Bandit Alley
MODEL SPECIFIC => SUZUKI BANDIT 650 and 1250 - WATER COOLED TECHNICAL => Topic started by: Claude on December 31, 2007, 03:05:30 PM
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I'm looking for scanned copies of 1250's road tests made by "Cycle World" and "Motorcyclist" magazines. Are they available somewhere here or from some member(s) that already scanned them?
Sorry if this already have been posted or asked; I'm new here... Thanks!
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Do you know what specific issues/articles you are looking for?
I have the 07/2007 Cycle World which pits the B1250 v FZ1. I could run you a couple scans of it. I also have the 07/2007 Motorcyclist that pits the B1250 v BMW K1200R.
The 05/07 "First Look" at the B1250 from Motorcyclist is at their website.
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Sorry but I don't know in which issues. But any (or better,
all) review, road test, etc, will be perfect. Motorcyclist's website is not really userfriendly; if you could post a link to their "first look", it would be great! Thanks!
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Yeah. their search doesn't find it if you put in "bandit 1250" but does if you search "bandit".
Here's the link: http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/features/122_0705_suzuki_bandit_1250s/ (http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/features/122_0705_suzuki_bandit_1250s/)
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Thanks for the link Sven. Anytime you can scan the other reports will be fine for me. My email is: zxclaude(at)yahoo(dot)com
Thanks again!
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Will do, Claude.
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The Cycle World review by Don Canet was pretty good. Roland Brown had an intro article in the May '07 issue of Motorcyclist that was pretty accurate also. The July issue had Tim Carrithers' complete road test. I find he gets overly wordy just for the sake of it and his style is so overdone that his writing leaves me cold. If you can find Motorcycle Consumer News' August '07 issue, it had a well-done test of the Bandit though I wonder how they got 151+ MPH for their top speed. Sport Rider had an excellent test of the Bandit in their July '07 issue. Both Kent & Andrew tend to evaluate in a way I find more accurate than most. They have the skills necessary to push the bikes harder than most motojournalists and describe what happens better. For instance, Kent described how the Bandit tended to fall into the corner quickly when at extreme lean angles with the Dunlop 218 tires. If you push your Bandit hard enough, you'll very quickly understand exactly what he meant and it can come as a major surprise since it is totally unexpected (hint: if it happens to you, don't do anything. It'll self-correct). Don Canet, at Cycle World, is probably the fastest journalist in the country, with Kent & Andrew right behind him. They all have roadrace experience and the ability to describe the bike's characteristics very effectively. Hope this helps. Cheers, Jack
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Review at RIDER: http://www.ridermagazine.com/output.cfm?ID=1260253 (http://www.ridermagazine.com/output.cfm?ID=1260253)
Review at SPORT RIDER: http://www.sportrider.com/features/146_0707_naked_motorcycle_comparison/index.html (http://www.sportrider.com/features/146_0707_naked_motorcycle_comparison/index.html)
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The comparison between the B1250 and the FZ1 fromn the 2007.07 CYCLE WORLD can be downloaded from the links below.
Page 1 http://ssscheer.us/bandit_alley_resources/Double-Standard-1.xps (http://ssscheer.us/bandit_alley_resources/Double-Standard-1.xps)
Page 2 http://ssscheer.us/bandit_alley_resources/Double-Standard-2.xps (http://ssscheer.us/bandit_alley_resources/Double-Standard-2.xps)
Page 3 http://ssscheer.us/bandit_alley_resources/Double-Standard-3.xps (http://ssscheer.us/bandit_alley_resources/Double-Standard-3.xps)
The documents are in the new XPS format, which is similar to PDF. If you are unable to open them, you can download an a reader that lets you read XPS documents either in Internet Explorer, or as a stand-alone application, at http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/xps/viewxps.mspx (http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/xps/viewxps.mspx)
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I got all of them Sven; thanks a lot for all your time and efforts !!
FYI, I did not had to deal with XPS files. Into the zipped documents I downloaded from your links, there were a .PNG picture of all three pages that I converted to .JPG using MS Paint.
Thanks again!
Claude
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I srill have one that I will scan and post in the next couple days, from MOTORCYCLIST.
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I srill have one that I will scan and post in the next couple days, from MOTORCYCLIST.
Great! I'll gladly read it when available!
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I srill have one that I will scan and post in the next couple days, from MOTORCYCLIST.
Sven, you got any time yet to scan this last "Motorcyclist" report? Thanks!
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Claude, I'm sorry. I thought I had the MOTORCYCLIST issue which pitted the B1250 v. the BMW, but it was something else. I have been trying to get a copy from my friends, but so far, no luck. I hope this isn't too disappointing. If I come across the article, I will post it.
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Claude, I'm sorry. I thought I had the MOTORCYCLIST issue which pitted the B1250 v. the BMW, but it was something else. I have been trying to get a copy from my friends, but so far, no luck. I hope this isn't too disappointing. If I come across the article, I will post it.
No problem Sven; it's perfect anyway. You say Motorcyclist report was B1250 vs BMW? Could it be the same test from Sport Rider you posted the link above? (copied below). Thanks again; you posted quite a lot to read anyway!
http://www.sportrider.com/features/146_0707_naked_motorcycle_comparison/index.html
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Yeah, it was MOTORCYCLIST July 07--BMW K1200R v B1250S. I was keeping a list of reviews. Same face-off, but different article that was even more pro Bandit/con BWM than the one in SPORT RIDER. The gist of it was "the BMW is a fine machine, but has a lot of imperfections for a bike that costs $8000 more than the Bandit." (I was keeping good notes, which tells you how I fritter away my time.)
I think that's part of the problem is the US market. Reviews are alwasy along the line of "the Bandit is neither fish nor fowl, and it's not perfect, but it's a bargain." When people are spending the cost of a car for a H-D or BMW, they want the perception of image/performance, and obviously, price is not an issue.
But I love my B12S!
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More then that the Bandit is value in my book. I shouldn't judge because I have done the same thing with different items, lets see now (http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/images/smilies/thinking.gif) oh I know I bought a CRF405X over my fairly new sold DRZ400s. And to be honest for the kind of desert riding I do and the reliability and function loss, it wasn't worth it. Speaking for myself there is something very satisfying about making a major purchase decision based on finding the apex between function, reliability and price. To me thats value and Suzuki has done an outstanding job making that happen in the Bandit line. Of course I can only make this claim against my own needs and expenses, even though I consider myself a very rich and blessed man. Lets just say that if I had a bunch of excessive cash, which I defiantly do not, I might have bought more bikes and kept the Bandit. But when I try and think of a replacement for the B1250, I honestly cant.
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I don't really compare bikes based on price. Yes, I bought the Bandit because I could afford it, but I've had a blast on it. The bike is so damn good and so much fun. The fact it is such a bargain is just a great side benefit.