Superbikes can be mega fun on tarmac-topped roads but can be extremely difficult to handle on loose surfaces, like sand or gravel. While there are many videos of the Suzuki Hayabusa zipping along well-built roads, not many take their superbikes or sports tourers to off-road stretches. Here is one video that shows a group of riders, including one on a Suzuki Hayabusa, taking on a rough terrain.
What is happening here?
The video comes from a group of rides in Jaipur, Rajasthan who are out for their weekly Sunday ride. Exotic bikes like the Ducati Scrambler, Suzuki Hayabusa and two Triumph Tigers can be seen in the video. While there are other powerful bikes, the Hayabusa, in particular, is the most difficult one to handle in such terrains. The Hayabusa can be seen going through extremely rough terrains during the ride and surprisingly, the rider controlled the sports tourer beautifully through the whole off-road section.
The video has been taken from a helmet-mounted camera and it can be seen that the Hayabusa needs special attention and efforts through such extreme terrains. Towards the end, the road becomes even worse with deep holes and big gravels. While the Suzuki Hayabusa rider took the terrain very cautiously to keep the bike in control and reach the top, the Triumph Tiger rider lost his balance at one point but got saved by the Hayabusa’s support. The Triumph Tiger is an extremely tall bike and needs a lot of control.
The Suzuki Hayabusa too can be seen losing the rear wheel traction at one point but the rider ensured that it came out clean. All other bikes, including the Ducati Scrambler, did the same stretch without much problem.
The Suzuki Hayabusa is NOT built for off-roading
The Suzuki Hayabusa is an exemplary long-distance touring bike but a lot of factors make it an extremely bad off-roader. Such sportsbikes have a very stiff suspension with minimal travel, which make the ride extremely difficult. Also, the aggressive riding position is not suitable for rough terrain.
Unlike the Triumph Tiger, which is made for such roads, the rider cannot stand on the footpegs to negotiate the extremely rough surfaces on the Hayabusa. Also, the extremely heavy weight with road-biased tyres make it extremely difficult for the bike to find traction and balance on such surfaces.
On the other hand, bikes such as the Royal Enfield Himalayan and the Triumph Tiger find off-roading a lot easier due to commanding seating, upright seating posture and various aids like long-travel suspension. The Suzuki Hayabusa rider has shown some great skills to control the extreme machine in these extreme conditions, and has also set an example of why such bikes are unsuitable for rough terrain.