Bandit 1200 'oil burning' issue archive

[Red01]

The Suzuki Bulletin that finally admitted to the problem:

[Red01]

Service Bulletin Comments
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Red01SuziB12S
(2/18/03 5:36 pm)
Re: oil consumption SB

 Here they had a chance to (finally) do the right thing and fess up and put smiles on the faces of their customers. And this is their solution? 1qt/600mi? That's bullshiznit! Before they were saying 1qt/1Kmi. (IMHO, that's still too much. 1qt/3Kmi should be more like it). I can certainly understand why a potential buyer would hesitate buying a B12 vs something else. I would be one PO'd sonofagun if I had a bike that consumed 1qt/700 mi. I'm happy all my Suzukis have been trouble-free, including my '01 B12. With customer relations like this, it's no wonder they don't sell the numbers Honda & Yamaha do.

 
Paul W

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pwrdog
(4/15/03 11:37 pm)
Re: Oil Consumption SOLID INFO FROM SUZUKI

Does using synthetic motor oil help with any of this?

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Red01SuziB12S
(4/16/03 8:49 am)
Re: Does synthetic oil help any of this?

I have heard a few folks have less consumption with heavier oils, like 20W50, but it doesn't seem to matter if it's dino juice, synth or a blend.

Paul W

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banditeddie
(4/21/03 10:27 am)
Re: Oil Consumption

 I have just purchased a 2002 bandit 1200s and I have just found out about the oil consumption problem. My bike is at the latter end of the posted VIN numbers. Is this a problem that has consumed many bikes or just a few? Now im worried.. does it start from day one?

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Red01SuziB12S
(4/21/03 2:10 pm)
Re: Oil Consumption

 Some oil consumption during break-in is normal, but if you continue to suffer oil loss after the 3K oil change, you are probably one of the ones who will continue to suffer until the pistons are changed. The only problem is Suzuki won't foot the bill unless you have a really bad one (has to be worse than 1qt/600 miles). You have ~2% chance of getting one bad enough to get a warranty repair and ~20% chance of getting one bad enough most people would consider it a problem (1qt/3000 miles, or worse).
Paul W
 
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banditeddie
(4/23/03 2:05 am)
Re: Oil Consumption

Where on the bike do you find the manufaction date? thanks
 
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Red01SuziB12S
(4/23/03 2:13 am)
Re: Oil Consumption

On the label on the frame where the VIN is.

Paul W

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banditeddie
(4/23/03 11:11 pm)
Re: Oil Consumption

Well today I was driving downtown San Francisco and smelled the odor of burning oil. As i turned around, i revved the motor and blue smoke came out of my exhaust. Needless to say, I was on the phone with my dealer and Suzuki and they were both very helpful. I took it to the dealer after work, he saw the smoke and called the local rep. The rep told the mechanic if you see the smoke, just fix it and don't bother with the test. The mechanic told me the parts would be ordered tomorrow and it would take one day to do the rings and pistons. he also told me since I was close to 600 miles he could do the service for a fraction of the cost and bill Suzuki for the valve adjustment. came out pretty good so far.


Side note. He told me that if you drive your bike on the safe side of the red zone, there was no need to adjust your valves after 15k. with a wink and a nod.. bandit eddie
 
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Red01SuziB12S
(4/24/03 9:14 am)
"Discounted" 600 mile service???

There should be NO charge for this 600 mile service, since with fresh pistons & rings, you'll have to start over anyway. They'll have to adjust the valves as part of reassembly anyway! You should still changes the oil again after 600 miles on the fresh pistons (I take it that'll be ~1200 miles on the odometer).

Paul W
 
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B12Teuton
(4/24/03 11:50 am)
Re: "Discounted" 600 mile service???

Mine uses a little oil, but what I would consider normal. I'd say my level will drop from the upper to the lower part of the window over the coarse of 3K+ miles. It never smokes.
 
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Red01SuziB12S
(4/25/03 9:46 am)
Oil useage

My oil consumption, after break-in, has been the same as B12T's... ~4oz in 3K miles.
Paul W

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banditeddie
(5/7/03 10:11 pm)
good news

Just picked the bike up after having all the pistons done. Dropped it off Thurs afternoon and done today, six days and runs like a champ...alll brand news pistons rings...saw the after effect of the leak..ugly...now she is running great..
 
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use2b
(5/28/03 9:18 pm)
Re: good news

I have a 2001 B12S and it uses NO oil. I add none between changes. now have 7500 miles and have always run Castrol car juice in all bikes with no problem.
I will stay with the syntec Blend castrol 10 -40 .
I will think about the 20/50 which i run in all other vehicles , but for now. i will stay with the stock weight.
40 years riding , and the Bandit is my favorite bike ever!
sold a 93 GL1500 to get it and no regrets!

this bike is safer. It will handle , turn , and stop like no other i have every had. and did i mention POWER!!!!!! WOW
 
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Red01SuziB12S
(5/29/03 3:14 am)
Re: good news

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new convert.  
Paul W

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Bazza
Re: good news

Hello All:

It appears Suzuki has done a complete turnaround on the pistons issue.

I have a 2002 B-12 (in the affected serial number range) who's warrenty is due to expire next month. Recently in another posting, I stated that after 3000 km my oil consuption stopped. I went on a rather long trip and the bike did not use a drop of oil. I was thinking, yippie, I lucked out! Well it apppears I jumped the gun, as when I started putting miles around town on the bike, consumption went up considerably, but not over Suzuki's excessive usage number of 1 litre per 1000 km's. (My bikes consumption is half that amount) Odly enough, it seems to use the most oil in city driving situations. (Short distances) It appears to use no oil on long trips where the bike is constantly hot.

Due to my warrenty soon expiring, and the bike needing service, I thought I would call my local dealer & have the consumption test done. I thought that there was no way that they would fix the thing due to it's consumption rate. I felt that the test results would be a good idea when it came time to sell the bike. I am sure that anyone selling their B-12 will face the "is this bike an oil burner?" question.

The service manager at the dealership was on vacation, but called me back after the weekend. His call was short. He said that he had ordered psitons & rings, and when they arrived, he would fix my bike up. No consumption test required!

Needless to say, I was quite impressed after I have heard the stories from others fighting with Suzuki. It appears that either

a) My local dealer is very reputable, or

B) Suzuki has realized that upsetting customers is not a good idea.

