Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa: A Preview of the Phenomenon

When the first version of the Suzuki Hayabusa was launched in 1999, nobody had quite seen anything like it before. Many made fun of its shape, sculpted by cruel aerodynamics and not Italian design flair. But this was a bike that had the guts to challenge everything on the road with its screaming full throttle. Obviously, everybody wanted to ride it.

Almost ten years down the line, little has changed. Now in its second iteration, the 2008 Suzuki GSX1300R (the Busa's technical alias) remains a bike that everybody wants to ride. Add to it the fact that this was one of the first bikes to glorify sport biking with its appearance in the Bollywood blockbuster 'Dhoom', and you already have a starry eyed populace waiting for the bike.

The focus on acceleration and top speed continues with the 2008 Hayabusa, which now carries an upbored 1340cc engine. Major redesigns and technical upgrades in the engine mean that it makes 12 percent more power than its earlier version. Power figures now peg at a whopping 197PS, and a torque of 140Nm. Think about the Suzuki Swift to put the Hayabusa's might in perspective. By no means a slow car, the Swift makes less than half that power from its similar 1.3-litre engine, and weighs four times as much. That means 0-100 km/h in an estimated 2.6 seconds, and a top speed that would be northward of 300 km/h if the bike had not been electronically restricted to it. Beat those figures.

Massive? Yes. Uncontrollable? Hardly. Taking care of the massive power is a whole lot of smart electronic gimmickry, including the Suzuki Drive Mode Selector that let's you choose how much power the engine takes to the rear wheel. We'll have some deep and detailed info on the technicals of the Hayabusa soon, and that will make it clear why despite being fast-as-hell, the Busa remains one of the most preferred bikes for flat-out speed freaks worldwide.

We'll be covering the Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa in the various aspects of its brilliance over the coming week, so stay logged in to www.zigwheels.com for more, and more, and some more