MotoGP Rivalry

The Manufacturing of Suzuki Hayabusa

The Best Price for a "Hayabusa Turbo" On the Market - From $2900

HardRider MotoWerks ProBoost Hayabusa Turbo has 4 kit options for the Gen2 Busa starting at $2900.

this is the best price for a complete kit for Hayabusa anywhere in the world. Our Proboost turbo kits have been around for over 30 years, with some riders having over 100,000km on their turbos. Additionally our kits use the stock oil cooler and rad, making sure the bike is running cool. Some turbo installers pull the oil cooler because it gets in the way of their setup. End result? A bike that runs HOT. Not ours.

Contact us at Toll Free 1-800-971-5030 or email: info@hardrider.net

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CALIFORNIA HARLEY Dealerships Crashing!

Yamaha’s Secret V4 Is Faster Than Ducati?

Yamaha’s secret V4 project has finally been unleashed, and the 2026 Buriram Test just changed the championship forever. While the world thought the Inline-4 era would end in disaster, Toprak Razgatlıoğlu has turned a "wild animal" of a prototype into a record-breaking weapon.

In this deep-dive documentary, we go behind the garage doors to uncover the technical miracle that saved Yamaha. From the progressive torque curve breakthrough to the "Stoprak" braking physics that left Ducati and KTM engineers speechless, this is the full story of the V4 awakening.

Inside this video:
The Death of Tradition: Why Yamaha finally killed the Inline-4.
Buriram Heat: The cooling system breakthrough that saved the engine.
The Physics of Toprak: How the V4 was built for "Stoprak" late-braking.
Paddock Whispers: Why rival teams are officially worried about Sector 2.
Internal Tension: Is the new development direction sidelining Fabio Quartararo?

Peter Fonda's Easy Rider Bike(s)

Bugatti Chiron SS v Kawasaki H2R v Ducati Panigale SP2: DRAG RACE

The World's Most Wanted Motorcycle Street Racer: GhostRider

Beefy Harley vs Beefy Busa

Top 10 Manufacturer Turbo Motorcycles

On the surface, forced induction for motorcycles is a good idea: more power from smaller engines giving the performance of much larger engines. At one point in the 1970s, Japanese manufacturers looked to be adopting the technology wholesale, but then the ideas dried up as everyone realized that the same power could be achieved much easier through fuel injection and improved combustion technology. While it lasted, however, it was a fascinating blind alley that has only just been re-opened by Kawasaki with the H2.

1939 BMW Type 255 ‘Kompressor’ We can’t start this list with anything other than the grandfather of the forced induction motorcycle, the BMW Type 255 Kompressor. In the 1930s, BMW was the only manufacturer to go down the supercharger route, as they challenged the might of the British manufacturers in racing. The traditional BMW boxer twin was supercharged with a Zoller sliding vane supercharger to produce 60 horsepower from just 500cc. In 1939, Georg Meier achieved the first Isle of Man Senior TT victory for a non-British motorcycle and the BMW Type 255 also set a motorcycle land speed record in 1937, at a speed of 173.7 mph.

1982 Yamaha XJ650T Turbo The 1980s saw many rather tasteless trends in both music and fashion, but it was also the decade of the turbocharger. Lots of mundane family cars got the turbocharging treatment in an attempt to turn sow's ears into silk purses. Motorcycles weren’t immune, and the Japanese seized on forced induction to add pep to some of their models. One of the first was the Yamaha XJ650T, which had a brief but impactful life. Launched in 1982, it featured the aging inline four-cylinder XJ650 engine, turbocharged to give 90 horsepower. The chassis really wasn’t up to coping with the extra power, but the fairing pointed to a more touring rôle rather than a sports rôle. Even the dash was typically 1980s futuristic.

1983 Suzuki XN85 Futuristic Katana-style looks hid another aging engine - this time, the 673cc, inline four-cylinder from the GS650 - which had been turbocharged to eke out a few more years of relevancy. The name refers to the power output - 85 horsepower - which wasn’t unhealthy and at least the turbocharger addressed the lack of low-down torque that is a characteristic of those smaller-displacement Japanese fours. Despite the 16-inch front wheel - another ’80s affliction - the Suzuki XN85 was considered a sweet-handling motorcycle. In line with all bikes in this list, not many were produced, and so they are rare today.

1982 Honda CX500 Turbo For one year only, the ugly duckling and slow CX500 workhorse was turned into something nearer a swan with a stylish fairing and featuring 82 horsepower of turbocharged urge. Fitting a turbocharger wasn’t a response to a fad as the transverse V-twin engine had been designed to be turbocharged from the outset. Running high boost, the turbo lag was catastrophic but the extra performance was needed to offset the weight of the fairing. It was typical Honda: take a mundane model and show off its technical prowess. The CX500 Turbo wasn’t especially exciting, and it was expensive: all in all, not a great success.

