Suzuki RF900R
1994—1998

I have tried to tell the Suzuki RF 900 R model history on this page as I know it. I would be grateful of any contributions — sales brochures, magazine ads, magazine articles, pictures, specs, facts, corrections etc. Please scan the material in JPEG format (large enough that all the details are visible) and send them to me. Please tell me the source and the publication date if possible. If you send me pictures of your own bike, please follow these instructions.

1994 Suzuki year code: R

In 1994 the RF jumped smugly into the marketplace wearing a very reasonable price tag of $13,999 and immediately chested up to the Kawasaki ZX9-R which happened to cost $15,590. Competition wasn't just limited to the big K however; Yamaha's excellent FZR1000 was also priced on the large side of 15 big ones as was Honda's FireBlade. Admittedly the RF never really presented a serious sporting threat to the 'Blade, but it did possess a 135 hp engine that revved to 12 000 rpm. This spectacular unit was derived from the GSX-R1100W, and gave nothing away in the horsepower stakes which was important to many of those waiting to spend their money. The RF was unique in the above company in that it used a steel beam frame borrowed and strengthened from the RF600 instead of the alloy units used in the pure sports bikes in Suzuki's line up. The four-cylinder, liquid-cooled, 16-valve engine nestling between the spars came from well-proven parents, but was a heavy old lump all by itself. Despite the best attempts at making the RF a heavyweight, at 203kg the RF is lighter than its looks suggest. Suspension was workman-like rather than exotic, and featured preload-adjustable 43mm forks handling duties at the pointy end, while further south a multi-adjustable Showa unit did the job of keeping the back wheel on the ground. Finished in red or black, the styling attracted a fair bit of criticism with some rather unkind comments centring on the large louvres in the side of the fairing, and the strangely wide tail-piece. Resembling something you'd paddle in the sea, the RF featured the biggest rear light ever seen on a sporting motorcycle at that time, or indeed since. Riding behind one when the rider was braking was like riding into the gates of hell!

1994 Suzuki RF 900 R Overall Length: 2 130 mm (83.9 in) Overall Width: 730 mm (28.7 in) Overall Height: 1 170 mm (46.1 in) Seat Height: 805 mm (31.7 in) Wheelbase: 1 440 mm (56.7 in) Ground Clearance: 115 mm (4.5 in) Dry Weight: 203 kg (447 lbs) Engine: Water-cooled 937 cc inline-4, DOHC, 16 valves. 135 hp (101 kW) @ 10 000 rpm, 135.9 Nm (13.86 kg-m / 100.2 ft-lb) @ 9 000 rpm Click on the image for larger format.

1994 Suzuki RF 900 R Overall Length: 2 130 mm (83.9 in) Overall Width: 730 mm (28.7 in) Overall Height: 1 170 mm (46.1 in) Seat Height: 805 mm (31.7 in) Wheelbase: 1 440 mm (56.7 in) Ground Clearance: 115 mm (4.5 in) Dry Weight: 203 kg (447 lbs) Engine: Water-cooled 937 cc inline-4, DOHC, 16 valves. 135 hp (101 kW) @ 10 000 rpm, 135.9 Nm (13.86 kg-m / 100.2 ft-lb) @ 9 000 rpm Click on the image for larger format.

1994 Suzuki RF 900 R Overall Length: 2 130 mm (83.9 in) Overall Width: 730 mm (28.7 in) Overall Height: 1 170 mm (46.1 in) Seat Height: 805 mm (31.7 in) Wheelbase: 1 440 mm (56.7 in) Ground Clearance: 115 mm (4.5 in) Dry Weight: 203 kg (447 lbs) Engine: Water-cooled 937 cc inline-4, DOHC, 16 valves. 135 hp (101 kW) @ 10 000 rpm, 135.9 Nm (13.86 kg-m / 100.2 ft-lb) @ 9 000 rpm Click on the image for larger format.

1995 Suzuki year code: S

1995 saw a $400 jump in price on the S version and the arrival of fully adjustable forks, plus a limited edition T version finished in dark green and called the 'Manta Ray'.Colour-matched frame. A special edition model, RF900RS2, was offered in 1995. It shares all the RF900R's charachteristics plus it had multiadjustable rebound damping on front fork and other colors and graphics.