Cheers

Bazza

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PeteSC
(8/9/03 12:20 am)
Re: good news

Feel free to mention the dealer by name if you want to!
Alright....the 'new' Bandit plague may be on the run!

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malonef
(8/22/03 3:12 pm)
Re: good news

Just my 2cents but I had my pistons changed last fall and Use minimal oil now. I really have to thank all of the people who posted and encouraged others on this board to take action. The standard line given me at the time was that my usage was not unusual. At the same time I was told by Suzuki customer service that a B12 should use little if any oil. So I kept after them and it was eventually fixed to my satisfaction.
All I can say is that I believe there would not have so much cooperation if not for all of the information passed over the net. When I told the service manager I had read countless tales of owners having high usage he just rolled his eyes and said"You can't believe everything you see on the internet". Well in this case you could.

So, Thanks guys. I'm going riding
 
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Bazza
(8/30/03 8:06 pm)
Re: good news

Well my Bandito has returned from getting new pistons, and I have to say this was a completly painless experiance.

My local dealer Riverside Suzuki / Yamaha in St. Albert, Alberta Canada, did a fabulous job in keeping me happy. (Thanks to Tyler there for the fine work).

Not only did they do the pistons, but spent a great deal of time going over the beast. (My fairing buzz has disapeared due to some well placed padding between the painted & black trim at the top of the fairing)

I did not purchase my bike from these guys, but will be purchasing my next bike from them.

The final bill you ask?

$56.00 Canadian dollars which covered the Oil, Filter & new plugs (Labour was free for these items)

Bazza

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Bazza
(8/31/03 6:07 am)
Re: good news

Hi Again:

In adding to Malonef's comments, I would also like to thank everyone who contributes to this site.

If I had not come accross this gem of a site, I would have not heard about the B-12 oil burning issue, and as a result may have had some very expensive repairs down the road.

I live in a place that is cursed with 6 months of winter, (and 6 months of marginal riding) so it is difficult for me just to go out & find someone who rides a B-12 in this town.

I find this site a great resource for Bandit information!

Bazza

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gyrogearcrunch
(10/13/03 6:25 pm)
Oil Consumption

Ah, yesh! Why don't mfgrs. 'fess up? This is a long-standing question with outfits like Ford and Firestone. Now Suzuki joins the long grey line.

It's truly beyond me why mfgrs don't just come clean. They must Shirley know that their buyers are not complete fools. So why do they keep lying?

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PeteSC
(10/13/03 6:49 pm)
Re: Oil Consumption

Somewhere down the line...some middle manager, or higher, will eventually become a scapegoat. They're all trying to CYA.
Certainly on a corporate level, also.
Look at what the Firestone fiasco did to Ford?
They were fairly well kicking financial booty before the mess.
Cancelled/delayed a bunch of needed product updates after......

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AdamB12
(10/28/03 10:58 am)
Re: Oil Consumption

So do all 01's have the same issue with the rings and some owners just don't notice it? Or do different 01's have different piston/rings than other 01's? I ask because I'm looking at buying a 01 and the owner never had the pistons/rings replaced and he dosen't notice any smoke problems.
 
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Red01SuziB12S
(10/28/03 7:57 pm)
Re: Oil Consumption

All the '01's and '02's up until Suzuki reverted back to the old piston design will have large return holes in the pistons. It seems some motors don't like this feature and others work just fine. Probably has to do with how different motors come together tolerance-wise. I have an '01 with >26K on it and it hasn't used a drop of oil since break-in, and during break-in, it only used 4 oz.

Paul W

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[Red01]

Steve
(11/1/03 11:54 am)
Oil Consumption Final Fix

Well I've got my 2002 fixed. It was pushing a quart every 1500 miles, and three separate dealers and Suzuki were firm that that was acceptable and with in specifications. So, I went to the dealer I bought the Bandit from, took advantage of a their fall sale, and traded my 2002 Bandit for a 2003 FZ1.

Also, my youngest daughter was in process of buying an SV650 which I promptly stopped, she is now riding ZR7. My eldest daughter was shopping for a Suzuki SUV which I managed to influence and now Toyota or Chevy pickup will be the vehicles of choice.

So, I have a low tolerance for BS and luckily sufficient funds not to have to tolerate this.

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hotdog
(11/2/03 1:18 pm)
fixed?

Maybe not fixed, but at least you got it (them) out of your system. I feel that same way as you, only about Honda products.  As I think about it, more so about HD products.      

Steve

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LongIslandBandit99
(12/28/03 10:48 pm)
Re: good news

The stamp on my frame says it was manufactured in Sept. 2001. I bought it in June '02. How does the VIN change for every bike that is built? The VIN they listed as the start of new pistons is JS1GV77A*22102179. Is it more likely that the numbers after the * changed? Or do they all change the same amount? So far I don't think my bike will "pass" the test. I had to add a good amount of oil during the 600 mile break in since I didn't have the servicing done until the ODO read about 1900 miles. I don't think it has consumed as much oil since the servicing. The dealer who did my servicing isn't the same one I bought it from. They said my plugs were fouled from using the choke too much during warm up. But I didn't need a valve adjustment and they didn't say anything about low oil when I asked them what the level was. Unfortunately I don't put that many miles on it every summer. I guess I'll have to see what happens around the next 3K miles when it gets another oil change.
 
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jarrodw
(4/14/04 7:53 pm)
Re: good news

Anyone have the affected vin# range? OBTW, great site!
 
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Red01SuziB12S
(4/15/04 1:42 am)
Re: good news

The affected VIN's are listed in the Service Bulletin!  

I've got one... and am a member of the 75-85% that never had any oil consumption issues.

Paul W

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jarrodw
(4/15/04 7:20 pm)
Re: good news

Just bought a 2001 B-12 and am going to take my first ride on it tommorow. Paid 4k for the bike.(11,000mi. mint cond.) My buddy was the single owner and he went out and bought a hiyabusa(spelling). He is aware of the problem with the oil consumption but assures me this motor is not using oil.  
 
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B12Teuton
(4/16/04 9:12 am)
Re: good news

I have an '01 that doesn't burn oil. Mine was built very early, though. Build date is 04/00, so it got built before the "bad" pistons.

Just keep an eye on the oil level. You should be fine.
Manny

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Doch80
(4/16/04 7:21 pm)
Lucky

Ya'll must be the lucky ones. Mine goes through oil faster then a beer keg at a frat party. I bought the extended warrenty so I should take it in, but I don't want them to have my bike for an extended period of time. Last time I took it in for a few days, I got it back looking worse then a pile of "compost"!

