Retro Quick Spin – Suzuki Hayabusa Gen 1

IT’S A LITTLE staggering to think there are people now getting their motorcycle licences who were born about the time pictures of the Suzuki Hayabusa first started appearing in late 1998 ahead of its 1999 launch.

You had to be there to fully appreciate the visual and cultural shock these things represented. The organic curves – designed with the aid of a wind tunnel – were a head-spinner, reminding me of that famous description of Arnold Schwarzenegger in his prime: looking like a condom full of walnuts.

Then there was the small matter of power and speed. A 132kW motorcycle (Honda’s Blackbird claimed 122) was enough to get your attention, as was the verifiable top speed of 310km/h-plus. And yes, AMCN did test that at Avalon airport. Then staffer Martin Port discovered that removing the knee scrapers from his leathers was worth an extra few km/h. That drove home just how critical aerodynamics are.

Sub-10 second quarter miles were in reach and that top speed was enough to crown it fastest production motorcycle of the 20th century.

The entire effort was perhaps lacking in subtlety. Even the model name was a jab at Honda whose Blackbird was named after the Lockheed SR-71 spy plane. Suzuki went for Hayabusa, which is a Peregrine falcon famed for diving on its prey at 300km/h-plus velocities and, by the way, has the feathered variety of Blackbirds for lunch. Never say they don’t have a sense of humour over at Hamamatsu.

The chassis is based around a twin-spar alloy design with USD front fork and monoshock rear. In the engine department you have a DOHC liquid-cooled, fuel-injected in-line four with four valves per cylinder. That’s matched to a six- speed transmission via a wet multi-plate clutch.

The Hayabusa is a pretty civilised ride. Compared to a Blackbird (which was its nearest competitor in the day) it’s got a little more attitude and isn’t as smooth. It does have a much better pillion set-up with a broader seat hidden under that giant hump and bigger handles.

Power is pretty much everywhere, while acceleration up top will pin your ears back.

Even now it will hold its own on the road. Fuel consumption is decent – around 6.25L per 100km at something resembling legal highway speeds.

These are – particularly by current sports standards – long and heavy motorcycles. On the upside, that makes them very good long- distance companions. The downside? They are a handful in tight and twisty terrain. Fun, but a little ponderous.

Steering effort is medium and it’s accurate enough, though a little persuasion is needed to get them changing line. If you want to get it steering like a GSX-R, either buy a GSX-R or consider swapping the rear shock links for something shorter, which kicks up the rear end.

By Guy Allen