List the modifications on this bike K&N air filter Dynojet Jetting Advanced Timing Yoshimura RS-3 Corbin Seat Aftermarket Tall windshield
any flat spots etc. Power is great. Kinda flat under 4500rpm. Bike screams.
Feel, Strength Breaking feels a little weak. Its a heavy Bike and I'm 6'3" 230. My fat ass might have something to do with that.
It's a heavy bike you really got to ride it. My friends will leave me pretty fast in the corners. But it does a great job catching them on the straits.
I like the Bike overall. The tall windshield doesnt look all that great but it takes the wind off on those long rides. I am currently trying to sell the bike so that I can get something a little lighter so I can keep up with my friends on the 600's
No mods, totally stock.
Really lean so it takes a long time to warm up. Once it's warm its a real handful. Tons of torque, a fun way to surprise other riders off the line. Doesn't look as fast as it is.
Average brakes. I'm hoping to get six pot Tokico's up front as they have done now for the 2001's.
Hey, you can't have it all. At least its comfortable.
Great all around bike. I'm 6'3", 190lbs and I can ride about 300 miles without a problem, only stopping long enough to gas up. I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a good reliable bike, with no shortage of power and is comfortable for rider and passenger. I have no trouble hauling second gear stand up wheelies with no clutch and I have run 11.54 seconds at 116.5mph in the quarter. The best part of this bike is the fact that its fast when you want it to be and comfortable all the time. Another thing to consider is its price. The FZ1 and the ZRX1200 are its immediate competition but the bandit is the cheapest and if you want to add $1000 worth of improvements you'll take the other bikes no problem.
List the modifications on this bike - no mods - stock
any flat spots etc. - excellent power for a standard bike - keeps up with just about any pure sportbike - cept busa, gixxer 1000, r1 or 12r - it'll hang with any of the italian bikes - probably could have got some more uumph with pipes and a cleaner, rejetting but for 95% of riders this bike has whatever they want
Feel, Strength - brakes were good - when coming down hard on them - got a little shake and shimmy - but they pulled you down quick! - rear will lock up on you
Great for street riding - handles nice and light at low speeds - feels a lot lighter than it is - good seating position - get some wind if you are sitting up
This bike is the best value (in my opinion) around -you get a great motor - good handling - good brakes - best bang for the buck
Rear suspension - By HuperPro. Front suspension (springs) -By Progressive Suspension. Front mask- By PolySport (Dirt Bike part). Front Mask frame - Self made. Handel bars - By Access (Dirt Bike Part). Exhaust can - By Arrow. Air filter - By K&N. Tyres - Dunlop (D207). Mirrors by H.D - Mirrors mount - from Typhon (50cc scotter)
if you will take care on tuning the carbs properly and keep them clean - they will be more than "just fine"...
Brakes hard - but could and should be more shrp with more feeling..
The bike feels lighter than it really is. I changed to motocross handelbar which make it even easier.
I live in a sunny wheather - The color can be damaged very quickly (unlike other bikes I had - this one losses it's color after 3 months in sunny riding days) The forks are too soft ( I changed to Progressive suspension springs - now it feels much more stiffer) But although all , It's a very fun and powerfull bike !
Holeshot full exhaust system timing advance drop in cams Holeshot JE piston kit Holeshot stage 3 jet kit holeshot street fighter headlight kit cylinder head porting clutch kit race tech re-valve and fork spring kit Braided lines one black out mirror fender eliminator
OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!! I have never ridden anything in my entire life that has power delivery quite like this thing that doesnt have a turbo. This is a wheelie machine!
The brakes are very nice. No problems there.
Well, its not a 300 pound sportbike but I can keep up with anyone that rides one. I will stay with the best of them if it has a skilled rider onbaord. It handles qite nice.
