Second hand advice Suzuki RF 900 R

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Second hand advice Suzuki RF 900 R

Second hand advice Suzuki RF 900 R
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The RF 900 R is valued by its owners. But the fat heck put off many potential buyers. So after just four years, Suzuki decided to end imports to Germany.

Peter Limmert

05/17/2000

With its coherent model policy, Suzuki repeatedly proves a skillful hand: The evergreen GSX-R 750, which shines with top marks with every new edition, the small and large Bandit series, the all surprising V2 construction SV 650. The RF 900 R, however, is an exception. Although it was Suzuki-like around 2000 marks cheaper than the competition’s 900 models and was clearly ahead in the all-round rating, opinions about the RF outfit were so far apart that the high chances of success due to the balanced concept did not materialize. From the front, the RF 900 looked slim, in the simple red paintwork with eye-catching air inlet ribs à la Ferrari Testarossa, almost Italian. At the rear, however, a tail light that protruded over the already generous width of the rear, like in a US cop car, ruined the overall impression.
The model came on the market in 1994, in 1995 there was a parallel RS 2 variant with an improved telescopic fork, which the R model was also equipped with from 1996. Including 1997, the end of official imports, a total of xxxx units were sold in Germany. Of these, around 2,700 are still on the road today.
Why Suzuki no longer had patience with the RF 900 and adapted the rear of the front end better, but instead withdrew it from the German market after four years, only the merchants at the German importer will be able to conclusively answer. In any case, the owners do not allow the touring athlete to come up against anything. Its reliability, the extraordinary elasticity of the engine, which is somewhat rough at higher speeds, and the stable chassis have attracted the sporty, ambitious touring group in particular.
Already on the first few meters with the RF 900 R, built in 1995 with 32,000 kilometers, it becomes clear that the upper body and wrists quickly cramp in city traffic due to the long tank and the position of the handlebars. The posture only relaxes when the vehicle is moving freely, and the rising wind directs it. Only the high footpegs are a bit disturbing. Drivers up to 1.80 meters tall add superbike handlebars for a more comfortable posture. A higher touring windshield (for example from MRA from the accessories trade) effectively reduces the wind pressure on the upper body and helmet.
The engine produces a lot of thrust from around 2000 rpm. The gearbox has to be shifted with a little force, which is hardly a problem, as the high-torque engine only requires fewer shifts. The RF 900 R looks a bit clumsy in slow corners, where its relatively high weight of 237 kilograms is noticeable. But if the meandering curve becomes further and faster, the machine becomes easier to steer. The telescopic fork, however, reacts a bit hard and overdamped. From the 1996 model onwards, the rebound damping is adjustable, which makes the fork more responsive. Owners of the first years can have their stubborn front wheel guidance revised for around 450 marks (Wilbers, phone 0 59 21/60 57). The rear, fully adjustable shock absorber is much more sensitive and guides the rear end safely without nervousness.
Most of the RF 900 R on offer are throttled to 98 hp, including the one driven by MOTORRAD. Quite enough for rapid progress, if you still want to enjoy the full performance of 135 hp, you have to reckon with costs of around 950 marks for the conversion (other carburetor flanges, nozzles, working time plus registration fees).
The life of the four-valve engine up to the first revision seems extraordinary. In an engine at our sister magazine PS that was opened at 50,000 kilometers for object lesson, there were tracks on the track of the timing chain tensioner and on the clutch cage, and the tooth flanks of the fifth gear wheels were also carious. But only the valve seats really needed a major overhaul.
In everyday operation with the RF 900, there are only atmospheric disturbances if misfires occur when driving in the rain. A self-made protection between the frame and the radiator protects the ignition coils and spark plug plugs from major flooding.

