MCN: '01 B12 vs. '07 B1250 - WTF???

[waz]

The latest issue of Motorcycle Consumer News has the Winter '07-'08 Performance Index.  They have performance #s for an '01 1200S tested in November of '00 and an '07 1250S tested in August 2007.  Comparing these numbers yields some surprising (to me, anyway) results:

                             '01 GSF 1200S                                            '07 GSF 1250S                                       

price:                      $7399                                                        $8299

RW hp:                     101.7                                                        99.2

RW torque:                73.8                                                         77.1

Wet Weight:              542                                                          560

m.p.g.                      37.0                                                         39.3

top speed                 151                                                          152

0-60 mph/sec.           3.07                                                                     3.36

0-100 mph/sec.         6.97                                                                      8.40 

0-1/4 mile/sec.          10.75                                                                    11.34
 
0-1/4 mile/mph          125.59                                                                  115.92

Braking 60-0/ft.         114.2                                                        116.5

Rating Category         open standard                                                     open sportbike

Overall Rating:           4 circles                                                         4 1/2 circles




My question is: how can a bike that feels so quick, with so much torque (the '07) be slower than the '01?  I'm not a speed demon, and I presently own both of these bikes, but I'm wondering if the increased sophistication of the new Bandit worth the performance penalty?

Or was the glaring disparity in performance #s because they tested the '01 in chilly November and the '07 in sweltering August?

And what's with the revised rating category?

Your thoughts, please?

p.s: I'm gonna post this thread on other Bandit forums, so forgive me if you see it there.

[RDUBandit]

Can your butt really feel any of the difference in torque and hp?

[the ferret]

The only numbers that mean anything to me are the smile numbers. If I smile when riding the bike, the numbers are right. A few hundreths or tenths of a second mean nothing to me.

[Bob Holland]

1/4 Mile ET: 11.430
1/4 Mile MPH: 118.751
1/8 Mile ET: 7.398
1/8 Mile MPH: 0.000
0-60 Foot ET: 1.886
Temperature F: 0.0
Timeslip Scan: 
Car Make: Suzuki
Car Model: Motorcycle
Car Type: suzuki bandit 1200
Car Year: 2002

This is a more realistic B12 run.

[CWO4GUNNER]

You have to remember the article is comparing a 07 B1250 against data that is 7 years old which made me suspicious right from the start. Who ever heard of any rag worth its salt doing head to head comparisons based on data only, much less old data against supposedly new (looks falsified no dyno). Based on that alone it would never be considered empirical or qualified information. To me it looks very much like classic paid for spin by a rival company trying to get some of the standard and touring market eyes off the B1250 which have all but sold out of inventory.
    I for one owned both and I can tell you from my hart that the difference in the performance between my B1200 (stage 1) and the B1250 was eye opening to say the least, my B1250 awesome in comparison. Overall not even close.

[aussiebandit]

what's really weird is that in Oz the '02B12 cost more brand new ($12999.00) than the 07 B1250 ($11999) - go figure.

[Red01]

Gunner - you have to remember this is not a head-to-head comparison article, it's just a performance index of bikes they've tested over the years.  It has the listed numbers from tests for lots of bikes. Waz just picked out the numbers for the B12 & 1250.

[CWO4GUNNER]

I tell you its a plot! A plot I say! 

[Cruisecontrol]

It is all that useless water they have to lug around that slows them down...

[aussiebandit]

It is all that useless water they have to lug around that slows them down...

 

[PaulVS]

Okay... apparently it's time for coffee.

Or am I missing something?

The new 1250 is not claimed to be over 100hp stock, so why would anyone be surprised at the numbers? 

Keep in mind that I'm a big B12.5 fan.  If my 1200 died tomorrow, it would be my only replacement of choice.

But come on... it was never ever ever advertised as a HP monster, and relative to a pristine B1200, it has no significant advantage.

[waz]

Paul
I don't want to seem like a boob, and create a cleavage between B12 & B12.5 owners, but I like to keep abreast of performance data.  I don't just mean jiggling numbers around.  If mammary serves correctly, the torque advantage of the B12.5 should more than overcome its horsepower deficit in a tit-for-tat drag race, and especially 0-60 mph times. 

Ta-ta(s) for now.   

waz

[Bob Holland]

Paul
I don't want to seem like a boob, and create a cleavage between B12 & B12.5 owners, but I like to keep abreast of performance data.  I don't just mean jiggling numbers around.  If mammary serves correctly, the torque advantage of the B12.5 should more than overcome its horsepower deficit in a tit-for-tat drag race, and especially 0-60 mph times. 

I have not seen a 12.5 run at the track, nor have I read any times posted online, so until someone runs one and gets the real times, we are all just guessing.

[Heyu]

I am old fat and slow. I also haven't been on a dragstrip since 83 but last year i put my bandit on our local strip and it ran 11.971, I1=.934, I3=7.662 110.687 mph on a better run i got an 11.8 but don't have the other times on it. This was bone stock with a 240 lb rider who was a little nervous on a more humiliating note my son ran the same speeds and just slightly slower et's on his Yamaha FZ-6 but he's only 150 lbs.
 I should do a lot better this year as I plan on going every time they are open and since the last time I have installed intake ,exhaust mods as well as better tires and now have 111 hp on a cold day in oct on the local dyno. Oh I was only able to get to 4/th gear but it was redline in 4/th when I crossed the line  maybe with the increased power and torque I have now I should hit fifth. Seat of the pants riding with the mods it felt like it had a hellofalot more power than stock.

[PaulVS]

Paul
I don't want to seem like a boob, and create a cleavage between B12 & B12.5 owners, but I like to keep abreast of performance data.  I don't just mean jiggling numbers around.  If mammary serves correctly, the torque advantage of the B12.5 should more than overcome its horsepower deficit in a tit-for-tat drag race, and especially 0-60 mph times. 

Ta-ta(s) for now.   

waz

Motocyclist magazine lists the 0-60 time for the 2001 B12 as 2.97 seconds.  That's a pretty tough number to beat.  Most of the monster sport literbikes don't even do that.

I'm certainly not arguing that the B12.5 isn't a better bike....  it almost definitely is. 

It's just that the stock HP rating is around 99/100, while the B1200 was 100/102.  And they weigh about the same.... so there's no great mystery to me about the performance numbers.

The big mystery to me is HOW Suzuki could have made a 1250cc water-cooled, fuel injected motorcycle that isn't at least 120hp stock.

EDIT:   I just dug out the Motorcyclist review of the '01 B1200.  Here's the performance numbers they list:

0-60:  2.97s
0-100: 7.46s
Corrected 1/4 mile: 11.15 @ 121.79 MPH

Top Gear Roll-On (60-80) 4.02s
HP: 101.6 @ 8250 RPM
Torque: 71.8 @ 7250 RPM