Suzuki Hayate Test Ride Review

Suzuki Hayate Review

Bike tested: 2012 Suzuki Hayate

Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 48,111/-

Suzuki’s car division has been leading the Indian automobile market for almost three decades now but its motorcycle division is not even in the top four. The company knows the importance of the Indian market and launched the Suzuki Hayate at the 2012 Auto Expo. The Hayate is Suzuki’s entry level motorcycle in India and is priced aggressively. It is the volume product for the Japanese automaker which can help it boost sales dramatically. We take it for a spin to find out, how good a commuter the Suzuki Hayate is!

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Styling - The Suzuki Hayate, like all Japanese bikes, is edgy and quirky by design language, but this time it seems to be modelled with a ‘fish’ in mind. The headlight assembly seems to have gills on the side. The full body color front mudguard carries the same design language as well. The rear fender embosses the name and ‘electrifying’ graphics are seen on the headlight, tank and the fender. The side panels are matte black but have a hint of fake carbon fibre cues on it to add a bit of flare to the side appearance. Even the 5-spoke alloy wheels resemble very much to a star fish. Our test bike with green color and all black theme, gave it a mean and distinctive look, which grabs the attention of other commuters on the road successfully.

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Ergonomics - The seating position is upright and comfortable, thanks to the placement of the foot pegs and same for the pillion as well. The rear view mirror are wide, which helps in superior vision. The seat is well cushioned and will help you go that extra mile. The knee recess is there to hold you and make you attached to the Suzuki Hayate.

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Instrument Cluster and Switch Gear - The Suzuki Hayate’s instrument cluster has a sporty appeal to it. It is made by using blue and white color for the fonts and has a unique layout. There’s a dial showing speedometer and old fashioned odometer. The other square dial shows the fuel gauge and other oddities such as high beam, turn indicators and the shift light. The plastics around the instrument cluster have fake carbon-fiber cues to add a bit of sportiness to it. Switch gear is basic and is easy to use as it is in every other motorcycle in this segment but it lacks a engine-kill switch and a pass light switch which most competitors offer.

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Performance and Gearbox - The Suzuki Hayate is powered by a 112cc SOHC, four-stroke engine which pumps out 8.3 BHP of power at 7500 RPM and 8.62 NM of torque at 5500 RPM. The engine is very smooth and in true Suzuki tradition, throttle response is crisp and the motor shouts out a nice growl. It doesn’t feel stressed until it reaches the 70 km/h mark and goes on to a top speed of 85 km/h. The motor of the Suzuki Hayate has a under square layout which means it has a good mid-range, all though acceleration is not as brisk as scooters of the same category, courtesy to the commuter ‘type’ gearing which we recently saw on the Honda Dream Yuga as well. Gearbox is a 4-speed one and isn’t slick as the one on the Dream Yuga. The gear pattern is a ‘all down’ which isn’t suitable to us at all, but commuters enjoy it.

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Ride, Handling and Braking - The Suzuki Hayate is armed with a basic set of 2.75 tyre at the front and 3.00 tyre at the back with 17-inch wheels which are aided by the telescopic forks at the front and adjustable hydraulic suspension at the rear. Handling is neutral, which makes the Dream Yuga look over accomplished but the Suzuki Hayate does its job very well. The single tube chassis is well balanced and the set-up uses engine as a part of the chassis. The suspension is soft on either side. This results in a good ride quality on our broken roads. High speed stability is good and there is very little wind blast. Braking is like in any other bike of this segment, front brakes have no feel and rear brakes do most of the job.

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Miscellaneous - Fit and finish of the Hayate is good but we did find huge gaskets visible on the gearbox and various other places. Quality is on par with its rivals and also the price at which the product is being offered. Everything feels like it has been built to last, even the fibre-panel which is used for the front mudguard. Rear fender and other plastics feel solid and won’t break like glass. Headlight spread is good. Paint job is excellent and it’s being offered with unique color options as well. Horn is puny, an upgrade is necessary for you, if you rely on it most of the time.

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Conclusion - The Suzuki Hayate does everything what a commuter motorcycle should do but is Suzuki doing what its supposed to do? Suzuki two-wheelers need to widen their dealership and service networks to gain market share, which it lacks. While it keeps dominating the four-wheeler segment with a huge network why not the same for two-wheelers as well? Products which Suzuki has in its portfolio are good indeed. We don’t know what’s stopping them to do so, but its best to act fast before it’s too late. The Hayate does come across as a value for money motorcycle, which will get you from point A to point B effortlessly.

[flickr size=”center” float=”medium”]http://www.flickr.com/photos/motorbeam/7945456956/[/flickr]

What’s Cool

* Fish Styling * Price

What’s Not So Cool

* Handling * Small dealership network

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Suzuki Hayate Specifications

* Engine: 112.8cc, Air-Cooled, 4-valve, SOHC, 4-stroke engine * Power: 8.3 BHP @ 7500 RPM * Torque: 8.8 Nm @ 5500 RPM * Transmission: 4-speed manual * Top Speed: 85 km/h * Fuel Consumption: 55 km/l (city), 62 km/l (highway) * Fuel Type: Petrol * Frame Type: Tubular frame * Suspension: Telescopic forks (Front), Hydraulic shock absorbers (Rear) * Tyres: 2.75/17 (Front), 3.0/17 (Back) * Brakes: 130 mm drum (Front), 110 mm drum (Rear) * Headlamp: 12V 35/35W

Suzuki Hayate Dimensions

* Length X Width X Height: 2030 mm X 720 mm X 1070 mm * Wheelbase: 1260 mm * Ground Clearance: 165 mm * Fuel Tank Capacity: 8-litres * Kerb weight: 112 kgs