New Member, New Bandit?

[BlueDog]

Hi guys

Just joined this site because It looks like I might be buying a 2007 Bandit. The bike runs good but the guy says it needs a starter gear or starter clutch gear. It clunks when you press the starter, but the bike fires right up and runs fine. It has 6300 miles on it. He wants $4500 as is.
Do you think that's a good price even though I'll have to put some parts in it right away? Are salvage parts like this available, and where? I've looked on the bay and saw a idler gear for $20, but the guy said it could need a new clutch gear too. What do you guys think?
Thank for ay advice!

[txbanditrydr]

First off...  to the Alley.  Glad you found us.

My initial thoughts were to stay far away from a bike suffering from those issues described.  However, I'm not convinced the diagnosis is correct.  If there was any way to try a new battery in the bike that's where I'd start.  Even though the bike is a 2007 it's possible the battery is going bad and the "clunk" noise could be a result of not enough "oomph" to get the piston past TDC.

I mention this because I had similar issues and a new battery cured it - but then again it was a four year old battery... YMMV.

[BlueDog]

Hi thanks for the welcome.
Well I went over there last night with cash in hand and convinced him to drain the oil and pull the magneto cover off for a look. We found teeth missing on the idler gear and the ring gear on the starter clutch, and the starter shaft was a bit chewed up. Found the bits of teeth in the bottom of the cover and the case.
Looked up the parts on BB. Starter - $340 you can't get just the shaft. Starter clutch was about $170, and the idler gear $40. Total - $550 + shpping.
So I offered him $4000, he said $4300, we settled on $4150. I am the proud owner of a 2007 Bandit 1250 in need of some parts.
He said it hasn't been ridden since the gears broke. I asked him how it happened and he said it had run out of gas and he tried to start it after swishing the bike and the motor caught and buumped and broke the gears. I have seen it start right away (with a clunk) and it idles nice and revs instantly.
I didn't ride it afraid of metal teeth getting in the crankcase. We loaded t in my truck and it's sitting in my garage.
At least I can look at it!
Any good places to find salvage parts? I'll buy them new if I have to, but it would be nice to save some money for low-mileage used parts off a wrecked one.

[txbanditrydr]

Not sure where you're located but here's a suggestion....

Price up the replacement stuff using Ron Ayers or Crotchrocket.com - take the list to your local dealer and have them make an offer for the same stuff.  Now it helps to have a little working relationship with the parts manager but I've had them beat internet pricing several times.

The thing about salvage yards or wrecked bikes is they usually sell as a whole - even parting out would likely be down to just a complete engine.  I doubt you'll find the parts that way but searches on Ebay or similar might bring some results.

  on the new purchase... post up a pic or two when you get the chance.   

[mademiriam]

i've found the cheapest place for OEM suzuki parts is http://www.boulevardsuzuki.com/
txbanditrydr... i can't believe you get your local dealership to match the prices, thats fantastic! No chance of that happening in the great white north. I basically look at ron ayers and then figure I'll pay 150 to 200% of the posted price. And none of them like talking deals. It helps that really we have no option on where to go, I don't think they realize the huge amount of mailorder that people do. They are still busy enough to usually not answer the phone...must be nice.

[Red01]

I don't know jack about the newer water cooled bandit motors, but if their starter clutch is anything like the earlier ones (and looking at the parts fiche, it does look similar), the cause of the problems this bike has could possibly be due to the starter clutch retaining bolt loosing torque. 

Seems that the 1200's went thru a period where whoever was assembling the starter clutch wasn't using the bottle of locktite and/or not torqueing it to spec.  Loose starter clutches B12's will usually make a little noise at first, then as they got looser, would fail to allow the bike to start.  Dale Walker even had one spit the starter clutch bolt thru the cover while a b12 was on his dyno at high rpm... it just missed hitting him in the head!

Anyway...  and  on your new ride! 

[BlueDog]

Thanks for the welcomes, the congrats, and the advice 
Well after further investigation I found just the three parts need replacing. The starter motor shaft chewed, the idler gear has several teeth gone, and the starter clutch has one section wth 3 teeth broke off. I did check the retaining bolt and it seemed tight. I found all the teeth so nothing got into the oil supply AFAIK. But it will get a new filter and fresh oil of course. When I get the parts.
So after looking all over the place including the places you guys and others suggested, it looks like $500 is what I'm looking at with shipping included. So I got to thinking and looking and I came up with this idea.
I found a complete 1250 engine minus throttle bodies and ECM for a pretty decent price. I'm thinking I could use the extra mag cover and clutch cover etc, and in case some metal got into the tranny gears or crankcase I'd have spare parts. The motor is off a bike with less than 2000 miles on it.
Do you guys think I'd be able to sell the head w/valves, camshafts, cylinder block, pistons & crank, etc. etc. seperately and make my money back on the engine? Anybody here or you know that would want to buy these parts? I figure somebody could use an extra head for experimenting with porting and such.
What do you think about this idea?

[rworm]

Put your stuff on the "CLEAN" 2000 mile motor

[dhcolesj]

No kidding, I'd rather use the low mileage motor, if it's any good.  Of course, the question is why was it taken off the bike it came from?  hmmm. . . .

[BlueDog]

I appreciate the advice, guys, but whichever motor I use, the question is do you think anyone would be interested in buying Bandit 1250 engine parts like the head, cylinder block, etc? I'm putting it out there so I can decide whether it's worth it to buy the motor. 

[txbanditrydr]

........ the question is do you think anyone would be interested in buying Bandit 1250 engine parts like the head, cylinder block, etc?

Eventually....  but you'll have to determine if a protracted turn-around time is acceptable because it could be a looooooooong time.   

[BlueDog]

Yep, that's the thing. Judging from the lack of interest in this thread, it might be quite awhile before I recoup my investment. Then again, putting stuff up on certain online aucion sites might be a different story.
Thing is. I hate selling on fleabag, too many flakes and jerks bidding on your stuff and other problems. I was hoping that folks on the forums here and elsewhere would show some interest and then it would be a win-win for all of us... they'd get cheap, good parts and I'd break even. Oh well.
I still might buy the engine. I haven't been able to find all the parts I need seperately. At least I'll have plenty of spares.

[Dink_1170]

Wouldn't the bike be still under warranty?? check, then Suzuki gets to pay to fix it; if it isn't whinge until they do.

Dink

[BlueDog]

Well I got the engine. It's from a 2007 1250 with under 1700 miles on it. I'm going to start disassembling it tomorrow and get the parts I need off it to get my "new" Bandit running. Then I'll pull it the rest of the way apart and put up the individual components for sale.
I guess I'll post them in the For Sale section when I get some pics up and figure out what's a fair price for everything. I'll give the members here and another board I'm on first shot at everything before I put them up on fleabag. Some stuff I'll keep like the clutch pack, can chain & sprockets, and the sensors. The front sprocket is on it in like new condition. It even has the spark plugs in it.
Any ideas on how to part it out would be appreciated. Like the head I'll probaly sell with the valves and buckets in it. The two cams togeher, the cylinder block, the crank by itself or with pistons and rods, the tranny gears as a set, the cam cover, and so on. Never parted out an engine before so I'm open to suggestions.

[wizzobeer]

Bolt by bolt, lol