Suzuki Gsx1300r Hayabusa

SUZUKI GSX1300R Hayabusa

More powerful than a locomotive, faster than a speeding bullet

DON CANET

CW RIDING IMPRESSION

MY FOCUS WAS FIXED ON the taillight of the bike 50 yards ahead as cars and trucks flashed through my periphery at a mind-numbing rate of closure. The crazy thing,is these European motorists were traveling in the same direction as me, and weren’t exactly poking along in the slow lane. It’s amazing how the gentle bends of a three-lane expressway take on a whole new dimension at speeds in excess of 180 mph.

After 30 seconds or so of hyper-drive, backing off to cruise at a buck-fifty felt tranquil by comparison.

As miles of road rapidly evaporated, my visits to the uppermost reaches of top gear grew less frequent.

Like a fighter pilot grunting under a high g-load, I felt my neck muscles begin to bum under the constant strain of bracing my head against the tremendous windblast.

While I may have been experiencing some discomfort, the machine didn’t complain in the least. Slicing through the air at insane velocities is something the new Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa does like no other production bike I’ve ever ridden. Not only can it achieve surreal speed, it continues to accelerate when most Open-classers are struggling to squeak out those last few mph.

Said to have been inspired by the aerodynamic qualities of ird of prey, the Hayabusa (Japanese for "falcon") looks poised to make a meal of Honda's XX Blackbird. Its wind-tunnel-developed shape and distinc tive headlamp array, in particular, remind me of a high-speed bullet train. Beneath the bodywork pumps the heart of a loco motive, and by all early indications, the GSX1300R appears to have relegated Kawasaki's ZX-1 1 to caboose status.

Does America really need a bike this fast? Probably not, but when you experience the mounds of torque and rush of acceleration through the lower gears, the Hayabusa's top speed potential is viewed merely as a bonus. It's the free item tossed into the bag at the cosmetics counter-some thing you may never use, but nice to have just the same.

My excuse for tapping into the Hayabusa's top-end per formance envelope? A matter of necessity if! were to keep sight of the lead bike piloted by Suzuki Germany's Ludwig Braun. No stranger to high-speed sprints on his homeland's famed autobahn, Mr. Braun (or "AutoBraun," as I began to call him), was our appointed street-ride guide during the Hayabusa world press launch in Barcelona, Spain. Driven by an appetite for Spanish cuisine and unadulterated speed, Ludwig wasted no time in getting us to our lunch-stop destination.

On the return trip, I motored along at a modest 70-80 mph, heeding mom’s rule to never swim or exceed the ton on a full stomach. Without the imminent concern of eating a rear bumper for dessert, I focused my attention on such matters as the lack of vibration in the mirrors, the comfort quotient of the well-padded seat and, last but not least, the decent wind protection offered by the ’Busa’s broad, sharply sloped screen.

While the Hayabusa’s 1298cc inline-Four is similar in layout to the current GSX-R750 engine, a two-piece crankcase and vibration-reducing, gear-driven counterbalancer are unique to the new model. A two-stage fuelinjection system similar to that of the TL1000R and GSXR750 also is employed on the 1300, with independent sequential injection for each cylinder, whose piston position is monitored by both crank-position and camshaftposition sensors. (The crank sensor uses eight trigger poles, rather than four as on the TL and GSX-R.) The Euro-spec bike I rode in Spain had excellent throttle response and smooth power delivery.

Ridden at normal speeds, the Hayabusa runs smoothly enough for extended sport-touring duty. A low-vibe sweet spot is centered around 4500 rpm, which registers an indicated 85 mph on the clock in sixth gear. The footpegs are rubber-covered and carry vibration-damping weights underneath, and these, combined with RF900-style rubberized handlebar mounts and hefty bar-end weights, effectively isolate the rider from any annoying buzzing. The added benefit of the exercise has allowed Suzuki engineers to solidly mount the engine in the twin-beam aluminum frame.

While straight-line speed and stability were important design goals, equal emphasis was placed on handling. Using the engine as a stressed member has kept weight in check while ensuring ample chassis rigidity. Suzuki claims the GSX1300R’s frame and swingarm are 15 percent more rigid than the GSX-R750’s. And the Kayaba suspension-a 43mm inverted fork and piggyback-reservoir shock-offers the full suit of adjustability for spring preload, compression and rebound damping front and back. The Hayabusa’s suspension calibration is well-suited to the bike’s broad mission-firm enough to offer ample feedback and control in a sport-riding environment, without sacrificing too much comfort for the long haul or the daily commute.

Since most of my time aboard the Hayabusa was spent circulating the Catalunya GP circuit outside Barcelona, I gained an appreciation for the bike’s cornering prowess. Weighing a claimed 525 pounds with a half load of fuel, the GSX1300R is no match for, say, a GSX-R750, Honda CBR900RR or Yamaha YZF-R1 in the hardcore cornering department. While its neutral steering characteristics, strong six-piston brakes and linear power all sharpen its curve-carving performance, limited cornering clearance and rear-tire grip define the envelope's edge.

In any event, ridden smoothly, the Hayabusa can be hustled around the Catalunya circuit at a surprisingly quick pace. The scratching of peg feelers became a familiar sound as the steel-tipped spikes gouged the tarmac in virtually every comer of every lap. The feelers were replaced by Suzuki mechanics following each 30-minute track session in an effort to keep the more enthusiastic journalists in check. Most everyone scraped the right-side fairing lower at some point, while I had the distinction of being the only hack to drag the left-side lower. Even then, only after wearing well into the engine cover that protrudes through an opening in the fairing. Of the 30 or so bikes on hand, it was odd that none had so much as grazed a muffler canister.

While front-tire grip was never a concern, 175 claimed horsepower certainly put the hurt on the fat 190/50ZR17 Bridgestone Battlax BT56 rear skin. In all fairness, the street-compound radiais provided a decent level of grip, and the rear was very predictable when pushed. Again, these were replaced every second session.

I found the key to turning quick lap times (3 seconds off what I cut at the same track aboard an Aprilia RSV Mille last summer) was to point and squirt off Catalunya’s slower comers. Minimizing time spent at deep lean angle by picking it up early and setting the 58.5-inch-wheelbase Hayabusa into a nice, subtle drift off the comer was not only fun, but effective. Nailing the throttle while exiting the third-gear right-hander leading onto the 2/3-mile front straight was worth several additional mph before clamping on the binders for the second-gear chicane that followed. While the straightaway was much too short to engage top gear, I saw 10,700 rpm in fifth gear. On a few occasions, the large-faced speedometer indicated a tick over 305 kilometers per hour (190 mph) before I squeezed on the brakes and resumed normal respiration.

HAYABUSA! Could this be the new battle cry for the Kawabunga crowd? At $10,499, the new Suzuki GSX1300R is priced within reach of the masses. With its quality fit and finish, striking styling and broad-based ergonomics, the new King of Speed may wear a big red “S” on its chest, but it’s got a Clark Kent side, too. What more could you ask from a Superbike for the street? □