Aryan

Mother-Ship comes to Earth - the Suzuki Hayabusa Ridden!



Text and Pictures: Aryan

I tucked in behind that beautifully designed front-fairing. I was relaxed almost as if sitting a little too comfortably on that really convenient seat. I was confident as I took off, quite literally towards traffic-less, almost a closed stretch of road. First gear was done with in the blink of an eye; second gear came up past 140km/hr. Just as I put her into third, she crossed the magical figure of 200kilometres per hour. I had to brake; not that I wanted to but I had to as the horizon which seemed at a distance a couple of seconds back, was fast approaching towards me! The massive front dual discs did their job wonderfully well, providing massive amounts of feedback while the rear brake is perfect for you to play around with (if you know what I mean). I turned around and the same craziness followed one more time.

Yes, I am pretty sure you all must have guessed by now. It is the Suzuki Hayabusa I am talking about. I was one of the few lucky mortals who got a chance to ride around a 08' Busa for almost a whole day. As a result of which, you see the following pictures and ofcourse this text which provides you all readers with a first-hand experience of how the 'mother-ship' feels like while riding on open roads as well as in our choked to death Indian roads, during peak hour traffic!



Ergonomics
As soon as I hopped on-board the 08'Busa, every last ounce of doubt that I might have had earlier regarding the mammoth size of the beast just vanished away into thin, warm air of the National Capital! It seemed so...well, I wouldn't say "small", but so manageable that I was almost taken aback. Ofcourse, if you start comparing a machine like the Busa with our desi bikes, it wouldn't stand a chance as far as the seating comfort or the maneuverability goes, but then comparing a 'legend' with our bikes would be pure and simple exploitation of the word 'comparison'.



It sure is heavy; make no qualms about it. The hefty mass of the Busa does dampen the exhilaration a little as compared to say a lightweight sportsbike but then again it hides all that weight so well, that it isn't visible or felt at all! All you have to do is just sit back at that plush seat and rely on that tremendous grunt of the engine do the work or get animated with the machine on the clear, straight stretches.


Old Fox


Old Fox




Engine
1340cc of performance the likes of which the world had never seen before it's 1998 inception - and one which, to this very day remains absolutely unequalled. Sure, there might just be the 14R waiting on the horizon to teach a lesson or two to the mothership, but seriously guys (and ofcourse girls!), nothing else even comes close to the simple, unadulterated joy that a Hayabusa's right wrist twist can give you. That torquey engine needs to be experienced to be really appreciated. Quite simply put, there is nothing quite like it. Ofcourse there are the litre class full-blown superbikes of this world with sitting stance that would make a contortionist ashamed, but in that position, you are only a stone's throw away from getting some kind of stiff muscle at some place!



Frankly speaking, I am not quite sure why Suzuki even bothered to fit the Busa with a gearbox. I mean it just doesn't matter which gear you are in or what revs that tachometer is showing. Effortless acceleration from ANY gear at ANY speed is just a twist of the right wrist away. The 08'Busa in this particular case was ridden hard, through some good, straight stretches, through some of the worst imaginable Delhi traffic and even through a little off-road (and all this with my dear pillion Kamal [xBhp ID: KoolScorp]), but that engine just didn't lose any composure at all. An important thing to note here is that the Busa's engine doesn't heat up as much as, say, an R1's mill does. I compare the Busa with the R1 in this particular place because the other 'big' bike which I have ridden is but ofcourse, the R1. The Busa did get a little too hot on a couple of occasions, but it was nowhere close to the thigh burning and blood sucking heat that the R1 produces.

As you all might already know, there are essentially three 'modes' on the 08'Busa which are quite simply named - "A mode", "B mode", and "C mode". While "A" mode is for full power, the "B" and "C" modes, in which the bike supposedly produces "less" power (which is very subjective, really) is actually MORE than enough for OUR conditions! However, the B and C mode does and will, I am sure, come in handy, on say slippery conditions. Suzuki calls it the Suzuki Drive Mode Selector; I call it a boon to people, who might not be too familiar with the brutal power of the 1340cc beast. I rode the machine on all the three modes, and found quite a lot of difference between the three modes.



I, ofcourse did not time my acceleration runs or high-speeds because I was not really inclined to test out the outright acceleration times or the top-speeds, because it is given that the bike can go. It is the rider who has to ultimately back-off because the bike just keeps on going and going and going. Plain amazing! All that speed, however, means nothing if the brakes cannot do their job well. In this case, thankfully, the Tokico calipers and the massive discs are upto their respective jobs wonderfully well. Tokico supplies the radially mounted four-piston calipers and they are powerful enough to pull the 200kgs. plus Hayabusa without any complaints whatsoever.


Old Fox



One other thing that has improved quite a lot since the inception of the Suzuki Hayabusa, is that styling. It is like a love it or hate it relationship at first glance. When the machine was first revealed in the markets, it is believed that small children started crying looking at the long and bulbous Hayabusa’s front. However, fast forward to the modern times and the Busa is one Japanese machine which certainly doesn't look dated. It's styling, I believe, has come of age. At first I was quite apprehensive of the looks of the machine, but as I spent hours on-board the machine (and off of it), I actually started to love the look of this latest model, particularly in this color scheme - white, and ofcourse the quality of the paintjob, and everything else was simply immaculate. I also showed the Busa to a few close friends of mine, and they agreed that the Busa’s looks have actually improved since the time it was first introduced. But, still, for me it remains like a “love it or hate it” relationship sort of a feeling.





