Took a new 1250 out today

[SteelD]

I was keen to get a demo on a new 1250 and kept pestering my dealer. He had only just put a 1250 on his fleet but hadn't run it in it but he let me out with it as I am a regular customer and I would look after it.

I was most impressed. The engine has plenty of grunt (I currently have an FJR1300) and the gearbox felt positive. The whole package seems to have been put together well and at the price it sells for, it is extremely good value. Minor gripes are:

1) Some electrical components on the LH side of the bike appear to have their wires and contacts exposed to the elements.

2) The mirrors could have been a fraction wider to give a clearer view of the road behind.

3) There is a whining noise on applying the front brake.

4) The pillion pegs are quite high making the passenger adopt a more sports bike leg angle when seated and the grab rail doesn't extend along the side and is only at the rear of the seat (on the FJR, it is goes round a fair way giving the passenger plenty of choice where to hang on).

As I said, these are minor gripes. I put about 50 miles on it and chose some varied roads from city, motorway and twisty country roads. The engine and tyres are new so I didn't push anything but that engine has such deep reserves that you don't need to. It pulls cleanly in any gear and readily spins up. I didn't think I'd like the instruments at first - a mix of analogue rev counter and LCD speed read-out seems a real mix of old and new technology (why?) but it was all readable and did the job.

In all, I enjoyed the ride. I found it much better than a CBF1000 I tried last year. That seemed smaller (more a bike for the girls) while the Bandit felt much bigger. I also had a Honda Hornet 900 for a couple of weeks and like the ability to manouevre that in traffic and into gaps that I'd be wary of taking the big FJR. The Bandit, on the other, seems an ideal compromise - it has the agility of a smaller bike, doesn't feel small and has the grunt of a big tourer like the FJR. It seems an ideal compromise for my mix of mostly commute with the odd long ride.

Looks like I'll be placing an order... (now, which colour?)  

David

[solman]

Interesting, do you on have had a air cooled bandit?  If so, how does it compare?

[SteelD]

No. I have never ridden an air-cooled bandit but all the reports I've read so far say that the new water-cooled engine is a significant advance over the old air/oil-cooled engine. AFAIAC, it looks much nicer too - I wouldn't have considered a 1200 in the past.

[ZenMan]

I was keen to get a demo on a new 1250 and kept pestering my dealer. He had only just put a 1250 on his fleet but hadn't run it in it but he let me out with it as I am a regular customer and I would look after it.

I was most impressed. The engine has plenty of grunt (I currently have an FJR1300) and the gearbox felt positive. The whole package seems to have been put together well and at the price it sells for, it is extremely good value. Minor gripes are:

1) Some electrical components on the LH side of the bike appear to have their wires and contacts exposed to the elements.

2) The mirrors could have beeb a fraction wider to give a clearer view of the road behind.

3) There is a whining noise on applying the front brake.

4) The pillion pegs are quite high making the passenger adopt a more sports bike leg angle when seated and the grab rail doesn't extend along the side and is only at the rear of the seat (on the FJR, it is goes round a fair way giving the passenger plenty of choice where to hang on).

As I said, these are minor gripes. I put about 50 miles on it and chose some varied roads from city, motorway and twisty country roads. The engine and tyres are new so I didn't push anything but that engine has such deep reserves that you don't need to. It pulls cleanly in any gear and readily spins up. I didn't think I'd like the instruments at first - a mix of analogue rev counter and LCD speed read-out seems a real mix of old and new technology (why?) but it was all readable and did the job.

In all, I enjoyed the ride. I found it much better than a CBF1000 I tried last year. That seemed smaller (more a bike for the girls) while the Bandit felt much bigger. I also had a Honda Hornet 900 for a couple of weeks and like the ability to manouevre that in traffic and into gaps that I'd be wary of taking the big FJR. The Bandit, on the other, seems an ideal compromise - it has the agility of a smaller bike, doesn't feel small and has the grunt of a big tourer like the FJR. It seems an ideal compromise for my mix of mostly commute with the odd long ride.

Looks like I'll be placing an order... (now, which colour?)  

David

Black, of course!

Good points you mentioned... I received my B1250 several weeks ago and I'm doing the break-in oil change now at 500 miles. I'm a bit laid-up and it'll be awhile before I can ride again.

+1 on the mirrors... especially if your a big guy like me. I can't see much unless I move my arm. No vibration at all, though.

I don't have any exposed wiring on mine... maybe this is something your dealer overlooked?

