2021 Suzuki Hayabusa: What To Expect?

The Peregrine Falcon is all set to take flight on February 5

[UPDATE: The 2021 Suzuki Hayabusa has been unveiled. To read about the styling, engine and features, read this story]

It would be hard to find a soul who wouldn’t have heard of the Suzuki GX1300R or the Hayabusa. Afterall, it was the first bike to breach the 300kmph mark. Despite being around for two decades, Suzuki barely fiddled with the bike’s aesthetics or the internals. But with the stringent emission norms tightening its noose, the Japanese brand pulled the plug on the bike in 2018 in the European market but continued to sell the bike here in India until last year. Now, the Peregrine Falcon is all set to make a comeback on February 5 and here’s what you could expect from the bike:

Will The Hayabusa Lose The Iconic Design?
The Hayabusa’s design was largely dictated by the extensive wind-tunnel testing done by the Japanese firm. So effective was the design that it has been virtually the same since its inception. Going by what little the teaser shows, the bulbous look is likely to stay. The fascia could get slightly sharper styling and modern elements like LED DRLs. The teaser also gave a glimpse of the rear section, which most likely features a horizontal tail light, similar to the original 1998 model.

Is the 2021 Hayabusa Getting A Bigger Engine?
Ever since the internet was abuzz with the news of an updated Hayabusa coming, speculations of the falcon getting a bigger or even a supercharged engine were popping all over the internet. Though these possibilities cannot be ruled out completely, the chances of a supercharged engine are quite bleak, given that this is a mid-life update. The Hayabusa is likely to retain the same 1340cc, in-line four cylinder motor. While the previous motor made 195PS and 155Nm, the new model could cross the 200PS mark to reclaim its throne as the fastest production bike on sale. In fact, Suzuki had filed patents for a new exhaust system which is likely to be featured in the new Hayabusa.

What About Electronics?
The teaser showed a shot of the 2021 Suzuki Hayabusa’s console with the needle at 180mph (300kmph). It also revealed that the Hayabusa will feature a full IMU-controlled electronic suite including traction control and launch control. The display even showed lean angle, like many flagship track behemoths in the market currently.

Semi-active Suspension, Finally?
Though just a speculation, the possibility of Hayabusa getting updated hardware and a lighter chassis cannot be ruled out. Suzuki is likely to equip the bike with active suspension setup. In fact, the brand already had patents filed back in 2018 for this. As for the braking, the new Hayabusa may get the Brembo Stylema monobloc calipers to drop the anchor.

Will It Still Be (Relatively) Cheap?
Suzuki’s decision to get the Dhoom bike via the CKD route rattled the Indian market. At Rs 13.74 lakh (ex-showroom), it was the cheapest amongst the litre-class monsters. With the 2021 model, the brand could bring in the bike via the CBU route initially, taking the price to an estimated Rs 20 to Rs 22 lakh. In that case, the bike comes in the territory of the BMW S 1000 RR and the upcoming Ducati Panigale V4.