Photo: Suzuki
No matter how you look at it, the Suzuki Hayabusa is one of the most extreme production motorcycles out there. Having established what to expect from it right from the get-go, the mighty sport machine is now celebrating its 25th anniversary with a special edition model that's actually only mildly special. But who needs more than what's already offered by the Hayabusa?
It was back in 1999 when the Suzuki machine was shown for the first time, in Germany, and unlike most motorcycles of its kind, which get presented during crowded photoshoots and media events, this one immediately took to the track.
Not only did it do that, but it instantly became the world's fastest production motorcycle. It sped past the 194 mph (312 kph) mark, instantly claiming the title and breaking the previous record by the highest margin recorded - 14 mph (23 kph).
Since that time, the Hayabusa slowly rose to become Suzuki's flagship two-wheeler. Now, 25 years after its introduction, the model is still around, alive and kicking, and offered in only three visual packages. Well, four, thanks to the 25th anniversary model presented at the end of last week.
If you were expecting some great changes for the Hayabusa meant to celebrate all the others before it, think again. You don't mess with perfection, so mechanically the bike is the same as it's ever been: a 1,340cc inline-four liquid-cooled engine hidden under the massive body panels, a twin-spar aluminum frame and swingarm to hold the machine together, and Brembo braking hardware, just to name the most important bits.
But you can mess with the visuals, as a means to make the bike stand out for what it is, a very special model. Whereas in the case of the series Hayabusas the color schemes for 2023 include combinations of black, gray, white, blue, and only a touch of red, the Suzuki Hayabusa 25th Anniversary sports a lot more red in places not used before, mixed with black everywhere else.
Special decals can be seen on the sides of the ride, but also on the fuel tank, while the drive chain features the Hayabusa Kanji logo. Gold is discreetly placed on the inner brake rotor and chain adjuster, and a 25th anniversary logo has been placed on the muffler. As standard, the bike will come with a single-seat cowl (except for the version that will be sold on the Japanese market).
The normal Hayabusa presently sells in 48 countries, and so will the 25th anniversary model. The bike will be available for order from July, but pricing for it has not yet been disclosed. For reference, a normal Hayabusa starts at $18,799.
Just to give you a taste of how successful the bike has been since its introduction, consider the fact 200,000 of them have been ordered so far and are presently roaming the streets of the world. That means it's likely we’ll see a lot of these new red devils doing the same.
Not only did it do that, but it instantly became the world's fastest production motorcycle. It sped past the 194 mph (312 kph) mark, instantly claiming the title and breaking the previous record by the highest margin recorded - 14 mph (23 kph).
Since that time, the Hayabusa slowly rose to become Suzuki's flagship two-wheeler. Now, 25 years after its introduction, the model is still around, alive and kicking, and offered in only three visual packages. Well, four, thanks to the 25th anniversary model presented at the end of last week.
If you were expecting some great changes for the Hayabusa meant to celebrate all the others before it, think again. You don't mess with perfection, so mechanically the bike is the same as it's ever been: a 1,340cc inline-four liquid-cooled engine hidden under the massive body panels, a twin-spar aluminum frame and swingarm to hold the machine together, and Brembo braking hardware, just to name the most important bits.
But you can mess with the visuals, as a means to make the bike stand out for what it is, a very special model. Whereas in the case of the series Hayabusas the color schemes for 2023 include combinations of black, gray, white, blue, and only a touch of red, the Suzuki Hayabusa 25th Anniversary sports a lot more red in places not used before, mixed with black everywhere else.
Special decals can be seen on the sides of the ride, but also on the fuel tank, while the drive chain features the Hayabusa Kanji logo. Gold is discreetly placed on the inner brake rotor and chain adjuster, and a 25th anniversary logo has been placed on the muffler. As standard, the bike will come with a single-seat cowl (except for the version that will be sold on the Japanese market).
The normal Hayabusa presently sells in 48 countries, and so will the 25th anniversary model. The bike will be available for order from July, but pricing for it has not yet been disclosed. For reference, a normal Hayabusa starts at $18,799.
Just to give you a taste of how successful the bike has been since its introduction, consider the fact 200,000 of them have been ordered so far and are presently roaming the streets of the world. That means it's likely we’ll see a lot of these new red devils doing the same.
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