Big 2009 Suzuki Hayabusa just got bigger

Suzuki's bike makes the jump from a mere 170 horsepower to an astronomical 194

Special to the Star

Jun 14, 2008

Fast: quick, speedy, rapid, swift, express, high-speed.

See – Hayabusa.

When first introduced in 1999, Suzuki's 170 horsepower Hayabusa knocked the motorcycle world on its collective butt. Imagine: a stock motorcycle that accelerated like something out of the Don Garlits Collection, with a top speed of 320 km/h (that's not a typo), yet handled reasonably well and purred around town like a big, bronze pussycat.

Hayabusa is not Japanese for "change of underwear required" but refers to a type of falcon reported to hit 330 km/h when it dive-bombs its prey. The 'Busa was not just a performance monster; many riders discovered it made a perfectly acceptable street ride if you treated the loud handle with proper respect.

There were several attempts to unseat The King but, to stave off legislative storm clouds rumbling on the horizon, manufacturers made a gentleman's agreement to electronically govern the top speed of hyper bikes to 186 m.p.h. (300 km/h). That means diddly here in 100 km/h Ontario, but is more relevant in other more enlightened areas of the world.

This year marks the first revision of the Hayabusa since its introduction, a testament to the soundness of the original design. Displacement was increased to 1,340 cc, and a plethora of mechanical improvements plus new fuel injection and ECU management systems brought horsepower up to a claimed 194. Yes, that's also not a typo: 194 horsepower.

The unique styling on the original 'Busa was certainly aerodynamic and functional, although some wags morphed "Hayabusa" into "eye-abuser," which seemed a bit harsh. I always thought it was attractive albeit somewhat bulbous and blobby, as if the motorcycle was left out in the hot sun and everything started to melt. The new model has been sharpened right up without losing its family resemblance.

The $15,099 Hayabusa features the Suzuki's A-B-C drive mode selector, where the rider can dial in three different power modes to finely tune the power output to suit current conditions. "A" is full yahoo mode, "B" cuts power significantly in the upper end of the tachometer while "C" sucks the life out of the motor and is for wimps only. When I picked up the bike from Suzuki Canada, the pavement was damp and temps were in the low single digits – yep. Mode "C" was definitely in order. I would've taken Mode "D" if they had one.

With a motorcycle as powerful as the 'Busa, the chassis and brakes had better be up to the task – but no worries there, matey. A beefy, twin-spar aluminum frame and aluminum swingarm ties everything together in a rigid, yet fairly lightweight package. A new inverted, fully adjustable set of forks sits on the front while a fully adjustable single shock holds up the hind end.

If something goes, it must stop and the bike's radial front calipers squeezing twin 310 mm discs are certainly up to the task. Dry weight listed as 220 kg but it somehow feels heavier – not overly porky but around town the long wheelbase and heft let you know that you're aboard a big motorcycle.

The steering is slow but not ponderous and no matter what the road throws at you, it's Osaka Bullet Train stable. In a straight line, the 190-section rear tire conspires against quick transitions and you almost feel like it would take an act of parliament to get it to change direction. But a firm push on the inside bar and – voila – you're into the turn.

It's amazing that this level of performance is available in a package so refined and cultured that you could ride it to the church picnic without invoking any thunderbolts. The twin mufflers are huge to meet noise and emissions regulations but at speed, the chain makes more noise than the pipes – it is eerily quiet.

Suzuki has done an excellent job with the fuel injection and engine management systems on the Big Bus: the power delivery is perfect and throttle response is smooth and clean, no matter what drive mode is selected.

Keeping up with banzai 401 traffic, riding into a headwind, I found I was really fighting the wind unless I tucked in – which got really uncomfortable after a half hour or so.

For something so aerodynamic, I expected better wind protection.

The fuel consumption is quite reasonable, considering the motor is just loafing at Ontario legal speeds. One tank of 401-speed touring consumed 12.89 litres over 232 km, which is 5.5 L/100km – pretty impressive really.

The fuel gauge could use some tweaking though, indicating "full" for 100 klicks before dropping to "half" at 102.

How much would Hayabusa performance cost in four wheels? Add another zero to the price and then double it.

Yes it's got performance out the wazoo, but it's also a perfectly capable sport-tourer.

stevebond8@yahoo.ca

Toronto Star