1983 Honda CX650 Turbo Another one-year-only model, the CX650 was basically the CX500 turbo with more power (a hike to 100 horsepower), and the throttle lag problem was largely successfully addressed. However, they did this by turning down the boost and relying on the increase in displacement and compression ratio to get more power so the CX650 was actually softer than the CX500, with less turbo effect. Nonetheless, probably the most convincing - from an engineering point of view -of the ’80s breed of turbocharged motorcycles.

1984 Kawasaki GPz750 Turbo Kawasaki jumped on the turbocharging bandwagon as Honda was jumping off, but that, at least, gave Kawasaki the chance to examine its rivals and avoid the same mistakes. The GPz750 Turbo arrived at a strange time for the company, whose line-up boasted the GPz1100 which was faster and, crucially, cheaper than the 750 Turbo, not to mention the newly-introduced GPz900R which moved the sports bike genre beyond what the Turbo was trying to achieve. But, the GPz750 Turbo was arguably the best of the crop of Japanese turbo bikes, featuring as it did a decent sports chassis that could handle extra power: 112 horsepower as standard but able to accept higher boost for more power, if you could live with the turbo lag.

1978 Kawasaki Z1R-TC Preceding the GPz750 by some six years, the Z1R-TC wasn’t a production model per se, but rather a factory-approved special offered in 1978 only. Dealers could bolt an after-market ‘Turbo-Pak’ kit to an existing Z1R, while making no other changes to the bike. Boosting power by 40 horsepower to 130 horsepower was more than the chassis could handle, and the turbo lag was almost terminal! Even better, buyers of the Z1R-TC had to sign a waiver declaring that when it went bang, there would be no factory warranty or backup! No one knows how many were converted but, hopefully, none survive!

2003 Peugeot Jet Force Compressor We tend to think of forced induction being the sole preserve of sports and sports touring bikes, but Peugeot had other ideas. The Jet Force had a 125cc engine sitting by the rear wheel. 15 horsepower was claimed but, with the supercharger added, that went up to 19 horsepower and enabled the Jet Force to outrun 250cc scooters. However, the supercharger and air intake installation robbed the scooter of all the under-seat storage space, which is such a big attraction of scooters, and it also pushed the price up to more than 250cc scooters. Not a commercial success but still fascinating.

2015 Icon Sheene A very limited production motorcycle - just 52 examples were slated to be built - the Icon Sheene featured the engine from the Suzuki Hayabusa, Spondon chassis and an enormous turbocharger boosting the engine to 257 horsepower. The boost level is modest, though, so the power output could be massively increased (while shrinking engine life, presumably). $110,000 sounds a lot for such a machine - and it was! It was also the most powerful production bike in the world at the time it was announced back in 2010. Whether 52 bikes means that it is a production bike is open to debate, especially as each one was to be tailored to the individual customer so no two would ever be alike.

2015 Kawasaki H2/H2R Astonishingly bold move by Kawasaki, bringing forced induction back into motorcycling after 30 years. Quite why Kawasaki did it is a mystery - the ZZR1400 was already quick enough - but manufacturers are always looking for a way to upstage their rivals and the H2 did just that. Everything about it was special, from the supercharger chirruping away on the overrun to the silver-based, self-healing paint, never mind the incredible performance. It was too heavy to challenge liter sports bikes around a track but, as a sports touring bike, it had few equals. The even more insane H2R boosted the H2’s 207 horsepower to a frankly bonkers 310 horsepower and there were no lights to prevent it from being ridden on the road. In the hands of ex-World Supersport champion, Kenan Sofuoglu, an H2R achieved 250 mph on a bridge in Turkey back in 2016.

Ice Racing at Its Best! The Real Thing...

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The GREATEST Comeback in the History of MotoGP!

2 Million Motorcycles DUMPED - Market COLLAPSE

The most exciting BATTLES of the| 2025 Season...

Winter Motorcycle Fun

Hayabusa Low-Boost Turbo Kit

Hayabusa Low-Boost Turbo Kit

The ProBoost Low-Boost Kit does not require a cometic spacer, so the engine does not have to come out to accommodate the spacer. The turbo is literally bolt-on.

HardRider News Media
Nov 20, 2025
Your Winter Project

The Suzuki Hayabusa has long been considered one of the most desirable motorcycles to turbocharge, thanks to its robust 1340cc engine and the extensive aftermarket support available for performance upgrades. Riders are drawn to the Hayabusa’s ability to handle significant horsepower increases, but one common hesitation for street riders is the perceived need to install a base spacer to lower compression from around 12:1 to 9:1. This modification is often recommended for high-boost setups, as reducing compression helps prevent detonation under heavy turbo pressure.

However, to combat this, ProBoost offers a Low-Boost turbo kit in addition to its Street and Race kits designed specifically for stock-compression Hayabusas. This kit limits boost to 4–5 psi, a level that the engine can safely handle without internal modifications. The key lies in how the kits are engineered to control and cap boost pressure.

How Low-Boost Kits Work

Wastegate Control: A properly sized external wastegate (commonly 38 mm) ensures that excess exhaust gases bypass the turbo once the target boost level is reached. This mechanical safeguard prevents boost creep beyond 4–5 psi.

