Suzuki Rf600r
SUZUKI RF600R
Long-Term Wrap-Up
Race-replica alternative
WHEN SUZUKI DEBUTED THE RF600R to the U.S. market in 1994, it shunned the traditional “Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday” racing approach to showroom sales success, and promoted the fully faired sportbike simply as a sharp-handling all-rounder.
Potential race-winner or not, the bike certainly captured our attention, what with its glossy red paint, crisp steering and quick-revving engine. Over the past 18 months, our blood-red long-termer and its liquid-cooled, dohc inlineFour, which combines an old-style GSX-R600/750 bottom end with a downdraft cylinder head and carburetors, has been bulletproof. While a bit cold-blooded (full choke is imperative on start-up), it delivered strong acceleration, even if other bikes in its class, like Honda’s CBR600F3 and Kawasaki’s ZX-6R, offer even greater performance. Maintenance was limited to regular oil-and-filter changes, and the scheduled valve adjustment at 7500 miles was completed by our local dealer, Orange County Suzuki.
We experimented with a pre-production carburetor kit ($116) from Dynojet (200 Arden Dr., Belgrade, MT 59714; 406/388-4993), but the results were not impressive. In fact, the engine actually lost power throughout the entire rev range and was more prone to plug fouling. An updated kit is said to provide better results.
“The conservative paint coupled with a stunning shape make the RF a visual frontrunner right out of the box. Also, this bike will suck the paint off almost anything on four wheels/ -Ted Johnson, Wilmington, Delaware
Two slip-on mufflers were sampled, a SuperTrapp ($340) and a Yoshimura Zyclone ($210). The stainless-steel SuperTrapp (4540 West 150th St., Cleveland, OH 44135; 216/2658400) leaked where it met the collector and around the endcap, but with the pipe in place, the engine made 4 more peak horsepower than stock. At anything less than maximum engine rpm, it was relatively quiet, too. Fit and finish on the polished-aluminum muffler from Yoshimura (4555 Carter Ct., Chino, CA 91710; 909/628-4722) was much better than that of the SuperTrapp, even if the sound levels were less than civil. Unfortunately, we were not able to determine whether the Yoshimura unit offered any performance gains because we totalled the bike in a backroad crash. Luckily the rider was unhurt, but the incident brought our scheduled 10,000-mile evaluation of the bike to an early and unexpected halt.
Quotes from the logbook
Jon F. ThompsonClock and fuel gauge? Needs ’em both. The RF ran out of fuel on the freeway after only a brief, weak glow from the reserve light. Fair warning to the rest of you.
I wouldn’t change a thing about the RF’s styling. Although the slip-on mufflers drew more attention than I prefer, they did sound good.
Matthew Milessteering is lighteffort, there’s adequate power on tap and the suspension is well suited to sport-touring. Great lines, too.
“My RF600 is jreat. I’ve logged 10,803 miles in 10 months. It’s the best-looking machine on the street, save for the Ducati 916. Overall, I’m happy. Very happy.” -Terrance Cox, Santa Cruz, California
Early in our long-term test, we discarded the stock Dunlop D202 tires for race-proven D364s in preparation for a multibike, 600-class comparison. While the latter offered terrific racetrack adhesion, they gave a harsh ride on the street. In addition, the more triangulated profile exacerbated the RF’s willingness to wobble on deceleration when fitted with some aftermarket tires. We solved both problems with a set of Z-rated Avon radials-an AV27 front and ST23 rear ($195 for the pair)-which proved both durable and sticky.
As noted in our initial test of the bike (January, 1994), the RF’s seat is firmly padded, which can be a concern during longer trips. Also, the seat-to-footpeg relationship is uncomfortably tight, prompting criticism even from shorter riders. Rather than fabricate lower footpeg mounts, which might have hindered ground clearance, we asked CorbinPacific, Inc. (11445 Commercial Pkwy., Castroville, CA 95012; 800/538-7035) to add a half-inch of foam to the rider’s portion of its standard two-piece replacement seat. Covered in black naugahyde and trimmed with a matching red welt, the seat ($288) effectively unkinked knees, but the increased height placed additional strain on wrists. The foam was a bit stiff, too, even after a thorough break-in.
Even so, our fully faired RF provided smooth, exciting transport to and from a variety of distant destinations, including Las Vegas and up the California coast to Cambria and Monterey. Bottom line? The RF600R is a highly capable machine with light, neutral steering, a responsive powerplant, sport-oriented suspension and respectable protection from the elements. All of which goes to prove there’s something for everyone in the 600 class.
us/oot, the RF s footpegs seem too high and the handlebars are a bit of a reach. The smooth engine and rock-solid handling, however, make up for any ergonomic complaints.” -Roger Luedke, Maple Grove, Minnesota
SPECIFICATIONS
List price (1994)..... ............ $6399
