Hayabusa is the Japanese word for a falcon, more specifically, the Peregrine falcon. This is a bird that is lauded for its extreme speed and precision while catching prey. It's awed for the 'stoop' which is the vertical hunting dive that allows it to slice through the air with speeds over 200 MPH. Clearly, there wasn't any randomness involved by the dudes at Suzuki while naming their new creation as 'Hayabusa' in 1999.

The Suzuki Hayabusa was so ahead of its time, that people couldn't really grasp its potential. Among motorcyclists, the Hayabusa was in a zone of its own, and thus spawned an all-new segment - Ultimate Sport. We all know of the mysterious and infamous Gentleman's Agreement. The mighty Busa was one crucial factor for that Agreement to be put into place.

The mechanical falcon was considered too unruly, even for the experienced lot! You don't need a cooler introduction than that to attain undivided fame and attention. Thus began the legacy of the mighty Hayabusa, an instantly recognizable name, even for those who haven't even been near a motorcycle. We give you a brief run on this legend and how with each generation, the Suzuki Hayabusa has outdone itself.

From being an over-engineered alien in 1999 to still shivering the competition for 2022, the evolution of the iconic Suzuki Hayabusa has been subtle yet intense.

First-Gen Suzuki Hayabusa (1999 - 2007) - The Defier Of Convention

1999 Suzuki Hayabusa wheelie hd wallpaper
Via: Cycleworld.com

When the Hayabusa first broke cover in 1999, the world went mad! It wasn't the curvy bodylines or the huge wheelbase that made people dumbstruck, but the fact that this Japanese motorcycle had become the fastest production motorcycle in the world by a freaking margin of 14 MPH. The 1999 Suzuki Hayabusa had an unreal top speed of 194 MPH and snatched the top speed title from the Honda CBR1100XX a.k.a The Blackbird!

First Generation Suzuki Hayabusa front third quarter view
Via: Mecum.com

And that was the reason for the Gentleman's agreement to come to play. This also makes the First Generation Hayabusa a very very special machine when it comes to top speed. Technically, it might be a lot outdated as compared to the winged machines on the market in 2021, but on paper, it is the only road-legal motorcycle to cross the 186 MPH barrier! Ironically enough, its bulbous form factor was criticized by many, but little did they know about its impressive aerodynamic appeal.

Rad Greaves’ GSX1661R racer front third quarter view
Via: Cycleworld.com

It packed a 1.3L Inline-4 which was in fact, the largest displacement capacity in a motorcycle of the time, and churned out an impressive 173 HP. It was technically remarkable for the time with liquid-cooling and dual-overhead camshafts. Two decades down the line, the First-Gen Busa has turned to be the 'Supra' on two wheels because of its insane modifying potential. This was first showcased in the Devilishly modified Rad Greaves' GSX1661R racer that was capable of pumping out 500 horses and came with wings!

Related: 2021 Suzuki Hayabusa: Here Are All The New Bits Of The Peregrine Falcon

Second-Gen Suzuki Hayabusa (2007 - 2020) - Bigger Bottle, Finer Winer

Second-generation Suzuki Hayabusa hd wallpaper
Via: Suzuki

Suzuki clearly knew that they had over-engineered the 1st Gen Hayabusa. But instead of making it a cash cow, they strived to do better. Thus came the 2nd-Gen Hayabusa, which was much more than just a chin-up job. The major upgrade was its upsized engine from 1.3L to 1.34L which also increased its power output to a more insane 194 HP. While the outside didn't look a lot different, Suzuki had made numerous design changes including a new exhaust system with an integrated catalytic converter for the first time in a motorcycle.

Second-generation Suzuki Hayabusa front third quarter view
Via: Twitter.com

This is also the generation in which Suzuki shortened the name to just 'Hayabusa' and parted ways with the 'GSX-1300R' internal name. This move was to showcase Hayabusa's distinctive identity that was much higher than its stablemates to fathom as well. The engine was made Euro-3 compliant and it looked a lot sharper than the first-gen model. Mechanically, the major changes were confined to the exhaust and engine, and this generation was more of a sharpening phase for the already impressive Falcon. Related: These Are The Most Popular Sportbikes Of All Time

Third-Gen Suzuki Hayabusa (2022) - Sometimes Evolution Outweighs Revolution

2022 Suzuki Hayabusa front third quarter view
Via: Suzukicycles.com

By far, the most anticipated launch in the motorcycling world. The sheer amount of criticism, awe, and excitement that rolled out when Suzuki unveiled the all-new 3rd Generation Hayabusa shows the impact this motorcycle has had on humanity as a whole! The engineers at Suzuki had a very risky task of bringing out a worthy successor to the might Busa. From V6 engines to turbocharged setups, they didn't leave any leaves unturned during the development phase. But they finally settled on the tried and tested inline-4 from the last-gen.

2022 Suzuki Hayabusa side view
Via: Cyclenews.com

The subtle tweaks, and reduction in power figures to 190 HP made fanatics fierce. But if you look closely, Suzuki took a rather mature decision to safeguard the essence of the Busa, which is the reason for its undivided fame. The new Busa packs a whole lot of electronic goodies to make this monster more tamable. The form factor is unmistakable 'Falcon' but has gotten sharper. Major design changes are confined to the tail section and exhaust system.

2 Decades, 3 Forms, But The Same Mind-Bending DNA

3 generations of Suzuki Hayabusa wallpaper
Via: Suzukicycles.com

Suzuki Hayabusa is a motorcycle that started as an oddity with its bulbous body and insane dimensions and now stands as the most distinguished superbikes of all time. This is literally the one motorcycle that anyone would recognize. Hands down, an icon, and one of the best Suzuki motorcycles ever made.

Over a span of 2 decades, the Hayabusa was transformed into a better version of the copper-and-gold machine that started it all in 1999. The 3rd Gen Busa might have become sharper, and loaded with all of the electronic assists out there. But it still possesses the soul-moving DNA, that showed the world that there are no limits to dreams. Sometimes evolution is all we need!

Sources: Wikipedia.org, Cycleworld.com, Suzukicycles.org, Globalsuzuki.com, Financialexpress.com