Sporty – 12,000 km in Hayabusa – Used SUZUKI

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12,000 km in Hayabusa

Sporty - 12,000 km in Hayabusa - Used SUZUKI

Appeared in 1999 as a UFO blithely crossing the 300 km / h mark, the Suzuki GSX 1300 R Hayabusa remains today one of the few motorcycles never fundamentally overhauled by its manufacturer since its release. Long-term test.

12,364: this is the number of kilometers driven on a 2003 GSX 1300 R for this long-term test. Appeared in 1999 as a UFO blithely crossing the 300 km / h mark, the Suzuki GSX 1300 R Hayabusa remains today one of the few motorcycles never fundamentally overhauled by its manufacturer since its release. Improved, yes, variegated with multiple more or less successful colors, yes, but reworked in depth, never !

Let’s get acquainted…
The 1300 cm3 boiler developed specifically for this machine remains today a special case in the world of very large engines "general public".

Road? Hypersport? Machine unusable on the road? One thing is certain: with its 220 kg empty, it is better not to measure 1m50 for 40 kg because otherwise the "nozzle" risks becoming unmanageable very quickly! The very imposing fairing offers unstoppable protection against the air, the result of very long hours of study in the wind tunnel. The bubble, on the other hand, quickly reveals its limits if you are taller than 1m80. Large riders will benefit from replacing it with an MRA equivalent (among others), perfectly adaptable.

Regarding the commodos, nothing to report: it’s Suzuki. Both complete and simple, they have an appreciable "warning". The starter is manual. The instrument panel mainly consists of two huge counters (tachometer and tachometer) on a black background, backlit red.

For the anecdote, since 2001, the famous graduated speedometers at 350 km / h (the first of their kind on a general public machine) have given way to a speedometer stopping at 300 km / h. Aesthetically, it doesn’t change much … But morally, the purists still haven’t recovered! Note that the Kawasaki ZX 12R, big rival of the Hayabusa, underwent the same hypocritical facelift…

The original Bridgestone BT 56s prove to be effective. Indeed, among the rare mounting models approved for this type of machine, the BT 56 is certainly the most versatile and therefore the most suitable for beginners on this motorcycle. Braking, with a front six-piston caliper, is however frankly insufficient. Unless vigorously wringing the handle like a Canadian trapper, late braking with the rope will be avoided! As for the rear, it could ultimately serve as a retarder, but no more. We can therefore first change the couple hoses + pads, but to go further it will be necessary to consider a complete change of the system, with in addition master cylinder + calipers, or even full discs. Efficient, but expensive…

Finally, note that the Hayabusa is delivered as standard with a seat backrest, a grab handle and a passenger seat. It’s up to you to choose the configuration suited to your driving style. The saddle is comfortable and the duo is excellent, enough to cut down several hundred kilometers without the slightest stiffness. The rider’s wrists are not put to much use either, thanks to a half-sport, half-road driving position.

And it rolls ?
Certainly ! With 11.6 Nm of torque (!) Spread over 11,500 laps before the red zone, Suzuki delivers a full engine over its entire operating range. Again, we are therefore more in a road configuration than really hypersport, where the power is often only high in the towers. Here, we start again without problem in 6th on a trickle of gas at 2000 laps. Clutch and gearbox flexible, precise, optimal foot position: no complaints about the steering. The steering is based on an inverted fork 43 mm in diameter with a copper treatment of the most beautiful effect. It is assisted by a standard steering damper. The handling is easy, but don’t count on squeezing between the cars, this is not a Vespa! In addition, the engine, by its rapid overheating (compensated by a fan which activates very – too? – early, will remind you that it still needs to swallow a mile to express itself. Finally, experience shows that a 10,000 km Hayabusa heats up slower than a new one.

The comfort of the Hayabusa should not, however, make people forget its diabolical character: 175 hp in free version and a world speed record set at over 357 km / h on a Hayabusa turbo in 2002 by Nicolas Brisset … km / h (on the German autobahn of course!), the engine just purrs quietly at 6,700 rpm! The two large pots provide a pleasant and muffled noise, although an Akrapovic line can optimize the efficiency at the outlet of the manifold, thanks to a 4 in 2 specially developed for the Hayabusa.

Faced with the hypersports of the market (GSX-R 1000, R1, RSV 1000, etc.), the Hayabusa will be systematically dropped off at the standing start, due to its weight and the reaction time of its too sluggish low engine in the laps. . However, on the slightest straight line, the GSX 1300 R catches up with everything that rolls on this planet, like a rocket: heavy to launch, but past 250 km / h, do not expect to see it elsewhere than (far) in front of you! And pay attention to your license: the free version can reach 250 km / h without any problem and even reserves an additional 50 to 80 km / h (speedometer)…

So is it just a circuit machine? Within the limits on the road, the Hayabusa consumes around 6 liters per 100, for a range of 250 km. By engaging the sport mode, it will swallow more than 8 liters per 100 and will force you to look for a station every 200 km !

On wet roads, there are no stability problems with the original equipment. Be careful, however, when braking, which you tend to squeeze for lack of bite and quite simply efficiency. But by dint of spinning, you end up blocking the front, which is not necessarily the most pleasant for those who are not professional balancing act…

Big bike for big wallet
In the 12,000 km driven during this test, the Hayabusa cost us three rear tires. These rarely last more than 4,500 km, given the colossal torque that drives the 190/50 roll. Up front, he can hold 10,000 km for the more careful. In "track" use, you almost fall for a single use, which is by no means specific to the Hayabusa but applies to all large cars with soft tires.

The revisions were made every 6,000 km, in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, in addition to the first visit of the 1,000 km. They cost a total of 850 euros (77 euros to the revision of 1000 and 175 euros to that of 6000, plus 200 euros for each change of rear tire). A change of hose + pads costs 170 euros. Listed new at € 13,274 public price, the Hayabusa can be traded around € 12,000 with front + rear luggage + high bubble (excluding registration fees, various taxes, registration fees, etc.).

It is undoubtedly one of the most expensive motorcycles on the market to date in the road category. Timeless, atypical, definitely set apart in the world of motorcycles, the Hayabusa remains a rocket recommended for experienced riders – or at the very least savvy and aware! The site unfortunately deplores a regular number of flights, most often "orders" to foreign destinations. Suzuki deserves credit for having dared to design a unique motorcycle, not necessarily profitable for the Japanese firm (less than 500 copies are sold in France each year), but which remains the spearhead of a passionate conception of the motorcycle: unreasonable, expensive, enjoyable, capricious, emblematic … and mythical !

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