1995 Suzuki RF 900 R Overall Length: 2 130 mm (83.9 in) Overall Width: 730 mm (28.7 in) Overall Height: 1 170 mm (46.1 in) Seat Height: 805 mm (31.7 in) Wheelbase: 1 440 mm (56.7 in) Ground Clearance: 115 mm (4.5 in) Dry Weight: 203 kg (447 lbs) Engine: Water-cooled 937 cc inline-4, DOHC, 16 valves. 135 hp (101 kW) @ 10 000 rpm, 135.9 Nm (13.86 kg-m / 100.2 ft-lb) @ 9 000 rpm Click on the image for larger format.

1996 Suzuki year code: T

For 1996 through to the model's discontinuation in 1999 the RF900R received an anti-theft ignition lock. The red RF900R has colour-matched frame - purple/yellow and grey/black bikes have silver frames.

1996 Suzuki RF 900 R Overall Length: 2 130 mm (83.9 in) Overall Width: 730 mm (28.7 in) Overall Height: 1 170 mm (46.1 in) Seat Height: 805 mm (31.7 in) Wheelbase: 1 440 mm (56.7 in) Ground Clearance: 115 mm (4.5 in) Dry Weight: 203 kg (447 lbs) Engine: Water-cooled 937 cc inline-4, DOHC, 16 valves. 135 hp (101 kW) @ 10 000 rpm, 135.9 Nm (13.86 kg-m / 100.2 ft-lb) @ 9 000 rpm Click on the image for larger format.

1996 Suzuki RF 900 R Overall Length: 2 130 mm (83.9 in) Overall Width: 730 mm (28.7 in) Overall Height: 1 170 mm (46.1 in) Seat Height: 805 mm (31.7 in) Wheelbase: 1 440 mm (56.7 in) Ground Clearance: 115 mm (4.5 in) Dry Weight: 203 kg (447 lbs) Engine: Water-cooled 937 cc inline-4, DOHC, 16 valves. 135 hp (101 kW) @ 10 000 rpm, 135.9 Nm (13.86 kg-m / 100.2 ft-lb) @ 9 000 rpm Click on the image for larger format.

1996 Suzuki RF 900 R Overall Length: 2 130 mm (83.9 in) Overall Width: 730 mm (28.7 in) Overall Height: 1 170 mm (46.1 in) Seat Height: 805 mm (31.7 in) Wheelbase: 1 440 mm (56.7 in) Ground Clearance: 115 mm (4.5 in) Dry Weight: 203 kg (447 lbs) Engine: Water-cooled 937 cc inline-4, DOHC, 16 valves. 135 hp (101 kW) @ 10 000 rpm, 135.9 Nm (13.86 kg-m / 100.2 ft-lb) @ 9 000 rpm Click on the image for larger format.

1997 Suzuki year code: V

The 1997 RF900R had a Silver painted frame.

1997 Suzuki RF 900 R Overall Length: 2 130 mm (83.9 in) Overall Width: 730 mm (28.7 in) Overall Height: 1 170 mm (46.1 in) Seat Height: 805 mm (31.7 in) Wheelbase: 1 440 mm (56.7 in) Ground Clearance: 115 mm (4.5 in) Dry Weight: 203 kg (447 lbs) Engine: Water-cooled 937 cc inline-4, DOHC, 16 valves. 135 hp (101 kW) @ 10 000 rpm, 135.9 Nm (13.86 kg-m / 100.2 ft-lb) @ 9 000 rpm Click on the image for larger format.

1998 Suzuki year code: W

The 1998 Suzuki RF900R was available in two colors: Candy Academy Maroon (22U) and Pearl Novelty Black (33J).

1998 Suzuki RF900RW, Candy Academy Maroon (22U)

1998 Suzuki RF 900 R Overall Length: 2 130 mm (83.9 in) Overall Width: 730 mm (28.7 in) Overall Height: 1 170 mm (46.1 in) Seat Height: 805 mm (31.7 in) Wheelbase: 1 440 mm (56.7 in) Ground Clearance: 115 mm (4.5 in) Dry Weight: 203 kg (447 lbs) Engine: Water-cooled 937 cc inline-4, DOHC, 16 valves. 135 hp (101 kW) @ 10 000 rpm, 135.9 Nm (13.86 kg-m / 100.2 ft-lb) @ 9 000 rpm Click on the image for larger format.

More: Suzuki RF series

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