The Hayabusa, world-over is looked upon as a 'sports-tourer', and rightly so. While those litre class, 1000cc, 190bhp crotch-rockets can give you all the adrenaline rush that you could ever want, the Hayabusa is relaxed; it is so relaxed in-fact that you hardly feel any stress at all even after doing 200kms. at a stretch. The engine isn't loud, it doesn't scream for attention, it doesn't say "look at me". Rather, it says "Look, I am right here!”

Ofcourse, with that astronomical price (Rs.13 odd lakhs, OTR New Delhi), it is but ofcourse out of reach of everyone but the super-rich, but at the end of the day the Suzuki Hayabusa makes you feel like a million dollars, if not more, as when aboard it, you always know you are riding something special. And it is one of the very few motorbikes out there that also makes YOU feel special in the process.




Old Fox



Lastly, talking about what us Indians just cannot do without - mileage. Well, I got 16km/litre from the Busa while riding on the city and a little on the highways. This is a pretty decent mileage figure for the kind of power that the machine generates. Actually, if you carefully think about it, the Hayabusa is really deceptive. It is a known thing that the litre class superbikes will produce tremendous amounts of acceleration and adrenaline rush, but just looking at the Busa, one cannot really make out the kind of brutal punch that it hides. It is only when you experience it; you know how much force this machine has.





Dropping the bike off to Suzuki made me feel a little sad. I had thoroughly enjoyed riding her around town the whole day. As I was leaving the premises, I looked back at the machine just for that one last look and I could see it winking back at me.

Plus Points:
1. The engine is an absolute masterpiece, from any stand-point.
2. Lovely gearbox and BEAUTIFUL clutch
3. Very very accessible performance (thanks to the drive modes)
4. Good, practical, useable pillion grab-rail
5. Relaxed, untiring ride

Minus Points:
1. I don't own one!


P.S: A special thanks goes out to Sunny and Old Fox for giving me the Busa for the day. Also, thanks to Kamal for being the brave pillion that he is, hanging on with me for the whole day, in this heat, onboard the Busa.

Last, but in NO WAY the least, thanks to Shivanshu, BI, Addy, DCS and Geetika, who inspite of their busy schedules took a few moments to come and have a look at the machine. Thank you guys.

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Text and Pictures: Old Fox


My take on the Busa:

Aryan has both, summed up and elaborated, on what riding the Hayabusa is like. I shall take up where he leaves it.

Looks: Personally, I have not really cared much about how a bike looks. A motorcycle is a functional piece of machinery and I am more bothered about how well it does the job it is supposed to do than what it looks like. And yet, no, I don't find the Busa ugly. Its form is purely built on the diktats of the wind it slices through. And THAT is beautiful to me.

Ergos: A hyper-tourer they call it. The seating and ergos are more biased towards the 'sport' category than the 'touring' one. The riding stance is as aggressive as a supersports one, though the seat is a LOT better and that for the pillion is the 'captains chair' compared to what passes off as the pillion seat on other sprotsbikes. The reach to the clip-on's is long, a tad longer than that on the One and the Blade and the distance the thumb has to rreach for the horn, turn signal and light switches is somewhat stretched. One needs to consciously reach out to them while riding and that sure is a distraction. Levers are well placed and with adjustable yawn, both for the front brake and the clutch, and so hands of any size can be accomodated.

The gear lever and rear brake pedal falls beneath the soles quite naturally. And their distance from the footpegs is just right. Not much ankle flexion is needed to operate either fully and that helps avoid joint fatigue on long runs.

The seat is comfortable, with probably space to move around a bit but the long reach to the clip-ons precludes the possibility of any such freedom. The rider is already stretched out to the limit. The limited steering lock does make U turns a chore but then it is no different from any other bike so dedicatedly built for speed.

Engine and Gearbox: Just wonderful, both of them. The engine is super-smooth, had a torque curve flatter than the Table Mountain and provides enough grunt in any of the three Drive Modes to keep the adrenalin level way up. The vibration free and 'just-cannot-be-strained' feel about the engine makes for totally stress free riding. Heat dissipation towards the rider is almost negligible compared to the R1 or even the Gixxer. The analog temp gauge went just a trifle beyond the halfway mark when riding in heavy stop and go traffic on a hot and humid summer afternoon. Comfort all the way. The R1 would have roasted and broiled its rider in similar conditions.

The gearbox is again a gem, the hydraulic clutch making a mojor contribution to that in my opinion. Repeated clutching and de-clutching in heavy traffic was not tiring and had no effect whatsoever on the clutch performance. And if this is so with a not very well cared for motorcycle that probably has been subjected to multiple burn-outs and other abuse, the design and component quality is obviously top notch.

