THERE is hope for motorcyclists mourning the imminent demise of the mighty Hayabusa, the one-time undisputed monarch of straight lines.

Suzuki is working on a 1440cc replacement for 2019 according to reports in Japanese motorcycle magazines – which are usually accurate with their predictions – as well as Italian site Insella.

The ‘GSX1400R’ Hayabusa is expected to have a new chassis with semi-active suspension and cornering ABS, and debut around the 20th anniversary of the arrival of the original 1340cc iteration, which went on sale in 1999.

Suzuki made an unusually low-key showing at last autumn’s motorcycle exhibitions, with no new models expect the SV650X, a restyled version of the existing SV650. It followed a major Suzuki launch in 2018, of the new GSX-R1000.

Without more model debuts soon, it won't just mean fewer new bikes from Suzuki but a smaller line-up altogether. Several high-performance models, notably the GSX-R600, GSX-R750 and Hayabusa, have yet to be updated to meet emission limits that were introduced for new models at the beginning of 2017. All three remain listed on Suzuki’s UK website but sales will be from existing stock.

Suzuki sources in the UK have long maintained that the Japanese factory would not allow such a brand-defining model as the Hayabusa to go to the wall, making a replacement a certainty.

As long ago as 2015, Suzuki hinted that a new Hayabusa could be in the pipeline with the unveiling of the weird-looking ‘Concept GSX’ pictured above.

A capacity hike would take Suzuki in the opposite direction to Kawasaki, which has squeazed 200hp out of 1000cc by supercharging its latest sports-tourer, the just launched Ninja H2 SX.

Let’s hope.