Motorcycle specifications SuzukiGSX 1300 R Hayabusa 2026 A meteor on the road

In the different worlds of motorcycling, you'll find many references over the years for trails, sports bikes, GTs, etc.... But there is one motorcycle, one name, an absolute reference for pure speed: HAYABUSA.
A name that slams like a weapon, more menacing and impetuous than its generic designation GSX 1300 R. For 20 years, HAYABUSA has been the delight of hyper-fast big-cylinder enthusiasts and more or less crazy tuners.

The last decade has seen the extinction of these sacred monsters. Gone were the^{2nd-generation} Hayabusa, the VFR 1200, and before that, the CBR 1100 XX... When it was the ZZR 1400 's turn to announce its retirement, its disappearance raised fears that no more interstellar cruisers would set their wheels on the old continent. But fortunately, Suzuki has stepped in to defend a genre that no longer exists. A reminder of a time when speed seemed like a grail.

Hope is reborn with this^3rd generation GSX 1300 R Hayabusa. The bird has undergone a facelift, and its moult is a harbinger of provocation and fury. Except that...
You may find it painful or incomprehensible. But you'll have to accept it. The Hayabusa's strength was 197 horsepower in its second life. 13 years after this evolution, the bike announces... 190 horsepower.
For the first time in its existence, and going against the conventions of this kind of bike, the Hayabusa develops less power than before. It's surprising, almost unimaginable, totally disconcerting and almost insulting: the Hayabusa, which has dominated the headlines, fuelled fantasies, smashed the speedometers and crushed the 300 km/h mark, is now toning things down!

well , let's relax, take a breath, step back and have a closer look. The raw figures show a loss of 7 bhp and half a kg. Presumably, with the bike limited to 299 km/h, Suz didn't need to pump it full of watts. The engine-makers' main concern was to fill out the big 4-cylinder engine for greater responsiveness at low and mid-range speeds. It's in this range that the torque curve becomes much rounder. This filling should give the 1300 GSX R even more muscular acceleration, despite its already copious trunk space.

To make the cylinders even bigger without increasing the displacement to 1340 cm3, the engine-makers worked on the camshafts, pistons, connecting rods , combustion chambers , exhaust manifold, etc., as well as on the cylinder head,combustion chambers, fuel rails, airboxes, exhaust manifolds and forced-air ducts.
And if we're going to get our hands dirty, we might as well optimize oil circulation, rework the gearbox, install an assisted clutch with anti-dribble, redesign the water and oil radiators, reduce the size of the injection bodies (from 44 to 43 mm), lengthen the intake pipes and modify the throttle. Finally, it becomes Ride-by-Wire.

Maybe it 's still the same block... Suz hasn't doped it up like a white-hot grenade... But the efforts are there, with an obvious quest for more fun. It seems that the Hayabusa wants to reincarnate rather than evolve. The engine is a subtle demonstration of this, while the vision of the bike supports another approach.

Suzuki's tour de force is to have completely redesigned the machine's bodywork while maintaining its stylistic identity. No part of the costume comes from the old one. However, it's immediately identifiable as a Hayabusa. That massive TGV front end, with its blinkers following the SRAD's inlets, that imposing, almost heavy profile cut for the most penetrating aerodynamics possible, that space-module rear end from a science-fiction film, and above all that impression of being able to keep the wind at bay even when stationary. We've never been able to tell whether the GSX 1300 R was beautiful or difficult - sooner or later, everyone was seized by its silhouette, ranging from fascination to amazement.

organic shapes are a thing of the past. Now it's time for tauter lines. Her protruding face inspires more dynamism. The side panels have given pride of place to the air-extraction vents, creating a very distinctive character. The bow remains just as true to its Quasimodo hump, an appendage inherited from the GSX-R line of the late '90s and an aerodynamic continuity to facilitate airflow past the rider's back. This Suz has always insisted that its rider blend into its silhouette to penetrate the elements without a moment's hesitation. The rear headlight line is much more sidereal, finishing off the threat and strength inspired by this high-ranking motorcycle. You could say that, because the adornment is more allure than luxury.