I own a r1 and one day this guy pulls up on this bandit and everyone is talking about how bad and how fast this thing is. So I said lets run down the road and back. This is the first time I can really say that I was dead out smoked from the beginning. It was amazing I could run alittle more corner speed but coming out of the corners I felt like i was riding a 600 or something, he would just leave me in the dust. Total acceleration. I got to ride it and wanted to trade my r1 for it. It is a big sleeper bike.
List the modifications on this bike Givi tailcase adaptor. Lever skins
any flat spots etc. Big time torque. Loads of usable low and mid range grunt. This bike "Lunges" on demand.
Feel, Strength Fine for street/sport riding. There are better stoppers out there, but these are fine for the price of El Bandito.
Very sweet in the turns fast or slow. Feels alot lighter than it is. Comfy and stable at speed.
1200S is an excellent "real world" street/sport/tourer. Versatile, comfortable, handles, has tons of usable power, and is bulletproof. This bike gets alot of looks/comments from riders/non riders alike. Even some positive comments from the HD crowd. Best value in street/sport/touring.
Modified stock can, rejetted to 110 mains 4 shims on needles and an extra 2" hole in the air box. Running 128 hp and 82 torque (stock was 110 and 74) Michelin Pilot sport rubber thingies A seat belt ;-)
Stock there was gobs of power on the bottom, would yank your shoulders real good if you were slacked up. But the top was gasping at around 6-7k and up. Hence the mods above. Now it is a devil. For less then $40 bucks in actuall material I boosted the hp and torque considerbly over stock. That stock can is a cork. Rub the lamp a bit, and the genie will pop out.
Pretty solid at first, but will get a little softer as the miles stack up. Just have to bleed them out and keep the fluid fresh. I can do stoppies and I weigh 210. So they do grab, this bike has the 6 piston Tokico calipers stock. Overall, I am happy with the brakes, I think steel lines would make a huge difference on the actual pressure needed, but it is quite possible to bring this 471 pound beast to a stop in a hurry.
Good stuff. Trust me, get pilot sports if you like canyons. Dunlop 207s suck on this bike compared to the pilots. A little more pricey but they hold on like you are super glued to the road. They warm up nicely and will hold on longer than you will. Been able to drag various parts of the bandit and myself along the ground and not even feel any squirm or other nastiness. The bike will feel about 50 pounds lighter with those tires too. It just turns quicker and doesn't try to stand up as much when braking at an angle. The stock tires... SUCK. If you ride canyons then please get rid of them and donate them to a pal who commutes.... The Macadam 90's walk over paint, let go in corners under acceleration, and make the bike feel heavy with lots of understeer. The stock tires get scary trust me, the money you save in laundry will make up for the higher priced rubber. ;-) This bike will handle curves well at any speed, it's the switchbacks you have to watch. With the weight, you have to muscle it up and over into the next turn. The stock suspension needs some tuning. The springs are flat rate, no progression and is pretty soft. So, you can squash it down in a hard corner making it spring up at the exit... Kinda spooky. It can be adjusted, and change out the fork oil. You will get a good ride after that. The stock oil is crap. It keeps up with anything. Provided you are used to throwing your weight around. I have yet to find a Ducati that can pull away. This bike also likes to shake its head when you gas it. You have been warned. It will just feel real light, and as long as your bikes maintained you will be alright, but get lazy on the tightening of bolts, and you may find yourself tank slapping.
This bike is plain incredible. Not only is it comfy, but it handles like a sporty bike. If you shave off 50 pounds it would destroy everything on wheels. For the money, you cannot go wrong with this bike. It runs great and strong, has more power than most people would know what to do with. Yet that power is predictable and is in a "real world" range. Everyone that i have let ride it comes back with a huge grin on their face. Torque is FUN. That is the bottom line. Buy a Bandit! Buy 2. They are cheap enough.
i put k&n jet kit and vance&hines slip on, so far
bit slow under 4000, but it screams from 6500 to 9000
fairly good
this bike is little heavy in corners, but it rocks on straights
This was my first bike i got it when i was 17. I got it new and still have it. Very good bike for long trips. Old gsxr 1100 mill produces lots of tourqe. Probably cheapest bike for what you get.
