Bandit 1250

[Cozzy]

Hey guys,

what do you guys think about the BANDIT1250, the local dealer just have the bike in, and it is quite alot cheapper than the SV1000........................which was my first choice of upgrade..I am also conisdering the Z750.

The problems that I fond are the tiny underseat storage, weight and exhaust is quite ugly.

Does anyone have other bad points about the bandit.

Planning to get an upgrade at the end of 2007

[Alphamazing]

If weight is a concern, then the big bore bikes like that are not going to suit your fancy. Most non-supersport liter bikes and higher weigh in at over 500lbs wet, or at least very close.

For wet weights, check this site:
http://www.sportrider.com/bikes/146_weights_measurements/

Even the SV1000 comes in at 485 wet.

[Cozzy]

Actually I am not concerning about the weight, but I need a bike that has some underseat storeage, for my bike cover......

[Alphamazing]

Hard luggage. Problem solved.

[ducati_nolan]

Lots of cool bikes have virtually no underseat storage so don't rule out a bike because of that.  Just ket a tankbag for all your small stuf.

The Bandit is a great bike with a large following. They're super reliable, fast, and sitill handle pretty well. The 1250 is a new design as well I believe.

The Z750 is a plenty reliable bike I think, but It's a budget bike with an old engine from the KZ750 which isn't a bad thing, but don't expect it to be smoth on the freeway.

Exhaust is easy enough to replace, or you could cover it up with some luggage and solve your storage problem. 

[kmd42985]

I have never ridden a bandit 1250, although I did sit on a 650, seemed like a great sport/touring bike. A lil cumbersome, but a good all-around bike, very comfortable. 

[Cozzy]

Hard luggage. Problem solved.

The problem is I really don't want any hard luggage!

any other solution!?

[Alphamazing]

The Z750 is a plenty reliable bike I think, but It's a budget bike with an old engine from the KZ750 which isn't a bad thing, but don't expect it to be smoth on the freeway.

The Z750 actually uses the same engine block as the Z1000, they just sleeved it down to 748cc. The Z1000 engine is derived from the ZX-9R engine.

The problem is I really don't want any hard luggage!

Small tank bag. Joe Rocket Manta, for example.

[SmartDrug]

My Daytona has a good amount of underseat storage, as does the 954/929, enough for a small cover, baseball cap and sunglasses.  The Bandit is a nice bike, I haven't ridden the 1250, but the 1200 is almost identical and I have a few hundred miles under my belt from that.  Couple things I didn't like, very heavy steering, cumbersome at points and not a lot of fun to ride.  None of the flickablity of the GS, but that engine has more torque than you can believe.  Any gear at any RPM and you've got power on tap.  Stopping that beast is quite a chore though and I really didn't enjoy the ride, it was a lot like my 1989 FJ1200.  It also eats oil like you wouldn't believe, I've heard people talk about going through a quart in less than 500 miles.

On the plus side, the engines last forever and are very well built (they should be, considering they're almost 2 decades old).  If it were my money, I'd buy something lighter and smaller like the 954 or my Daytona 955i and put helibars on it with a tankbag, more than enough storage for anything short of touring.  You'll also have way more fun in the twisties and at slower speed due to it's suspension and light weight.

[CirclesCenter]

My Daytona has a good amount of underseat storage, as does the 954/929, enough for a small cover, baseball cap and sunglasses.  The Bandit is a nice bike, I haven't ridden the 1250, but the 1200 is almost identical and I have a few hundred miles under my belt from that.  Couple things I didn't like, very heavy steering, cumbersome at points and not a lot of fun to ride.  None of the flickablity of the GS, but that engine has more torque than you can believe.  Any gear at any RPM and you've got power on tap.  Stopping that beast is quite a chore though and I really didn't enjoy the ride, it was a lot like my 1989 FJ1200.  It also eats oil like you wouldn't believe, I've heard people talk about going through a quart in less than 500 miles.

On the plus side, the engines last forever and are very well built (they should be, considering they're almost 2 decades old).  If it were my money, I'd buy something lighter and smaller like the 954 or my Daytona 955i and put helibars on it with a tankbag, more than enough storage for anything short of touring.  You'll also have way more fun in the twisties and at slower speed due to it's suspension and light weight.