Chad

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Red01SuziB12S
(4/16/04 7:25 pm)
Re: Lucky

TAKE IT IN!!

If you want some extra juice, Suzuki will credit you for not using their pistons and you can supply the high compression JE pistons Holeshot sells.

Paul W

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Doch80
(4/16/04 11:15 pm)
Re: Lucky

Wait a second, your telling me that I can take it in and have them replace the bad pistons for better than stock pistons, not charging me for the labor? How much credit do you think they would give me?

Chad  
 
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Red01SuziB12S
(4/16/04 11:30 pm)
Re: Lucky

Yes, several folks have done it. I don't recall what the credit is, but they'll credit you the cost of the pistons (probably their cost), but the JE pistons are better quality and higher compression. Means you most likely won't be able to run regular anymore though.

Paul W

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sabmag77
(5/10/04 1:52 am)
Oil consumption

Hello all, I have recently signed in new to get all the good and bad news on these creatures since I now own a 1200 Bandit. Wondering, I've been reading about the oil problem and wondering if someone could tell me how lucky I am with my bike being an oil burner. It was built 12/00. Vin# JS1GV77A*12101714. I've read all the other posts but figured this would be easier. By the way I've heard rumors about a wire for a second gear timing retard that can be snipped to offer more power in 2nd gear. This true and what to look for to snip if so.
 
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Red01SuziB12S
(5/10/04 5:07 am)
Re: Oil consumption

Welcome  to the Alley!

Your bike is in the range where it's a crap shoot if you got an oil burner or not... but odds are in 70-80% in your favor. Since it's a used bike (I'm assuming there aren't any '01 leftovers by now), it should be easy to tell. If you're oil level doesn't go down much between oil changes, you're fine. Despite the bad press from those unfortunate to get bad ones, the majority of the bikes in this range are OK... but with 20-30% bad, there were too many that weren't OK.

You didn't say where you're from, but the wire snip you refer to only applies to certain markets (UK and/or EU, I believe). On a US or Canadian model, it won't do anything for you as they don't alter 2nd gear engine behavior on these models for some noise standard the other countries have. From what I've read of UK/EU bikes, there is little, if any, difference anyway - in other words, some say they can feel a difference, some say they can't. I have yet to see a dyno chart to shows anything worth mentioning. Not being sarcastic or anything, but if you've found something that proves otherwise, post a link.

Paul W
 
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sabmag77
(5/10/04 10:25 am)
Newby

Sorry about that. I live in Buckhannon, WV. 26201. I just bought this thing and love it so far. It's silver and black. I recently had an '85 V65 Honda Magna. Wanted one for a few years and got it. Cleaned it up like new and babied it. Rode it hard but took care of it I should say. After riding this bike (other than the power since it is marginably close to my other) I didn't realize what I was missing in handling and comfort. The Bandit is just better in all ways.

Shane
 
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cometjohn
(6/21/04 2:28 am)
2004 oil consumption

Is the 2004 models having an oil consumption problem? or have they got that fixed? Im planing on buying a new 2004 and don't want this to worry about. My name is John Stephens from Paintsville, Kentucky . Im new to the forum. Thanks

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hotdog
(6/21/04 2:49 am)
you gets what you gets...

...but, most of the problems were '01 - '02. No reason to worry about yours. I have an '01 with no problems. Many others report the same.

Enjoy your bike!

Steve

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Red01SuziB12S
(6/21/04 4:27 am)
Re: you gets what you gets...

The dreaded oil issue was solved in mid-run of 2002 models... So, NO 2003 or later models have the problem, but as hotdog mentions, even those in the "bad" zone don't all have problems, in fact, only a small percentage did, it's just those that got bad ones made a lot of noise - as they rightfully should.

Paul W

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gyrogearcrunch
(7/4/04 2:50 am)
Poor customer relations

Suzuki isn't the only one with poor customer relations. I kept a Yamaha XS850 triple alive for over 20 years, no thanks to Yamaha. Had it not been for a group like this one, and knowledgeable guys like Pete, I 'd have given up motorcycles in disgust a long time ago and gone into raising goats instead. Thanks, Pete!

Herb


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banditeddie
(7/12/04 1:55 am)
oil

Mine was easy to detect...every time I let off on the gas, the blue smoke came out of the back of my bike.. Suzuki fixed mine without any problems... I had a 2002 left over... it's funny I called Suzuki in So. California and the rep said some 2003 were affected... but in 9000 miles since the repair, I'm glad to report not one drop is being burned...

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bmad03
(8/21/04 11:02 am)
Re: oil fix $

Hi, I just bought a used 2001 Bandit 1200S with 20,000 km. on it. Since my bike is off warranty, what would it cost to fix the oil consumption problem? I live in Toronto.

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Hydrogenz
(8/21/04 7:57 pm)
Re: Oil Consumption SOLID INFO FROM SUZUKI

Damn, Long post just lost....
Version 2 (short version)
You all rock, thanks for the info.

Last week I bought a 2001 B-12 N with 17k... 18k miles on it (now). The previous owner didn't love his bike. I'm trying to return it to greatness. It is totally stock as far as I can see.

1. Has anyone heard of Screwzuki fixing the piston problem for a second owner outside of the warranty?

2. Any suggestions on a new clutch? I'm thinking about doing it myself, any recommendations?

I'm looking forward to rebuilding my Bandito and sharing it's process with you all.

Thanks again,
H-

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Red01SuziB12S
(8/21/04 8:58 pm)
Re: Oil Consumption SOLID INFO FROM SUZUKI

Welcome  to the Alley!  

1. I haven't heard of it, but it's worth a shot. Might help if you don't mention you're the second owner...

2. If you're at all mechanically inclined, buy a service manual. The clutch isn't hard to do and the manual will give you torques as well as instructions. You can also use it for valve adjustments and all other maintenance tasks you choose to do yourself... including a new set of pistons and rings if the dealer won't do it for you.

While you're in there replacing clutch plates, consider replacing one of the diaphragm springs with a Barnett spring. You'll have to buy a pair, but you won't need to replace both unless you're going to with high compression or big bore pistons or other treatements wilder than a simple jet kit and slip-on or header. The stock plates are good, and so are Vesrah replacements, which may be less expensive.

Paul W

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Hydrogenz
(8/22/04 2:39 am)
Re: Oil Consumption SOLID INFO FROM SUZUKI

Thanks for the welcome. Yeah, I've just ordered a kevlar clutch kit and 2 springs. Time to go buy a Torque wrench..