Perhaps more anecdotal, but still indicative of a complete redesign, various elements have been more or less operated by the design team. Openwork front mudguard, new 7-spoke rims, side covers under the fuel tank, redesigned symbol, reworked rear-view mirrors, openwork levers to prevent air pressure on the controls. Strangely, the hoof does not respect the genetic lineage: it no longer extends all the way to the rear wheel.

Long as a boat, the Hayabusa has not given in to the trend for streamlined, lightweight sports bikes. That's one of the main grievances we'll remember. It has never been light, whatever its generation. Not that the engine will suffer from any difficulty in propelling its 264 kilos, far from it. Just two kilos have been shaved off the new model's weight. A rather meagre balance, given that Suzuki has spared no effort on improvements, with weight gained on a series of parts.
Do the mufflers have something to do with it? Yes; although their size is even more demanding despite their almost tapered styling, the exhaust system is 2054 grams lighter - and houses additional catalytic converters.

bikes in this class have never been light; none has ever weighed less than 250 kilos. The Hayabusa has remained close to the stoutness of a ZZR 1400, but is less taxing on the scales. let's stay curious, and find out where the weight has been shaved off. In the connecting rods, the pistons, the rear buckle (-700g) and the brake calipers.

The biggest GSX R isn't just a ground-to-ground rocket. It has always been considered a formidable tourer too. It takes a further step towards comfort by mounting its half-handlebars on silentblocs and setting them back 12 mm. With a little less weight on the front, the riding position will be a little less tiring. Suz also promises extra manoeuvrability and greater freedom of movement for the rider.

It' s not designed to use the slider. It doesn't fight the same battles as the hypersports that have become more powerful than it. When the wind whistles behind its breath, its serenity is palpable. The chassis has been designed with this in mind, and improved in certain respects. The rear suspension and lightened exhausts change the weight distribution, settling on the perfect 50/50 balance. Suspension is still the same KYB elements, i.e. a 43 mm upside-down fork and monoshock. The internal parts of the fork tubes have been modified for better absorption. The shock absorber has also been redesigned for greater comfort and stability. Both are fully adjustable.
Suzuki could have taken advantage of this renaissance to introduce pilot-controlled suspensions. The Hayabusa and its on-road capabilities would be an excellent recipient for this type of technology. Not so. The Hamamatsu brand still refuses to equip its models with this technology, unlike most other manufacturers.

No variations are reported for the frame. This is one heck of a piece of aluminum, built in the great tradition of big sportbikes with its double-spar perimeter layout. No mention of the reinforced swingarm either.
The brakes are not as durable. Mass (M) x velocity (C) equals a huge amount of energy (E) that will have to be evacuated sooner or later. Quite a job for the Stylema supplied by Brembo. These 4-piston monobloc jaws are at the top of the Italian brand's range. The associated discs are 10 mm larger, reaching a diameter of 320 mm.

tires will be at the forefront of the 4-cylinder assault. Once again, Suzuki has chosen Bridgestone for the boots - the Japanese manufacturer already equipped the first Buse. The Hypersport S22-type casings will be vigorously used, in the usual 120/70 and 190/50 sizes for this segment. Once the 20-liter tank has been emptied, they'll be able to take a breather, and then the rubber will take another beating. Will they scream under the savagery of the mechanics? Will they shred or slide as they come out of a corner with plenty of grip? Not at all, because Miss 1300 has had its fill of processors.

When the Japanese falcon first came out, its only electronics was fuel injection. ABS wasn't even worth thinking about - we had to wait until 2013 to get it. Then came a choice of 3 injection maps with S-DMS. Suffice it to say that in today's high-tech, silicon-pierced world, Granny Busa was totally out of touch with electronic assistants. Some might say "so what?