Passenger pegs are high... forunately my passenger is only 5'2".  

I also noticed a whine from the front brakes, I began hearing it after a few hundred miles, but only after I flipped up my face-shield coming to a stop. It sounds more like a buzz than a whine, like a little electric servo comes on or something. BTW, mine is NON-ABS so that's not it.  

Just to add another minor gripe... the first time I took her out at night I couldn't see sh!t... the headlight was pointed at the ground! Not from my suspension adjustments, the frame geometry is unchanged... obviously this was overlooked at the factory or dealer. I've adjusted them up about 6 inches at 10 feet indoors, but I'll have to wait till I can ride again to get it right.

I did find the headlight adjustments to be quick and easily accessed... just a 5mm allen wrench turns a screw under the cowling for vertical. The horizontal is a small hole in the right-side dash.

Also a big +1 on the GRUNT... the torque comes in gobs and it's all over the tach. I have ridden an '05 Gen 2 Bandit and it had good power above about 7K rpms, not much different than most big bore inline fours I've owned and ridden over the years. (No offense to G1 or G2 riders!) But this B1250 has incredible grunt no matter what gear or rpm you're at. You just have to ride one to believe it.  

[SteelD]

B1250 has incredible grunt no matter what gear or rpm you're at. You just have to ride one to believe it.

I'd go along with that. Coming off a 145 bhp bike, I thought the Bandit might be a bit slow but Suzuki have done a fantastic job of making an engine that is eminently usable under real world conditions. It won't impress those that select a bike by spec alone but, as you said, you've got to ride it to believe it. I feel they've got a winner here.

David

[Katamaniac]

1) Some electrical components on the LH side of the bike appear to have their wires and contacts exposed to the elements.

2) The mirrors could have beeb a fraction wider to give a clearer view of the road behind.

3) There is a whining noise on applying the front brake.

David

I also didn't see any exposed wires on my new Bandit. It sounds like it could be an assembly issue.

I have the same complaint about the width of the mirrors. I thought that having fairing mounted mirrors would make them more usable, but apparently not.

As far as the noise from the front brakes go. I think it is the movement of the floating rotors that are making that noise. I am not concerned with that noise at all.

There is definately a good amount of grunt with this engine. You have power on tap whenever you need it, no down-shifts requred to excelerate.

[hooligan1200]

i saw the new bandit for my first time this week at the dealer. overall i think its a decent buy for the price, but theres a few things i didnt like.

- dont like the silver engine
- dont like the seat
- dont think theres a full naked model? i could be wrong?

+ its a 1250!

whats the torque and hp #s?

[ZenMan]

i saw the new bandit for my first time this week at the dealer. overall i think its a decent buy for the price, but theres a few things i didnt like.

- dont like the silver engine
- dont like the seat
- dont think theres a full naked model? i could be wrong?

Hmmm...I can't see the engine at all when I'm riding... but I can sure feel it!

Besides, the only thing anyone else is gonna see is my rear tire and the seat of my pants.    

whats the torque and hp #s?

Horsepower specs are just slightly higher than the B12, but torque is 80 ft-lbs. at 3700 rpm.

That's 80 ft-lbs. at 3700 rpm.

Take one for a test ride. You'll forget all about details like engine colors and seats.  

[SteelD]

i saw the new bandit for my first time this week at the dealer. overall i think its a decent buy for the price, but theres a few things i didnt like.

- dont like the silver engine
- dont like the seat
- dont think theres a full naked model? i could be wrong?

+ its a 1250!

whats the torque and hp #s?

silver engine - not a major concern for me
seat - easily changed to an aftermarket item
naked version - yes, there is one (even cheaper)
engine - 98 bhp @ 7,500rpm and 80ft-lb/108Nm @ 3,700 rpm

IMHO, these things are minor niggles for a bike at that price and with ABS. It has the best smiles per pound ratio of any bike I've tried recently.

[Sven]

Looks like I'll be placing an order... (now, which colour?)  

Midnight Blue!

[SteelD]

Looks like I'll be placing an order... (now, which colour?)  

Midnight Blue!

Placed order this evening - it's going to be a blue.

[ZenMan]

Excellent choice!  

Now we'll be having some feedback from you on the ABS model, hopefully soon. How long do you think before you get your hands on your new honey?  

[SteelD]

The dealer said they expect to get a blue on 20th May and then there's a day or two for the PDI to be scheduled etc. so I'm at least a month away.  

[JamieK]

Congrats on the new machine...it should be at least as fun as my 06