Errr.. You don't Mind while I FLY PAST, do You??
Written: Oct 26 '00 (Updated Oct 26 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: It seems a little bit fast
Cons: big cost
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| LaFeet's Full Review: 2000 Suzuki GSX 1300R HAYABUSA |
As an avid rider of all things fast, I thought I had had my fill. I even sold the over stuffed 72 Cuda several years ago. It was costing too much in gas and looked silly with baby car seats in the back.
I was offered the chance to ride one of the newer Suzuki GSX 1300R HAYABUSAs that belonged to a friend. He just handed me the keys and asked me to stay off the over crowded roads.
Now for those of you just starting out, DO NOT GO OUT AND BUY THIS BIKE RIGHT AWAY! This is nothing more than a very pretty monster. One built for an aggressive rider, one built for speed.
I have been riding for years, everything from 250's to V Max's. And this bike, while looking so svelt standing still, will leave you on you behind with a flick of the wrist.
And I make the above statement as a catch all. This bike has been the top speed production bike for the last few years. Heck, it basically shattered all previous benchmarks for speed, handling and performance.
I followed the religious routine of letting the bike warm up after starting. I did not want to snap any thing inside while I was tooling up the road. Did my walk around looking for leaks and listening for abnormal noises. The bike just sat there and purred as it warmed up. Little did I realize that the bike was getting hungry, hungry for road.
Now being short of legs I usually have a tough time with the larger bikes, but not the Hayabusa. Easing off the clutch I found no slippage as the bike slowly accelerated to the open road.
We have some awesome roads and scenes out here in New Mexico. And you usually do not have to worry too much about traffic when you get away from the city. And get away fast is one thing this bike does well.
The Hayabusa's chassis and advanced suspension systems give you a sense on invulnerability. Always a possible flaw for large bikes. But not on this beast. Anyhow, better you enjoy the performance capabilities with confidence. Starting out, I found that the bike handled any and all corners with ease. The bike seemed to guess my movements and help me through the turns.
The chassis is a rigid aluminum-alloy twin-spar frame providing exceptional responsiveness in corners. Suspension front and rear is fully adjustable and offers plush, controlled action on all kinds of roads. After I had become one with the bike, I found myself challenging corners and curves. Some how Suzuki has managed to drop the weight of a 1300 cc superbike down to less that 500 pounds. The bonus of this is that performance and handling have increased on an order of several magnitudes.
The front brake discs are six piston calipers while the single rear disc has an opposed twin-piston caliper. Both offer superb and controllable stopping power.
There's a beast under the seat for an engine! The engine is the largest displacement four cylinder power plant ever built by Suzuki. And it shows it lineage with the experience Suzuki has had with it's successful open class road racing teams.
A modified version of Suzuki Ram Air Direct (SRAD) {pressurized air is ducted into a large capacity airbox and force fed into the engine} provides for exceptional performance throughout the power band and especially at high rpm. There is constant (if not overly eager ) pull by this torquey growler all the way through each gear.
The grace and style of the Hayabusa is an aerodynamic masterpiece. The bodywork has the lowest drag coefficient of any Suzuki ever produced. This not only helps its performance and also allows you to ride in comfort at highway speeds.
Voted Motorcycle of the Year - 1999 and Best Superbike of 1999 by premier magazines there is good reason the GSX1300R was named after the world's fastest bird, the Hayabusa.
This is one sweet ride, but one that requires some forethought and focus. This is a BIG bike, and a very fast one. While it is forgiving enough for any one to ride it comfortably and safely, all it takes is a muscle twinge to find yourself hurtling down the freeway, or possibly out of control.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
LaFeet
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 - Top 500 |
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Member: Paule Patterson
Location: Cushing, Ok
Reviews written: 314
Trusted by: 36 members
About Me:
Retired Submariner, ex Air-Force Brat, current radiation protection tech, hiding in urban Oklahoma
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