SUZUKI’S Hayabusa is one of those bikes that’s carved out its own niche in motorcycling. It’s a legend that’s gained hoards of followers over the last 15 years since the first-generation bike was revealed - and now we’re hearing that a third-generation version is on the cards.

Believe it or not it’s approaching seven years since the current ’Busa appeared in late 2007 and apart from a couple of tweaks to the brakes for the 2013 model, which gained ABS and Brembo calipers, there haven’t been any real updates during that time. And its basic design is older still, since the engine architecture and the frame design are basically the same as the first generation Hayabusa, which dates back to 1999.

These days a 1000cc superbike can offer the sort of straight-line performance that was the Hayabusa’s USP when it first appeared, while thrashing it in terms of handling. Yet the more relaxed riding position and handling of the bigger bike means it’s retained a loyal following. And of course, once a bit of tuning is thrown into the mix, the relatively long-wheelbase Suzuki is still hard to beat in a drag race.

Now Visordown has heard that, thanks to the Hayabusa’s enduring success, the bike’s successor is approaching completion, ready to appear in late 2014 or 2015. The launch timing itself is likely to be decided not only by the machines’s development but the eventual appearance of a new GSX-R1000, also rumoured for 2015, to coincide with Suzuki’s re-entry to MotoGP.

If the GSX-R1000 does appear later this year as a 2015 model, it’s likely the Hayabusa won’t be launched alongside it, instead being held back until the 2016 model year.