Handling, Suspension and Braking: Felt very stable in the straight line whether at high speed or low, under hard acceleration or harder retardation. Did not have enough curves around to be taken at good speeds and anyway, worn out tyres precluded any such adventures. But within the limitations thus imposed, taking curves was a delight on so large, long and bulky a bike. It felt light and agile, totally opposed to its length, weight and bulk. Suspension also felt good though again, an apparent lack of care and abuse showed up as thumps and rattles on sharp expansion joints on the road. Brakes felt sharp, precise and immensely powerful. The long wheelbase aids stability under braking and the bike seems to tuck in and get low during hard braking. very confidence inspiring.

Aerodynamics: Beyond 70 kmph, the aerodynamics of any object in motion begin to gain strength. The Hayabusa is a machine optimized in design and nowhere is this more obvious than its aerodynamics. Mere engine power would not allow it to attain speeds that it does and remain conntrollable without drag reduction and a superlative attention to detail in its aerodynamic shape. And Even without tucking in behind the screen, a 150+ kmph is buffet-free for a large rider. As an example see the tiny dimple on the RVM stalk in the pictures below.



This tiny 'raised' C is a kind of a vortex generator that creates a small turbulent wake that in turn draws out the airflow coming off the windscreen and gets it away from the riders shoulders and helmet.







Just take a careful look at the bike in this rear three quarter view.



Each and every panel, component and piece has compound curves. The entire design is like a 'wrap-around' the engine, frame and running gear. This would be a production engineer's nightmare come true. Imagine the differing shrinkage, warping and other mechanical behavior of the myriad variety of materials that go into making the components. ABS, PP, sheet steel, Aluminium alloy, magnesium alloy etc etc.

This bike is truly a marvelous piece of engineering. Watching it pass by at high speed raises those goose pimples all over. And riding it, whether at speed high or low, makes those goose pimples last at least as long as the engine keeps running.

Perforce I also had to do some hands-on stuff on the bike while it was with me. As I have stated earlier, this very bike has been ridden by quite a few moto-journos and strangely, most riders in a bid to display their skills in handling a bike as big and powerful as the Busa, have a propensity towards preferring the simple burn-out as their choice of action. Strange. But for us, the result was a tyre worn out from the middle right upto its steel cords. The wires were showing through right around the circumfrence. I suffered a flat because of air leakage from a previously fixed puncture and this elephantine bike surely becomes an 'elephant' once punctured. I somehow managed to ride it to my office and had it safely parked. The tyre needed to be changed as it was beyond repair and incidently I had a used but in a far better condition R1 tyre (190 section, 50 aspect ratio) lying around. The issue was to remove the wheel and get the tyre replaced. With the bike on a paddock stand, I removed the rear wheel of the Busa, something I'd never done before. The wheel, the rear sprocket and the rear disc brake assembly are all mounted on the rear axle. Meaning all three come off together. Putting them back, a loose component to be aligned on either side of the heavy wheel while pushing the axle through all three, was a task not made easy by the heat and humidity. Sadly, I did not have the wit to take pictures while doing it and post them here. Aligned the chain, pumped the rear brake pedal to set the pads and the bike was ready again. Without this change of tyre, I didn't have the guts to take it beyond even a 100kph.

Summing up, if I had the moolah to spend and liked to travel around on my bike rather than taking it to the track, I would undoubtedly go in for the Busa than any other sportsbike.

OF

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goatiguru29

Superb work aryan what a log...its like a guide to pass an sbk exam..would have loved the pictures of you on it if u posted it...so its still r1 for you then
to other sbks

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No man will be a marine engineer who has contrivance enough to get himself into a jail;for being in a ship is being in jail,with a chance of being drowned.A man in a jail has more room,better food and commonly better company.

Harmeet

Awesome write up, awesome bike, awesome pics.
Great work Aryan.

Q: bike's got xbhp logo up front, does it belong to an xbhp member???

and btw, dude!! you gotta work on that watermark of urs,,,come on man urz a mod and a gud photographer now.

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MaSh

Aryan Da, where did this come from? I had no clue this was in the cards... Simply outstanding. LOVE or HATE? I Loved the looks, and everything else you have so beautifully penned....

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**MaSh**

**Work to Ride and Ride to Work**

loki

Beautiful. Instant movie star status.

vijith.unnithan

saw the same machine in one of the passion hunts .. ridden by Sunny sir... correct me if am wrong Aryan da

Sikhbiker

Shhshhshhs.... I missed it, I really wanna have a close look of the beast.

@aryan da really nicely pen down your experience, I was feeling why can't I be at your part,,,

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nand15

B-E-A-U-tiful log aryan sir , but why are there no pics of you on the bike , would have made it even better na ...



Living the SBK pain all over again ...

Raoul Black

BEAUTIFUL, really great and nicely written log. Thoroughly enjoyed reading it and looking at the pics, and great to see Suzuki lending there bikes to XBHP for review.

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Four wheels move the body. Two wheels move the soul.

doktor

just my thoughts and words , wonderfull writeup. am just getting to know my K9 black BUSA(got her last week)..its a miracle..

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