Author Topic: New owner 2001 B12S  (Read 11344 times)

Offline mriddle

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New owner 2001 B12S
« on: November 13, 2011, 08:00:06 PM »
Hello Bandit Alley !

I test rode a 2001 B12S today and pulled the trigger.

17 thousand miles  - few blems in the paint but it looks like it has lived inside all it's life.

My background is in dirtbikes as a teen (I'm 48) and then a few years back I started riding Suzuki GS bikes.  Love thegsresources.com forum.

This B12 is the first bike I have ever ridden that is newer than 1983.

I was obviously impressed. 

Pick it up this week or next (as work schedule allows).

Looking forward to learning about the Bandit as I have the GS.


Offline mwheat308

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Re: New owner 2001 B12S
« Reply #1 on: November 14, 2011, 06:18:09 AM »
Welcome
The Bandit is a great bike, I'm sure you will enjoy it.
Lots of great people and knowledge here.

Mike
Gun CONTROL is hitting the target the FIRST time!

Offline txbanditrydr

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Re: New owner 2001 B12S
« Reply #2 on: November 14, 2011, 09:17:32 AM »
 :welcome: to the site!!!   Glad you found us.

Good looking bike and I know you'll enjoy riding it.    :motorsmile:
'01 B600S ... sold
'05 B1200S ... Top 20 mods... #20 through #2 - All The Usual Ones, Yada, Yada  & #1... 150,000+ Miles and Counting!!!!

Offline Have Blue

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Re: New owner 2001 B12S
« Reply #3 on: November 15, 2011, 12:20:30 AM »
Welcome!  Its a great do everything bike.  You're going to be soooooooooo happy with it.  ehehe

Blue
03 B12 S
79 XS400

Offline mriddle

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Re: New owner 2001 B12S
« Reply #4 on: November 17, 2011, 04:53:07 AM »
Blue -

A trusted friend of my (who also lives in Florida) seems to think very highly of his Bandit.

Big influence in my choice to get mine.

ehehe

Offline sandy klock

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Re: New owner 2001 B12S
« Reply #5 on: November 18, 2011, 11:56:45 AM »
 :welcome: mriddle, and  :congrats: on the gsf. There is alot of life to explore on the bandit. from track days. drag racing. road riding. and touring. also lots of smiles.  welcome to site. on another note I  hope Red01 hangs tough on site. he is a wealth of knowledge, and now has a c14. just want to make sure the people that do all the work on site get acknowledgemt.  Thanks RED01       sandy
Fast? yes I'm fast, like a tortoise

Offline Fordtech

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Re: New owner 2001 B12S
« Reply #6 on: February 10, 2012, 07:43:14 PM »
 :welcome: to the site!!
I myself was riding GS's (750's) before getting a Bandit......mine is GEN 1 ...a 99
1200S. Now has 114,000 km's on it...with GSXR cams, Yosh bolt on..rejet and an Ohlins shock.
HEL lines etc etc etc...you are gonna love it!! These bikes are stone reliable..decent power etc.

Offline rider123

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Re: New owner 2001 B12S
« Reply #7 on: February 11, 2012, 11:14:15 PM »
Heres a few suggested mods for a guy we were helping on another thread with his GEN1(96-00) Bandit, Welcome to the club!!!


Trust me these bikes are addictive. I bought mine new 6 years ago and I think I'll keep the thing until it totally dies, even if I get different bikes. To get extra power is dirt cheap and addictive. The only thing that is a drawback is once it's piped and jetted you may need to buy more underwear!!! Here's a nice wish list in order of cheapness to more expensive:

Stock HP: 98-102 HP


Best Bang for your buck/easiest to live with:
Semi-decent slip on with mid-pipe: $130
Stage 1 jetting to go with it: $10 or $20 depending how many sets of jets you want to experiment with.
Radio shack or hobby store shims: $5
K&N filter to go with stage 1 jetting: $40<---Not needed on GEN2 bikes
Horsepower increase: 15HP minimum 18MAX<--Gen 1 Bandits seem to have slightly more than GEN2 with a stage 1. Probably due to the RF900 Carbs.
Total cost around $200
Ease of install: Stupidly easy.
Characteristics: Retains most of the bottom end if not all, with a huge mid-range punch and a very frisky top end, most drivable and easy to live with for normal around town driving. Best fuel economy out of the basic mods. Can be installed even if piss drunk it's so easy.
Depends(R) underwear change rating: 3 out of 7 days of the week. It will wheelie with ease especially in the mid-range. Don't eat any Tacos 12 hours before riding or you'll have a burning ring of fire when you scare yourself shitless and no, I'm not talking about the piston rings.


