Suzuki GSX-1300R Hayabusa

SUZUKI GSX1300R HAYABUSA 1996-2009:

The Suzuki Hayabusa (or GSX1300R) is a hyper sport motorcycle made by Suzuki since 1999. It immediately won acclaim as the world's fastest production motorcycle, with a top speed of 188–194 miles per hour (303–312 km/h).

When Suzuki engineers began designing the GSX1300R they set out to produce a motorcycle so advanced that it didn’t fit in any established categories. A motorcycle with breathtaking acceleration, nimble handling, and world-class fit and finish. A machine so advanced it demanded a new performance category: Ultimate Sport. With Suzuki’s experience in building high-performance motorcycles, meeting the engine performance goals and building an excellent chassis wouldn’t be a problem. But to make this kind of performance seem effortless would be the ultimate challenge.

One of the engineers recalled seeing the incredible flight of a small Falcon indigenous to Japan called Hayabusa. The Hayabusa is not the biggest or strongest bird in Japan, but it has the amazing ability to slice through the air reaching speeds of over 186 mph, making normal flight seem effortless. The engineer realized he had discovered the key element to the design. Make the bike able to slice through the air like a Hayabusa and normal performance would be almost effortless. It would be the most aerodynamic Suzuki ever built and it would be called the Hayabusa.

Suzuki engineers used an integrated design approach with careful thought given to engine type, size, placement, as well as rider position and airflow over every part of the bike. Maximum aerodynamic efficiency required a precise fairing shape which could not be achieved with conventional headlights and turn signals. By blending the front turn signals in the fairing and using a unique projector beam headlight, the CdA became the lowest of any Suzuki ever produced. The turn signals also help force air into the ram-air intake tracts which have been carefully placed near the point of maximum air pressure.

Meeting the performance goal required a powerful yet compact, liquid-cooled, inline four-cylinder engine – the most powerful four-cylinder ever built by Suzuki. Based on experience from unlimited-class road racing, the engine developed some impressive specifications: 1298cc, liquid-cooled with additional oil-jet cooling, DOHC 16-valves with a narrow 14o valve angle, electronic fuel injection with ram-air intake, direct ignition, gear-driven counterbalancer to reduce vibration and a six-speed transmission with a large capacity clutch. To keep the engine compact the cam chain is driven from the right side of a short, five-journal crankshaft.

SUZUKI GSX1300R HAYABUSA 1997-2007

The GSX1300R chassis is built around an aluminum alloy twin-spar frame and bridged aluminum swingarm. Supporting the frame are fully adjustable, 43mm inverted forks with 120 mm of wheel travel, and a link-type rear suspension with a fully adjustable shock absorber and 140mm of wheel travel. Wide radial tires are mounted on cast aluminum wheels provide plenty of traction, while six-piston front brake calipers with large 320 mm rotors and a twin-piston rear caliper with a 240 mm rotor provide powerful braking performance. The Hayabusa has many other convenience features such as a hinged fuel tank for easier maintenance, storage area for a U-lock and full instrumentation including a fuel gauge, twin-tripmeters, and even a LCD-type fuel consumption gauge.

With all these features and outstanding performance, the 1999 GSX1300R Hayabusa is truly in a class of its own: Ultimate Sport.

SUZUKI GSX1300R HAYABUSA 2008-2009

GSX1300RX AT A GLANCE

Retail: $10,499.00
Engine Type: Four-stroke, liquid-cooled
Bore and Stroke: 81.0 mm x 63.0 mm
Front Brake: Dual Hydraulic Disc
Rear Brake: Single Hydraulic Disc
Wheelbase: 1485 mm (58.5 in)
Dry Weight: 215 kg (474 lbs)

SUZUKI GSX1300R HAYABUSA 2008-2009