ECU Tuning: Kits often include standalone or piggyback ECU systems with maps calibrated for low boost. These maps adjust ignition timing and fuel delivery to prevent detonation at stock compression.

Fuel System Upgrades: Even at low boost, additional fuel is required. Requires upgraded fuel pump and potentially upgraded regulator, and injectors to maintain the correct air-fuel ratio.

MAP Sensors & Boost References: A map sensor or similar device ensures the ECU accurately reads boost pressure and responds accordingly.

Reliability of 4–5 PSI Kits

It has been proven that stock-compression Hayabusas can reliably run 4–5 psi without engine damage, provided the kit is installed correctly and tuned properly. At this level, the engine typically produces 230–250 horsepower, a significant increase over stock while maintaining long-term reliability. The low boost avoids the extreme cylinder pressures that necessitate compression-lowering spacers.

Reliability hinges on three factors:
Consistent wastegate function to prevent boost spikes.
Proper ECU calibration to avoid lean conditions or detonation.
Routine maintenance of turbo components, fuel system, and sensors.

Conclusion

In short, low-boost turbo kits for the Hayabusa achieve safe performance gains by mechanically and electronically capping boost at 4–5 psi. This allows street riders to enjoy substantial horsepower increases without the expense and complexity of lowering compression. As long as the wastegate, ECU, and fuel system are functioning correctly, these kits are reliable and will not exceed the intended boost level.

Additionally street riders benefit with the ProBoost turbo kit because the kit uses the stock oil cooler and rad, so that normal use of street and highway riding keeps your Hayabusa purring and running without issue.

HardRider News Media
Div. of HardRider MotoWerks
hardrider.net

Motorcycle Ice Racing

Motorcycle ice racing is one of the most unique and thrilling forms of motorsport, combining winter landscapes with high-speed competition on frozen lakes and rivers. Riders fit their motorcycles with studded or spiked tires, transforming slippery ice into a racing surface with remarkable traction. This sport has a rich tradition in Scandinavia and Canada, and continues to grow in North America under the sanction of major organizations.

Riding on Ice: Who Does It?

Ice racing attracts a diverse group of riders. Many are flat track racers who use ice racing as off-season training, since the studded tires provide grip comparable to dirt or asphalt. Others are enthusiasts from northern regions where frozen lakes are abundant, turning winter into an opportunity rather than a barrier. Riders range from amateurs experimenting with local club events to professionals competing in international championships.

The Motorcycles Used

The motorcycles typically used for ice racing are off-road bikes such as motocross or flat track machines, modified with studded tires and protective fenders. These spikes—hundreds of razor-sharp screws embedded into the tires—allow riders to lean at extreme angles without losing grip. Some bikes are lowered for stability, while others retain their dirt-track geometry for versatility. In Europe, specialized ice speedway bikes are common, featuring rigid frames, no brakes, and long spikes for maximum traction.

Competitions and Upcoming Events

Globally, the most prestigious competition is the FIM Ice Speedway World Championship, sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). The 2025 calendar includes qualifying rounds in Sweden (Örnsköldsvik, February 1), Germany (Inzell, March 15–16), and the Netherlands (Heerenveen, April 5–6). These events showcase the best riders from Scandinavia, Russia, and Central Europe.

In North America, the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) sanctions ice racing events across northern states. Canada also hosts a vibrant scene, with the CASC Ontario Region and clubs like the Winnipeg Sports Car Club organizing annual ice racing schedules. Local ovals and grand-prix style courses are plowed onto frozen lakes, creating competitive circuits for both rookies and veterans.

Sanctioning and Sponsorship

Ice racing is formally sanctioned by organizations such as the AMA in the U.S., the Canadian Motorcycle Association in Canada, and the FIM internationally. These bodies provide rulebooks, licensing, and championship structures. Sponsorship often comes from motorcycle manufacturers, gear companies, and local businesses, especially in regions where ice racing is a cultural tradition.

Popularity in North America and Beyond

In North America, ice racing remains a niche but passionate sport. It is particularly strong in Canada, where frozen lakes provide natural venues and communities embrace winter motorsports. Events in Ontario, Manitoba, and Alberta draw consistent participation. In the U.S., northern states like Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan are hotbeds of activity.

In Scandinavia and Finland, however, ice racing is far more mainstream. Finland, Sweden, and Russia have produced world champions, and the sport enjoys strong cultural support. The long winters and tradition of motorsport make ice racing a natural fit, with large crowds attending FIM-sanctioned events.

Conclusion

Motorcycle ice racing is a fascinating blend of skill, engineering, and winter endurance. From studded motocross bikes on frozen lakes in Canada to specialized speedway machines in Scandinavia, the sport thrives under the sanction of organizations like the AMA and FIM. While it remains a niche discipline in North America, its popularity in Canada and Europe ensures that ice racing continues to be one of the most spectacular winter motorsports. With upcoming events in Sweden, Germany, and the Netherlands, and local races across Canada and the U.S., the 2025 season promises to keep the tradition alive and growing.