Bandit Alley

GENERAL MOTORCYCLE FORUMS => GENERAL MOTORCYCLE => Topic started by: solman on September 22, 2007, 12:47:15 PM

Title: FZ1 and the Bandit
Post by: solman on September 22, 2007, 12:47:15 PM
Once again, I found another blurp on how the FZ1 is lacking and how the Bandit is so awesome.  Since the 1250 is out now, they are using that as the comparison.  The FZ1 has more horsepower, better suspension, and lighter frame.  But they still continue to dog it in the magazines and give praise to the Bandit.  It is funny on how that the only people who dog the Bandit are people who haven't ridden one.  They look at the bike and the stats and assume that it is lacking in all departments.  Here is a blurp from the latest issue of Sport Rider:

"We tested Suzuki's new for '07 Bandit 1250S earlier this year and figured it had the "best standard/naked bike engine yet."  Overall, the Bandit rates higher than the FZ1 in our book."

Yamaha would have an excellent bike if they just listened to the people and magazines and give people what they want.
Title: FZ1 and the Bandit
Post by: r_outsider on September 23, 2007, 02:23:05 PM
It's funny-the FZ-1 has all the stats and numbers to make a great bike, yet everyone I know who's ridden one says "It just doesn't do it for me." Maybe it just lacks personality. Seems like the FZ series was designed and built by a marketing team instead of riders.
Title: FZ1 and the Bandit
Post by: solman on September 23, 2007, 06:18:36 PM
It seems that Suzuki is the only Japanese bike that listens to what the people want.  Probably why Suzuki is such a dominant factor in Superbike class AMA racing.  They listen the riders and develop it from there.  I have heard that Mladin was and is an instrumental factor in development of the Yoshimura Suzuki team.  If Yamaha would pay attention to riders and magazines, they could have such a better following with the R1 and FZ1.
Title: FZ1 and the Bandit
Post by: leedogg on September 24, 2007, 12:10:56 AM
I wrote a long post to this- but lost my connection earlier...so here's the condensed version.

I think the FZ1 and Z1000 are placed too close to their liter bike siblings, IMO.  Suzuki done a great job in building a sporty bike without it competing against the GSXR's also sitting in the showroom.
Title: FZ1 and the Bandit
Post by: leedogg on September 24, 2007, 12:11:45 AM
I wrote a long post to this- but lost my connection earlier...so here's the condensed version.

I think the FZ1 and Z1000 are placed too close to their liter bike siblings, IMO.  Suzuki done a great job in building a sporty bike without it competing against the GSXR's also sitting in the showroom.
Title: FZ1 and the Bandit
Post by: solman on September 24, 2007, 06:10:57 AM
Quote

I wrote a long post to this- but lost my connection earlier...so here's the condensed version.  


Quote

I wrote a long post to this- but lost my connection earlier...so here's the condensed version.  


So you post it twice?

So you post it twice?

lol :duh:
Title: FZ1 and the Bandit
Post by: stormi on September 24, 2007, 12:57:40 PM
Quote from: "solman"
It seems that Suzuki is the only Japanese bike that listens to what the people want.  


It's too bad that, here in Canada anyway, they don't seem to take into account that people don't want to wait a season for parts though.   I think that their market share would go up immensely if they were to improve their parts situation.  

Most people I know with Suzuki's are ordering their parts online, rather than wait for the parts to come on the slow boat after being made.  

I've tried to order Gixxer parts, GS500 parts, and B6 and B12 parts from the dealers here.  It's always the same answer... "6 weeks, after they make it."  And I doubt that they're going to retool for me tomorrow.  So, I order from the states.  A lot of people I've talked to think that's the way it is with bikes in general, til I point out where I usually get local parts from...

Oh!! And $300 for an RR is extortion...
Title: FZ1 and the Bandit
Post by: solman on September 24, 2007, 03:17:25 PM
What I meant was in designing bikes. Parts and service are always a different issue.
Title: FZ1 and the Bandit
Post by: H2RICK on October 08, 2007, 05:02:50 PM
Quote
Oh!! And $300 for an RR is extortion...

Stormi, you need to phone your Uncle H2 on stuff like this.
We can usually get a RR new in the box for ~C$ 140 - $190
depending on application. The aftermarket is all over stuff like this....and it's usually BETTER than the OE crap because the aftermarket KNOWS where the OE crap is weak and then spends the extra 50 cents on better components to cure the weak points. It never ceases to amaze me why factories DON'T spend that extra money up front. It just makes the customer mad AND makes the OE look like a cheapskie. :annoy:
Title: FZ1 and the Bandit
Post by: Nitro on October 08, 2007, 09:16:10 PM
What is an RR?
Title: FZ1 and the Bandit
Post by: Red01 on October 08, 2007, 09:33:44 PM
Regulator/Rectifier.
Title: FZ1 and the Bandit
Post by: Nitro on October 08, 2007, 11:10:12 PM
Thanks.
Title: FZ1 and the Bandit
Post by: SteelD on October 09, 2007, 01:31:17 PM
Quote from: "r_outsider"
It's funny-the FZ-1 has all the stats and numbers to make a great bike, yet everyone I know who's ridden one says "It just doesn't do it for me." Maybe it just lacks personality. Seems like the FZ series was designed and built by a marketing team instead of riders.

