Bandit Alley
GENERAL MOTORCYCLE FORUMS => GENERAL MOTORCYCLE => Topic started by: ricklee4570 on August 09, 2007, 05:30:09 AM
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Wow, just finished reading an article on this bad boy. Sport Touring bike with 155 horsepower, and over 100 ft/lbs. of torque!!
It does weigh 650 pounds though. Wonder what the top speed and quarter mile times will be? Might just take the old V-Max down!
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Wow, just finished reading an article on this bad boy. Sport Touring bike with 155 horsepower, and over 100 ft/lbs. of torque!!
It does weigh 650 pounds though. Wonder what the top speed and quarter mile times will be? Might just take the old V-Max down!
What a monstrosity! Those figures are a real turn-off. The bike is big and very heavy (read top-heavy). The Sport in Sport-Touring just means that it has high bhp - it doesn't mean that they are usable or that the bike is as agile as a sports bike. I know, I've just sold my FJR1300 (145bhp) and am really enjoying the Bandit 1250 because it is far more agile, doesn't feel such a lump to man-handle at low speed or through turns, and though the Bandit has much less bhp and torque than the FJR, the Bandit is far more usable and I enjoy the Bandit much much more.
Don't be fooled by specifications. And what the heck does top speed and quarter mile times mean in real life? Bragging rights is about all.
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It did win Motorcyclist's "Motorcycle of the Year" (MOTY) award for the touring category, beating out the BMW boxer ST machine. They also awarded the new Victory Vision tourer a MOTY - in the Cruiser category.
I'm looking forward to reading a shootout between the new C-14/GTR14 and the FJR, K-GT & ST-13 to see how it compares.
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I don't think MOTY is anything to write home about in reality. Anything new tends to get that sort of award. Let's see how it shapes up in the shoot-outs.
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Friend bought one and he now thinks he can outrun my '06 GSXR-1000 on it :lol:
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I have a friend who just bought one. He had the old Connie. The new one is much better. There's no way one could outrun a GSXr 1000. It wouldn't stand a chance against any litre size sport bike.
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I don't think MOTY is anything to write home about in reality. Anything new tends to get that sort of award. Let's see how it shapes up in the shoot-outs.
+1 I'm looking forward to read the shootouts. Hopefully, more than one US rag will do one.
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Wow, latest magazine article I just read had one doing the quarter mile in 10.91 seconds. That is fast for a big shaft drive bike!! Top speed around 160 mph!!
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If that is advertised HP, then it may be at the crank and not RWHP, and with a drive shaft, you can take off 15 to 20 %.
Still it should be a good tourer. :motorsmile:
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tests i have seen said it is 156 at the rear wheel. with 103 lb ft. and they said it handles better then it should for the weight. i still want to see a good shootout. but it is lighter then the fjr, st1300, and what not. looks like a good st bike for the money. i for one would still pick a new 1250 wit a tri-bag setup for the money. with the 2 or 3 grand less on the msrp you could make up for some of the lost power on the b1250 and buy lots of tires and what not. cool bike but still a bit to large for my needs(c-14) the new b-1250 is looking like it might be in my near future?
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on concours14.com, they are stating that the bike is dynoing 142 to 145 RWHP.
Two brothers dynoed it and came up with 142 RWH,
still very inpressive.
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My good buddy just took delivery on one in late July, and has just passed 20,000 kms (12,500 miles) after doing a cross Canada trip.
His thoughts...stupid fast, great brakes, nice seat, easy to tour on.
His mods - 1. Windshield didn't make it a week. He cut and shaped his own new one out of acrylic sheet/home oven. Said the stock one wasn't good enough, and no aftermarket available here yet.
2. 1/2" bar risers
3. 3/4" peg lowerers
Steve just came off a 2002 Connie, and said the upper fairing/windshield with the stock screen was worse than the old Connie, but the lower fairing leg protection was much better.
Overall, he is impressed with the new bike. Factory tires made it 12,500 kms (8 k miles), but were likely good for another 1000 kms, but long weekend was coming, and wanted to go 2000+ kms, so changed a little early.
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I sold my 02 connie and was considering the new connie till i rode one, it has power, But man thats the hottest bike I have ever ridden. i rode an FJR awhile back and noticed a little heat on the legs and what not, but the new connie 1400 is super hot on your right leg. Too hot for me to want to ride it. I bought a B1250 and never looked back
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I sold my 02 connie and was considering the new connie till i rode one, it has power, But man thats the hottest bike I have ever ridden. i rode an FJR awhile back and noticed a little heat on the legs and what not, but the new connie 1400 is super hot on your right leg. Too hot for me to want to ride it. I bought a B1250 and never looked back
My buddy that has one said the heat issue was significanly reduced as the bike broke in. Or maybe he was just breaking it in in the hottest time of the year.
He has been very happy with his. He also went from a first gen Connie to the new C14.
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I was dead set on getting a new Connie 14 until i rode it. i have always liked the bandits though, just didnt like the air cooled and 5 speed . Well 1250S cured that. So the bandit it is. And its nowhere near as hot as the connie 14 was.
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After making a jump from the Bandit to an FJR this year I would caution about ST bikes. Ok, my main reason for buying the FJR was for two up & long distance riding. That said the FJR has done everything I expected, and done it better.
The numbers say the FJR has a slight edge over the Bandit, and after my power commander addition, I would say the FJR has an edge over my old Bandit, but in a different way.
But....
Don't buy one of these bikes thinking its going to be more exhilarating. (They are not) An extra 100 lbs is something you notice.
Are they better on the highway? (much better) I can actually empty the tank before I need to get off.
Do they hold two people and a tonne of gear better than a Bandit? Yup!
Are they more fun on a twisty road? No
Are they better for 200kph cruising? Much better.
Long distance travel = FJR hands down
Everyday riding = Bandit hands down
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I think any rider would agree. THey are different bikes. i would hope the FJr was better suited to touring, Its a full sport tour bike designed with 2 up riding. I am a solo rider so i chase to avoid the extra weight. I run my bandit 1250 from tank to tank on the open road without hesitation, so it works great for me. If the wife still rode, i would have gone to the FJR also, But since its just me, WEEEE, I got the sportier bike. Might pick up a couch on weels sometime later, but right now, i am carving up the corners.