It was the 2008 model year before anything new happened to the 'Busa, and even then it wasn't an all-new bike. The engine grew an extra 42cc to 1,340cc courtesy of a 2mm longer stroke. The bore was the same as before at 81mm, and much of the engine's basic architecture was unchanged. The valves were now titanium, which made them lighter (inlets are 14.1g lighter each, exhausts 11.7g), which allowed Suzuki to use lighter single valve springs. Compression ratio went up from 11.1:1 to 12.4:1, and channels machined in the bottom of the barrels reduced friction and pumping losses.
The 2008 model introduced...
The 2008 model introduced the SDMS system which allowed riders to change fuel maps on the fly for different power delivery.
The new Hayabusa also benefited from Suzuki's various advances in fuel injection over the previous decade and wore the latest dual-valve, dual-injector throttle bodies. These were 2mm smaller than before but had 12-hole injectors for better fuel atomization and consequent improvements in power delivery, more fuel economy and reduced exhaust emissions. The ECU was smarter, and incorporated a new Suzuki Drive Mode System (SDMS) switch. This let you choose between three different power deliveries: 'A' was full power, 'B' was softer with a little less peak power, while 'C' cut considerable power off the output.
A new exhaust system retained the dual silencers of before, but swapped the old-school round cans for swoopy triangular silencers. Packed with catalysts, sound-deadening chambers and butterfly valves, the new exhaust is responsible for much of the extra ten pounds carried on the 2008 bike.
The chassis was basically an updated version of the old bike: the frame was largely unchanged, the swingarm got an extra brace and the subframe was a new design. The suspension had revised settings and DLC black coating on the fork sliders, but was essentially the same setup as before.
The second-gen saw a dramatic...
The second-gen saw a dramatic upgrade to the brakes and suspension.
What wasn't the same were the brakes. The old six-piston calipers were marginal from the beginning and were long overdue for replacement by 2007. A pair of radial-mount calipers bit on smaller 310mm discs, and they gave much more stopping power while cutting unsprung weight and reducing steering inertia.
Finally, Suzuki gave the bodywork a makeover. Nothing too dramatic-she's clearly still a 'Busa-but just enough to freshen the looks. The tail unit is more swooping with a definite curve and large blisters on either side. It's still no beauty, but together with the new exhaust it makes for a more modern-looking machine.