I agree. The FZ1 has it all on paper. I even prefer the looks over the Bandit which looks somewhat plain and old-fashioned in comparison. It's when you ride them that the Bandit clearly wins. The Bandit is designed for real road use. In other words, it can be utilised and enjoyed more fully on the average road unlike the FZ1 that can only be fully exploited on a race track and feels uneasy and ineffective around town or on roads at legal and safe speeds.

The FZ1 is designed for those who want to impress. The Bandit is designed for those who want to ride.
Title: FZ1 and the Bandit
Post by: stormi on October 09, 2007, 01:59:53 PM
Quote from: "H2RICK"
Stormi, you need to phone your Uncle H2 on stuff like this.
We can usually get a RR new in the box for ~C$ 140 - $190
depending on application. The aftermarket is all over stuff like this....and it's usually BETTER than the OE crap because the aftermarket KNOWS where the OE crap is weak and then spends the extra 50 cents on better components to cure the weak points. It never ceases to amaze me why factories DON'T spend that extra money up front. It just makes the customer mad AND makes the OE look like a cheapskie. :annoy:


I agree that the OE stuff tends to be worse quality.  It really is a shame, especially when you see the prices, and the quality together.  It sure leaves a bad taste in one's mouth for the product.

I didn't pay the $300, I paid $145, and got a Honda CB400 RR.  In stock, no waiting too.   :wink:  

If I hadn't found that though, I might have been looking in your direction.  There is a chance though that Dita might have rejected her RR before you even joined though...

Nope,.. I was wrong, it was after you joined. (http://forums.banditalley.net/viewtopic.php?t=2305)  :wink:
Title: Re: FZ1 and the Bandit
Post by: CWO4GUNNER on November 08, 2007, 03:19:24 PM
I'm a bit late in getting here but here is my nickel on the subject. I don't know anything about the FZ1 other then that I don't like the way it looks and when I looked at Yamaha the bike on my list was the R1, if any. So perhaps for allot of Yamaha loyalist when they consider a FZ1 purchase they think "well what the hell, if I'm going to spend this much on the FZ1, I might as well buy the R1 as it is much better". I think for Suzuki Loyalist the Bandit sits so far removed in style and ride from the rest of the Suzuki line that loyalist are really pigeon holed which is something I believe Suzuki deliberately as a marketing strategy. For me it was not an easy consideration to consider a transition from a B1200 to a Bursa as the bikes are so different in so many ways. In fact the Bandit line is so different from other bikes in general that the transition to a different make is not an easy decision either, and I think this is something that Suzuki tries hard to do to keep customers and they do it well. 
Title: Re: FZ1 and the Bandit
Post by: Pillage on November 15, 2007, 08:13:39 AM
I've owned both for a while now.  Compared to the G1 B12 the G1 FZ1 is a little high strung and not as comfortable but it's wicked fast in the twisties.  However if I could have only one bike, it would be the Bandit because it's more versatile.  It just does it all very well.  As long as I can have both I'll keep the FZ1 for sport touring because it's fun roasting my friends riding a GSXR1000, R1, and ZX10 in the twisty bits.  Don't get me wrong the old B12 can hold it's own on our sport rides, it's just that the FZ1 I can effortlessly wail through a set of tight turns.  :motorsmile:
Title: Re: FZ1 and the Bandit
Post by: gunz on November 22, 2007, 09:15:31 AM
Comparing the B12 to the FZ1 isnt really a straight comparison. Compare it the the B1250 and you find the FZ1 lacking in several areas Including power.
Title: Re: FZ1 and the Bandit
Post by: Bob Holland on November 22, 2007, 10:33:09 AM
Comparing the B12 to the FZ1 isnt really a straight comparison. Compare it the the B1250 and you find the FZ1 lacking in several areas Including power.

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/Article_Page.aspx?ArticleID=3132
Several changes have been made to offer greater drivability. The Fizzer's crankshaft has been given a 33% increase in weight for better tractability, and Yamaha's EXUP exhaust valve boosts low-end snap. The result is a claimed 148 crankshaft horsepower, seven up on the old bike and perhaps a bit more than 130 horses at the wheel. Despite the midrange-biased cams, peak torque is said to only match the R1's (and the '05 FZ1) but it arrives at 8000 rpm, 2500 rpm sooner.


http://www.wheels.ca/article/26320
2007 Suzuki Bandit 1250
The engine is a huge improvement and, even though claimed horsepower remains at 96 hp, that number kicks in 1000 r.p.m. lower, at 7500. The most noticeable change in El Bandito's personality is the torque; up almost 20 per cent to 79 lb.-ft., and it arrives at 3500 r.p.m. rather than 6500.


I still would choose the B1250 over the FZ1

Title: Re: FZ1 and the Bandit
Post by: gunz on November 22, 2007, 01:28:29 PM
The  flat tourqe curve make the bandit ridable at almost any RPM. No need to get it into the RPMs to get it to go.