Chassis and Braking
A hollow steel perimeter frame is used to reduce size and cost as well as improve comfort. Achieving the same strength with aluminum would require much larger frame spars making the frame much wider (and less comfortable). The hollow steel frame allows leg reliefs which are blended into the contours of the tank and bodywork.
In 1996, Suzuki upgraded the front forks on the 900 providing rebound adjustment (though compression is still non-adjustable in all years). The external dimensions of the earlier and later forks are identical so they are a direct bolt-on replacement. However, many choose to spend the equivalent money on a Racetech cartridge upgrade which provides better damping than the 96+ forks.
The OEM suspension provides a reasonable amount of comfort yet remains composed while riding across real-world road surfaces even when the pace crests triple digits. Only in a track environment will the RF suspension become a limiting factor. Braking is good from the stock Nissin brakes, which benefit significantly with upgraded steel braided brake lines.
Read more about this topic: Suzuki RF400R