Earlier this year, the Suzuki Hayabusa was discontinued in European countries as it didn’t comply with Euro 4 emission norms. This confirmed earlier rumours that the Japanese manufacturer was working on an updated Hayabusa, of which, more concrete details are now slowly starting to emerge.
The latest bit of info comes in the being in the form of a patent for a gear position sensor, images of which also reveal the frame, engine and some more changes. Sources claim that the frame is more advanced and lighter than the one on the outgoing model and that the engine is a larger version of the 1,340cc four-cylinder motor on the current gen-Hayabusa.
More importantly, the patent image indicates that bike will use a conventional gearbox, with a gear lever spindle seen. However, another set of similar images that surfaced online earlier in the year showed a more complicated DCT (dual-clutch) gearbox. What this exactly means can only be speculated for now, and we could see the next-gen Hayabusa available with two different gearbox options.
These aren't the only updates expected for the Hayabusa, and there’s still a lot of debate about what changes the engine will undergo. Suzuki will be looking to take the Hayabusa back to the top of the game, which indicates that it will come packed with features that enable it to take on rivals like the Kawasaki ZX-14R. This includes a comprehensive electronic package that will include ride-by-wire, multiple ride modes, multi-level traction control, IMU, cornering ABS and wheelie control.
2019 marks two decades since the Busa first came into existence and while launching the bike this year would have been symbolic, it’s unlikely to happen. We could only see the bike in the flesh sometime next year.
IMAGE CREDIT: Auto By
Rishaad Mody
Azaman Chothia
