Bandit Alley
GENERAL MOTORCYCLE FORUMS => GENERAL MECHANICAL & TECHNICAL => Topic started by: Instructor on October 17, 2006, 09:34:42 AM
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Hello guys and girls,
new to this forum :thanks: I am in the market to buy a couple more motorcycles :motorsmile: for my training school and realised the Bandit is the best choice so I need some of your vast knowledge and advise, How do they stack up if they are ridden hard and how about reliability and fuel economy?, they would be on the road all day five days a week with inexperienced riders clutching to them like their lives depended on it. Hope the grips are comfy :shock:
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You don't say where you are, so I assume you're located somewhere in the world where it is easy to find a 250 Bandit? If you're in the UK or Oz, I would think a "gray market only" bike for a training school would not be a good idea. I'm also thinking that the high-strung nature of a 250 inline 4 like the Bandit would not be the best choice for teaching new riders and that a twin or single of some sort would be a better choice.
Since the 250 Bandit was never imported to the USA, I've never even seen a B250 in real-life, let alone rode one, so perhaps my assumptions are wrong.
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I'm also thinking that the high-strung nature of a 250 inline 4 like the Bandit would not be the best choice for teaching new riders and that a twin or single of some sort would be a better choice.
They'd learn pretty quickly to respect the throttle. :monkeymoon: (Ok,.. I'm a bad person.)
They are also likely like the B4 in that they are top heavy. That tends to make it easy for the bike to get away from them, especially when moving it around in a parking lot. I must have dropped Dita 3 times because of that. The one time. she just leaned over, and try as I might, I ended up sliding toward her, and ended up in a heap on top of her.
That said, I had an instructor mention to me once that Dita was an excellent bike to learn on, because she wouldn't let me have many bad habits. I do believe that was right.
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Holy crap :shock: the 250s are inline fours? Dang I thought the 400 had small pistons.
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Wait! What the :duh: ... uhm... -I- took my rider training on the Bandit 400. It wasn't bad at all. I would think the 250 would be easier to manage.
Sorry.. apparently I put that part of my life behind me. I'm a seasoned rider of 6000miles and 2 seasons now. *sigh* :roll:
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I think the 250 should be a great learner bike. The 400 was mine, but we do things bigger over on this side of the pond.
Only downside would be parts availability. If you bought a couple extras for parts bikes you'd be set. The trany, clutch and motor on my bike has been bullet proof. And its been through 4 beginners... this year the bike hasn't given me any problems other then a blown voltage regulator.
I dropped it a couple of times the first year I owned it, but I don't find it top heavy. Every time I've dropped it, its been because I did something stupid. And its confidence that feeds stupidity...
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I dropped it a couple of times the first year I owned it, but I don't find it top heavy. Every time I've dropped it, its been because I did something stupid. And its confidence that feeds stupidity...
How tall are you, Mike? At 5'4", I find the bike top heavy. I wonder it's a "shorty" person thing... I have read the same in reviews though. I notice the other half says she's top heavy, but handles her a lot easier than I do when pushing her around.
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I'm 5' 11". I don't find the bandit top heavy, but come to think of it my friends cb-1 is definately less top heavy. It nearly feels weightless. Maybe I'm just used to the weight now.
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I'm 5' 11". I don't find the bandit top heavy, but come to think of it my friends cb-1 is definately less top heavy. It nearly feels weightless. Maybe I'm just used to the weight now.
Yeah,.. a short @ss like me is more likely to notice the weight up high. That said, I've noticed how much lighter she is than the Hornet nowadays too. So it definitely is something you can get used to.