Bandit Alley
GENERAL MOTORCYCLE FORUMS => GENERAL MOTORCYCLE => Topic started by: mwall on June 25, 2005, 09:16:52 PM
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This question has probably been asked before but I'm ready to buy so I just want to get the latest opinions. I was ready to buy a FZ6 last week but the voice told me to hold off one more weekend to make sure. I came across a GSF600S (The 600 Bandit with fairing and 2 oval front headlights) that I really liked at a dealer but don’t know anything about it (have been searching net and have seen this bike called different things and its not on Suzuki’s web site??) It felt really comfortable alittle better than the yami. I could get this 2000 g’s cheaper than the FZ6 (can afford but why pay more) So can anyone please tell me the good and bad of the Bandit 600 with the fairing or give me opionions of why i should spend more for the FZ6. I’m 30 years old new street rider, laid back, just looking for a daily commuter (125 miles a day) mix of country roads, interstate and small towns, looking to ride year round except heavy rain or snow days but will want to have some fun on back country roads, do aggresivley race quads so im not totally docile, I’m Mid Atlantic, USA if this matters for the way the bike is built for different countries.
Thanks for any info
Mwall
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What year is the Bandit 600?
The Two oval headlights is confusing me.....
If it's a used bike, it could be somebody bolted on some aftermarket lights.
Regardless, the Bandit 600 is a good commuter, and decent for touring.
The FZ6 will be a little more 'peppy', and it's a good bike, also.
The Bandit 600 is not being sold as a current model in the US.
It's still sold elsewhere in the world, as well as the new Bandit 650, which may/may not come here.
With a few exceptions, the US model 600 looked pretty much the same from 2000-2004.
The older versions ran from '96-99, and look different.
You may be looking at a used bike, or a leftover 2004.
Whatever you do, do some price shopping. You may get a bargain if it's a leftover '04 or older.
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Its a new 2005 model, odmeter has less than 1 mile, never been titled before. The front end looks just like the 2005 1200 Bandit on Suzuki's web site, i guess the two lensens in the fairing are more rectangular than oval. Its on sell for ~4500 us dollars-has a couple of minor scrathes from shipping. How could they have this if its not avaible in US?
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It may be new, but it is HIGHLY unlikely an '05 model, unless your dealer got one from Canada. There is no '05 model in the US (which is why it doesn't appear on the US Suzuki site), and most other markets that do get this class, get a 650 version, bumped up from the earlier 600. (I believe the UK still gets the 600 and the 650.)
Pete may be right, but I was thinking that '03 was the last year for the B6 in the USA.
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Yeah, I'm not sure if the 600 was last sold in the US in '03, or '04.
:duh:
The price doesn't sound 'bad'.
Usually the bikes don't get scratched up during shipping, since they're crated up pretty well. I'd bet the bike was scratched up during the minor assembly they have to do from the crate, or from sitting on the showroom floor for a couple of years....being moved around...sat on, etc.
I'd verify what year the bike is. There is a data plate on the frame, top, right...near the steering head. You should find the date of manufacture there.
The year will determine what's a fair price for the bike.
It may be 'new', but if it's an '03, the bike is worth less.
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Ok, thanks for the info I'll be calling monday morning to verify year and model-sells person may have been confused or I may have misuderstood, store was very busy yesterday.
"It may be 'new', but if it's an '03, the bike is worth less."
If the bike is an 03 youall would recommend staying away from it? What, did they have a lot of problems? If the bike is an 04 model then you would recommend? If so I'm assuming whatever problems the 03 had were resolved on the 04 models.
Thanks again
Mwall
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"It may be 'new', but if it's an '03, the bike is worth less."
If the bike is an 03 youall would recommend staying away from it? What, did they have a lot of problems? If the bike is an 04 model then you would recommend? Mwall
Not at all. It's just that the bike is older and the moment you ride it off the lot, it's a used '03 with the resale value of a nearly 3 year old bike regardless of the fact that it was just titled. Therefore as "new" it would be worth less than a current-year model (if an '05 were available). That's all.
