Need to Know things about the bandit

[Grand_Journeyman]

I've recently bought myself a 250cc bandit 1995 model. Now before i moved away from Broken Hill and stopped riding for a long while i was riding anything over a 500cc bike.

Now 7 years later,  i've gotten back into bike riding and have been riding the 250 bandit for the last few weeks and i'm not to sure on whats the standards rpms the bike should be doing. It seems to be running high, my average gear change doesn't occur until i hit 6,000rpms, is this normal?? or it just because it has to lugg my fat arse around all day.

I'm so use to blowing the cars off at the lights that this bike seems a little sluggest on the acceleration and a bit high on the RPM's.

Any suggestions or information on this would be helpful. I mean i can find out this information else where but i'd rather hear it from people who have experience/knowledge and own these motorcycles themselves. I respect your opinions moreso than any manual.

Cheers guys

[PitterB4]

Well, I don't have any personal experience with the 250 I do know that you gotta rev the little sucker to make any power.  Even the bigger B4 likes to be up above 6, 7, 8K or more.  (the rev limiter is your friend!)

[billybandit]

Sorry mate but I'm afraid that's normal. I think you're expecting a little too much from a 250! With standard gearing I can go around and change up from as little as 3krpm if I don't mind dawdling. If you want any progress though, I'd wait until you hit about 12-13krpm (or use all the revs, it won't mind)

[macca11010]

Billy said it perfectly!! Use all the revs you can she absolutly loves it!! I live in darwin so we have a lot of very straight roads, And I never change unles I'm on the limeter, she just sounds so nice!!! I love the little girl, but her bigger cousin is going to blow her out of the water!! Have fun mate she is a great bike.  

[Grand_Journeyman]

Thanks for the help, i guess i'm expecting more from the bike than what she can give.

Love the bike anyway, she gets me around sydney no worries, it just when i hit the big bridges like the Gladesville bridge that she starts to lag behind, I guess i just hate it when the cars can catch up.

Well i better get a run up then hey.

Thanks for your help fellas, its all greatly appreciated.

Cheers

[echomadman]

Its not really a drawback, it just makes its power at 10,000 rpm+, once you get used to to that it'll blow almost any car away at the lights and keep up with bigger bikes till about 30mph.
With any 250cc 4cyl you have to rev the piss out of them to go, they make no torque but a lot more hp than 250cc singles and twins.

[billybandit]

once you get used to to that it'll blow almost any car away at the lights and keep up with bigger bikes till about 30mph

First bits true, but with the standard gearing it won't accelerate to 30 nearly as hard as most bigger bikes. The initial pull off is slightly weak I find, it's when you get to about 9,000rpm in first that it starts to go, then it does surprisingly well to about 80mph

[echomadman]

you should be above 9000rpm in under a second off the lights, then you just keep it there, but i could never keep up with guys on 600s.

I've almost forgotton whoat the bandit felt like to drive, as its been laid up for so long, and the SV is totally different, all torque no top end.

I'll soon have that gsxr400 engine in it though  

[Seanybiker]

you should be above 9000rpm in under a second off the lights, then you just keep it there, but i could never keep up with guys on 600s.

I've almost forgotton whoat the bandit felt like to drive, as its been laid up for so long, and the SV is totally different, all torque no top end.

I'll soon have that gsxr400 engine in it though  

ah jaysus Ed boi how ya keeping. I thought I was the only biker.ie person on this site.