Suzuki has been making their Hayabusa bike for years now. However, they ran into complications when Europe decided to tighten its regulations for emissions, and the Hayabusa no longer met those regulations.
Suzuki wants to re-enter the European market and make their presence known with their 2021 model, even if that means focusing most of their efforts on making the new model compliant with new emission regulations.
Although the initial plan was to create the new model entirely from scratch, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic created enough complications that Suzuki has decided to just modify a chassis from an older Hayabusa model and use it as a blueprint to fit the current model's needs.
Electronics and suspension will be upgraded, and complying with emissions regulations will also have some secondary effects. A lot of information about the 2021 Hayabusa is available, though some details, such as price, have yet to be unveiled.
Read on to find out more about what has been released about the 2021 Suzuki Hayabusa thus far.
New And Heavily Improved
The 2021 Suzuki Hayabusa has made a lot of improvements to the engine and other parts of the bike, with upgrading as a constant goal. This model is being advertised as having made some improvements over the previous one. That said, Suzuki has abandoned their plans to start over from scratch and use a chassis and design from an older model as the basis for their 2021 Suzuki Hayabusa.
The second-generation model of Hayabusa from five years earlier, now defunct, will be the basis for modification for the 2021 model. While it will retain the twin-spar aluminum frame, it will be heavily modified, and now, as a result, it will have the newest Kayaba suspension system.
The engine also retains aspects from the previous iteration, but with a larger displacement. This is a frequently-used method to comply with stricter emission standards in Europe without having to sacrifice power. The engine will be a four-cylinder with a liquid-cooled motor and an output of 200 horsepower. The increased engine displacement combined with the newer chassis may likely result in weight reduction.
The exhaust system, specifically the catalytic converters, will be retooled to comply with stricter emission standards. Also, the 2021 Suzuki Hayabusa will reportedly feature cornering ABS, traction control, Hill start assist, a color TFT dashboard, and multiple riding modes.
Eco-Friendly Focus
With stricter emission settings, the designers knew they had to be more eco-friendly with this model. The larger displacement in the engine and the catalytic converters have already fallen victim to these new standards. In 2019, several patent images for the 2021 Suzuki Hayabusa were leaked, and they have so far proven to be accurate imaging.
Because of stricter Euro-V emission norms, the Hayabusa's previous models could no longer be sold in Europe and were only able to be sold in less strict markets, such as India. Now, Suzuki aims to take back to the European market by modifying emission output on the Hayabusa to make it compliant.
At this point, it's still not entirely clear what other changes Suzuki plans for their bike to comply with European emission regulations, though speculation is on the bike's intake and exhaust.
SIRS Upgraded
The onboard technology was also upgraded from previous models, making the experience much more user-friendly.
Electronics of the Hayabusa, like the Suzuki Intelligent Ride System (SIRS), have been specifically targeted for upgrades. Suspension and electronics were two areas that, from the leaked rendering images, seemed to show significant modifications and alterations.
Suzuki debuted SIRS when they launched the 2020 V-Strom 1050 XT. SIRS contributed significantly to new features of that bike that were positively received, such as an IMU unit, cornering ABS, selectable riding modes, and other intelligent riding aids. These upgrades helped riders with not only daily riding but also in more extreme cases, such as drag racing.
While much of this is speculation at the moment, the Suzuki Hayabusa is expected to continue that trend and offer many of the same SIRS-inspired electronics and riding assistance.
Chassis Reworked
Instead of using an entirely new body, Suzuki just decided to take the plans from an existing body of bike from years prior and modify them in a cost-cutting exercise. The chassis of the 2021 Suzuki Hayabusa is expected to be reworked.
While the overall shape will be similar, the front and rear will be distinctly different with mild updates. Other areas will receive more obvious modifications to conform to current standards, both with emissions and with trends in the racing market.
That said, the plan as of now is to retain the current powertrains and mechanicals. The underpinnings may also stay the same, but suspension systems are, as mentioned earlier, targeted for modification and advancements. Older models, such as those seen in the media, will be vastly improved upon.
Although most information has come in the form of bits, pieces, leaked images, speculation, and rumors, the actual bike is expected to debut in full soon before hitting the sales floor in the spring of 2021.
Sources: rushlane.com, financialexpress.com, visordown.com, bikewale.com, shifting-gears.com,