th gears. This reduces friction, wear and mechanical noise during high-speed operation.
- Suzuki’s advanced fuel-injection system with tapered, 44mm double-barrel Suzuki Dual Throttle Valve (SDTV) induction improves combustion efficiency and smooth’s throttle response.
- Two 12-hole fine-spray injectors on each throttle body improve fuel atomization for better combustion efficiency while reducing fuel consumption.
- Idle Speed Control (ISC) system improves cold starting and helps maintain stable engine idle under a variety of conditions.
- Suzuki Pulsed-secondary AIR-injection (PAIR) system ignites unburned hydrocarbons (HC) and reduces carbon monoxide (CO) emissions.
- Large-volume catalyser in the twin-silencer exhaust permits high flow while further reducing HC, CO and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions.
- Suzuki Drive Mode Selector (S-DMS) lets riders select engine power output to match preferences or riding conditions.
To read more MasterTests, click here
