Author Topic: How many smiles per miles do you get? (Read 3184 times)

jbrough7 · « **on:** April 10, 2006, 07:50:21 PM »

I admit I'm an excited newbie but still, is the bandit 650 one awesome bike or what??? Only 200 miles on mine and it has made me smile 100 times already!! that works out to .5 smiles/mile!! I believe that beats the Kawasaki 500 ninja at .44 smiles/mile!

The Bandit wins again!

snofrog · « **Reply #1 on:** April 10, 2006, 07:57:33 PM »

curiousmike · « **Reply #2 on:** April 10, 2006, 08:36:29 PM »

Dude.

Start busting some wheelies... even small wheelies.

You'll double the value.

jbrough7 · « **Reply #3 on:** April 11, 2006, 08:20:22 AM »

Never done one but I have felt the front end come up a bit sometimes. Must be awesome but I'm afraid of putting a scratch on my new baby!

Jim

chevsuz12 · « **Reply #4 on:** April 11, 2006, 09:24:30 AM »

Lots of smiles, and you get double that on the B12!

Red01 · « **Reply #5 on:** April 11, 2006, 11:40:29 AM »

Hmmm... I think there's a problem with either you guys or me... but I think it's you.

See, I don't get smiles per mile. I get miles per smile. It's not at all unusual for the smile to be stuck on my face for quite a while afterwards, too.

OTOH, I do tend to get smiles just thinking about riding the Bandit.
Like right now!

tacoman · « **Reply #6 on:** April 11, 2006, 01:47:08 PM »

How is the 650? It would be interesting to know what the extra 50cc does. I'm sitting in my office dreaming about a ride now things are warming up. I really want to do a Columbia Gorge ride (Washington/Oregon border). I need some continuing ed for work and there is a seminar in a town at the end of the gorge. I might be able to sell the wife on this one. I have to go and I'll take the B6 to save on gas.

jbrough7 · « **Reply #7 on:** April 11, 2006, 06:42:06 PM »

Tacoman: I've never ridden a 600 and I come from an elderly 31 hp. cruiser so you have to take everything I say with a grain of salt:

Just love the bike! Handles like a dream and goes good! I've read the stats and it's something like 3.7 seconds to 60 mph so I thought that would be killer as my old bike did it in 6.9. But it doesn't seem all that fast. Maybe the four needs a bit of time to spool up but first gear to me seems to flatten out a bit but then she really bites in 2nd and 3rd and 4th and it flies up to 100!

I had to get the bright red as they sold the last black one and now I'm really glad I did get that one. Looks awesome!

Engine sounds a bit tinny when just idling but a flick of the wrist and i swear it sounds like a mazda rx-8!!

Corners I could barely get around at 90 km./hr. with my old bike I can now take at 140 without breaking a sweat.

Gas mileage seems about the same as my old thumper 650 single. I put $14 in her and that lasts almost 300 km.! Pretty good and don't forget every time I start out, I'm zinging the snot out of her just to hear that lovely sound!!

My old crusier weighed 350 lbs. and the bandit 650 weighs 450 lbs. so I was worried about the extra heft, but have never noticed anything!

Lots of dumb stickers all over her but they are being removed.

Seems to have lots of guts to take a passenger as my 145 lb. daughter was on her with me and i couldn't feel any difference.

My teenage students all swear I got a 'crotch-rocket' and I'm crazy and I try to tell them it's not really a sport bike, but they just don't believe me. They all love the styling!

Have a bit of a time finding neutral but it's getting better.

Don't know what gear I'm in coming to a stop light as I'm used to a four speed on my cruiser and this six speed is wild!!

Overall - 9.6 out of 10!! But I've never ridden a 1200!! Would that extra oomph just blow me away!?!

Jim

curiousmike · « **Reply #8 on:** April 11, 2006, 06:58:54 PM »

Quote from: "jbrough7"

But I've never ridden a 1200!! Would that extra oomph just blow me away!?!
Jim

I rode a friends '98 600 years ago, and I was impressed with the zip in the bike. I'm sure the 650 has even more oomph.

re: the 1200. I don't think you'd be "blown away." However, I think you'd be impressed. The "torque"... the "pulling" sensation of the motor is big.

jbrough7 · « **Reply #9 on:** April 11, 2006, 07:13:35 PM »

Is it a fair bit heavier than the 650, I wonder?

Red01 · « **Reply #10 on:** April 12, 2006, 10:39:20 AM »

Quote from: "jbrough7"

Is it a fair bit heavier than the 650, I wonder?

7 kg or 24 lb - partly because it has bigger tires, wheels, brakes & forks and partly because the motor is a tad heavier.

tacoman · « **Reply #11 on:** April 12, 2006, 02:02:56 PM »

I imagine Suz went to 650 to make up for some losses suffered to meet emissions. This thing ought to really wake up with a jet kit. Too bad they're not here but Suz N America seems happy having the SV, which actually stacks up well against the competition with a good price, plus they've added the 650 Vstrom which I hear is very good.

jbrough7 · « **Reply #12 on:** April 12, 2006, 04:23:28 PM »

I've heard the weestrom is the absolute number one bike to buy if you can only afford one (!) Just can't get into the styling - I sat on one once and it seemed really tall and ungainly but I don't know if that was just me.