| The 1299 cc inline 4-cylinder engine generating maximum power of 180 BHP drives this beast of a vehicle, the Suzuki GSX1300R, the world’s fastest motorcycle in production. Termed as a sports-tourer and not a sports bike by the company, the GSX1300R is named the Hayabusa, after the Japanese Peregrine falcon. The bird is estimated to reach top flight speeds of 300 km per hour while diving straight downwards, a direct reference to the bike’s top speed, which crosses the 186 mph mark.
The bike’s name is considered to be a direct mockery to the competing model, the CBR1100XX “Super Blackbird” from Honda; previously having the title of being the world’s fastest bike. The Peregrine falcon preys on blackbirds. The bike is modified by many of the customers with third party additions for maximizing the performance output. Certain Hayabusa models when fitted with high quality turbo-chargers have delivered speeds of up to 261 mph, the FIM 1350cc world record. The record rates the vehicle to have achieved the fastest timed two-way average delivered by an open wheeled bike.
Hayabusa is much favored among bike enthusiasts for the type of performance delivered as well as the flexibility offered for modifying the bike. Magazines issues such as ‘Cycleworld’ in June 2000, ‘Performance Bikes’ in June 2000, ‘Sportbike Magazine’ in June 2000, ‘Motorcyclist Magazine’ in June 2000, ‘Bikenet Online’, ‘Bike Magazine – UK’ in May 2000, and others around the world have performed extensive tests and difficult maneuvers, non of which the bike failed. Since the advent of Japanese law, for protecting the lives of enthusiast drivers, the bike’s top speed is physically limited to 185 mph by the company. |