Lol, I don't know if I'll jump into the Pistons just yet. Let me get through the clutch, pound my chest for doing it myself (if it works  ) Then I'll do the piston thing. Are the holeshot pistons the parts of choice? I've got to say it's pretty sweet seeing someone put so much effort into developing a product line for what seems to be a cult bike..

H
Cultist in training.

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Red01SuziB12S
(8/22/04 6:32 pm)
Re: Oil Consumption SOLID INFO FROM SUZUKI

Holeshot's pistons are made by JE to Dale's specs. The Holeshot 1216 kit is lower compression (10.8:1) than the Wiseco or JE (12 & 13.5:1) kits sold by APE. This was done to make running on pump gas easier. The Holeshot/JE pistons do seem to be the most popular for those running a street bike. The higher compressions are more to the liking of drag racers who aren't concerned with running on pump gas.

Paul W

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Hydrogenz
(9/22/04 9:19 pm)
Re: Oil Consumption SOLID INFO FROM SUZUKI

Just an update guys...

I took my 2001 B-12N into the dealer with 17k+ miles and they replaced the pistons no charge at all..

Thanks Suziki and Canton Suzuki (cheap plug) It took my bike away from me for 3 weeks but I can make that up...

-H
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[Red01]

2002 Bandit 1200 oil burning
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dan123
(4/12/02 3:05 am)
2002 Bandit 1200 oil burning

I was about to purchase a 2002 Bandit 1200 but stopped after reading about oil burning problems in 2001 and 2002 B12.
I then called Suzuki customer service and a rep told me that the problem was resolved in ALL 2002 b1200.
This rep also mentioned that those unfortunate 2001 owners probabely abused their bike or did not follow the break in instructions. He then 'consoled' me that the fix (The pistons have to be changed) is an easy change, telling me that race teams do it after each race!!!

My reaction:
First, if the pistons need to be changed, why is it any owner's fault and why does'nt Suzuki recall all bikes with the same pistons.
Remember, it would be much worse if the problem manifests itself AFTER the warranty expires !!! How much would it cost and how long would it take ?

Second, to me changing pistons is a major work. I do not own a racing team with big budget with its team of mechanics. A single racing brake rotor costs more then my entire bike !

By the way, I checked Suzuki's site today and they REFUSE to communicate via emails (Verbal communication can be easily denied).

But the problem got worse: Following my call to Suzuki I looked in www.sukbog.co.uk/gallery/...enny.html. In it, an owner of a 2002 b12 (prior to this he owned a 2001 b12 which had the SAME problem) wrote about having the oil burning problem. There are few more sites where people complain about oil burning.
This owner describes the problems and the evetual solution that Suzuki came up with (They replaced the original pistons with year 2000 pistons).
However, who wants to go through what he had to endure (Fighting with Suzuki and having his bike in the shop repeatedly). This is not why you buy a bike for !
Oil burning defect is especially difficult to prove in court since it takes time and mileage to measure and the criteria is difficult to agree upon (Is 1 qt per 1000 miles ok or not??? and what about 0.5 qt...). Being difficult to prove could be difficult to make the manufacturer honor their warranty. In a different site another B12 owner wrote that rather then fighting with Suzuki he decided to pay for upgrading his pistons to better after market pistons.

So after this long story, I would like to ask:
Did the Suzuki rep lie to me about resolving the problem in the 2002 model ?
Does anybody have a clue or similar experience in a 2002 b12 ???

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B12MHudson
(4/12/02 9:47 am)
Re: 2002 Bandit 1200 oil burning

Yep, Dan, you've found the same thing many of us have discovered. The corporate games never stop... It seems some dealers are owning up to the problem and some are not.
I am not aware Suzuki ever owned up to it on a company wide basis, to do so would dictate a recall, and I imagine they want to avoid that... at least until all warranties have expired. I have a Black Naked 01 B12 that uses a little too much oil, and talked to Suzuki about it when the bike was relatively new. They told me the problem would solve itself at around 10,000 miles. Yeh-right... I will eventually rebuild with a 1216 kit, which I kinda bought the bike for those reasons to begin with - lots of aftermarket goodies with the old gixxer 1100 motor. The good news is I'm past 6000 miles and the bike still runs strong with little smoke, and oil consumption does not seem as high as it once was last year. Overall I consider the bike a good value, and wouldn't give it up or get overly worked up about the issue. I'm pretty happy with the bike.
As for the 2002's, if Suzuki did outfit them with new pistons, you would need to find out what build date the new pistons started production, and make sure your bike is after the build date. Another twist to the whole dilemma is not all 2001 B12's were affected, many are running fine with no oil consumption reported. So, the whole thing is still somewhat of a mystery I guess from a production standpoint. But, from the owners I have heard from with the oil problem, the root cause was the piston and rings.

Anyway, just .02 from me, hope it helps...

Ride Safe,
Mike
 
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B12Teuton
(4/12/02 11:49 am)
Re: 2002 Bandit 1200 oil burning

My 01 is tight. I did go to great lengths to break it in very well. It doesn't burn much, if any, and it never smokes. I think you hear a lot more about ones that DO smoke vs bikes that don't. I'm sure the majority of Bandits in the world don't have this problem.

Hey, you could always insist to test ride it before you buy it. If there is a problem with the pistons it'll smoke then, and it will smoke later. If not, you're probably good to go.
 
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velolemur
(4/12/02 5:36 pm)
Re: 2002 Bandit 1200 oil burning

Check out the bandit forums at maximum-suzuki.com. lots of info in there about oil burners. It appears that the problem is due to overlarge oil holes in some pistons, and it appears that new pistons cures the problem.

My 01 b12s does not burn oil or smoke or anything, in fact, it runs like a swiss watch, only 130mph faster. Iif it did have a problem, I would just get high-compression pistons from Holeshot.

