gs: Bandits little brother?

[smoker]

Been looking at new bikes...  Probably will go with the DL-650 if I can find a used one and swing it.  But I love the look of the gs and noticed that the naked 1200 bandits look almost identical.  The riding position looks about the same, though, and after about 3-4 hours on my gs, my wrists and back are aching , and I'd like to do some long touring, so I need a comfy bike.  How come I've never seen anyone compare the similarities between the bandit and gs (obviously esthetic similarites, since a 500cc twin and 1200cc in-line 4 are way different)?  But for someone who really loves the GS, would not the bandit be the logical progression to a big bike?  Anyone have a bandit and would like to share comparisions to the little gs (handling, comfort, etc... needn't include HP, acceleration, etc...)

Smoke em if you got em....
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EDIT:  Sorry about the size of the pic... If anyone is computer savvy and can resize it, feel free...

[The Buddha]

The B12 is the last of the old school GSXR's ... built like a tank ... great for those long runs and of course for those 100,000 mile ownership intervals ... Yea noisy motor like the GS ... a whole lot of mice in there scratching and hammering wanting to get out ... JUST IMHO ... get the real thing ... 89-92 GSXR 1100 ... B12 is a newbie ... Of course you want that new bike smell ... knock yourself out ... BTW my neighborhood dealer has B12's - 7 of them on like 1500 or so off ... 2004's for 5499 if memory serves ... I'd have bought a good 1/2 dozen of them if I was Bill Gates y'know ... and then leverage my software bugs into crashing and buy the manufacturing rights from suzuki for cheap ... and heck have them throw in the GS ones for free and crank out B12's and GS'es ... and fit the GS with belt drive and 16 inch rear wheels ... Aaaah ... If only I had like 40 billion bucks ...
Cool.
Srinath.

[crash]

good plan.

i'm gonna start a collection for you srinath  

[Lukewarm Wilson]

I have a friend who bought a 1200 bandit about 6 months ago its a beast but a big heavy beast at that, good for wheel stands and high speed blasting but unless your near on 100kgs+ yourself its a lot of bike to throw around I'd go for something a bit lighter like say an FZ1. Ive also just checked out the new BMW R1200 its not much to look at (except in the flesh pictures dont do it justice) and its seat height was the same as the GS500 if not actually smaller and the weight which is over 200kg the thing actually felt as light as the GS, if Beemers were big heavy anchors they are certinaley not now.

[denman]

yep the bandit's a cool bike, but i like air cooled bikes.   i would buy one but im buying a house,guess i'l keep my gs.

[raylarrabee]

unfortunately, they stopped making the Bandit  600's and they also no longer make the naked versions.  For me, the 99-04 Bandit 600's have the best ergos of the 600cc bikes.  That's likely what I will be getting for my next bike.  

The GS is where it's at for me right now!