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Suzuki RF600
By PeteG
There are certain things in this life which make me wonder why they were made. Reliant Robins, the Menia Straits Bridge, Pasta, Honda Goldwings and The Smiths albums and then there are things that should never have been made, like the promise to be faithful, the trip to Tintagel and the remake of the Pink Panther. Conversely, there seem to be a few things that just had to exists. If man hadn't created it the thing would just have evolved from a rogue carbon atom bent on 'being' something else and growing into a wonderful object. Some people say this about certain Ferrari cars, other would have you believe works of art have this property, me? I'm more pragmatic and believe that man has the ability to build items of sheer beauty - given enough money. The fact that most of the time he doesn't will not deter me from finding pleasure in the wonders sometimes created. However, cheap copies of these wonders completely miss the point and end up becoming utter horrors - deformed shadows of what could have been.So what has this got to do with bikes, and more to the point the RF 600? Nothing ...... well, not much. I'm not much into cars, I have to drive one now and then but I loath them and the one I drive is particularly grim but there are just a few of the very expensive sports cars that certainly catch my eye. More from the 'lines' of the thing rather than what it will do or how large it makes my genitals look. Bikes, being smaller have less room for the designers to play with yet a few are really fantastic to look at. I'm not going to name any because my jaundiced eye sees things that other people would call weird but mention could be made of the MV Agusta F4. It's a work of art to most people.
Yes, yes, I know I'm drifting but I'm getting there. In Japan there is a company called Suzuki or something like that and they make motorcycles for the European and American markets, they have been around for quite a few years and you would think they would know what they were doing and what would look right and sell like hot cakes in these particular markets. So why is it that they made the GSX 600F look like it does? It never sold at all well and a good 'butchers' over it would tell you it looks 'podgy' and ugly. So why is it also that this same company made the RF600 which is virtually the same bike that sold very well indeed? It could be in the (what the press called) "Odd, swooping styling". If it was odd, what the hell would they call the 600F? I think there is more to it than that. If you look over the RF it has some nice touches that still look good today. The Ferrari-esk vents probably date it but look at it over all and compare it with the other designs of it's time. It looks okay, unlike it's better but bulkier big brother the RF900, which looks a little over weight these days. The styling has it's critics and it has it's admirers but which ever way you feel the fact is that were loads made and most of them are still out there doing the job they were designed to do and being loved by their owners.
The Test Bike - Suzuki RF 600
When I went to pick up the test bike I was pleasantly surprised how neat it looked and in the best colour, red, the bike looked the part. I had never ridden one of these before and my experience of most 600's was lukewarm to say the least but I took to the thing straight away. The engine note seemed a little muted with the standard tin but the engine felt eager under the plastic and as I set off the machine seemed quite the 'big boys bike'.
To be honest, I can't wax lyrical about the RF because in truth it is quite unremarkable given the speed and handling of the R6 and it's cousins but neither can I understand why the Bandit is so popular. The RF has basically the same engine yet it pumps out more power, it handles better and you get the bonus of the fairing, yes the paint has the longevity of a depresed Lemming and the depth of a Labour Party Politician but this bike was built down to a price. It was a budget bullet aimed at the sports tourer market and in that it certainly does it's job. It's quick, comfy and has no vices, yes there is an odd hiatus when you first lean into a quick corner but nothing you notice after the first few miles. It has an 'urgent' feel to it at speed and seems to be going faster than the speedo says but once you get used to this the bike has a lot to offer in the way of fun.