I agree it's an annoying problem and Suzuki is pretty lame about handling it, but still, the bike is a great deal and a great performer, so I'd be willing to take a chance on buying a new one. if you get one with bad pistons, well you already have a ready-made excuse to hop it up. heh heh.
-mark weaver
 
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Red01SuziB12S
(4/12/02 6:34 pm)
Re: 2002 Bandit 1200 oil burning

dan123,
If the bike needs new pistons to cure an oil consumption issue there is no way it is the owner's fault - short of a cracked or holed piston - from serious abuse. Suzuki knows and acknowledges that at least some '01's and '02's have pistons with oil return holes that were made too large. It seems they only like to admit this to owners of B12's making warranty claims though. IMHO, they are afraid of having to recall all of the '01-up B12's and the negative publicity that would come from it. Since a small % seems to suffer, either because not all pistons were made wrong or some are just luckier, Suzuki doesn't want to tear down every one of them. The definition of how big 'small %' is, is subject to debate, but all should agree it's <50%, so that qualifies it as small. My own guess based on reading various Bandit BBS surveys is somewhere between 10-25%. (Which, even @ 10% is too high, IMHO.)

The oil consumption plagued bikes show problems right away - during or right after break-in, so unless you put less than 1500 miles on your bike before the warranty is up, you will know if you got a good/bad one very early. Remember, it is not uncommon for an engine to use a little oil during break-in, so a bad one will most likely show by not stopping oil consumption after break-in. Bad ones also commonly pool oil on top of the piston(s), so keeping an eye on spark plugs, or even a peek with a borescope once in a while is a good idea.

I agree, a piston change is major work... maybe not majorly hard or even time consuming for seasoned race bike mechanics, but likely to take the average shadetree howler monkey (STHM tm) or even stealer mech a bit of time. For a street bike getting a piston/ring change, the bores should at least be chased with a hone and checked to be sure they are round. (A less common part of this issue has been a few B12's with slightly ovaled bores.)

The Suzuki Rep was not honest with you. (Big surprise, no?) There have been '02's with this problem, too. Perhaps there is a cut-off s/n somewhere in the '02 MY, I don't know... but I certainly would hope so!!

Paul
(with one of the many good '01 B12's)
 
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02Bandit Rider  
(4/12/02 8:07 pm)
Re: 2002 Bandit 1200 oil burning

dan123
If this is your only concern about buying a Bandit, then you need to go and buy one. I have a great dealer that would take care of this if mine started burning oil. I have 1440 miles on my 02 B12s and no oil problems.  

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dan123
(4/12/02 8:53 pm)
Re: 2002 Bandit 1200 oil burning

Hi all,
I did further research.

You recall that the Suzuki rep said that the problem was resolved in all 2002 B12 by changing the pistons.

I called a Suzuki dealer and asked for the pistons part number. Here is what I got:
2000 piston (Not burning oil) : 1211-27e01-0f0
2001 piston (Engine burns oil) : 1211-27e02-0f0
2002 piston (Engine burns oil) : 1211-27s02-0f0

So the 2001 and 2002 pistons are the SAME and somebody is not telling the truth.

I have a distinct UNEASY feeling.

There is a poll in another forum and about 12% of the responds indicate too much high oil consumption.
Most of those with the problems did NOT fix their bikes and you can only guess why. Either their warranty expired or Suzuki did not assume responsibility. Of course there is a third option and that is that the owner does not consider it an important issue, but I dont think so.
The cost of the fix is about $4000.

Do I want to play lottery with $4000 ?

I wonder why no magazine is covering this story ?!!

I also would like to answer member 02BanditRider:
Every dealer will be glad to take care of you. Dealers get paid by the manufacturer and iare happy to do warranty work. It is the manufacturer (Suzuki) who needs to approve the work because they pay for it, not the dealer.

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B12Larry
(4/12/02 9:27 pm)
Re: 2002 Bandit 1200 oil burning

Dan as a happy owner(of a 2000 model) I'll say this. It's a shame that Suzuki will not step up to the plate and accept responsibiblity for their mistake on the '01 and '02 models. The Bandit is a great all around machine a deserves better. Having said this, I wouldn't buy a new one and wouldn't recommend any friend of mine buy one until Suzuki takes care of the problem.
"If slow is good then I must be great."
 
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02Bandit Rider  
(4/12/02 11:17 pm)
Re: 2002 Bandit 1200 oil burning

dan123
I have seen my dealer take care of a major problem that I am sure cost him money. He replaced a friends of mines bike. He had a 2001 Intruder that he kept have problems with and they could not get it to stop. He gave him a new 2002, took all of his aftermarket stuff off of his old bike and put it on his new one. He had put a lot on the bike. He had to pay the sales tax difference the two bikes. Now do not get me wrong I am sure Suzuki rebated him something for the 2001, but anyway you go the dealer went to bat for my friend and did what he had to do.

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Bulldog237
(4/12/02 11:59 pm)
Re: 2002 Bandit 1200 oil burning

Well I have an 02 that I got 2-15-02 and have 1400 on her now and she never has used any oil I guess I am lucky I love this bike
Johnny
02 b12 SuzyBlue
N.AL.

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BugEye
(4/13/02 1:56 pm)
Oil burning reason

It's been well established that the problem is due to oversizes oil return holes in some pistons. By now the problem is well know as is what to do about it. The holes should be 1.7 mm but in the oil burners it's 2.4 mm.
This have been checked by owners that had the problem and Suzuki is aware of it. I would be more confident buying the B12 today than a couple of months ago, that is more confident of getting it fixed if it's an oil burner.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Red01]

hotdog
(4/13/02 7:53 pm)
$4000?

If anyone is going to pay $4000 for a top end job (w/pistons) post here or at other Bandit sites and you will have legions of offers to do it for far less.

You put that kinda bucks into a Bandit and you will have serious m/c improvements, far beyond the realm of most mere mortals.

Folks have had problems, some have been screwed. This has been covered ad naseum, but I believe that Suzuki is far from the worst as far as acknowledgement of problems, and customer service goes (ever hear of the oiling problems with Honda v-4s - not a problem per the mfg, how about any HD with over 10 K miles, what is your trade in now?).

By a vast margin, most of us have great bikes! That is why we support these sites and ride hell out of our bikes instead of trading them in. Without meaning to seem harsh, if you expect the worst is moving a a high rate of speed on a surface designed for and populated by vehicles many times your size really a good idea?

My 2001 has survived 11k miles in 9 months without a whimper. This is the best bike that I have had since my R100S beemer way back when, and that got almost 100K before I mistakenly parted company with it.

Come on in, the water's fine. Really fine!

Steve

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Red01SuziB12S
(4/14/02 1:44 am)
Best bike since...

What are you sayin' Steve? You'd rather have that old R100S than your B12S?

After being spoiled with the power of the B12, I'd have a tough time settling for a slower bike, even one as fine as a Beemer. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the Boxers - old & new - and used to lust for the old R100RS.

