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Motorcycle Investor mag

Suzuki Hayabusa Gen 3

(by Guy 'Guido' Allen, Apr 2023)

Suzuki's Gen 3 Hayabusa took some interesting twists and turns to get where it is – does it deserve to be in your collection?

(Feature below)

If your intention is to make a splash in the motorcycle sphere, one guaranteed way to do it is to set a new top-speed benchmark. That’s become increasingly difficult in a world with somewhat more conservative views on things like speed, but back in 1999 the ability of Suzuki’s Hayabusa to consistently bust the 300km/h mark was something to be celebrated. Briefly.

In the sports-tourer speed wars of the time Kawasaki was next to come along with the ZX-12R and, in the brief time between the release of the two models, an industry agreement came into place, limiting top speeds to 299km/h.

The immediate result was that Hayabusas subsequently came out with the limiter and a speedo marked to ‘just’ 280, with unlabelled increments to 300.

(Above, left to right: Generations 2, 1 and 3)

That in turn has meant collectors are keen on getting early Hayabusas with the full 340km/h speedo – particularly if they’re the copper-coloured variants used in most of the original factory brochures and ads.

Hayabusa is now in its third generation. In 2008 the second-gen boasted a lift in engine capacity from 1299 to 1340cc, with the power claim going from 130 to a hefty 147kW (197hp). It also eventually adopted ABS braking.

There was some debate over the revised styling even if it remained true to the overall theme. As a ride, the gen 2 was an improvement, with better-developed suspension and significantly better brakes. The latter had switched from six- to four-spotters on the front and were much sharper.

Move on to 2021 and the company made some courageous decisions. While everyone expected a big new number (engine size, power, or both) in fact the engine remained at the same capacity while power dropped a little to 140kW (188hp), though torque lifted from 139 to 150Nm. Oh, and the price jumped significantly to $28,190.

You can imagine the howling on social media. Trying to overcome the cacophony, the maker pointed out the bike was better finished than ever, was running revised engine tuning that emphasized mid-range performance, a better chassis and far more sophisticated electronics, all of which added up to a quicker real world machine.

Every area of the machine came in for revision. As an example, while it was still running Kayaba suspension front and back, the internals had come in for significant retuning, the effects of which were noticeable for anyone who had the chance to sample earlier models.

Also upgraded are the brakes, now with 320mm discs up front and Brembo Stylema four-spot radial-mount calipers.

As for the engine, the entire breathing has been revised with new airbox, injectors and exhaust.

Electronics now abound, starting with the ride-by-wire throttle. Then there are six overall ride modes available – three preset and three customized – different modes for traction control, wheelie control, engine braking and launch control. All of this is tied to a Bosch six-axis Inertial Measurement Unit, which is central to the cornering ABS.

Still, there has been plenty of shouting about no new big horsepower figure. Of course, this is the risk when you develop a model line that’s effectively become a cult bike – people develop some passionate views that things like logic may never shift.

Perhaps a ride, then? I own a first-generation Hayabusa and have had a few rides on the second, so was more than a little curious to throw a leg over the new toy.

The first thing that hits you is the level of finish and presentation is several steps up from that of its predecessors. Little design ‘easter eggs’ are dotted around the machine and it’s clear someone has gone to a lot of trouble to make you feel good about it. That helps to take some of the pain out of the higher price.

Meanwhile, it has a bunch of new features that have an immediate effect on how you ride, such as the cruise control and a two-way powershifter. That first feature alone would make me look at it in a different light.

The end result of all this is a motorcycle that feels tractable and trustworthy. It’s unquestionably a better ride than its predecessors when it comes to steering (light and sharp) and suspension. Performance? It’s unlikely you would notice any deficit – it’s fearsomely fast when you want it to be, with a mid-range that you feel like you could surf forever and still get where you’re going at a hair-raising rate.

We wonder if this might be the final Hayabusa generation. There’s no indication of that from Suzuki, but when you look at how the transport landscape and motorcycle market are changing, it has to be considered a possibility. Regardless, having all three generations in the shed is a very attractive possibility for the collector.

In the meantime, the latest-gen is easier to ride with a level of confidence the predecessors can’t match and certainly deserving of the Hayabusa name.

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We have a wealth of Hayabusa resources online...

First generation profile as a future collectible;

Second generation (video review at YouTube);

Plus, meet the Hannibal the hotted-up Hayabusa in our shed.

Pipe dreams

Our demo bike was running a four-into-one Akrapovic aftermarket exhaust system (above), rather than the four-into-two stocker (below). It had a more fruity note and was lighter by around 14kg, according to the maker. We’ve seen dyno charts that suggest a lift in power (up to 6.5kW) and torque (up to 5.7Nm) with the aftermarket unit once the correct mapping is in place.