5 + 14 April 2009 – 2nd Gen Suzuki Hayabusa long term review – Part 13

5 April 2009

Since the last update (so long ago) I’ve managed to get a track session in. The experience on the track is something that everyone should do at least once in their motorcycling life. It doesn’t matter what sort of motorcycle you ride it’s the experience that’s most important.

There weren’t too many riders at my session but enough to accomplish what I was there for. Basically to follow my mate’s modifications to a CBR1000RR could accomplish – but more on that later.

A stock standard Hayabusa on a track is still ultimately soft. It’s been many years since I last took the 1st generation Hayabusa on the track but I left with a similar impression in this regard. That said, the handling feel and braking has improved from what I remembered. What I thought (and confirm) was really obvious was that in gear speed times were better than the original. It really goes in that familiar Hayabusa brick wall fashion but with a bigger wall pushing you along… You just don’t realise how fast it is until you realise that other bikes cannot keep in the straight. (Due to the hardness of the initial suspension setup I am guessing that if I turned up the pre-loads it could get quite responsive.)

That said, it all stops when you reach the first corner. Unless you’re skilled it is best to brake early. Sure it still inspired confidence… definitely better than the original – it just requires a better rider than myself to do it. Anyway overall without a side by side comparison it’s just my feelings on the day.

So that latest version is definitely better than the original, still handles really well on the track faster in gear performance and brakes better. Nothing new – which is why I’m running out of inspiration for things to write about the new one!

Next week or so I’ll write up about what I noticed on the track on a modded bike vs a smaller capacity bike. It was very interesting.

14 April 2009

You’d expect that a modified real sports bike on the track would be hard to beat. Well you’d be wrong! You see these bikes are designed to be the ultimate from the factory for the average motorcycle rider. Any more power or suspension setting without consideration for factors like gearing ratios, tyres, suspension set up and of the rider skill and the list goes on your faced with a situation that requires an experienced and skilled technician to get it right!