Suzuki Motorcycle India launches 2017 edition of the Hayabusa

Suzuki Motorcycle India (SMIL), the 100 percent subsidiary of Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), has just rolled out the 2017 edition of the iconic Hayabusa superbike. 

Under the new edition, the popular Hayabusa will be offered in new shades and colour graphics, which include blue, white and black.

It can be recalled that when the local assembly operations of the model was announced in February-March 2016, it was offered in white, black and red colour options. While the company began importing this model in completely knocked down (CKD) kits at its Gurgaon plant in March 2016, the move brought the ex-showroom price down in the range of Rs 200,000-Rs 250,000.

A company release issued today says, “Since the introduction of the CKD version, the sales have shown a 100 percent growth, and there is a long waiting period for which the company is working to reduce the delivery time.”

Industry data reveals that the company assembled and sold 88 units of this CKD model between April-September 2016, averaging sales of more than 14 units per month, which is a decent number for its segment. For the same period in 2015-16, Suzuki Motorcycle India had sold 39 units of the CBU Hayabusa. This clearly highlights that the sales have doubled up, all thanks to the CKD operations and its impact on the pricing.

Also touted to be one of the fastest motorcycles in production today, the Hayabusa is powered by a four-stroke, in-line four-cylinder, 1340cc engine that churns out a peak power of nearly 195bhp.

According to a report by sister magazine Autocar India, it takes 10 hours to completely assemble one unit of the Hayabusa at the company’s Gurgaon plant.

“Currently it takes 10 hours to assemble the ’Busa in India. It could be faster, but Suzuki has chosen to take things slow, and layer quality checks upon quality checks to make sure things are done right. It takes four workers and two supervisors to complete the assembly. The vehicle check is, then conducted by an operator and a supervisor. Material handling also involves a supervisor overseeing two operators,” the report quotes.

“On two tables sub-assemblies are built and fed to the three stations on which the Hayabusa grows stage by stage. The first jig holds the engine to receive the frame and suspension, and is then hoisted to the next station where all the fluid, mechanical and electrical connections are laid out. The third and final station is where the motorcycle takes on its distinctive look.”

According to the company, the Hayabusa will be available at Suzuki big bike dealerships for Rs 1,388,329 (ex-showroom, Delhi). It rivals Kawasaki’s ZX-14R, which retails for an ex-showroom price of over Rs 18 lakh currently, in its segment in India.

The 2017 edition of THE Hayabusa will, therefore, cost around Rs 30,000 more than the price (Rs 13.57 lakh) as announced by the company in March 2016

Apart from India, SMC also exports CKD kits of this globally popular superbike to Brazil, where it is locally assembled. 

You may like:

- Behind the scenes of a made-in-India Suzuki Hayabusa

- Suzuki unveils new 150cc bikes for the ASEAN market

- Suzuki's Hayabusa Day celebrations in India