Unfortunately your information regarding the engine does not apply to the 1250. It is a new engine. The older B12 however is what you are describing.

http://www.topspeed.com/motorcycles/motorcycle-reviews/suzuki/suzuki-bandit-1250s-ar15754.html

[SmartDrug]

My Daytona has a good amount of underseat storage, as does the 954/929, enough for a small cover, baseball cap and sunglasses.  The Bandit is a nice bike, I haven't ridden the 1250, but the 1200 is almost identical and I have a few hundred miles under my belt from that.  Couple things I didn't like, very heavy steering, cumbersome at points and not a lot of fun to ride.  None of the flickablity of the GS, but that engine has more torque than you can believe.  Any gear at any RPM and you've got power on tap.  Stopping that beast is quite a chore though and I really didn't enjoy the ride, it was a lot like my 1989 FJ1200.  It also eats oil like you wouldn't believe, I've heard people talk about going through a quart in less than 500 miles.

On the plus side, the engines last forever and are very well built (they should be, considering they're almost 2 decades old).  If it were my money, I'd buy something lighter and smaller like the 954 or my Daytona 955i and put helibars on it with a tankbag, more than enough storage for anything short of touring.  You'll also have way more fun in the twisties and at slower speed due to it's suspension and light weight.

Unfortunately your information regarding the engine does not apply to the 1250. It is a new engine. The older B12 however is what you are describing.

I hadn't realized that the engine was completely redone, but that's more or less beside the point when you look at the stats being almost identical between the 2005 and 2007:

2005: http://www.motorbikes.be/en/Suzuki_GSF_1200_Bandit_S_2005.aspx
2007: http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/bikereviews/searchresults/Bike-Reviews/Suzuki/Suzuki-GSF1250SF-Bandit-2007-current/

With the exception of more torque in the new engine and more weight, they're the same beast.

[The Buddha]

Local dealer here has 2006 650 for 1000 under invoice for the S and 900 under for the naked.
Final price I think is 5099 for naked, and 5499 for 1/4 fairing. I bet they also have 1000's but not sure cos I didn't quite get to looking at all of them ...
Cool.
Srinath.

[CirclesCenter]

Yes they will be extremely similar to ride, but being an all new design we can't really speak about the engine's history.

[SmartDrug]

Yes they will be extremely similar to ride, but being an all new design we can't really speak about the engine's history.

You can to a degree, look at previous GS parallel twins, they had great engines and were successful bikes, a pretty good indication that the GS500 was going to be a solid motorcycle.    Same deal for the Bandit, they've been around forever and they had great engines, despite them using old school tech.  If you take the same equation and put newer technology into it, odds are good that it'll just get better.  Look at the air-cooled Porsche 911/Carrera, they were mostly the same from 1964-1989, then after a "model change" with the 964 and another change with the 993, it was just variations on the same theme.  Granted, they f%&ked everything up with the 996, but the 1998 Targa or Turbo are arguably the finest automobiles ever made and they're just a modern version of the original 1964 911. 

The Bandit has always been a great motorcycle, it'll still be a great bike with the new engine as well.  They are vastly different from the GS500 though and not my cup of tea.

[Jace009gs]

I'm in your same boat looking for a "sport" touring bike or comfortable sport bike...

My list is
SV1000
Bandit 1250
919

So I'm sort of waiting for money but the 07' bandit version is the same platform but the engine is not....First off suzuki fitted it with a hydrolic clutch.... The top end of the motor is defently a big breathing beast with 31 & 27mm valves. Suzuki Increased the compression a bit then the whole entire electrical FI and the computer gear/ maps and ICS to go with it....Fitting a new top end and new equipment on an "old" generation motor is going to be hard to get right the first time....I'm waiting for some feedback on this bike and I'm willing to bet that Suzuki will re-tuned the motor on the 08' version- a little different timing/mapping

[CirclesCenter]

Ah but don't overlook the VFR 800 ABS. Sit on one, then ride it, you understand at that moment what a motorcycle should be.

(But it lacks any character flaws that would distinguish it...)

[97gs500e]

im pretty happy with my SV