2022 Suzuki Hayabusa Launch Review

While Phillip Island’s fickle weather gods were up to their usual antics, the conditions couldn’t have been better to showcase the advances of the new 2022 Suzuki Hayabusa.

My first session on the hallowed GP circuit was aboard the now superseded second-gen machine and, on a wet track, every corner was fraught with trepidation as the big ’Busa struggled to find traction.

I have an affection for the Hayabusa that spans many years and many great rides, but hopping onto the new machine was still a revelation – and not just because the 2022 Suzuki Hayabusa is packed full of the latest safety tech…

My time aboard the new 2022 Suzuki Hayabusa was fairly brief – three sessions at a public track day at Phillip Island, followed by a day on the road in Mad Max country to Melbourne’s west. The latter seemed appropriate given the long country straights and the bike’s black paint and post-apocalyptic looks.

The reason why our first taste was so short was because, at the time of writing, the bike before you was the only example of the new 2022 Suzuki Hayabusa in the country, and likely the only one in the Southern Hemisphere. When you’re sharing that bike with a select couple of other media outlets, at a track day plagued with intermittent showers, it adds a definite edge to proceedings (i.e. just don’t stuff up!).

Our test bike was a British-spec example brought to Australia as a special import for marketing evaluation, so we were ‘chaperoned’ by Suzuki Australia’s motorcycle marketing manager, Lewis Croft, and the dominant speedo calibrations were in miles per hour.

The release of the 2022 Suzuki Hayabusa, or GSX1300RRQM2 to get all formal, may have been delayed by COVID-19, but Lewis told us demand for the new model is incredibly strong.

“Our first shipment of 60 bikes will get here in July, and of those, 51 are already sold,” he said. “A second shipment of 30 bikes is due in August, but we’re expecting those to go quickly too.”

So what’s all the fuss about? Let’s take a look…

Related reading:
New Suzuki Hayabusa set to soar
2022 Suzuki Hayabusa: Seven swift facts
New Gen III 2022 Suzuki Hayabusa revealed
2020 Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa Review

While you can read more about the storied history of the Suzuki Hayabusa in my review of the 2020 model, this third-generation machine takes the same essential formula and adds a host of revisions, updates and improvements.

The 1340cc inline four-cylinder engine continues but is now Euro 5 compliant, but that’s only part of the story. The capacity remains the same but hundreds of changes have been made, combining to increase durability, boost power and torque through low to mid-range engine speeds, and refine power delivery.

The bike’s peak output has actually dropped marginally from the out-going model – by 7hp and 5Nm – but Suzuki says the bike ‘is capable of outpacing its predecessors in most daily situations’, while it retains the same (limited) top speed of 299km/h and the same quarter-mile time. In any case, the new model’s 190hp (140kW) at 9700rpm and 150Nm at 7000rpm is nothing to be sniffed at.

The aluminium twin-spar chassis and the swingarm also carry over, but small tweaks have been made to the steering geometry and rider ergonomics. There’s 5mm more ground clearance, a 5mm lower seat, and a 5mm shorter wheelbase, while the clip-ons are now 12mm further back towards the rider.

The fully adjustable KYB suspension continues, but Suzuki says it has ‘revised the internal structure’ of both the 43mm inverted fork and the rear monoshock.

Wet weight is down 2kg but the stated tank capacity has shrunk from 21lt to 20lt – probably the result of an increase in airbox capacity. The bike’s entire ‘breathing apparatus’ has changed – new ram air intakes, new airbox, new dual injectors and an updated exhaust system – while the throttle is now a ride-by-wire system.

Larger 320mm front brake rotors are now gripped by Brembo Stylema radial-mount calipers, while the standard-fitment Bridgestone Battlax Hypersport S22 tyres are updated and designed exclusively for the new Hayabusa (although our test bike was shod with Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SPs).

The biggest single change concerns the 2022 Suzuki Hayabusa’s new tech, and especially safety tech. The arrival of the brand’s Suzuki Intelligent Ride System brings a host of electronic smarts, most made possible by the arrival of a Bosch six-axis Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU). Features include:

• Suzuki Drive Mode Selector Alpha. Six ride modes – three pre-set modes and three custom
• Cornering ABS
• Traction control (10 modes plus 'off')
• Power mode selector (3 modes)
• Wheelie control (10 modes plus 'off')
• Engine brake control (3 modes plus 'off')
• Launch control (3 modes)
• Speed limiter (allows the rider to set the bike’s maximum permissible speed)
• Electronic cruise control
• Bi-directional quick-shifter
• Rear wheel lift mitigation
• Hill holder (holds the bike stationary when starting on an incline)
• Emergency stop signal (which flashes the taillight and all indicators under severe braking)

Then there’s a new instrument design, now with a TFT display between the Hayabusa’s traditional analogue dials, a full LED lighting package (with integrated indicators and position lights), and refreshed styling, with our test bike capped off by the new factory pillion seat cowl ($299).

That lot helps push the price of the 2022 Suzuki Hayabusa to $27,690 ride away – a hefty $8200 increase. And while this update is extensive, it doesn’t include increasingly common features like electronic suspension, keyless starting, a USB outlet, Bluetooth connectivity, or a partner smartphone app.

After my sketchy first session, I was somewhat relieved to have all those safety systems on the new model. I’m more a road rider these days than a track-day regular and I hadn’t ridden at the Island in several years, so I appreciated the added confidence provided by this electronic safety net.

And while the track eventually dried out, I gave a silent word of thanks every time I saw the little ‘TC’ (traction control) warning light winking – which was on most corners.