My '01 has survived ~8.5K  trouble-free miles in the last year (>32K trouble-free miles in 3.5 years when this message was transferred to the new board) and I'd have to say it's the best bike I've ever owned... but I've never owned a BMW. The only Euro bike I ever owned was a Penton 125 (KTM built them to Penton's spec). While it was one of the finest examples of off-road hardware in those days, it was far from trouble-free.

Paul W
I have a problem with my Bandit...
If I take it up around 6grand in 5th I get red & blue flashing lights in my mirrors.
However, increasing revs close to the red line tends to make them go away!
 
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hotdog
(4/14/02 11:52 am)
Took it wrong

Nope, what I meant to express was that I should have retained enough sanity to realize that A red smoke /S with solo seat, lightened flywheel, ....... would have been a great stable mate for my old SR500, and any future bike, which happens to be the Bandit. Single, twin, four, sorta runs the gap from cave man to space man.

The other point that I failed to clearly make is that for every complaint of defective Suzuki, there are lots of us that feel as you and I do. That the Bandit has taken advantage of passing time to become the best all around bike for our needs (we do need to go like hell and run through corners like we're being chased don't we?).

Bike manufacturers seem to run from wall to wall in how they deal with problems, Buells have many recalls, BMW announced a few real expensive ones while I was watching (a new set of alloy "snowflake" wheels w/bearings n/c) and others don't seem so forthright. They are not alone, how about auto makers? Do they end up in federal court for responsibly dealing with their problems? Not!

And the other - other thing was $4000? What's that about? Someone is pulling someone's leg on that one. No, I haven't priced this particular job, but that is a heap of money just to get the damn thing to stop smoking.

Go on, I've said my peace.
Steve
 
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dan123
(4/14/02 2:30 pm)
Re: took it wrong

 Hi all,
I have started this thread with one intention.
I wanted to buy a B12 since I thought that for ME, it was the best deal of its class (b12, fz1, zrx1200...).
My decision was per my set of preferences and compromises.

I was actually going to purchase the bike and I was doing my last homework like any sensible buyer.

This is how I found about the problem.

As several members indicated the problem is well recognized.
The oil drainage holes in the pistons are too large. There is no way to fix it except replacing the piston. The question is only WHEN the symptoms will start.

Based on polls in several forums about 15% of owners experience the symptoms right away.
Sooner or later the symptoms WILL start.

Actually I think that those owners who had the symptoms start early AND were able to FORCE Suzuki to replace the piston are the LUCKIER.
When (I am not using 'if') symptoms start after the warranty period, the owner will have to pay for the rebuild !

This is a risk I am not ready to take.

Another issue is Suzuki's rep telling me that the 2002 model has the problem fixed. This is a simple lie and the fact that other manufacturers of bikes or car or any other product also do it, does NOT change anything.

Hope this helps.

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velolemur
(4/16/02 2:25 pm)
Not ALL bikes have bad pistons

I don't think it's correct to say that all 01's and 02's will eventually burn oil. It appears that most of the pistons have the correct size holes. Most 01 and 02's will never burn oil. This sounds more like a bad batch of pistons than anything else.

If you get unlucky, then make Suzuki put in new pistons, or just pop for the upgrade to high-compression pistons or a big bore kit. If that makes you nervous, then wait or buy a different bike.
mw
 
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Oldroller
(6/1/02 10:40 pm)
Re: not ALL bikes have bad pistons

I have a 02 1200s that I bought new Oct, 17th 2001...

Just turned 8,000 miles and its starting to use oil. It took 3/4 quart in 2,000 miles since last dealer oil change.

I'm starting to monitor the consumption and will contact my dealer about this the next time I see the usage. It's anybody's guess as to whether Suzuki will make good. Lets hope they do. Other than this issue, I really am very happy with the bike.

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DrJeckal
(6/25/02 10:51 pm)
Re: 2002 Bandit 1200 oil burning

Does anyone know when the 03's are due out. I really love the looks of the neket Bandit. Test rode one for 25 minutes and absolutely love the power and handling of the bike. But I am so leary of buying one now for fear of getting a smoker. I can get a good deal on an 01 naked black one with 240 miles on it. I gotta believe that the problem will be resolved with the 03 models.
 
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Red01SuziB12S
(6/25/02 11:30 pm)
2003 models

Some of the '03 models are already out according to US Suzuki, but the only ones so far are Dirt/Dual Sport, MX, ATV and kid's cycles. My guess is the rest would be towards the end of summer or early fall.

Maybe you can get 'em to guarantee the 01 isn't a smoker???

Paul W

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B12Teuton
(7/2/02 2:28 pm)
oil burners

I'm getting really tired of hearing/reading all this stuff about oil burners.
I'm sure that some of the Bandits burn oil excessively, but this does not mean the majority are affected. I know dozens of Bandits old and new and none of them smoke or "burn" oil.
It needs to be said that a certain amount of oil consumption occurs on every internal combustion engine. Usually the "looser" the engine is, the more it will use. Bandit motors are loose from the factory and have low compression. That's part of what makes them "bullet proof".
Less compression is a direct result of the cylinder/piston not sealing as well as a higher compression example. Thus, the area where compression is lost is also the area where more oil can get into the combustion chamber and be consumed. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Yes, my '01 B12 uses a little oil. Maybe 1/2 quart every 2000 miles. Is this bad? NO!!
It doesn't smoke, the compression is the same on all four pots and it runs smooth as glass and makes tons of power.
These are machines that need a little love and attention and reward you with heart and Soul unlike most other machines, especially the FZ1 which has about as much mechanical soul as my wife's sowing machine. God forbid you checked your oil window every thousand miles or so and kept a quart of oil around the house.
You guys make it sound like you need an electric golf cart, not a motorcycle!
 
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urbanbandit
(8/21/02 3:42 pm)
Re: oil burners

Does any body know for sure weather the oil burning has been sorted out for the 2003 b12? I want to buy one but I'm now not too sure having read this thread. My problem is that I'll get a two year warranty, but I wont do more than 1500 to 2000 miles in that time. Perhaps I'll buy a pre 2000 bike and save myself a few beer tokens.

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bzoid
(7/28/02 1:03 am)
Re: 2002 Bandit 1200 oil burning

Just bought a 02 B12. It's a smoker. Manufacture date was 9/01. Must have missed the piston fix. Dealer will be picking the bike up on Monday for the 600mi service. I will be having a nice chat with them at that time.
Vegas Rider!

