Bandit 1250S Interest

[KenB]

So glad I found this forum -- thanks to a PM over on another Bandit forum! So thanks in advance for any help and allowing me to join and post here. I'm from western New York and my previous rides include a Magna, VN1500, FZ1, ST1300, and (currently) a Honda 919. Apologies for the long intro ahead!

For the last couple of months I've been eyeballing other bikes to complement (probably replace) the 919. A couple years ago my wife decided she was going to take the MSF BRC, get her motorcycle endorsement and start riding. She did all that and bought a bike, but was never real comfortable as the pilot and prefers to be the passenger. While she was doing this, I had a midlife impulse buy with the 919 -- fun little bike but not terribly practical all of the sudden. So now I find myself lured by the looks, utility, torque, and ergo's of the new Bandit.

My riding is a mix of commuting, day rides, and (soon) some 2-up weekend rides and I generally clock about 10K miles a year (hey, I'm in the northeast smile )

I've done a lot of research and this bike seems to have a very loyal following. The whole package looks to be bulletproof (except for the oil buners) and dripping with Suzuki quality. The 6-speed, torque, and even powerband is very appealing. At 5'9" (and not comfortable with the sport riding posture) I'm drawn to a standard with a shorter seat height and this one (with the adjustment) seems reasonable for my inseam.

I'm interested from hearing from anyone/everyone with experience on the new Bandit. I've read the MCN review countless times and am just amazed at how much bike you get for less than $8000. I've done a lot of searching here and elsewhere but would love to hear first hand accounts on pillion comfort, handling (slow and high speed), brakes, build quality, the good, the bad, and any ugly.

Thanks!

[the ferret]

Ken

If you read some of the recent threads you'll see the same questions asked and answered

The 1250 is so new that there isn't a whole lot of response YET, but those that do have them seem to like them very much.

[KenB]

Thanks, ferret. I think you're right about the bike being so new that info is sparse -- I'm doing a lot of searching here and elsewhere but not coming up with a whole lot. But I'll keep looking.

[txbanditrydr]

I've done a lot of searching here and elsewhere but would love to hear first hand accounts on pillion comfort, handling (slow and high speed), brakes, build quality, the good, the bad, and any ugly.

This may not be of interest to you because I have zero experience on a 1250... BUT the new Bandit does not stray far from it's predecessors.

Based on that I would say pillion comfort can be lacking depending on ones "build".  The rear pegs make for a pretty cramped riding position if there's long gams involved.  It's a very subjective subject and your favorite pillion would be a better judge than anyone.

Bandits handle quite well for such a heavy bike - you will find they are quite versatile whether you want to tour, carve corners or even drag race.  This bike can do it all... just not as well as bikes targeted for a specific use.

Bandit brakes are adequate however aftermarket pads will make a huge difference for very little cost.  It's not something I'd run out and change right away but it's nice to know the modification is quick, easy and relatively cheap.

The only issues with build quality to date (that I'm aware of) is the steering head bearings were supposedly not properly torqued resulting in a clunk under hard braking.  This is an easy fix too and I'd have my dealer check it out if you're buying new.

I hope the new Bandits have better suspension components than previous versions - that is one weak spot that can cost some serious bucks.  Riding two up will likely tax the stock rear shock however we have some pretty big boys riding the new ones and nobody has posted anything negative.

The engine torque is simply amazing and the new Bandit seem to have improved upon that even more.  Riding two-up is a lot more fun when you simply twist the throttle to accelerate.  Watch out for those first gear roll-on wheelies - they are somewhat addicting.

Hope this helps and I'm sure more knowledgeable folk will be along shortly.  Welcome to the site.

[KenB]

Thanks for the info, txbanditrydr! I'm reading all of the reviews in MCN and elsewhere and it sounds like they love this new Bandit. It even got an award in Motorcyclist this month for 'Best Bang for the Buck'. But one thing they all comment on is how different and superior it is to past models -- improved frame, new motor, beefier suspension, ABS, etc. It sounds like Suzuki made some significant improvements to the infrastructure of the '07.

I've always admired the Bandit's looks and universal appeal, but this model and its price are tough to walk away from. Our local Suzuki dealer has an ABS model he'll sell me for $8K out the door. I think this is going to be my next bike!  

[the ferret]

Ken several of the magazines have tested the new Bandit recently (Rider, Cycle World, etc) and gave it excellent reviews with the only negatives being an akwardly bent handlebar and some pulsing thru the handle and brake pedal when the ABS kicked in. They loved the power and toorque, and were good with the handling, although it's not an FZ1 (I have one of those too). They even said the seat was wide and plush although real world riders are not calling the seat plush. Oh and they said the speedometer was "optimistic".One complained of heavy clutch pull, but the few I have sat on and tried, the clutch pull was just fine and the same magazine complained of throttle play. I looked into that too and the one I looked at would make noise moving it side to side. So I checked a bunch of other bikes inthe showroom, both Hondas and Suzukis and they all made the same noise, and had similar slack. I have no idea why they were complaining about those two issues.

At 5'9" you should reach the ground just fine . I'm 5'7" and could use it a little shorter myself, but I can still reach the ground.

Something I didn't like was lack of room in the oil filter area, and the fact that it didn't have a grab bar for hoisting onto the centerstand. Neither is a deal breaker for me though.

