Suzuki Hayabusa | Fastest Bikes Forever
The Suzuki Hayabusa (also known as the GSX1300R in some countries) is a hyper sport motorcycle originally introduced by Suzuki in 1999. It has a 1340 cc inline-4 engine. The name Hayabusa translates directly from the Japanese as Peregrine Falcon, the bird capable of achieving speeds over 200 mph (322 km/h). The name is a subtle reference to Honda’s competing Hawk models. When introduced in 1999, it overtook the Honda CBR1100XX Super Blackbird as the fastest production motorcycle.
But in just over eight years, Suzuki’s GSX1300R Hayabusa is well on its way to adding its name to the list-if not already. Introduced to a somewhat perplexed industry and public in late ‘98, the Hayabusa’s bulbous styling and strange name generated plenty of polarized opinion. The Suzuki Hayabusa has long been one of the fastest bikes money can buy, and the all-new 2008 Hayabusa flaunts even more excessive power.
The reworked and restyled 2008 Suzuki Hayabusa comes with numerous drivetrain and chassis improvement, and a 12 month unlimited mileage warranty. It’s looks have been designed to assist the bike and rider through wind-tunnel designed aerodynamics. It’s aggressive and ostentatious in one breath; it sounds as fast as it goes. The changes to the 2008 Suzuki Hayabusa are many, and most are evolutionary, not revolutionary.
Starting with its skin, the ‘Busa maintains its signature silhouette but is now wrapped in slightly more angular bodywork which features twin stacked headlights up front and a slightly less bulky rear cowl. The Hayabusa’s engine has been enlarged from 1,299cc to 1,340cc, and sports improvements including twin swirl combustion chambers that offer an 11% bump in output. Suzuki claims the Hayabusa produces a staggering 194 horsepower at the crank, and we believe it.
Other improvements include a new 4-2-1-2 exhaust system, a hydraulic slipper clutch, and Suzuki’s Selective Drive Mode System (S-DMS), which allows engine power to be modified using a three-mode thumb selector switch. Beneath the new body, chassis refinements include a bridged aluminum alloy swingarm designed for superior rigidity, and new inverted 43mm forks to help the ‘Busa turn.
The restyled body is a welcome improvement, revised ergonomics incorporate a lower fuel tank and a taller windscreen designed to create a cozier place for the rider while he or she tucks and presumably doubles or triples the speed limit. All those aesthetic and functional improvements aside, the real fun begins when you start up the engine. At idle, this smooth-running inline-4 doesn’t come close to revealing the blistering reserves of power that lie beneath.
Specification:
| Engine type | 4-stroke, 4-cylinder, liquid-cooled, DOHC |
| Bore x Stroke | 81.0 mm x 65.0 mm |
| Engine Displacement | 1340 cm3 (cc) |
| Compression Ratio | 12.5 : 1 |
| Carburetion | Fuel injection |
| Oil capacity (overhaul) | 4.0L (1.6 US gal.) |
| Ignition | Fully transistorized |
| Starter System | Electric |
| Lubrication System | Wet sump |
| Transmission | 6-speed constant mesh |
| Primary drive ratio | 1.596 (83/52) |
| Final drive ratio | 2.388 (43/18) |
| Frame type | Twin-spar (aluminum alloy) |
| Rake/trail | 24.2º/ 98 mm (3.9 in) |
| Front suspension | Inverted telescopic, coil spring, spring preload fully adjustable, rebound and compression damping force fully adjustable |
| Rear suspension | Link type, coil spring, oil damped, spring preload fully adjustable, rebound and compression damping force fully adjustable |
| Front wheel | 17 M/C x MT3.50, cast aluminum alloy |
| Rear wheel | 17 M/C x MT6.00, cast aluminum alloy |
| Front brake | Radial mount, 4-piston calipers, 310 mm disc, twin |
| Rear brake | 1-piston caliper, 260 mm disc |
| Front tire | 120/70ZR17M/C (58W), tubeless |
| Rear tire | 190/50ZR17M/C (73W), tubeless |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 21.0 L (5.5 US gal.) |
