Suzuki Katana vs Suzuki Hayabusa: Which one is better?

There are no questions or doubts about the cult status enjoyed by Hayabusa in India. The sports tourer from Suzuki, which once held the title of the world’s fastest production motorcycle, is now in its third-generation version, which is a lot better motorcycle than ever before, while still retaining the original essence of the Hayabusa. Suzuki recently added another premium motorcycle in its Indian lineup, the Katana, and made its presence once again in the litre-class category.

In the first glimpse itself, both the Suzuki Katana and Suzuki Hayabusa look like two very different motorcycles from each other, and naturally, the two are very different in actuality as well. Here’s how the two motorcycles fare against each, and what are the advantages of one motorcycle over the other in this comparison: 

Price

At Rs 13.61 lakh, the new Suzuki Katana is almost Rs 2.8 lakh more affordable than the significantly bigger, more powerful and better equipped Suzuki Hayabusa. The on-road price difference should roughly come down to Rs 3 lakh.

(prices mentioned above are ex-showroom, NCR)

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Engine and Chassis

Both the motorcycles here from Suzuki use the same four-stroke, liquid-cooled, inline-four configuration, though, the Katana’s 999cc engine is significantly smaller than the 1340cc engine of the Hayabusa. Compared to the 999cc engine of the Katana, which makes 152 PS of power and 106 Nm of torque, the Hayabusa is much more powerful with its 1340cc engine producing 190 PS of power and 150 Nm of torque. Both the motorcycles here get a 6-speed gearbox.

Apart from the engine, the mechanical structure of other aspects like suspension and tyres are also much similar between both the motorcycles. Both the Katana and Hayabusa get inverted hydraulic telescopic forks at the front and a mono-shock at the rear, with 120/70 ZR17 front and 190/50 ZR17 rear tyres. However, the more powerful Hayabusa needs more stopping power, which is why it gets dual 320mm discs at the front and a single 250mm disc at the rear, compared to the dual 310mm discs at the front and a single 220mm disc at the rear of the Katana.

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Dimension

One might think that the full-fairing bodywork of the Suzuki Hayabusa makes it a bigger motorcycle than the Katana. Well, that’s not wholly true. Yes, the Hayabusa is longer and has a longer wheelbase between the two, but the Katana is wider and taller than the two. The Katana also weighs lesser and has higher seat height and ground clearance. However, the 12-litre fuel tank of the Katana is no match to the 20-liter fuel tank of the Hayabusa.

Design and Features

While the Suzuki Katana belongs to the highly competitive litre-class naked roadster category, the Suzuki Hayabusa is in a league of its own. However, when compared to other motorcycles in their respective price ranges, the equipment lists in both the motorcycles make them appear safe and conservative choices. However, when it comes to pure design, both the Katana and Hayabusa have distinctive designs, which make them look very unique.

Let’s start with the more radical of the two, the Suzuki Katana. Inspired by the Suzuki Katana from the yesteryears, this current-generation model looks edgy and more athletic than the two, which matches its sports roadster persona. The Katana gets a semi-faired bodywork with an old-school rectangular headlamp, which here is an LED unit. The lower corners of the front semi-fairing are garnished with LED turn indicators and daytime running LEDs. With a chiselled fuel tank and slim side panels, the floating tail section of the Katana ends up with an LED tail lamp. The Katana also gets a small rear tyre hugger, while it gets the same compact exhaust pipe and large engine cowl from another Suzuki roadster, the GSX-S1000.

The third-generation Suzuki Hayabusa has evolved a lot in comparison to its predecessor, and while it is a bulbous-looking motorcycle-like its predecessor, the design looks more streamlined and modern than ever before. The Hayabusa has a much more visual mass as compared to the Katana, courtesy of its large fairing panels at the front and side, muscular-looking fuel tank and even more substantially looking fuel tank. Like the Katana, the Hayabusa also gets all-LED illumination at both front and rear.

Both the motorcycles get comprehensive instrument consoles, which are not as fancy and feature-packed as the TFT units in other premium motorcycles. The Hayabusa’s wide console is more old-school in appearance, with all analogue gauges and a small TFT MID in between. Compared to it, the Katana’s unit is an all-LCD screen, which also shows plenty of data on board. Both the motorcycles here get a decent amount of safety essentials like dual-channel ABS, traction control, power modes and a bi-directional quick-shifter.

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Verdict

It must be evident by now that the Suzuki Katana and Suzuki Hayabusa are no match for each other, and cater to two completely different categories of premium motorcycles. While the Katana is more of a fast roadster for fast intra-city runs, the Hayabusa is more of a premium sports tourer for long highway rides and a massive road presence. Depending on the preference and your usage, you can pick any one of the two, but not go wrong with anyone of the two.

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