Suzuki is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Hayabusa’s debut with a special edition to commemorate the moment.
Helping the 25th-anniversary model immediately stand out are an orange and black-based body and special colours for the drive chain adjuster and front brake disk inner. Original engravings have been added to the muffler body and drive chain, and a 25th-anniversary emblem and a three-dimensional "SUZUKI" logo on the tank complete the ensamble.
Suzuki has also included the single-seat cowl is standard equipment on the 25th Anniversary model Hayabusa. New Zealand pricing has been set at $29,999 plus on road costs, exactly the same as the non-anniversary model.
The Hayabusa first debuted in 1998 at Germany’s Intermot motor show as the GSX1300R with sales commencing in the USA and Europe the following year.
The second generation, with increased displacement from 1,299cc to 1,340cc, was released in 2007. It inherited the outstanding and powerful performance of the first generation, with a newly adopted feature, the Suzuki Drive Mode Selector (SDMS), which allowed adjusting of the output characteristics by riders’ choice.
Flash forward to 2021 and the long-awaited third-generation Hayabusa was introduced, with a fully improved engine and chassis, and various electronic controls. The engine and chassis parts have been fully reassessed, along with adopting the electronic control system "S.I.R.S (Suzuki Intelligent Ride System)", such as traction control systems and Bi-directional quick shift systems.
“The Hayabusa series has been a flagship model representing Suzuki, and has fans all
over the world, Suzuki Motor Corporation President, Mr Toshihiro Suzuki said. “We would like to express our deepest gratitude that this model is able to celebrate its 25th anniversary and that it has been continuously loved by everyone for this long. I have personally test ridden the prototype of the current third-generation model, and I am proud to say that we, the Suzuki team, can present to you the best model to date. The Hayabusa will never stop its evolution. We ask for your continued love and support.”
That support seems to be strong. In 2022, the Hayabusa production exceeded 200,000 units worldwide. That’s a lot of fast birds of prey.