The gap has now been bridged with a major overhaul. It's a big slice of the pie, backed up by a novelty that's unheard of alongside the multiple layers of assistances:

- the S-DMS is replaced by the Power Mode Selector. Three engine mappings for either direct throttle response (1); or a more linear distribution with the same maximum horsepower; or a very gentle curve (3) with maximum power cut almost in half.
- An IMU inertial unit optimizes power assist responsiveness.
- An active Up&Down shifter with two settings. One racing-style, the other softer. Can be deactivated.
-a 10-step traction control system to limit rear-wheel spin, which can be deactivated.
- Anti-wheeling, also with 10 levels, can be deactivated.
- Anti-stoppie, to prevent the rear wheel from catching on your back and keep the bike level.
- 3-stage Launch Control, to optimize standing starts. The engine speed limit is 4,000 rpm in Mode 1, 6,000 rpm in Mode 2 and 8,000 rpm in Mode 3.
- Engine braking control, also in 3 levels. This prevents dribbling or lurching of the rear wheel during heavy downshifts.
- A speed limiter. Mind you, not a Pit Lane Limiter, which operates within a certain speed range for pit stops. This is for setting a speed limit on the road, just like in a car.
- To complete the package, there's also a cruise control. Active between 31 and 200 km/h. This corresponds roughly to the Hayabusa's idling and cruising speeds.
- The Driving Modes are called S-DMS Alpha. There are 3 factory-preset (A - B - C) and 3 pilot-preferred (U1 - U2 - U3).
mode A (Active) sets Power Mode to 1, Traction Control to the lowest level of intervention, same for anti-wheeling, no engine brake control and shifter in mode 1.
mode B (Basic) is more homogeneous, with Power Mode on 2, Traction Control and anti-wheeling at mid-sensitivity (5), no engine braking control and shifter on 1.
for Mode C (Comfort), everything is set to maximum prevention. Power Mode at its coolest (3), ultra-sensitive traction control and anti-wheeling (10), still no engine brake control and the shifter in mode 2.
- Combined braking system: lever action activates front and rear calipers.
- Reactive ABS for cornering, adapting braking pressure to the angle of the bike.
- Hill-start assist, with rear brake activated for 30 sec.
- Emergency Stop Signal, a kind of warning system that engages when the brakes are applied hard and suddenly
-and Suzuki's classic Easy Start System, which allows you to start the machine by simply pressing the start button. The electronic system holds the starter until it clicks.
-then there 's the Low RPM Assist. It gives a little more throttle at the start or during slow changes to avoid stalling.

Are you done? Just about. Don't forget that all the lighting is now LED, right down to the cockpit indicator. I'll save the instrument panel for last. The Hayabusa has always had this cluttered instrument panel, as corpulent as the bike itself. In this age of digital technology, is it really a challenge to keep needles, gauges, large dials and apples?
In its defense, the style of the instrumentation remains faithful to its origins. The whole has been refined and embellished, and for nostalgics like me, it's a pleasure to see the little stems rushing to the right.
Suzuk' couldn't pass up a little surprise. Especially since the plethora of electronics means you have to display a lot of stuff. Between the rev counter and the tachometer, a small TFT screen makes its entrance. On contact, it pays homage to the Kanji Hayabusa, then displays assist settings and a host of other information. Angle measurement, brake pressure , acceleration rate, clock, gear engaged, fuel consumption, voltmeter, speed, range, temperature... There's too much.

Let there be no mistake. It's not just a new GSX 1300 R, but a major overhaul. The engine and chassis have been improved, but they're not new. In the pot, the manufacturer has mixed the drivetrain, the frame and the suspensions, and then half-cooked the ingredients to bring them up to date. Don't let it cool, add the big sauce to liven things up and serve it up at hurricane speed.

this Hayabusa III won't shake things up as much as the first generation. Since then, the Ninja H2 and Panigale V4R have set new benchmarks for mechanical madness(although not in the same league). But it has all the hallmarks of a high-speed road lord, only better. Is riding such a machine still conceivable today? Absolutely not. Which makes it even more indispensable than before. Dreams, fantasies, the forbidden, excess, a grand salute to rigid, frigid conventions - that's the Hayabusa!

M.B - Manufacturer's photos