Hope this helps some.

[Roy]

FWIW I am 5'9" tall and I have my seat in the tall position. I like it better that way since it gives me less leg bend when my feet are on the pegs. I have no trouble touching the ground with the high seat. The seat is not that good IMO. too narrow in the front and you slide into the tank alot. I have not rode two up yet but do not see a problem, my wife is 5'2" so she may not notice the peg to seat distance that much. She only rides maybe twice a year on a trip or two so no biggy there. The engine is sweet! The susension is okay but not GSXR stuff. It is sprung about right for my 160 lbs but the problem is in the dampening and compression rates, both are all screwed up. Too much compression not enough rebound typical Japanese build quality. Brakes are good up front but pad bite is a bit too little a set of Vesrah RJL's up front would cure that. Rear brake is okay. Handle bars do have a strange bend and ar narrow but thats an easy swap. Headlight could be better but I came off V-Stroms which have outstanding headlights. My GSXR headlight is nothing more than a flashlight, the Bandit is better than the GSXR. Ther is a little FI surge at 55 mph in 6th gear nothing aweful but noticeable none the less. Stock Dunlops are crap and you will get no mileage from them. This bike should have came with Michelin Pilot Roads.

Get one you will like it!

[the ferret]

Roy, that's interesting on the tires. The magazines have all raved about how good the stock Dunlop tires were.

 I have Michelin Pilot roads on my FZ1. Great tires.

[Roy]

Dunlop D218's have come on two GSXR's I bought, '04 600 and '05 750, both came off uner 500 miles. Of course both these bikes were racebikes headed to the racetrack with Michelin Pilots. I raced with WERA for 3 years and michelins were my tire of choice. Dunlop is only a force in tha AMA where thay control the tempo. They really are not good tires I tried to race on them in the beginning. Everything in my garage including my truck have Michelins. They offer great feedback and are very predictable can't say that about the Dunlops. I am tip toeing around on the them with the Bandit, luckily they wear out fast.

[heath3n]

So glad I found this forum -- thanks to a PM over on another Bandit forum!

You're welcome!!  

[SteelD]

...the only negatives being an akwardly bent handlebar and some pulsing thru the handle and brake pedal when the ABS kicked in.

Handlebars, like seats, are personal things and many will find the 1250's bars to be fine. If not, it's an aftermarket solution - you can't please all the people all the time. I'm happy with mine as it is.

As for the ABS, very few riders will experience what ABS feels like but it might just save your butt one day. You really have to be pushing the bike to the limits for ABS to kick in and when it does, it will pulse because that's how ABS works - momentarily releasing the braking pressure for the tyre to regain traction before re-applying more braking effort. To complain about ABS pulsing when it kicks in, is like complaining that the bike goes down on the front forks when the front brake is applied - just what do these 'experienced' testers expect?  

[SteelD]

Ken

If you read some of the recent threads you'll see the same questions asked and answered

True. ZenMan and myself have been singing its praises for ages on this forum. Others too.

[KenB]

Ken

If you read some of the recent threads you'll see the same questions asked and answered

True. ZenMan and myself have been singing its praises for ages on this forum. Others too.

There's not as much 1250S info out there as I would expect. But it's fairly new and maybe no news is good news! Actually, almost everything written has been very positive. But it's nice to get updates which is the reason for my post. And just to say HI!

[ZenMan]

Ken

If you read some of the recent threads you'll see the same questions asked and answered

True. ZenMan and myself have been singing its praises for ages on this forum. Others too.

There's not as much 1250S info out there as I would expect. But it's fairly new and maybe no news is good news! Actually, almost everything written has been very positive. But it's nice to get updates which is the reason for my post. And just to say HI!

  KenB! Feel free to ask any questions you like. It's true you will find quite a few topics on the B1250 around the board, particularly in "Big Bandit Banter", and engine/tranny related topics can be found in "Bandit 650 and 1250 - Water-Cooled Technical". Also the "650/1250 FAQ" has some information. We are working on expanding knowledge and data on the new bike as it becomes available, and most of this info comes from our members asking and answering questions.  

We have many members that have several thousand miles on their new Bandits already, and some have had their bikes for several months now. I have yet to find any serious faults with mine, and I'm just as happy as a pig in poop!  

I will say this about the Dunlop 218's... they perform well and stick good. But I only got a little over 2000 miles out of my rear. Part of it is the massive torque, partly the weight of the bike, and partly a heavy hand on the throttle. But it is a soft compound sport tire and not much on mileage.

[KenB]

Thanks for the welcome ZenMan! I'm getting really psyched to take delivery of the new bike. I'm in the process of returning my 919 (aka the Hornet to our European friends) to its stock configuration. Looks like the mods will bring a tidy sum that will let me add some luggage to the new bike. And since my wife always overpacks, I'll need them!  

I figured the OEM sneakers wouldn't last long. My last two Hondas blew through the original skins between 3-5K. One area they seem to save money -- cheap tires. But I'll ride 'em til they're ready to be replaced with some Pilot Roads.

And while I anxiously await the call from the dealer to come get my new baby, I'm having a blast reading threads about the Bandit here, there and everywhere. Everywhere I read - advrider, MS, sport-touring, etc - these new 1250 owners are in heaven with their new steed. I can't wait to join their ranks.