For a bike that, on paper and in terms of looks, doesn’t appear to have undergone massive change, the difference in the ride between old and new is stark.

The connection between bike and rider is somehow more visceral – the link between brain, wrist and back wheel is more communicative than ever before, and the engine feels appreciably more refined. The old bike had a bit of a raspy edge to it, but the new Hayabusa has next to no vibration.

And while Suzuki hasn’t made a big deal about the suspension, other than to say it’s ‘optimised’, the big ‘Busa steers beautifully and feels incredibly planted. It holds a rock-solid line and goes exactly where you point it, although, being on the heavier side, it’s not as nimble as a pure sportsbike.

But its high level of stability at any speed simply inspires confidence, and that confidence is further enhanced by the new electronics. The pre-set ride modes all lend the bike an appreciably different character, while the three ‘User’ modes offer a heap of flexibility to tailor its performance.

I’m a huge fan of the new brake set-up; these Brembo Stylema calipers offer an incredible amount of feel, power and precision. It’s now a partially linked system too: squeezing the front level also delivers some braking at the rear, while the rear brake is independent.

The only detractor for me on the track was that, as a bigger bloke (6ft 2in/188cm), I sometimes struggled a little with the compact legroom, which made it tricky to get my feet appropriately tucked up on the pegs. Oh, and the quick-shifter is really sensitive – it’s easy to accidentally bump yourself into another gear, although you do get a choice of settings.

And did I miss that 7hp and 5Nm compared to the old bike? Not one bit – the new 2022 Suzuki Hayabusa is still blisteringly fast, with massive power and torque just about all the way to its 11,500rpm rev-limiter. Personally, I’d take extra mid-range over extra top-end any day of the week…

It may be capable of insane speed but most Hayabusas will spend most of their time on the road, complete with bumps and potholes. And police.

But it was on the road where the newie’s suspension and fancy tech features really shined. While the chassis and suspension combo worked a treat on the track, it also delivered over some fairly crappy roads north of Geelong, taking the sting out of all but the biggest bumps and dips.

The arrival of electronic cruise control and a speed limiter will save untold numbers of demerit points, and Suzuki claims its Active Speed Limiter is a first for the motorcycle industry. One eagle-eyed bikesales reader alerted us to the fact that MV Agusta had a speed limiter on its F3 as early as 2012, but Suzuki's system differs in that it can be overridden if necessary by a quick twist of the throttle. It’s a handy feature, especially on a bike with this sort of performance.

Ergonomically speaking, the new Hayabusa is pretty accommodating. The seat height is low and despite the fact the ‘bars are now 12mm further back, there’s still plenty of room to duck your head down behind the screen. That screen doesn’t obscure the tops of the instruments when sitting up like the old one did, either.

This engine is so torquey; pick a gear, any gear, and twist that throttle to engage hyperdrive. It’s a big, lazy mill too – at 100km/h in sixth the engine is ticking over at just 3100rpm. Oh, and it nearly cracks the old ton (100mph, or 160km/h), in first gear!

As for gripes, well, it’s clearly a big price hike, and the fact there’s no Bluetooth connectivity (or smartphone app) seems like an oversight for this sort of money. Ditto electronic suspension. And the TFT display is on the small side, although the menu system is easy enough to use once you’ve got your head around it (though it’s not exactly intuitive).

And the jury is out on fuel economy. After about 130km on the road the trip computer was reading 6.5L/100km (43.3 miles per gallon, actually). That’s 15.4km/lt, or a safe range of 280km from the 20lt tank. Suzuki says fuel consumption has increased from 5.7L/100km to 6.7L/100km, but we’ll need a thorough high-mileage review before we have a solid figure.

The Suzuki Hayabusa enjoys cult status among its legion devotees, of which there are many – Suzuki says it’s sold over 189,000 examples of the first two generations combined. This update may be long overdue but it’s been worth the wait, with the new model now smarter and substantially more sophisticated.

Granted, it’s no longer the bargain buy it once was, but riding new Gen III 2022 Suzuki Hayabusa is something every rider should experience. This formidable ‘bird of prey’ is now set to soar even higher…

ENGINE
Type: Liquid-cooled, 16-valve, in-line four-cylinder
Capacity: 1340cc
Bore x stroke: 81mm x 65mm
Compression ratio: 12.5:1
Fuel system: Electronic fuel injection

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six-speed
Final drive: Chain
Clutch: Wet

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame type: Aluminium twin-spar
Front suspension: 43mm upside-down Kayaba fork, fully adjustable
Rear suspension: Kayaba monoshock, fully adjustable
Front brakes: Twin 320mm discs with Brembo four-piston radial Stylema calipers, ABS equipped
Rear brakes: Single disc, with Tokico single-piston caliper, ABS equipped
Wheels: Cast aluminium, front 3.50 x 17, rear 6.00 x 17
Tyres: Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP, front 120/70-17, rear 190/50-17

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Claimed wet weight: 264kg
Seat height: 800mm
Wheelbase: 1480mm
Ground clearance: 125mm
Fuel capacity: 20 litres

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 190hp (140kW) at 9700rpm
Claimed maximum torque: 150Nm at 7000rpm

OTHER STUFF
Price: $27,690 ride away
Colours: Glass Sparkle Black/Candy Burnt Gold or Metallic Matte Sword Silver/Candy Daring Red
Bike supplied by: Suzuki Australia, www.suzukimotorcycles.com.au
Warranty: 24 months, unlimited kilometres