New Bandit finally runs!

[mtbcrazy]

Hi All!

Finally got my Bandit from the dealership.  Total bill: $1,500!  Bought it a month ago on Ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4524221878&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT and thought it would be in GOOD shape, like the ebay description:Like new Bandit 400 !!! Cheap !!!  

Cheap!?!  $,1500 in repairs means it isn't like new or cheap!  Or "like new"!

Anyway, after getting new tires, new rear shock, new fork seals, new orings, float needles, battery, spark plugs, brake pads....  It is almost "like new"!!

     The Mechanic says it needs a new valve cover gasket, you can see where the last person that worked on it pinched the gasket and it leaks a little oil. $100, so they didn't do it this time, didn't want to scare me away!  I'm also missing the bolts that attach to the front of the side covers, they didn't have any in stock.

Took it for my first spin yesterday, and the bike runs and handles great!  If I'm doing 60 MPH, and in high gear, the tach reads 6K, some simple math here, red line is 14,000 so it should do 140mph!!

Once I got to 80-90 mph, I noticed I can quickly get another 5 mph by ducking down.  I need a fairing.

During the ride, it seemed like one hand was closer to me than the other, the handlebar is bent!  Up and back on the right side.

So, guys and gals, help me out here.  I need some parts and don't know where to go for them.

Parts I want:
Handlebar (like stock, I think, but with a shorter rise)
Bar End weights (one is missing)
Brake and clutch lever (one is broken the other is bent)
Bike cover
Mirrors (they may be the stock ones, but they are rusting)
Seat (recovered or a new one)
Rear sets or foot pegs
Fairing from the Limited version (WHERE CAN I GET ONE???  I think this will be the hardest to find.  What are my chances of finding NOS?)

I also need the long bolt that holds the throttle assembly on the handlebar, one is there (3" bolt?), but the other is missing (and if my hand is way left, the whole thing turns).

Where can I go to get this stuff?  As a web developer, I have been VERY disappointed with the motorcycle web sites.  And, stuff for a 1992 Bandit 400 seems hard to find.

Boy, the difference compared to my last bike is wild!  My last bike was a 1989 Moto Guzzi LeMans 1000 Mark V.  500 pounds of V-twin tractor power!  First gear would get you to illegal speeds, what was the other 4 for?  Going straight was that things forte, turning was a work out.  The throttle springs are so strong, your right forearm gets tired!  But, for cruising for hours (with a throttle lock) it was sweet.  My brother and I took a trip from Wichita, Kansas to West Virginia, then on to New York, then home back in 1990.  That bike could go all day and was very comfortable.  I'm not sure about long-distance trips on the Bandit, has anybody done 1K miles in a day on a 400? (Iron Butt award)

 

[PitterB4]

Glad you got your bike straightened out.  I thought my $450 bill to get my ebay B4 on the road was rough!

For buying stuff:

General M/C related stuff: Dealer, www.denniskirk.com (awful website, go to site and order a catalog), www.ironpony.com to name just a couple.

Stuff specific to the B4:  Dealer or www.bikebandit.com.  Actually, if you order from Bikebandit, go there through the link on www.banditalley.com.  That way Pete, the webmaster, gets a small comission.

Bolts and general hardware:  your local True Value!  Mine has an unbelievable selection of bolts.  I get most of them there.

There are lots of other sources, too.  I'm sure others will chime in with their faves.  Good luck and be safe out there!

[Maniac]

For handle bars, the Suburban Machinery bars are -really- nice. They are made for the SV650, but bolt right onto the Bandits.

I've got a SM bar (series II I think, the less aggressive one) that looks absolutely -awesome- on the bike. Really makes it look sporty, it has almost no rise -at all-. I'm likely going to be selling it sometime in the future (new front end with clip-ons going on). New it cost $139, which was a bit pricy, but they are pretty darned awesome. I've got maybe 3-4 months of riding into them, if you want them make an offer :)

[Thief400]

glad to see you found a shop that knows what they are doing. I think I have a spare screw for your throttle will have to chaeck on monday let me know if you need it. I can drop it in the mail for ya

[gunter]

If you're not totally ruined on fleabay...
I just did my daily search for "bandit 400" and someone in England is selling an entire bike part by part right now.

Good Luck