Suzuki Hayabusa, does anyone own one?

[ForTheLoveOfBjork]

I am curious as to what the mileage can be out of this beast.

I know, a 1300cc bike is not built for mileage, and rarely driven for it either. But I love the look of them, and have been considering getting a bike.

I have read an article stating they got 35 mpg out of it, driving on 'twisties' Now, this is a performance-geared article, in fact, their intent was to test this and another bike on a drag strip for top speed, and included modifications to disable the governed limit. (the bike can do sub-10 second 1/4 miles and surpass 190 mph)

The 08 model is a bit more powerful, but this articles dyno results showed the torque curve to be relatively flat, 80 from about 2200 to nearly 11000 rpms, with peak of 100 at 6750 (hp hits 80 at about 5000 rpm, peak 163 @ 9750 - for the gearheads). The bike weighs a tad bit over 500 lbs, so the average combined weight, with full tank of fuel (5.5 gallons) would be 750-850 lbs depending on the size of the driver.


Now, it is my understanding, that with that torque curve, you could shift early and often, and probably get some of the best mileage of any bike, considering you would not have to rev it much to drive it through the gears. If it got 35 mpg with someone driving 'spirited' around corners and backroads, then someone who drove it conservatively should excel. I think about how an Insight driven spiritedly still gets about 35 mpg, but driven conservatively has little problem surpassing 70-80 mpg.


Though I may never get a bike, it is fun entertaining the idea. I am weary of other drivers and weather conditions, since I see quite a few people not notice cars, while the same incompetence of other drivers when you are on a motorcycle is a bit more threatening. If I did end up purchasing this bike, there would be no triple digit speeds or any of that crazy stuff. Just get it for its looks and baby the thing. My wild days are long gone. Just wondered if anyone else has one, or could estimate the mileage based on the numbers I gave if not.

Thanks

[shifty35]

I'd think the primary issues with a 'Busa would be

Gearing
Tires

In that order. You'll see me mention this a lot, but things designed to go fast have shorter gears and stickier tires than economy platforms.

If you can find the gear ratios and report back, we may be able to figure out approximate cruising rpms. If it's less than 2k at speed (doubtful) it has some potential.

[ForTheLoveOfBjork]

I did forget to mention there are three settings for the fuel mapping, A, B, and C. C is for street driving, to A being all-out speed.

The gearing would be quite tall. 6th gear is set for a top speed of 207 mph at 11,000 rpm (redline). 1st gear I think is 87 mph, the others, I will have to find out.

The tires are wide, not Harley or OCC wide :P but 120 up front and 190 in the back, and yes, quite sticky. 120/70 ZR17 and 190/50 ZR17 Bridgestone BT56 J-Spec (07), BT-015 (08)

I am trying to do general internet searching for common figures from average riders, but the following is all I have found so far, besides other Liter+ bikes.

the ratios, this is my source: http://www.dixonarchive.com/hayabusa/performance1.htm, I will put both the 99-07 and the 08 specs up. This site the guy claims his best mileage, but at 160 km/h, which, is probably not the best speed for mileage :P (38-47 mpg @ 100 mph, those speeds included in his best tank, so not really a conservative driver by any means)

1999-2007 -

6 speed constant mesh
Wet multi-plate hydraulic clutch
Secondary reduction ratio 2.352
Drive chain RK GB50GSV Z3 112 Links
Gear ratios :
1 - 2.615
2 - 1.937
3 - 1.526
4 - 1.285
5 - 1.136
6 - 1.043


2008-
6 speed constant mesh
Wet multi-plate hydraulic clutchDrive chain RK GB50GSV Z4 114 Links

primary reduction ratio - 1.596
1 - 2.615
2 - 1.937
3 - 1.526
4 - 1.285
5 - 1.136
6 - 1.043
final reduction ratio - 2.388

This is his comments on fuel economy:

City 5.6 litres (Premium) per 100kms
Highway 5.1 litres (Premium) per 100kms
Highway 5.4 litres (Premium) @ 160kph per 100kms
City 6.2 litres (Standard) per 100kms
Race - ??? Best ever record to date is 5.0 lts per 100k's on 19/6/2000
Variable speed @ variable throttle but never full throttle
at stead 160kph using premium Unleaded 94+
Standard unleaded petrol
No Choke starts - this is the tropics !
Light throttle.
Fresh fuel.
Recently serviced.
Figures recorded by myself in 2000 dry 27-32 degress centigrade - but humid conditions.
Normal cruising range about 350km-400km per tank, using top gear as much as possible.
* All measurement are litres consumed per 100kms.





for the 2008 it states this, presumably from Suzuki:

Fuel Consumption: Run-in period 6.1lts per 100kms

so, I take it that means break-in, but it isn't descriptive as to the conditions. I am sure the break-in mileage for the people of this site on their cars is far above what the average person gets on break-in on their cars, so bikes, I would assume the same trend.





Thanks for the quick response, btw. This vehicle would be a big investment, but they are limited production compared to most bikes (about 1000 a year), so long-term, the depreciation may not be too terrible.

