THEN & NOW SUZUKI GSX1300R HAYABUSA

Words Dean Mellor Photos Suzuki

As the previous millennium drew to a close, and IT departments the world over expanded their influence over companies thanks to media-generated doomsday hysteria surrounding the Y2K furphy, Suzuki set about launching what would become the world’s fastest production motorcycle… and, thanks to another kind of hysteria, the ‘Hayabusa’ would hold on to that esteemed title to the current day and beyond.

Prior to the launch of the Suzuki, Honda’s CBR1100XX Blackbird held the top-speed record, but when Hayabusa came along it surpassed the Blackbird by a fair margin and would never be bettered.

Sure, there are no technological factors preventing motorcycle companies from producing machines that would easily eclipse the 1999 GSX1300R Hayabusa’s measured 312km/h, but as well as a fear of the Y2K bug in 1999, there was also genuine concern that authorities around the world would ban high-performance motorcycles if word got out that top speeds in excess of 300km/h were now the norm.

So, in a pre-emptive strike, the Japanese and European bike manufacturers bandied together and came up with an informal gentleman’s agreement to limit top speeds to 186mph (299km/h). So theoretically the Hayabusa will always be known as the world’s fastest production motorcycle.

Sure, it might be best known as an outright speed demon, but the Hayabusa was always much more than that, and it still is. It can be meek and mild around town, a comfortable tourer on the open road, a handy weapon on the track and, of course, extremely bloody fast when the throttle is cracked wide open.

The Hayabusa has evolved only slightly over the years, with the second-generation model introduced way back in 2008, but all the attributes that made the original machine one of the greatest hyper-sports bikes of all time remain, and those who jump on an MY18 model will be amazed by the machine’s handling, comfort, versatility and, of course, relentless acceleration and incredible top speed.

Then – 1999

Hayabusa is Japanese for peregrine falcon, which is a bird capable of speeds in excess of 300km/h, so it’s an apt name for the bike Suzuki launched to market in 1999.

And the hype surrounding the launch of the Suzuki Hayabusa back in 1999 cannot be overstated – motorcycle magazines the world over ran tests to see just how fast this fastest of all production bikes really was. While some magazine testers just broke the 300km/h barrier, US publication Cycle World claimed a measured 312km/h out of a standard Hayabusa in 1999. Yep, the thing was certainly fast.

The original Hayabusa was powered by a 1299cc DOHC four-cylinder engine that produced a claimed 129kW of power at 9800rpm and a chunky 141Nm of torque at 7000rpm. Fueling was by way of electronic injection and the Hayabusa featured Suzuki Ram Air Direct (SRAD) intakes, with a large-capacity airbox and straight downdraft intake tracts aimed at maximising power at high speed.

As well as its incredible peak power output, another defining quality of the Hayabusa’s big-bore engine was its strong midrange torque, which offered excellent flexibility and negated the need for downshifts if a sudden burst of acceleration was required – you could simply crack the throttle in almost any gear and the Hayabusa would respond smoothly and quickly thanks to well-sorted fueling and an abundance of torque.

The engine was mated to a six-speed gearbox and the Hayabusa featured a light and progressive slipper clutch. The whole power unit was housed in a twin-spar aluminium-alloy frame, with an inverted 43mm fork up front and a monoshock rear with a double-sided swingarm. Tailoring the suspension to suit loads and roads was by way of adjustable spring preload, and adjustable compression and rebound damping at both ends.

Overall Hayabusa ride quality was compliant, making the bike a more than capable (and comfortable) long-distance mile eater, but this was not at the expense of control and the ’busa could be peddled along at speed on twisty roads much quicker than its generous dimensions would suggest. The fact Suzuki managed to keep weight down to a respectable 250kg (wet) helped in this regard.

A bike with the performance potential of the Hayabusa needs good braking so Suzuki equipped it with big 320mm discs up front gripped by six-pot Tokico calipers. The rear brake was a 240mm single disc with the caliper mounted below the swingarm.

The Hayabusa’s bodywork was obviously designed in the wind tunnel and was all rounded forms and curves to keep wind drag to a minimum at high speeds. The ’busa featured a stacked headlight to minimise frontal area, with ram air ducts on either side.

There were big vents in the side panels and a bulbous cowling that fitted over the rear seat. Not everyone liked the somewhat droopy styling at the time, but there’s no doubt the original Hayabusa has aged well and it’s a great example of the form-follows-function design philosophy.

A year after its release, the Hayabusa was electronically speed limited to 299km/h. Other than colour changes, and the adoption of a stronger steel (instead of aluminium) subframe in 2001, there weren’t many changes to the Hayabusa until the launch of the second-generation model in 2008.

The original Haybusa cost $17,490 when it went on sale in Australia in 1999, increasing to $18,014 in 2000 and 2001, then holding steady at $18,490 from 2002 through to 2008.

Now – 2018

While it might not be able to achieve the same outright top speed as its predecessor, the current Suzuki Hayabusa is certainly faster when it comes to reaching terminal velocity, thanks to more power, more torque and shorter gearing.

When the second-generation Hayabusa was launched in 2008 it introduced several changes including an increase in engine displacement to 1340cc courtesy of a slightly longer stroke. Other mechanical changes resulted in reduced friction and reduced reciprocating mass – the engine featured new pistons, chrome nitride plated rings, lightweight titanium valves and a more aggressive cam profile among other upgrades.

The 2008 model saw the introduction of Suzuki’s Dual Throttle Valve (SDTV) fuel injection system, with dual injectors per cylinder for improved power delivery. A new Suzuki Drive Mode Selector (S-DMS) was also introduced, giving the rider a choice of three different throttle maps – A mode providing access to full power, B mode softening throttle response unless wide open and C mode further softening throttle response as well as restricting peak power and torque outputs.

Although the new model’s mufflers looked excessively large, their tapered design was claimed to increase banking angle and cornering clearance, and the new 4-2-1-2 exhaust system was also said to enhance power and reduce noise.

Revised spring and damper settings firmed up the suspension offering more control, yet ride quality was not adversely affected. An upgraded 43mm inverted fork uses a Diamond-Like Coating (DLC) surface treatment to reduce static friction and improve rider feel. As before, both front and rear ends are adjustable for spring preload and compression and rebound damping, so riders can set up the bike to suit different riding conditions or loads.

The braking package was significantly upgraded for the MY08 model, with the six-pot Tokico front calipers flicked in favour of state-of-the-art Brembo radial-mount four-piston monobloc calipers. These more effective calipers allowed for the fitment of slightly smaller 310mm discs which helped to reduce unsprung mass.

At the blunt end the Hayabusa scored a larger 260mm rear disc brake with a lightweight single-piston brake caliper, now mounted on top of the swingarm for a cleaner look. The swingarm itself was also a new, more rigid item.

While the new model retained the Hayabusa’s unmistakable swoopy and droopy look, the revised bodywork was certainly more aggressive, with a more angular headlight, pointy nose and revised vents in the side panels. It also had a slightly taller screen and revised instrument panel.

The only major upgrade to the Hayabusa since 2008 has been the introduction of anti-lock brakes (ABS) in 2013, which is standard fitment. Other than that, Suzuki has done little more than update colour schemes and tweak pricing over the past five years. But hey, the Hayabusa remains one of the most potent bikes on the market so if it ain’t broke…

From 2009 to 2012 the Hayabusa was priced at $18,990 in Australia, with a minor increase to $19,290 in 2013, which is the list price to this day.