I happen to test ride an 08 bking this afternoon.
This is type of bike alot of people hate the look where others love it. It has keeped mostly to same design of the concept that was first shown in 2001.
It had done the all of 5kms so i had to take it pretty easy, i clocked up about 120kms on it. I did a mix of types of roads in this short trip, with town riding, some fast back road riding with big straights, as well as fast/slow corners, and of course the mighty kamai ranges. I didn't have much time, due to not getting to dealer until 1pm, and they close at 3, and had to be back by then.
I been looking forward to riding this bike for some time.
It uses the new hayabusa motor 1340cc, it shares the same frame and a number of other items, but there is also a number of items which are different than the new hayabusa.
I got home from auckland at lunchtime today, after spending last couple of days up there at a conference. I knew motogb would have there demo bking ready this week, so i though by time i turned up saturday it would have already a couple hundred kms on the clock, but not much luck with that
Its hard to compare this bike to anything i have really ridden personally before.
Its a very big bike in more ways than one, in just its physical size, (seat height, shape and design, but also with such a big motor, i though it would feel heavy and top heavy due to its design, compined with the dry weight of 235kgs.
But getting on the thing and feeling the weight it felt really balance and low in the bike, it helps having a small fuel tank 16.5 litres, with the fuel tank being close to the middle of the bike helps with this.
First thing i was amazed with was how smooth the motor feels compared to the old hayabusa motor(being they are the same basic lump), also note could feel its so smooth due to how extermely quiet the whole bike was (motor & exhaust) this bike will be getting some two bros slip on shortly, and the clutch action felt so much nicer compared to the 04 busa i ride straight after. Motor feels very strong and feels alot more torque than an old busa, but due to it having a lower top speed the change of gearing would make it feel like that, I know of a local nz mag who has had a demo bking on a dyno and its putting out 168hp @ rw, with only 200kms on the clock.
Handling - This bike is such a big change in style of bike for me so took me a bit of time to figure out best way to moving around on the bike, and body position. and being it brand new with new tires, i took it pretty easy, it was running dunlop qulifters with a 120/70-17 front with a massive 200/50-17 rear tire. It handles far better than i though i expect it would, it is miles ahead of handling than the 04 busa, I think personally i would like some slight lower bars, to help it in more the tighter stuff, but still handled not to bad, like most suzuki sports bikes it is fitted with a steering damper as stock. which helps with the head shakes.
Brakes this is once place this bike is better than the 08 busa due to it having radial mounter calpiers, as well as a radial mounted master cylinder(lacking in the 08 busa), the breaks didn't feel the best, but they really need to be bead in before they get up how they should feel.
Being 6'2 i felt the mirrors next to useless i had to move my head down about 6" so i could acutally look out of them, had a bit of vibration but you expect that with handle bar mounted mirrors. I found the seating position very interesting, its a very big seat, but i found myself sitting at the very back of the seat, and acutally having the pillion seat sitting digging in my back(not uncomfortable), but long term i would modify the shape of the rear seat since it has a bit of a V shape in front, and i would make it flat.
So big question would i buy one? Most Defenilty
At this point in time, i am still very very keen on putting one of these in my garage, i am waiting for a bit more kms on the demo so i can take it for a really good cane to see how it feels[it shall have pipes by that stage to realyl see how the motor sounds/feels with it being freed up a bit), if it will suit my long term needs/wants in a bike.
Anyone got any more question/querys about the bike feel free to ask.
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Originally Posted by White trash
they started it up and boy does it have a nice rumble cant imagine what it would be like with after market pipes 
.Dont think it would drown out my katanas scorpian pipes though 
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