Same setup with Stage 2 Jetting:
Semi-decent slip on with mid-pipe: $130
Stage 2 jetting to go with it: $20 to $30 as you will probably buy a few more sets of mainjets and probably need new pilots
Horsepower increase: 18-22 HP<--give you a few more ponies over stage 1
K&N pod filters: $150
Total Cost: $250-$300 bucks
Ease of install: Don't get drunk before installing. Sometimes stage 2 is a little trickier to get right, but it gets rid of the stock airbox. May be wonky in the rain as the pods will be exposed unlike the GEN 2 Bandits which cover them up with side covers. The actual install is easy but tuning may require more patience. Basic mod for any engine or full exhaust system upgrades.
Characteristics: slightly noticeable decrease in the bottom end but still very decent but Mid-range gets even more crazy and the top end is starting to get frightening. Stay away from Indian food.
Depends(R) underwear change rating: 4 out of 7 Days of the week. If you weren't scared before now, you will start to be.

Options recommend after Stage 2:

Stepped header to go with mid-pipe:
Cost: $820
HP increase: 3-5 HP extra over stage 2
Characteristics: Will slightly decrease the bottom end more but add a little more punch to the mid-range and move it up slightly up the RPM scale. Most of the gains are up top.
Depends(R)underwear change rating: 5 out of 7 days of the week.

GSXR CAMS:
Cost: $400 average, sometimes you can find them on Ebay or get new for $500
Intake cam: 5-7 HP retains most of the bottom end and mid-range
Exhaust Cam: another 5-7 Horsepower will move HP higher up the RPM scale.
Ease of install: You'll have to take the engine apart so get a sober friend to help you.
Characteristics: Bottom end is still there but noticeably weaker with both of the Cams in there. Mid-range is moved up the scale and silly, top end is dangerous to all but the most questionably sane person.
Total HP with all the mods in there: Maybe 135-145HP.
Depends(R) underwear change rating: "ERROR! OFF SCALE, PLEASE INSTALL PLUG IN COLONOSCOPY BAG". Don't say I didn't warn you!

« Last Edit: February 12, 2012, 12:31:59 AM by rider123 »
2005 Bandit 1200, Modified Holeshot Stage 1 with 17.5 pilots 2.75 turns out, and 110 mains 5 shims. Muzzy Slip on w/mid-pipe, stock filter. 1.5" hole in the airbox lid.

Offline mriddle

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Re: New owner 2001 B12S
« Reply #8 on: February 12, 2012, 11:34:54 AM »
Thanks guys - my bike has a D&D canister but I don't think the carbs were touched. Bike has good bottom and top end but the middle is flat.  Other than the stage one and maybe trying a Yosh can that I have in the parts stash, this will stay stock for a while.

Well i may try some different bars  :motorsmile:  

Maybe springs and shocks   :motorsmile:



I have a 1983 GS750ES that goes under the knife this year as time and budget allow.

- 89 GSXR carbs - KN pods
- GS700 cams
- street/strip the head
- vintage GSXR Yoshi duplex header - shortened can
- Ducati Monster 900 rear shock
- Sonic springs in front - anti dive block off
- GS1150 rear rim with 150 series Avon
- lower clip ons

--------- later mods planned

- 1994 GSXR front end with suitable rims
- may do a different swinger not decided


This will be my learning experience.

Offline rider123

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Re: New owner 2001 B12S
« Reply #9 on: February 12, 2012, 03:03:40 PM »
If you want to not mod the airbox, my friend got great results with a slipon and mid-pipe, a radio shack shim, and a 102.5 mainjet(1 up from stock) and a mixture screw adjustment and no Airbox modding. But if you would like an extra 15 horsepower for an hours work and clean the jetting up a lot. Drill an extra 1.5" hole in the airbox lid, keep the stock air filter, don't buy a K&N, pop in 110 mains(or 112.5's if a little weak) and turn the mixture screws out to 3.75 to 4 turns out and a couple of radio shack shims under the needles.

Radio shack shim part number: 64-3022A

Or you can go to a hobby store and get some shims to fit underneath the needle to raise them which will kill that dead spot and give you a bit more power especially with the 1 up on the mainjet.

I have a Holeshot kit where the shims are .5mm, the radio shack ones are 1mm. So two .5's or 1 1mm should be fine. You are actually LOSING power with the factory lean jetting getting even worse with an aftermarket exhaust and no jetting. Does the D&D can have an aftermarket mid-pipe? Are the mixture screw plugs drilled out?

