2008 Suzuki Hayabusa Comparo Photo Gallery

With a new, more powerful motor the 2008 Suzuki Hayabusa was looking to regain its customary position atop the hyper-sportbike field.

The Suzuki's new radial-mount four-piston Tokico calipers even up to the similar Nissin configuration on the Kawasaki in terms of performance.

Head to head, just like Tyson and Holyfield in days past, this was a heavyweight brawl.

Out of the two, the Busa feels more sporty.

Just flip it in green and twist the throttle... Also hope there's not police in the vicinity.

2008 Suzuki Hayabusa vs. ZX-14 gearbag.

These two machines will be rumbling for years to come.

The 2008 is the first significant redesign of the Hayabusa.

Four-piston radial mount Tokico calipers provide better initial bite than the Kawi, and are a definite improvement over the traditional-mount six-piston units they replace.

Tranquil rivers and trees, the sounds of nature... And the wailing roar of almost 170 horsepower!

Smoke 'em if you got 'em.

The Haybusa sports an inch-longer wheelbase at 58.5 inches.

At low speeds, the Suzuki is a little harder to control.

Motoring along at a touring pace, a riders wrists will get mighty tired.

The most distinctive hump in motorcycles... The only hump in motorcycles!

The philosophy behind the Suzuki instrument display is mucho circles.

In case you didn't know the Hayabusa is a Japanese model.

Arriving on the scene in 1999, the Hayabusa (the Japanese name for the Peregrine Falcon), has become a flagship for Suzuki and created an entire subculture in the motorcycling community.

The raw, uninhibited power of A-Mode is addictive, even if you’re just twisting the throttle from stop sign to stop sign on city streets. Asking a rider to flip it down to C is akin to asking a drug addict to control their own dosage.

Our testers give the nod in the engine department to the Suzuki, but not by much

Although producing more power, the new Hayabusa is also heavier.

The Busa got the upper hand on the Kawi on the drag strip, but both our testers agreed that it had the better potential.

Looking at the dyno, the A, B and C modes on the S-DMS (Suzuki Drive Mode Selector) are apparent.

This time around, the Suzuki is the horespower king.

Comparing '06 to '08, you can see where the Busa gain ground.

Divvying out the abundant power is a 6-speed transmission with slipper clutch.

The Haybusa compromises comfort for a sportier feel, pitching the rider forward like its smaller-displacement Gixxer siblings.

Head-to-head the throttle response is not quite as crisp as the ZX-14, but there seems to be an unending well of power all the way up to the 11,000 redline.

There is just no question: the Busa is the sportier feeling bike.

From turn-in, to transition, the aggressive ergonomics of the Busa make cornering easier by a slight margin.