Published 17:24 IST, October 30th 2019
Suzuki Hayabusa: The iconic Japanese superbike completes 20 years
Suzuki Hayabusa was the fastest production motorcycle in the world when it was launched in 1999. The motorcycle completed 20 years of production in 2019
First introduced in 1999, the Suzuki Hayabusa needs no introduction. Indian film lovers will quickly recognize the Hayabusa as the Dhoom bike. A sports bike through and through, it was the world's fastest motorcycle at the time of launch. The Hayabusa achieved a top speed of 312 km/h, which was unimaginable at the time of its launch. The origin of the motorcycle's name came from the Japanese word for the Peregrine falcon, which is a bird that often serves as a metaphor for speed due to its vertical hunting dive speed of 290 to 325 km/h, the fastest of any bird.
In Bollywood, the Suzuki Hayabusa has featured in quite a few films.
1. John Abraham's Suzuki Hayabusa in Dhoom (2004)
(Image source: Yash Raj Films)
The Suzuki Hayabusa first entered the public imagination with its celebrated appearance in the first Dhoom film, released in 2004. In the film, the Hayabusa was the ride of John Abraham's character, the prime antagonist of the film. The Hayabusa in the film was shown to be equipped with a nitrous oxide booster. With its appearance in the film, the Hayabusa ended up becoming one of the most iconic machines to have graced the big screen of Bollywood.
2. Salman Khan in Ready (2011)
(Image source: T-Series)
Salman Khan was the brand ambassador for Suzuki Motorcycles in India. In real life, he is reported to have owned a Hayabusa for his personal collection. In the 2011 hit film, Ready, the Dabangg 3 actor is seen riding two of the Hayabusas. The first bike looks eerily similar to the one from Dhoom, while the second one is painted gold.
(Image source: T-Series)
The Suzuki Hayabusa completed 20 years of production in 2019
In 2019, the Japanese brand celebrated 20 glorious years of the production of the Hayabusa. Over the course of its 20-year run, the Hayabusa set the gold standard for hardcore motorcycle performance and became a showcase of ingenious engineering. It remains as one of the most desirable sports bikes in India to this day, thanks to its appearance in Dhoom. In India, it retails for ₹ 13.7 lakhs.
Updated 19:06 IST, October 30th 2019