Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

ArreA 1·S tD best ;'" (~ur tJ;~:~/s D/~ best J-VDD~ bUl."'", D/~ ~1·'",k'" D/~ (ri"":'s ,.~ tl·USt", A"'~ D/~ AUtJD1.S ro l·eA~. cf"~"d5 13,:,'''''' o it seems that some things do, perhaps, get better with age, b u t certainly not when it comes to performance-oriented motorcycles. This unfortunate fact can be especially distu rbing when you 're a motorcycle manufacturer trying to sell an aging and out-dated sportbike, and it doesn't help matters any when your competitors are offering compa rable products that are overflowing with the very latest in streetbike technolo- gy. Case in point: Suzuki's GSXllOO Katana. Always considered a fine motorcycle, the 1100 has been the company's mainstay in the open-clas s sport/touring market since its introduction in 1983. Actually, the 1100didn't officially become the "Katana" until 1988, when it took on a whole new look, along with major modifications. Since then, the Katana 1100 has remained fairly stagnant in terms of technological advancements and, as a result, has fallen behind the times and into near obscurity. The reasons for its demise becomes as clear as day when you compare the aging Katana to some of its more developed competitors, like Yamaha 's GTS1000, which made its debut last year and featured a futuristic single-sided swingarm front suspension system. Then there is BMW's , totally revamped R1100RS, which boasts its own unique Telelever front suspension design and new Boxer engine, and of course there is Kawasaki's recen tly overhauled ZX-11, that features the mos t powerful engine in its class and even more eye-ca tching styling. And you certainly can't forget Honda's revived CBRlOOO with its oneof-a-kind Linked Braking System. The Katana? Well, it did have an electronically adjustable windshield! So it comes as no surprise that Suz uki has finally dropped the Katana 1100 from its '94 line-up in favor of a more contemporary and spicy sport/touring bike - the all-new RF900R The RF900R is Suzuki's answer to this lates t outbreak of "techno" open-class sport/touring streetbikes. And from what we can tell so far, it's the correct response, despite the fact tha t the RF doesn't boast any startling or unorthodox designs. Suzuki focused most of its attention on the sport side of sport/touring with the RF900, and this beco mes especially evident after inspecting what's hidden beneath all the red- (or black-) painted plastic. Here you will find the RF's powerplant, an in-line, four-cy linder, liquidcooled, DOHC engine that is closely based on the "full-race" GSXR1100W's engine. Most of the changes made to the RF's mill were aimed at improving bottom-end and midrange performance, thus making the engine less "hyper" and more suited for sport/ touring riding. The crankcase and lower-end are identical to that of the GSXR1100W engine, but the RF's powerplant uses a straig hte r and les s-restrictive downd raft-style intake system for more "efficient" cylinder charging. The bore and stroke of the GSXR engine have been red uced from 75.5 x 60.0mm to 73.0 x 56.0mm, giving the RF an actual displacement of 937cc. The 900 's valve train is the same direct-activated system used in the recently introduced RF600R and current model GSXRs. This system uses shimunder-bucket valve lash adjustment, 4.5mm valve stems, and a sing le spring per valve. The 900 has smaller valve sizes than the GSXRll00W, but uses the same intake va lve timing, The exhaust valve timing of the RF has slightly less overlap than the GSXR for broader midrange performance. Also like the GSXR, the RF's engine uses an assortment of ligh tweigh t rnagne-: sium covers . Carburetion is handled by four 36mm, semi-cylindrical Slingshot slide Mikuni carbs mounted at a 55-degree angle and fed by a six-liter airbox . An electric fuel pump is usedto transfer fuel from the gas tank to the carbs. The spent gasses are exhausted through a four-into-one pipe system, co ns tructed of stainless s teel headpipes and a bolt-on aluminum muffler. The cooling syste m is identical to that of the RF600R, utilizing a single, curved radiator with an electric fan. The system is driven directly off the oil pump. Addition al cooling is provided by a wa tercooled oil cooler, mounted between the oil filter and crankcase. The RF900R uses the same five-speed transmission and hydraulic clutch assembly as the GSXR1100W. All the internal gear ratios are the same between these models, but the RF has a slightly higher final drive ratio. The engine also acts as a stressed member of the "diamond"- or "wishbone "- type frame, and is positioned low and close to the steering head . The main spar sections are the same as those used on the RF600R, with th e addition of a brace that joins both spa rs above the engine. However, the seat support section .o f the frame differs sligh tly fro m the RF600R because of the 900's large singlerather than two-piece seat. Suzuki claims tha t the pressed-steel-eonstructed frame

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