Technical data – Suzuki RF 900 R

RF 900 RTechnical dataMotorWater-cooled four-cylinder four-stroke in-line engine, two overhead, chain-driven camshafts, four valves per cylinder actuated via bucket tappets, four Mikuni constant pressure carburettors, 36 mm diameter, contactless transistor ignition, no exhaust gas cleaning, displacement 937 cm3, rated power 72 kW (98 PS) at 11500 rpm, five-speed gearbox, O-ring chain, electric starter. Chassis bridge frame made of steel profiles, telescopic fork, standpipe diameter 43 mm, with adjustable spring base and rebound damping, swing arm made of aluminum profiles, a central spring strut, articulated via a lever system, with adjustable spring base, tension and Compression damping, double disc brake with four-piston calipers and floating brake discs, 0 310 mm, rear disc brake, 0 240 mm, light alloy cast wheels, spring travel front / rear 120/125 mm.Dimensions and weightsSeat height 800 mmTank capacity / reserve 21/5 litersWeight fully fueled 237 kgService intervals all 6000 km test values, maximum speed solo / with pillion passenger 231 / 212 km / hAcceleration 0-100 km / h solo / with pillion passenger 3.3 / 4.2 secConsumption 6.5 litersFuel normalSpare part pricesCarriage partsCoupling armature MarkHandlebar MarkRear-view mirror MarkBinker front MarkTachometer MarkFork tube MarkMudguard front MarkFront wheel MarkExhaust MarkTank, painted MarkFrame complete: Mark upper shell MarkJe side panel Mark disc MarkVerschleibteileKettenkit Mark brake pads, a set of Mark clutch facings, a set of Mark front brake disc Mark air filter Mark oil filter MarkGaszug Mark Tachowelle Mark battery Mark fork seal Mark strengths and weaknesses strength Elastic engine Handy chassis Economic BenzinkonsumSchwachenUnformiges rear No main stand habituation whose seat position test in MOTORRAD1Test 5 / 1994Vergleichstest 7 / 1994Vergleichstest 2 / 1995Vergleichstest 12 / 1997Reifenfreigaben type GT 73Bvorn hinten120 / 70 ZR 17 170/60 ZR 17 Dunlop Sportmax D 203 Alternative tires Footnotes: 1Tests can be ordered from the publisher, telephone, see Ka sten on page xxx.

Reader experiences – Suzuki RF 900 R

I was immediately impressed by your appearance. Of the specified 133 hp, just under 129 were left on the Dynotec test bench. Brakes and chassis are okay too. Even with a pillion passenger, you can still talk about a comfortable driving style. In 1996 I installed a superbike handlebar and steel flex lines. A silencer from Shark and various changes (LM Allen screws, Sigma speedometer, other footrests) were added over time. The only point of criticism is the very sensitive paintwork on the knee. Klaus Rinker, Neu-Anspach I have been the proud owner of an RF 900 since August 1996. One of the factors that made the purchase decision was how many people call it a UFO. We have now unwound more than 25,000 kilometers. With its performance, chassis and reliability, the Suzi was a very fine and recommendable moped so far. The only negative point: If the car is idle for more than 14 days, condensation in the carburetor prevents the start. On the subject of tires: the pairing Metzeler Z1 / Z2 wears out too quickly in the shoulder area, the driving experience becomes restless. With the Dunlop D 203 the rear tire is okay, the front one like the Z1. Metzeler Z4 front and rear are perfect. Gunther Tamaro, Sinsheim About two RFs, one built in 1995 with 30,000 kilometers, the second built in 1997 with 10,000 kilometers, the identical verdict in a nutshell. Comfortable seating position, good suitability for everyday use, powerful engine, economical in consumption, excellent brakes, problem-free road holding up to top speed, good experience with standard tires (Dunlop D 203) and alternative tires (Bridgestone BT 57), which are subject to registration, good accessibility for maintenance work (carburetor, valve cover ). The fairing offers sufficient wind protection with a higher windshield. So far, no breakdowns or damage to both machines. Veronika Petukat, Hamburg

Market – Suzuki RF 900 R

The Schwacke list noted for the RF 900: year of construction 1994 (49,800 kilometers) 7800 marks; 1995 (41,400 kilometers) 9,100 marks; 1996 (33,000 kilometers) 10,100 marks; 1997 (24,600 kilometers) 11,200 marks. These prices refer to the original price of the RF 900 R of 18,620 marks at the time. The model is still being offered new by an independent importer for 14,990 marks. This fact makes the Schwacke level seem a bit high, so there should still be air in the purchase negotiations. An alternative is the Honda VFR, which has been considered the sports tourer par excellence for years. The older model with 750 cm3 is correspondingly cheaper than the younger 800 version with a regulated catalytic converter. Another alternative is the Yamaha YZF 1000 Thunderace, which has also been part of the sports tourer segment since the R1 athlete was released.

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