B1200 S Top Heavy?

[Vidrazor]

Just curious if you B1200 S owners find your bike top heavy. A friend of mine just picked up a two-thousand-something B1200 S and, after riding a Nighthawk 750 for a few years, finds it top heavy in comparison. So much so, that he hesitates to lean it deep into corners.

I did a quick comparison and there's about a 24 lb. difference betwen these bikes dry, which doesn't strike me as a lot.

So I was curious if anyone else here felt the same way.

[GSFStiny]

If youre used to riding dirt bikes, yes, its a tank.  But IMO, for its size and weight, the B12 feels pretty light and agile.  Not excessively topheavy, even with a full tank of go juice.  Granted, Ive never ridden a true sport bike, the only other sport-ish bike Ive ridden is my roommate's 750 katana.  My first street bike was a 79 GS750.  Even with a 3.3 gal tank, it was heavy.  Its just a pig.  But after a few thorough parking lot practice sessions I learned to manage the weight.  The first time I rode my B12 it felt like my old YZ250 compared to the GS.

[Have Blue]

Being used to old CB750 and big bore GS1100/1150's, my B12S feels like a 250 to me.  The 12 is a feather.  You can lean it until the mirrors scrape.  LOL

Blue

[mike]

The 2nd generation (2001 and up) feel more nimble than the 1st generation (2000 and older) B12's.

My personal opinion is he's used to higher bars and a laid back riding position, that Nighthawk 750 was very similiar to my Old Sabre 1100.
And I can tell ya the B12 handles way better than the Nighthawk or Sabre.  He's just not in his comfort zone yet with the riding position and geometry of the bike.  The B12 will lay down further and corner better than those other 2 bikes, ya just need to get used to it and break the mold and expectations of how the bike feels compared to another.  That's very common, btw...  Example: I feel very wobbly on a cruiser with highway pegs, just because I've never spent time getting used to one.  When I ride my uncle's, it feels like I'm gonna drop it in low speed turns (like turning out or into a driveway or parking spot), just because it feels different.

[kevinfromrex]

I own a mint 1991 CB750 Nighthawk and I ride a 2001 GSF600S Bandit. I have rideen the 1200 Bandit as well. Your friend just isnt used to his new bike. The Bandit will smoke the nighthawk in the corners or the straights. The Nighthawk pushes approx 72 hp while the big bandit pushes 100hp. Once he gets used to it he is going to find the big Bandit will really perform, Ive seen guys put the front of the muffler can almost to the ground!

[PaulVS]

If it's got the original tires on it... that would be the cause.

I was out of motorcycling for 12 years before I bought the Bandit.... and I thought my absence had made me a wimpy rider... until I replaced the stock tires.

The stock Macadam tires are pure crap.  Putting on a pair of good aftermarket tires will make it a completely different motorcycle.

Of course.... if it's got good rubber on it.... this post is of no help whatsoever.  

[jfudo]

My guess is the rake of the bike.  The bandit is pretty steep compared the nighthawk.  This will give the feel that the bike will fall over once a lean is started.   That is one think I noticed when I first got the bike.

[andrewsw]

this post is of no help whatsoever.  

Paul, with that sig and avatar, your posts are ALWAYS a help

[snofrog]

prolly no your friend issue but when I purchased my bandit and went for my first ride on it (coming off my gs 750 es ) it literally fell in to corners in a bad way even coming to a stop it felt as if the bike were being pulled over and I was very disapointed in the fact that I was now stuck with a piece of crap .got it home and went over everything ...when I checked the tire pressure it had 3 psi (you forigners can do your own conversions ) I toped it off and couldnt believe it was the same bike as it now felt and feels quite light on its toes . just a thought

[Have Blue]

Everyone on this board and others that I am on has said the stock Macadam tires are junk/crap.  I bought my 03 B12S with only 900 miles on the odometer about 6 minths ago.  I have 8000 miles on it now.  Long story short, I took the B12 to the Dragon and the Wolf Pen Gap area a for a week, a couple of months ago.  There were no chicken strips left on the front or rear tires after that week.  I can say from experience that you can consistently and securely lean a B12 with Macadams until you run out of sidewall tread.  At some points, I was negotiating Wolf Pen at about 80 mph, cranked over and on the throttle hard enough to smoke a bit of rubber driving it through the switchbacks.  The tires will bite just fine, but you have to stay on the throttle and make'em track.  I have no complaints about the traction or handling of the Macadams.  When you're out of tread on the sidewalls, you're out of tread. Theres nothing wrong with the Macadams.  BTW, yeah, at 8k miles, they are pretty well worn out now.

Blue

I

The stock Macadam tires are pure crap.  Putting on a pair of good aftermarket tires will make it a completely different motorcycle.

Of course.... if it's got good rubber on it.... this post is of no help whatsoever.  

[solman]

I went from a CB900F to the 03 B12(nekkid) and I dropped about 50 pounds.  So the B12 feels very stable to me.  I guess what it boils down to is what you were used to before.  That is probably why motorcycle magazine riders can compare bikes.  They ride the best, down to the least desirable.  I just remembered something which I can relate to going to a heavier bike.  I bought my CB900F back in '99.  I swapped over from a 76 CB550K.  I stopped riding the 550 for a while because I was trying to sell it.  I remember the last time I rode it, the bike felt like I was on a bicycle.  I never realized until that point on how different bikes could feel while riding.

[CWO4GUNNER]

Before I bought my 05 Bandit all I owned was light cruisers like the Kaw 750 CSR twin and Norton Commando.  I also rode a lot of dirt bikes.
    My biggest impression of the Bandit was that it pretty much lived up to its magazine reviews especially in the lean department. I never rode a bike that loved to lean so well, almost like it knew exactly what to do on the  on those curvy roads and would lean right over to the right position and then pop back up again with such little effort. I am certain that if your friend is not happy that someone on the BBS sight will buy it off him at a discount but it will be your friends loss.

[smooth operator]

The Bandit will handle surprisingly well. I've had mine down low enough to tuch down my knee puck. My youngest brother bought a 03 B12 earlier this summer and he told my wife," No wonder Dan rides so well,its the bike!"(He was comming off a bigger bike) Maybe he just needs some seat time to get used to it.    Dan

[Rocketjock]

Like Snofrog, I came off a 750es. Unlike Snofrog I found my 750 to be a real clunker compared to the Bandit. I find the Bandit to be perfectly balanced and am often able to keep it standing at one or two mph, balancing at a stoplight for a goodly amount of time. And my new mount came with Dunlops that I have total confidence in.

[solman]

I find the Bandit to be perfectly balanced and am often able to keep it standing at one or two mph, balancing at a stoplight for a goodly amount of time.

Take the training wheels off, that will fix that problem.  LOL