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rlecar
(7/29/02 9:12 am)
Re: 2002 Bandit 1200 oil burning

I pulled my 02 B12S down over the weekend to install 1999 pistons and new rings. I found the pistons indeed had the oil holes that were too large, and protruded above the groove for the oil control rings. The piston tops were covered with black carbon (the bike has 5100 miles).

Photos of the pistons, holes etc. can be found on Maximum Suzuki in the Bandit 1200 oil burning forum.

I don't think my bike would have met Suzuki's requirement of using a quart in 1000 miles, so according to them it was "normal" usage. The bike didn't smoke much (at least that I could see) but it probably used a quart per 1500 miles and smelled like oil burning all the time.

Obviously I'll be carefully monitoring oil usage during the break-in of the new rings, but I am betting it will be much better! So those of you with 01 and 02 bikes that use oil, you may be fooling yourselves by believing it's normal. I can't imagine all that burnt oil is good for the long term health of the motor.

After working on the Bandit motor, I really appreciate how easy and fun it is to work on my old Guzzis!

My wife helped me on a couple of four-hands-required operations, like lowering the cylinder down on to the pistons, and while we were doing that job she remarked "can you imagine the 18-year-olds at the dealer doing this?" Sometimes you have to do things yourself!

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wyvern
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 3:43 am
 
I just registered to this site and did so because I will be buying a 1200 soon.
I had heard of the oil problem, but not the particulars. I now ride (and will be keeping) an 85 Suzuki GS1150E. I rode 36,000 miles last year. When the 1150 was new, the factory quoted oil consumption was 1 qt per 2000 miles.
The GS and the B12 are close to being the same bike. I change oil every 1500 miles and burn 1/2 quart between oil changes. It is not a problem.
I'm not trying to start anything, but my reaction is why worry about that rate of oil consumption. It isnt going to hurt anything. My 1150, with aproximately the same oil consumption rate as is being complained of, is just fine with 126,000 miles on the clock. Also, pulling the head and barrels, honing and installing new pistons is maybe a 4 hour job. I know this because I have done it. I think I'll just buy the bandit and go ride. If it needs a wrench.........wellllll, I have wrenches.
   

Wyvern
_________________
Caution............objects in mirrors become smaller and smaller, until.............POOF!
 
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B12Teuton
Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2004 2:32 am    


Don't worry vern,
There are many, MANY more Bandits out there that don't burn more than a few drops of oil between oil changes. As long as you know what to looks for (avoid) you should be fine, if not, you should be able to get it fixed.
_________________
Manny
"Bikeless in Atlanta"  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Red01]

Possible answer to oil consumption problems
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here's a story you might find interesting. I just hope that the guy was not lying to me!

I recently took a trip on my 2001 "neked" Bandit 1200 (GSF1200K1). It covered 2500 miles all total and took me from my home state of Florida to Virginia by way of the Blue Ridge Parkway and then back again. On my way home, I stopped in Charlotte, North Carolina, where I had to add over a quart of oil to my bike!!!! Furthermore, this wasn't the first time that I have noticed that my bike sucks a little oil, and I know that the exhaust is not discolored and it's not leaking so I was greatly interested to know what was happening. Now, the bike was purchased new in December 2001 and I am the original owner, so I really felt that this is way out of the ordinary. (By the way, the bike has just a little over 9000 miles.)
So, I was reading the BBS here at BanditAlley and I saw a reader's comments on the dealership replacing his rings and pistons and what not because of his oil consumption. I thought, "Hey, I've got to go to the dealership for some oil and a filter anyway, I think I'll ask about this when I get there!"

To make a story short, the mechanic heard my story and then got his boss. The boss heard my story and then brought out a dressed up guy holding a portfolio of some sort. This new guy had on an embroidered shirt that said "Suzuki Extended Protection" over the right breast so I just new my luck could not have gotten any better! It was my lucky day! I tell the new guy my problem (he's a factory rep I'm thinking...just making his rounds...) and he starts telling me this story about how my bike is not the only one. Here's kinda how it went:

My bike is so popular worldwide that Suzuki kinda uses a lot of the same parts no matter what country the bike is going to. Europe tends to run the Bandit a lot faster (Whether or not this was a mistake or not, I'm not sure, but he said 160mph!!! "Can I import?") Well, over there, they wanted more oil on the head, so more oil ports were drilled into either the piston or rings (this part I can't remember) to allow more oil circulation throughout the cylinder. This was done on a whole series of bikes, not just one or two. Now, because the Bandits in the U.S. aren't run quite as fast, we have to deal with abnormal oil consumption. Isn't that kinda crazy! Soooo, here's what they told me and what they are going to do (unless they forget our conversation- "Who are you again?"). I am to change my oil and then take the bike to the shop where they will verify the oil level and then mark the filter, drain plug, and what not to make sure that there is no funny business going on. I'm supposed to run the bike 1000 miles and take it back to them where they will measure how much oil they had to add in order to bring the oil level back to normal. If what they have to add to the engine is too excessive, then they know for a fact that there is a problem and will then replace my bike's pistons and rings free of charge because the bike is still under warranty (Yes!!!!).

Well, that's my news from yesterday. Well, as best as I can remember it. My girlfriend thought I was crazy 'cause I kept making her repeat what she heard the rep guy saying about my bike being "so popular world wide." Heeheehee!

Happy riding! I'll keep ya updated!
 
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PeteSC
(8/4/02 5:58 pm)
Re: possible answer to oil consumption problems

 Good luck, and thanks for keeping us posted!

Pete

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oldspice
(8/7/02 12:31 pm)
Next Step

Alright, so I've made it to the shop so they can mark my bike's stuff. The previous mechanic said that they would mark it on the filler cap and the drain plug. However, this mechanic just put a line of white-out on the "FULL" line of the sight-glass (you know, that little window where you check the oil level).

That was it!

This new guy asked me why his boss was having him mark the oil line on my bike so I told him what the problem was. He said, "Oh, I know what's wrong already." He then told me that it was a problem with the engine pistons and works and that he had just done his buddy's last week! He said that when the pistons (I think he said the pistons.) were being made for my bike, somebody made the oil journals too big (I'm gonna have to look up what that is.) and that the oil for the bike just goes up and around the piston and then out of the bike or gets burned up. He told me too come back in about 500 miles or when the oil goes back down to low and then I would have to leave the bike and let them work on it. It was kinda interesting because this guy did not say anything about whether or not there was a problem or that perhaps there was just a mistake in my reading the level or something crazy like that, but he sounded absolutely sure that there was a problem and that the engineworks that were in question would be replaced. Hmmmm...

