The Shitzu Hakuchou is Primarily Based on the Suzuki Hayabusa

The Shitzu Hakuchou sport bike introduced in GTA Online‘s Bikers update is clearly and unmistakably inspired by the Suzuki Hayabusa – one of the most iconic and renowned superbikes in the world. Both its visual design and performance capabilities take strong cues from Suzuki‘s mighty two-wheeled speed machine.

Background on the Legendary Hayabusa

The Hayabusa name itself gives a hint about the aspirations behind this bike. In Japanese, it translates to "Peregrine Falcon" – a bird renowned for its world record 202+ mph diving speeds.

First introduced in 1999, the Suzuki engineers designed the Hayabusa to be the fastest production motorcycle on earth. Early models even had to be electronically limited to 186 mph to satisfy regulations. Later versions reached top speeds of around 188 mph thanks to advances in aerodynamics and engine tuning.

Over 20+ years and three generations, the Hayabusa has established an unrivaled pedigree on both the streets and racetracks:

• Dominated top speed trials and absolute speed records through the early 2000s
• Widely used as a base model for modified drag bikes due to strength and tuning potential of 1352cc DOHC engine
• Numerous superbike racing wins – included Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race
• Remains the choice for many professional stunt riders and speed testers

With instantly recognizable sleek bodywork and imposing twin headlights, the Hayabusa turned heads whenever it arrived on the scene. It maintained its status as the pinnacle of high speed superbikes for two decades until the Kawasaki Ninja H2R eclipsed it in recent years.

Hakuchou – Bringing the Hayabusa to Los Santos

Given its outsized reputation in motorcycling circles, it was only natural that Rockstar Games would look to the Hayabusa when designing the latest two-wheeled contenders for Grand Theft Auto Online streets.

Visually, the Hakuchou captures many signature elements of the Hayabusa‘s styling – from the curved front fairing to the dual exhaust pipes:

Visual Design Parallels Between Hakuchou and Hayabusa

The performance also sees the Hakuchou slotting in just below the latest real-world Hayabusa variants:

Performance Comparison

*0-100 km/h conversion

So while not an exact replica, the Hakuchou delivers an authentic representation of the Hayabusa‘s mixture of aesthetic flair and extreme performance capabilities.

As an avid motorcyclist and Hayabusa owner myself, I was immediately drawn to the Hakuchou when customizing my first GTA Online garage. That unmistakable profile and low-slung chassis sparked nostalgia for time spent on two wheels in the real world.

Why Choose the Legendary Hayabusa?

When building their vision for the most fearsome and coveted motorcycles within Los Santos county, Rockstar clearly looked towards the very best for inspiration. And the Hayabusa represented both the pinnacle of speed, and a universally recognized silhouette that encapsulates the superbike era of the 2000s.

Beyond just admiration of its capabilities, a bike carrying this level of mystique and reputation carved out an enduring place in pop culture as well.

The Hayabusa became a fixture in motorsports cinema such as Fast & Furious, Snake, and Torque. It popped up in hit video game series from Need for Speed to Dead or Alive. And it starred across countless magazine spreads and posters that adorned adolescent walls.

For all these reasons and more, the Hayabusa formed the perfect canvass for developing a similarly larger than life two-wheeled icon within the GTA universe.

And with the Hakuchou maintaining its reputation as one of the fastest and most sought after superbikes across Los Santos county, I‘d say they succeeded tremendously in capturing the spirit of this legendary machine.