If you're riding a Hayabusa, and you still can't get away from the police, something is wrong. The Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa is a monster of a sport bike. Manufactured by Suzuki since 1999, the Hayabusa immediately won acclaim as the world&…
If you're riding a Hayabusa, and you still can't get away from the police, something is wrong. The Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa is a monster of a sport bike. Manufactured by Suzuki since 1999, the Hayabusa immediately won acclaim as the world's fastest production motorcycle, with a top speed ranging from 188 to 194 mph.
Speaking personally for a moment, I have had the awesome - and mildly scary - experience of piloting a 1999 Hayabusa a handful of times.* While there is a lot more to the bike than speed, Hayabusa is synonymous with fast.
Very fast.
On June 18, 2019, Arkansas State Police Trooper Mitchell Grant was traveling southbound on U.S. Hwy 65, south of Pickens, working moving radar, when he observed what appeared to be a white motorcycle traveling northbound, toward him, at a high rate of speed. Grant's radar indicated 122 mph. It was a 65 mph zone.
Trooper Grant entered a median turn-around just before the motorcycle passed him. He observed the rider to be a white male, riding a white sport bike. The rest was a blur. The driver was later identified as [someone whose name I don't intend to publish, for the reason described below].
As the rider passed, Grant turned around and accelerated rapidly, in an attempt to catch the rider and initiate a traffic stop. As Grant accelerated, it was clear that the rider was not slowing down. Instead, he continued northbound, passing vehicles and pulling away from the State Police Dodge Charger. Grant initiated his lights and siren, and advised Sergeant Jeff Preston that he was attempting to stop a motorcycle.
It was on.
"We were northbound traveling toward Dumas. After driving several miles, at a speed of 150 mph, I was slowly catching up with [the rider]. At one point, just south of Dumas, [the rider] was blocked by two 18-wheeler trucks. I was able to get close to [the rider] before he drove onto the left shoulder, and accelerated past the semis. I maintained [the rider] in sight, as we entered Dumas. [The rider] wa..