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That's it.....
It's mostly a matter of financing, insurance or resale value, and not that there's anything wrong with the bike.
Like Rob said, the value of the bike drops in reality as you roll out of the showroom, and with every model year it sits in a showroom, getting dusty.
Just use this as a point to research an offering price on the bike.
Sometimes you can get a real deal on a leftover new bike.
It's been a while, but I remember seeing new Bandit 600s in the Chicago area going for $4600. They might have been last years models....
The 600's don't have any problem areas.
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"It may be 'new', but if it's an '03, the bike is worth less."
If the bike is an 03 youall would recommend staying away from it? What, did they have a lot of problems? If the bike is an 04 model then you would recommend? Mwall
Just that is worth less (two words) - not worthless (one word).
The only difference between a 2000 model year B6 and any of the newer year 600's is color changes - and I believe they added a gas gauge to the mix around '02 or '03.
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Hey thanks alot guys...uall really helping me out. I'll let you know if things work out and if I get it Ill post a pic.
Thanks again
Mwall
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Could it be a case of mistaken identity? Sounds an awful lot like a Katana to me.
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Could it be a case of mistaken identity? Sounds an awful lot like a Katana to me.
I believe you know your bikes, from the description he gave, it does sound more like a katana than a bandit.
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I hope the guy can at least read :wink:
Katana 600:
(http://www.suzukicycles.org/photos/GSX/GSX600F/2004_GSX600F_bluesilver_600.jpg)
Bandit 600:
(http://www.suzukicycles.org/photos/GSF-Bandit/GSF600S-Bandit/2004_GSF600_black_540.jpg)
Both bikes blatently advertise what they are in decals...
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I'm thinking this guy may have found a "new" '03 model thats been sitting in the showroom awhile. I'd push for more than a $2000 discount. I'd start at $3k under and go up from there but not much. I'd take a B6 and $2-3K savings over the FZ. You can do a lot with $500 on a B6 and it will be everything an out of the box FZ is.
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the 05 b6 here in Canada is a b6.5 now
looks almost idntical to the Bb12
it has a half fairing and the tuna has a full fairing.
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Update for anyone interested
Well it’s a definitely a 2004 Bandit, not working out, didn’t feel comfortable, the bike didn’t run very well starting up and idling, they will take the carbs off and clean. This might not be a big deal to some but this is my first road bike and im buying and relying on this for daily commuting I don’t want to mess with carbs…Also it must of been dropping because there were more scraps and the right side handle bar slider was bent and loose so im feel im not being told something. So I decided to go with the sv650s. don’t think this is a mistake, agree?
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You should enjoy the sv, especially if you have any tight twistie roads around you. And I would have gone for the FZ6 over the Bandit.
~lloyd in atlanta
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I spent over a year bike shopping and was looking at many of the same bikes as you. I'm 36 and had not ridden in many years. I was looking for a daily commuter with a couple of long trips thrown in, as well as something I could lean over with confidence. My short list included VFR800, FZ6, SV1000s, ZR7...oddly enough, the Bandit never crossed my radar screen.
The ZR eliminated itself simply because there were none to be found.
The SV (my initial favorite) dropped from the list after I sat on one in the showroom for about a half hour. Don't let the half-fairing fool you; it's a sport bike and is not at all comfortable for any lenght of time.
The VFR was $10,000...enough said.
The FZ6 is now what the Bandit will be in a few years. Really, the FZ6 IS a Bandit with all the Bandits little flaws fixed. The FZ is fuel injected, has a full digital gage package with a fuel gage. It has great headlights and running lights. It's got a little more legroom. (Plus, you can reprogram the fuel injection from the dashboard...no need for a PowerCommander). The only reason I'm on a Bandit now and not an FZ is I found a really good deal on a used bike.
The SV is a great bike (love the engine), but sit on one for a while first. She will put a lot of weight on your wrists (and also lacks a center stand, if that's a concern to you).
Ultimately, it's your bike. It just sounded like we fit very similar demographics; so I thought you might be able to use the info.