GSX750F vs RF900

[OMG]

My ride has gone to the great twisties in the sky, so I'm about to go shoppin. I really liked my GSX600F, but want something a little bigger for pillioning. Have been considering the GSX750F and the RF900. What complicates it a bit more is that pre 98 GSX were 106hp (like the RF900), but the new GSX are only 92hp (only up 6hp on my 600). It seems that the RFs that are for sale are older and have higher kms, so what's their reliability like? Alternatively are there any easy and cheap mods that can be done to the GSX to up it to 106hp? Or is there something else I should consider (Suzuki's only). Any advice or opinion would be appreciated.

[Dooly]

I brought a RF900 new in 97 and found it an excellent alrounder. Reliable as, fast and comfy.
Probably the best road bike I've had so far, for being good in everything I wanted.

[skelstar]

Read some good reviews of the RF900. You should see if the GSX's motor has been 'retuned' for more useable power blah blah. Its taken me a looong time to use the power above 6k on my bike, when the peak is at 9k RPM. Soo much torque because of the re-tuning.

[madmal64]

RF all the way. Best bloody allrounder I ever owned. Great for touring & scratching around on the weekends. The most under rated bike I think.
I did over 40,000 kms on mine and the only issue I ever had was the alternator gave up the ghost at the 60 k mark. Its a common thing with them.
Ride them both but I think you will find the roll on power of the 900 a lot better than the 750.

[limbimtimwim]

Or is there something else I should consider (Suzuki's only). Any advice or opinion would be appreciated.

A Suzuki Bandit? But why only Suzuki? Honda VFR? Honda Hornet? Yamaha Fazer? Kawasaki Z750?

[OMG]

A Suzuki Bandit? But why only Suzuki? Honda VFR? Honda Hornet? Yamaha Fazer? Kawasaki Z750?

Just cos I'm a Suz man, that's all.

[James Deuce]

Get The RF. The later model GSX750Fs are indistinguishable from the GSX600Fs in terms of real world performance.

Consider a Bandit 1200 too.

[Colapop]

There was a similar debate here (I got pointed to this when I asked a question of another member)

[Madness]

Just cos I'm a Suz man, that's all.

That can be treated with a rigorous drug regime ya know. I used to be the same 'til I bought my Zed. Don't restrict your choices based on some kind of loyalty to an invisible foreign corporation. Variety is the spice of life after all.

[Lou Girardin]

I prefer the Bandit to the RF, but both are good.
The RF has a lot more than 106HP though.

[orangeback]

Just cos I'm a Suz man, that's all.

rf hands down , great bikes , ride one you will be surprized how sporty they are and how hard you can push them , mate one use to go head to head with my 99 blade till the last 20% then the blade was all over it ,You ever thought ove a Hayabusa if you doing a lot ove 2 up riding ??? or even gs1200ss ???

[riffer]

The RF is great two-up - you just don't notice the extra weight.

The first time you put it into a corner it feels like the weight is centralised around the steering head, but when you get used to it you'll discover it isn't going to fall over.

It responds well to a really heavy hand with counter-steering (probably due to the mass centralisation being a bit high) but I've yet to have it let go in a corner and I've never felt like it was underpowered.

I bought mine a year ago with 45,000 miles on it. It's got 58,000 on it now and bugger all maintenance so far:

1 new tyre (Metzeler Roadtec Z6 - great on the RF)
oil and filter changed 3 times
cleaned out air filter with air compressor
changed brake discs, fluid

and regular chain oiling and adjustment.

A great gearbox on it (never had a false neutral), still on the same back tyre after 13,000 miles (believe it or not - Metzeler Z4).

The alternator cush drive wears out on them (expect about 30,000kms out of it) and a number of overseas riders have mentioned 2nd gear going on them but mine's in great condition.

The motor's bottom end is the GSXR1100 with a different head on it (down draught carbs). You could leave the bike in 3rd all day and ride from 30km/hr up to about 200, the torque is so widespread.

The bike's good for about 270km/hr tops. I've found the windscreen gives you enough wind to take the pressure of your wrists over about 80km/hr, but over about 220 it tends to pull on your helmet a bit so you need to get in the bubble more.

They're pretty quick - around 3.5 seconds to 100 ridden by your average rider. Change to second gear about 120 if you're nailing it, into third around 160, fourth at 200, fifth any time after that - and it comes up pretty quick.

Brakes are good, but not as good as the newer bikes - however with a good set of pads you can stand it on its nose easy enough.

[Suzi Q]

I went from a GSX600F to a GSX750F and loved the 750 - good size, did everything I wanted - took it to the track and went touring on it. Hubbie (Thunder) had an RF900 before I got my own bike and I found it to be a comfortable pillion ride and he really liked the bike. What you really need to do is take both for a ride with and without your pillion to see which feels best for the both of you. The RF is getting older now and for the same price as an older RF you may be able to get a later model 750F. Hubbie had an older 750F a few years ago that we both went on to the march hare and that was OK. It also depends how often you take a pillion. if you have a pillion alot then the RF may be better. Apparently the build quality may be better on the 750F.

[riffer]

I guess I would only really have four complaints about the RF:

1. Weight is up high so beware when manouevring it in driveways etc - it can fall over really quick and it's hard to pick up again. Avoid Motomart's driveway.

2. The motor really is quite buzzy - especially around the 4-6000 rpm mark - which unfortunately is around the 100-120 range in top.

3. The handlebars are on a funny angle - they should be flatter - they come in a bit tight and you can't quite hold the grips fully without a bit of wrist pain - hold your hand out in front of you and bend your hands outwards at the wrist until your thumbs are in a direct line parallel with the outstretched arms - this will give you an idea of the angle of the bars - but I got used to it and it doesn't worry me now although it was weird at first.

4. No bloody fuel gauge and the low fuel light is way conservative - you have a good 100kms after the low fuel light comes on.

But good points:

1. It handles surprisingly well - if you are willing to push the bars hard.
2. It is surprisingly fast - you can easily lose your licence if you don't pay atttention to your speed
3. Torque - huge gobs of it.
4. It seems to be pretty good on tyres unless you ride like a mad bastard with accellerator-itis.
5. They are well-priced
6. They are bloody hard to blow up
7. You can put the gixxer cams in it, rejet and put on a free-flow exhaust and get an easy 150HP - GSXR1100 power on a bike 40kg lighter.
8. Tyres are easy to get.

The GSX750F is a nice bike but its not in the same league as the RF

[OMG]

Well it seems almost unanimous. It's hard to understand why there aren't a lot more RFs on the road given the rave reviews everyone gives them.

Thanks everyone.