I don't know if the compression ratio requires a higher grade fuel (11:1, 12.5:1 respectively). But I don't see how it could get worse mileage with a lower grade fuel, unless it was programmed to have 94 octane, which I doubt, or the rider was subconsciously or nefariously driving harder with the lower octane. I just don't see his best being what is possible even with moderate driving. I relate it more to when I slowed down in one of my fast cars when younger, my best was much better than before, but not what the car could do if I drove it today (and no where near where xcel could get half-asleep :lol: ) Considering this person couldn't go under 100 mph for one tank, but still approached 50 mpg on it, I think is saying a bit. I am sure the city driving didn't invoke slow acceleration and coasting either

[featherfoot]

the Busa is not a green machine. i spoke with a Busa owner and he told me;

i could pass everything on the road except a gas station.

[ForTheLoveOfBjork]

green is how you drive it sometimes.

It has fuel injection, a 4-2-1-2 exhaust to meet emissions and noise. 50 mpg with 100 mph cruising ... that doesn't sound bad at all, if you change that and figure what it could get in mileage if the person didn't exceed 60-70 mph.

How far could it be pushed (economically) is probably yet to be discovered, since 99.99999% of people interested in the bike have a need for speed, just as most people who buy Ferrari or Lamborghini, though, I am certain the Hayabusa would fair much better in mileage capabilities :P

Now, I did say that I have read plenty of people getting in the 35 mpg range, and I am sure someone remaining in the 8-10 grand rpm range would probably sink in the 20s, so, 110-220 miles on a tank driving it very hard, 275 miles still not driving it slow ... how far can 5.5 gallons get you on this bike driving it casually?

Again, I don't like the bike because it has nearly 200 hp, I like it for its design. If it had 50 hp, I would still want it. I just want to take out the bad rep before it gets out of hand. Just like the person who races the Insight ... if we went by that for mileage, then Insight would be said to get no better than a Hyundai's epa rating, which we all know is not true, unless you live on a perpetual uphill slope in the snow with an automatic and extra wide snow tires underinflated with old spark plugs 40 weight oil ... ok, yeah, being a bit dramatic

Wait, I am sure some places in TX there are long stretches without gas stations (like you see in shows and in the movies) ... so maybe that could be true to some extent If I only had 5.5 gallons, and I just went 200 miles without a gas station, even if I still had half a tank, I think I wouldn't pass that gas station up

So, seriously ... I am interested in the estimate by the gear ratio and other information provided.

I promise if I ever own one, I will surely give plenty of data. I would be really intrigued if one of you managed to have a Hayabusa owner let you borrow it for a tank and hypermile it. xcel, please!!!?! I can dream. Thanks for the replies.



edit: add punctuation ... forgot to allow this site in NoScript and it takes out all spaces/returns

[jcp123]

Well, one of my co-workers owns one along with a Yamaha YZF-R1...but he definitely does NOT ride for mileage...

[ForTheLoveOfBjork]

and as we all know, it only takes a few hard accelerations (sometimes one) on any vehicle to ruin a tank's worth of conservation. So a consistent hard driver is not going to do well. I doubt your co-worker would let you borrow that for a week nor could you get them to drive what would be needed to get the figures I am looking for. Since you own a liter bike already, I am pretty sure you could handle it Maybe you can get them to take a cruise with you I was like them before in sports cars, even when I really wanted to stay slow for a tank, back then, I would always forget at least once and have a quick acceleration, or take it from one exit to the next on the interstate. It is a bad habit that takes a while to break :P I will keep my hopes up for a good estimation. So far people say 50 mpg, but again, I do understand most people with them, their sense of moderate driving is still above the curve. Just with most decent rated cars ... it is not that they can't get good mileage, it is the driver that can't get the mileage out of the car, so they blame the manufacturer or think there is something wrong with the vehicle. Thanks again for the reply.

[Lugnuts001]

I can't comment on a 1300cc bike, but I can comment on a 600cc (2001 Kawasaki ZX6R). The best mileage I got on a tank was ~53 MPG, and that was trying, by keeping it at low speeds around town, no more than ~55 MPH. From my research, you can't get 70-80+ MPG unless you get something with ~250cc. From what I read 250's are pretty slow, so I tried to find a middle ground, 350-400 cc, i.e. Suzuki DRZ400SM. But most people in that size also got in the 40-50s. Seems like most motorycles 350 and up get 50-60 at most, regardless of displacement. I found a couple exceptions, the BMW F650GS, which people get in the 70s and the Buell Blast. One of the most efficient bikes I could find was the Yamaha XT225, with some reports of 100+ MPG on single tanks, and a couple reports of ~90 AVG MPG (reports were from non-hypermiling forums). I found a good deal on one and decided to get it.

Phil

[beatr911]

As a point of reference, my Kawasaki Concours (1000cc) routinely gets low to mid 50's. These are hum drum commuting miles, not WOT joy rides. The magazines got 35 for thier tests. I'd guess you could do about 50, maybe more if you changed gearing advanced cams etc.

[ATL]

I was just talking with a friend of a friend about his 'busa Friday. He said he usually gets low 30's and has gotten plenty of tanks in the 20's

he rides it like an insane suicidal person though (lots and lots of high speed wheelies)