A New Busa Coming
The Suzuki Hayabusa might still be sold here in the U.S. but in other areas of the world, it was discontinued due to emissions. I suspected that Suzuki was hard at work on a new Busa, and now some patent info for a new model has leaked. According to Motorcycle News, reliable sources in Japan have said that the displacement of the bike will be increased to 1,440cc. This along with some other tweaks will allow the company to meet emissions standards.
The boost in displacement will likely not equate to a huge jump in power. According to the sources, the motorcycle will still probably produce around 200 hp. However, torque will increase and reliability should be better on this new engine. One of the new patents points to an emissions-specific carbon canister that is designed to filter evaporating fuel fumes. The exhaust will also be designed with emissions in mind. You’ll find two catalytic converters there.
The bike will also feature a slimmer frame and a conventional bolt-on subframe. Additional changes will include a quick-shifting semi-automatic gearbox. The new transmission is based on the old one but features electronic actuators to shift with the push of a button. Motorcycle News says it’s kind of like the system on the Yamaha FJR1300A.
So, when will this new Hayabusa hit the market? It’s unclear. It will likely be revealed towards the end of this year and be a 2021 model, but with no official word from Suzuki, it’s still up in the air. I’ll keep an eye out for any more information.