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Check out real-time coverage of the 2008 Hayabusa Press Launch at Road America!
Click here for additional Hayabusa reading
Somebody at Suzuki is really smart. After nine years, its franchise model, the 1300 Hayabusa—100,000-plus unit sales and counting—needed an update. The Kawasaki ZX-14 had stolen some of the Big ’Busa’s thunder. Wisely, Suzuki did not overreact and has just shown the world the new-for-2008 Hayabusa—which is much like the old ’Busa, only more so. Smart.
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| New Hayabusa. How much did we like the old ’Busa? “The power is so sweet, its well of torque so deep, that the mind-bending acceleration always at hand—regardless of rpm—seems completely effortless. Twisting the throttle is one of the most satisfying experiences in motorcycling,” we wrote in 2005. Should be even better now. |
There will be no “New Coke Syndrome” screw-up here, Suzuki fans. (Remember Ducati’s recent troubles with its 916-series replacement, the 999?)
Quick glance at the new bike shows the same silhouette as before, but ’Busa buffs will immediately note some subtle differences. This bike has spent hours in the wind tunnel, the results showing in the new headlight, more smoothly contoured fairing and the double-bubble windscreen that’s a half-inch higher than before—factor in a lowered fuel tank, and now it’s easier to crawl under the paint at the dragstrip or flat-out across Your Own Private Bonneville Salt Flat.
Out back, no turnsignal stalks; the blinkers now live in their own speed pods in the tailsection. The latter appears to have been stretched for cleaner passage through the air; while wheelbase remains unchanged at 58.5 inches, the bike’s overall length has grown 2.3 inches to 86.6, fender tip to fender tip.
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| More speed thrills from Suzuki: The B-King is finally here, powered by the new Hayabusa’s 1340cc motor. See the photo gallery below for more on the 2008 Suzukis. |
Hidden behind the new bodywork is the same basic mountain-motor inline-Four, but with some speed-demon tweaks. First a 2mm bore job (now 81.0 x 65.0mm bore/stroke) takes displacement from 1299cc up to 1340. Compression ratio goes from 11.0:1 to 12.5:1, a significant boost. Now we add titanium valves, shotpeened chrome-moly connecting rods and a refined fuel-injection system for what Suzuki claims is “12 percent higher performance.”
Which means…? Well, we know the new bike won’t go faster than 186 mph, the agreed-upon top-speed limit. But a 12 percent bump in horsepower—going by our 2006 Hayabusa testbike—would yield a stonking 179 hp at the rear wheel! A similar jump in torque would mean 110 foot-pounds. Both numbers top those churned out by our last ZX-14 Kawi (170 hp/104 ft.-lbs.). No word in the early press materials as to what kind of electronic hocus-pocus (if any) will be used to keep the new ’Busa from becoming a human fly-swatter at the dragstrip, but certainly the ZX-14’s production-record 9.78-second pass is in danger.
Welcome to Speed Wars 2008!
Additional Hayabusa reading
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