That's the story for now. I'll keep you posted.
 
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Red01SuziB12S
(8/7/02 7:14 pm)
Re: Next Step

The new guy told you the right story. IMHO, they should just cut to the chase and install new pistons. Since it looks like they'll be buyin' you new pistons & rings , you may be able to talk them into installing aftermarket high compression pistons such as these JE items from Holeshot - they may not cover the cost of the JE kit, but should cover thte labor since they'd have to do it anyway.

Paul W
 
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mental07
(8/11/02 8:27 am)
already

There was a post on this board about the same subject, it had the same info, the new 1200 bandits have a problem with there pistons. The post said it could be solved by using the pistons of the old 1200. Just to let ya know.

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malonef
(8/31/02 11:29 am)
Re: possible answer to oil consumption problems

To add to this subject. I just got the word on Thursday that Suzuki had agreed that my bike apparently had some pistons that were not right. I cannot remember the exact wording, but that's what he meant. My shop, Sport-Mann in N.Syracuse
was pretty good though. The service manager asked me if I wanted to park it now and let them get at it while they were really busy or keep topping it up and riding until the season is over and then just leaving it there for new pistons. Well I can buy oil for another month and a half and enjoy the Fall riding in upstate New York. I found that you just have to be persistent with this problem and they will eventually concede that, Yes, there is a problem. Of course it helped when I called Suzuki in California and bluntly asked the rep on the line just how much oil a 1200 bandit was supposed to use and his reply was none if everything was right. Quoting that to the dealer sure helped. I will let you know how things work out.

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greeny1200
Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2004 12:44 pm

Don't know what planet that rep comes from mate, but a UK spec bandit well do about 145 mph

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Red01
Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2004 18:40 pm
 
The US magazines have got 'em up to 156 mph... but I doubt I can get my lardass to go that fast on a stocker - have to loose ~90 lbs. I have had mine, with its Holeshot Stage II jet kit & slip-on, up to an indicated 158 or so, which is probably more like 140-145.

[Red01]

Do the '02's have the smoking/oil use issues, too?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Am preparing to buy a new '02 B12 and was wondering if anyone has had any experience with them having the same issues as some of the '01's had with oil use/smoking,etc?

TIA
Joe

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ponyfool
(9/4/01 7:07 pm)
Re: Do the '02's have the smoking/oil use issues, too?

I had heavy smoking during first 350 miles, but it is gone now. Was told it was just rings needing to set during breakin. I have 1400 miles now, and it is smoke free.

-ponyfool

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SeattleBandit
(9/4/01 8:12 pm)
No smoke...

I've got a '02 B12S with about 750 miles on it (my first service is set for tomorrow) and I've had ZERO smoke of any kind.

Hope that I'm not hexing myself here.....

Buy the '02, it's a beast and your inner hooligan will love you for it.

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B12inblue  
(9/5/01 12:09 am)
Re: No smoke...

I've got 1800 miles on my 2002 and haven't had to add a drop of oil.

Cliff
http://www.buggyoklahomastyle.com

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02Okie12  
(9/6/01 4:43 pm)
Re: No smoke...

Thanks for the input..... I will be picking my new blue beast (hopefully) next Friday.

Joe

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rlecar
(9/6/02 8:41 am)
Oil Burning 02s

YES! the 02s have the incorrectly drilled pistons and burn oil too! Mine, manufacture date 7/01, used about a quart per 1500 miles. The dealers and Suzuki were no help, because they consider anything under a quart per 1000 "within the normal range".

I fixed it myself. If you get the 02, talk to your dealer's service dept. beforehand and see how they act when you ask them about this problem.

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BugEye
(9/10/02 7:03 am)
02 oil burning info

You should check the build date before you buy. With the latest info I've seen on it I have reason to beleive that bikes actually built in 02 have the piston problems fixed.

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Red01
Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2004 11:54 am    
Post subject: In a Nutshell...
 
For '02 model B12's, if your VIN is higher than what is spelled out in the service bulletin, you are 100% safe from the bad piston/oil burning issue.
If your VIN is within the range of the bulletin, it is POSSIBLE you have a problem. If the bike is used, there's the possibility it has been fixed, but even if it hasn't, there's a lot of '02 owners out there that have never had an issue.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Red01]

Oil Consumption on 2003 Bandit 1200
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Has anyone reported any problems with 2003 models?

Thanks.
 
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Red01SuziB12S
(11/19/03 7:37 pm)
Re: Oil Consumption on 2003 Bandit 1200

I haven't heard of any oil problems since late '02 models when Suzuki reverted to the old piston design.

Paul W

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txmedic
(11/19/03 10:24 pm)
Re: Oil Consumption on 2003 Bandit 1200

One guy at Max-Zuk did for the first few hundred miles. After he took it on a ride and rode the piss out of it, the rings seated and it stopped.

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Red01SuziB12S
(11/19/03 11:33 pm)
Re: Oil Consumption on 2003 Bandit 1200

Break-in doesn't count. Most motors will burn a little while they're seating the rings.

Paul W

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B12Teuton
(11/20/03 1:11 pm)
Re: Oil Consumption on 2003 Bandit 1200

I just did a 1st full service on the '03 my buddy bought.
Used maybe 1/2 a quart in the first 600. 1300 now and no apparent oil loss. We'll see how it is when he gets up to 3-4000.

Manny
2001 B12S

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Frog
(11/27/03 1:43 pm)
Re: Oil Consumption on 2003 Bandit 1200

I have about 8400 miles on my '03 and have not used any oil between changes. I broke it in using Castrol GTX and then switched to Mobil 1 15-50.

Frog

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coinspinner12
(12/2/03 3:54 pm)
Re: Oil Consumption on 2003 Bandit 1200

AFAIK the oil-burning problem was fixed in early '02, you're good to go with an '03. Still, this fiasco put a dent in the Bandit's image as a bike with a "bulletproof" engine.

Still ticks me off that something as stupid as this could happen....fixing something that isn't broke is far too often a recipe for disaster. I'd like to know if the too-large oil holes in the pistons were Suzuki's fault, or ART (piston manufacturer).

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Red01SuziB12S
(12/2/03 8:04 pm)
Re: Oil Consumption on 2003 Bandit 1200

Allegedly, the too-large holes were spec'd by Suzuki's engineers.

Paul W

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