MkIII Suzuki Hayabusa Steps Into The Light

When it comes to the original Hyper bike, Suzuki’s legendary Hayabusa, the Japanese firm cannot be accused of rushing things when it comes to releasing details of the latest big update. The third, in matter of fact, not counting a gentle buff a few years ago when they introduced some new brakes.
The second big update to the 1998 (original launch) machine came exactly a decade later, back in those heady days where we could actually travel somewhere other than the UK to ride bikes. That time around it was at the crazy fast old GP track, the Salzburgring, this time around we’ll just hope there are few enough travel restrictions in place which mean we don’t have to ride the new beast round and round our driveways…

Some were expecting revolution for this ‘Busa, but despite a lot of the bike being technically brand new, it also kind of isn’t. This has made some a tad unhappy, while others remain more than pleased the apple in their motorcycling eye hasn’t been tampered with too much.
Make no mistake, the reason it looks so similar is also the main reason they haven’t chased big horsepower, rather going for off the line stomp instead and, to be fair, endowing the new bike with enough of that to truly trouble anything else out there with a claimed 150Nm of torque.
Why is this exactly? The American market, that’s why. The USA has by far been the ‘Busa’s happiest selling ground for Suzuki, with a huge percentage of sales attributed to the land of the free, year after year. With the love of off-the-line quarter-mile sprints, there’s no wonder they didn’t go for big power, although that the GSX-R1000 has a higher claimed gee gee figure still seems wrong, somehow.
But anyway, it matters not, it’s still an excellent front to back refresh and the focus on grunt will no doubt make it an utter joy to drag around on. They’ve also included a now essential electronics package to try and contain that thrusty rage for us normal folk who aren’t GP demi-gods. A ten-level traction-control system compliments an anti-wheelie application run via a six-axis IMU, alongside an up/down quickshifter, various riding modes and an obligatory/decent ABS braking system via top-notch Brembo Stylema calipers.

While some are disappointed the 1,340cc motor hasn’t been fitted with a turbo or super-charger, a claimed 190bhp is hardly shabby, and 150Nm of torque more than enough to tear your arms off plus, just maybe, that’s still a road they can go down in the future. To finish things off, it’s wrapped in familiar but completely redesigned bodywork also housing a new dash which blends traditional clocks with up-to-date LCD goodness. At an RRP of £16,499, given the current costs of big fast machines, it’s actually an incredibly tempting buy when it hits UK shores in March – that’s a hell of a lot of bike for the cash, in modern parlance.
The only real sales danger to the new Hayabusa, is if Kawasaki slam a super-charger on their (getting venerable but still brilliant) ZZR 1400 and don’t charge the earth for it. By the same token, that could be what kicks Suzuki’s butt into gear meaning they may have to include forced-induction on a future update to compete – and none of us would complain about that…

2021 Suzuki Hayabusa Specs Highlights:

• 1,340cc DOHC inline four
• 190hp @ 9,700rpm
• 150Nm @ 7,000rpm
• Comprehensive electronics suite
• Brembo Stylema calipers
• Redesigned frame
• Fully adjustable suspension
• 264kg kerb weight
• 800mm seat height
• 20L fuel capacity