I had the same bike as you but up here in Canada we got the nice Full fairing version the GS750EF's Here is a pic of my last bike same colours, Jetted with a Yosh can, fun as hell:


1984 GS750EF, actually sold it at a profit after fixing it up. My Bandit 1200 reminds me alot of this bike, same riding position and sounds as its the same mill just a 750.


We didn't have the stupid "Bail Harley out strange CC" law up here. So it was a real 750, not a 700. Why didn't Harley just get their shit together and start building better bikes instead of asking for a bailout from Regan? I though Republicans were all for free trade, open markets, etc, etc. It was actually bad for HD as instead of being forced to innovate it turned them into a fashion house instead of a Motorcycle company. Sad, just sad. Although the writing was on the wall back in the late 60's when they pussied out and got out of road racing, instead of trying to compete with the new fangled Japanese bikes coming on the market.


At the minimum, you could shim the needle and adjust the mixture screws, you'll like the extra power trust me. You're running super lean right now if you have the stock jets in there.

This is what I'm running now.....check sig. I might go to 115's or 117.5's and the K&N filter I have that's getting lonely in it's box, as it was just a bit too lean even with 112.5's, went back to the stock filter for now. Need at least 115's or 117.5's for the K&N. I tried the suggested 110 mains but it was just a little too lean up top even with the stock filter. I think it's my Muzzy slip on and Mid-pipe which is very free flowing and I'm fairly close to sea level so it probably needs the extra juice. I'll see how lazy I am in the spring. I'm working with a guy in Australia because its summer there now to jet the stage 1 with a K&N instead of the stock filter which will probably push the horsepower up a few ponies and close in on 118 or so instead of 113-115 and breathe alot better and have a cleanable, instead of a throwaway, air filter.

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« Last Edit: February 12, 2012, 10:41:20 PM by rider123 »
2005 Bandit 1200, Modified Holeshot Stage 1 with 17.5 pilots 2.75 turns out, and 110 mains 5 shims. Muzzy Slip on w/mid-pipe, stock filter. 1.5" hole in the airbox lid.

Offline Octane

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Re: New owner 2001 B12S
« Reply #10 on: February 13, 2012, 05:44:00 AM »
Well I was pretty impressed with my 11.7 sec qtr mile pass with 112.5's & a K&N but could probably do with 115's.
2006 B12 112.5 Mains, adjustable needles (full rich), std pilots 3.75 turns out, K&N, airbox 1.5" mod, Staintune exh.

Offline rider123

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Re: New owner 2001 B12S
« Reply #11 on: February 14, 2012, 06:24:16 AM »
I'll probably start experimenting this summer with 115's or 117.5's, it's a little hard with snow on the ground but it's already starting to get a solid 2 to 3 degrees minimum above freezing so in a few weeks it will be warm enough reliably to ride every day. I can share more info for everyone. Since my exhaust is so free flowing and I have an idea that my hole is a little bigger than 1.5" as I used a hacksaw then made a flange to pretty it up to 1.5", I think I need a little more Juice than 112.5's with the K&N, but it's close though, just a touch lean. But to be fair I tested it when it was only about 7 degrees celcius, I'm sure at 25 degrees summer temps it would probably be alot closer. But 115's it will probably be spot on. I really like the idea I don't have to keep buying air filters and with the K&N the dirtier it gets the better it filters. I guess theoretically I could throw my 17.5 pilots to compensate in there, but it would richen the bottom out too much as I've tried it and even with the K&N it was too rich. I would have to go to pods and a full stage 2 to really need those larger pilots.

I have the pilots out to 4 turns out for now, but I know that is a touch too much but until I get a larger mainjet and it warms up it works fine for now. When I was testing, 4 turns was perfect with the K&N at very cold temps, and I could theoretically turn it out another 1/4 turn before thinking about upping the pilots so there is a bit of room to maneuver.
« Last Edit: February 14, 2012, 07:05:51 AM by rider123 »
2005 Bandit 1200, Modified Holeshot Stage 1 with 17.5 pilots 2.75 turns out, and 110 mains 5 shims. Muzzy Slip on w/mid-pipe, stock filter. 1.5" hole in the airbox lid.

Offline mikenj

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Re: New owner 2001 B12S
« Reply #12 on: October 29, 2012, 01:04:22 PM »
   I'm new too, but see this is almost 1 yr old! LOL  :welcome: anyways......