It’s here. The peregrine falcon has landed. The third-gen Suzuki Hayabusa GSX-1300R has finally made its way to Indian shores, a lot earlier than we anticipated. At Rs 16.4 lakh (ex-showroom) it is approximately Rs 2.4 lakh more expensive than the outgoing model that was discontinued in 2019. As it stands, the Suzuki Hayabusa doesn’t have any direct rivals in the country.
Unveiled in February the newest generation of the GSX-1300R didn’t have a lot of the features that we were expecting it to have based on the talks in the rumor mill. Things like forced induction, six-cylinders and so on haven’t graced the Hayabusa, on the contrary, the Hayabusa uses the same engine as found on the previous bike but heavily reworked. It also features slightly new styling, a comprehensive electronics package and the ability to go really faaaast (that’s not new, is it?).
The third-gen ’Busa bike gets a lot in terms of styling updates and such but it still retains all the elements that make it unmistakably Hayabusa. It still gets the beefy fairing, that has been reworked with aerodynamics in mind. It is also built to better encompass the rider and reduce the turbulence felt around the rider’s legs. The headlamp unit is new and has a striking resemblance to the unit found on the GSX-R1000R. The bike also features an integrated DRL/turn signal light but that feature hasn’t made it to India, sigh! The rear end is also all-new with a split LED tail light setup. The Kanji (Japanese text) on the fairing has also been reworked.
As mentioned earlier, no forced-induction or six-cylinder engine here. It features the same 1340cc, inline-four mill, that has stood the test of time, but it has been heavily reworked. Changes to the engine include new connecting rods, a new piston design, new fuel injectors and a redesigned exhaust system to name a few. Suzuki claims ‘more usable power in the 5000-6000rpm range’, which translates to a more potent mid-range. In terms of power output, Suzuki hasn't tried to extract crazy figures from the engine (relatively speaking). The engine is good for 187.7bhp at 9700rpm and 150Nm at 7000rpm. Even when it comes to top-speed, the 299kmph restricted top-speed remains unchanged (courtesy the gentleman’s agreement) but Suzuki have tried to enhance the experience of the way the ’Busa accelerates to its top speed.
The frame and subframe on the third-gen Hayabusa have been redesigned and Suzuki claims that this will improve handling. Braking on the new bike now comes courtesy of top-drawer Brembo Stylema calipers mounted on twin 320mm discs on the front and a single-piston caliper at the rear. The bike is suspended on 43mm KYB USDs with adjustable spring preload, compression damping and rebound damping. The KYB link-type monoshock is also fully-adjustable. The Hayabusa is running Bridgestone Battlax Hypersport S22 tyres which has been specifically developed for the bike. The bike with its 20-litre fuel tank and all other fluids topped, tips the scales at 264kg
The biggest change on the Hayabusa when comparing it to its predecessor comes in the electronics department. It has gotten a comprehensive overhaul and the Hayabusa now features all the electronics you would find on a modern litre-class superbike. It gets power modes with different maps, IMU based lean-sensitive electronics, bi-directional quickshifter with modes, anti-lift control, launch control, engine braking control, ABS and traction control that are all adjustable.
You can book your Hayabusa for a token amount of Rs 1 lakh on Suzuki's website. The new Hayabusa has been a long time coming and whether or not it is a worthy upgrade over the outgoing Hayabusa remains to be seen. But from the spec-sheet, the ’Busa seems to make a strong enough case for itself.