A Suzuki Hayabusa – Synonym for … that thing is fast. There is no real way to put it. The ‘Busa as it’s known on the street has been the weapon of choice for many that want to break the 300kph+ barrier.
It’s been around forever and even this second generation has had a few tweaks over the years. I don’t really care much for electronics, but adding a 3 stage power setup has really made the Busa so easy to ride, even by novice standards. The 1340cc motor is strong as ever and probably makes around 190 or so horses. Sure, not that impressive by today’s standards considering superbikes are making similar figures and the main thing is that they are so much lighter, mostly nearly by about 100kg.
But it would be unfair to compare this machine head on with a superbike. This hyper tourer, hyper sport or rocket ship only has a few opponents; they are also probably just as timeless. The latest changes have been very little and only added ABS and Brembo front brake calipers. The added stopping power is welcomed and now the big rocket ship feels a little more controlled when braking hard. The initial bite is better and slowing down feels more like a Boeing throwing out its flaps and reverse thrust than a freight train, turning on the brakes for the station a couple of km’s out. Okay, it’s not that bad, but you get the point, the new brakes work and gives you more confidence.
The Suzuki Drive Mode Selector, which I mentioned above runs on an ABC mode. A for full power and that’s really the only one that matters. The only time you would want to run it in B or C is when you are out on the open road, just cruising. It slows down the throttle sensitivity and the bike feels rather lethargic. You can mistreat that throttle as much as you want to, nothing extreme is going to happen. Perhaps another nice incentive for newer riders… but they shouldn’t be on this rocket to start with.
The power is so linear on the Busa, due to the tapered 44m double-barrel throttle bodies, that you don’t mind riding at 120kph or 240kph, they feel nearly the same. The bike is so smooth, stable and the stock screen provides ample wind protection. The suspension is plush and handles our country roads with ease, soaking up bumps that will usually make a superbike rider cringe. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nowhere near adventure bike soft, it’s just a perfect compromise between comfort and sport and coming from a Gsxr1000, it’s a nice change.
The ABS works well and comes in rather early on the rear wheel and it’s evident that the Busa is no light weight; yes she weighs 266kg fully fuelled. On the open road, the 21l fuel tank is welcomed and this pushes the overall travel range up around the 320km mark before you really need to start looking for fuel. However, let the bird out the cage and that figure can be cut in half, no questions asked. Either way, the Hayabusa will do whatever you ask of it. It will hit the open road and do the occasional track day, without breaking a sweat.