Stock
Power delivery was very smooth. Almost felt like a gsxr motor of yesterday;)
Brakes felt strong and had great lever feel
Bike handled good but the seating position was a bit awkward. It was very upright. The bars need to drop some more and the pegs need to raise and be moved back a little.
Great bike all around. A sportbike engine in a standard makes for a good everyday bike.
Holeshot full exhaust,5 degree advancer, stage 2 Jet Kit, rearset brackets, nerf bars , steering stabilizer, front fork brace, GSXR Intake Cam, Fox twin clicker shock, Racetech Gold valve and springs,Corbin Seat, Zero Gravity Double bubble windscreen.
Awesome! a little dip in power in the midrange (GSXR cam) put it blasts right past it. 127 rear wheel Horsepower on Dynojet 250 dyno.
Decent feel and power but I will be upgrading to Ferodo pads and some stainless brake hoses.
It was decent stock. The bike is heavy, but feels suprisingly lighter at speed. With the suspension mods I have made it handles great!
I really like this bike! It was pretty good stock but the handling and power gets even better with some mods. I am a heavy rider(260lbs with gear)so I really needed to beef up the suspension.
List the modifications on this bike: None
any flat spots etc. Not obvious
Feel, Strength. Saved my rear a couple times with cagers pulling out in front of me.
Left my friends wondering how a Sport Tour would ride well with an R1 and GSXR-750. Granted they weren't going all out, but were quite surprised and pleased that a novice on a Bandit could "hang" with the boys.
I love this bike. I'm only 5'8" and 160#'s so this machine is brutally powerfull for my little old self. Absolutely no disapointments or regrets. Note, tried to enter 11 for Scale but it wouldn't let me. ;-)
The Bandit 1200S if for the money an excelent everyday bike. It is not as fast as todays liter bikes, but it has more than enough power that I am the weak link in the combination. I have 16000 km. on the bike and most of the time I have my wife on the bike with me, so the original Michelines are long gone. The longest day has been over 1000 km. ( too long ) but with a better seat I feel it will be an excelent touring bike.
Good all around power with my only complaint that the bike does not idle as smooth as most.
The brakes are quite strong for every day riding.
My only concern is the strenth it takes to turn the bike if I am late on the brakes and have to start a turn with heavy brake.
For a list price of 10500 and out the door for 8600 Canadian dollars for the Bandit 1200S new I felt that it is the bargain of the motorbike industry.
Bone Stock
Great all around even up to 140! , except at low speed/rpm it has a bit of jumpiness
Awesome front brakes, the back is a little soft.
really nice, in hard leaning the suspension lacks somewhat
I love this bike, I can't seem to stop riding it! Bought it 2 mos. ago and put 5000 on it.
List the modifications on this bike Supertrapp muffler, jet kit, drilled airbox, 5 degree advancer, lowered 1", polished rims, double bubble windscreen.
I live at 4500 ft, so the stock settings were pretty good. However after changing the muffler, a jet kit was needed... now it works great, I only have to use the choke on cold days.
I changed to a braided metal line on the front and now it's fine for me.
Even with the stock tires handling is good up to 8/10's, but if your really into corner carving some sticky meats are required. I've never noticed any head shake from the bike...
I don't like the stock bend handlebar... I've got wide shoulders and the arm/hand angle on the grip isn't right. Otherwise, if your not a cruiser or superbike guy, this bike is tough to beat.
Timing advancer, stage II jet kit, Holeshot slip-on, K&N pods, countless other mods to improve appearance
I had a flat spot from 3500 - 4500 when bike was rejetted, readjusted the needles and now it wants to throw you off the bike from 1000 rpms all the way up to redline.... love the acceleration, Wheelie king.
Lacking in the front brake dept. nothing new SS cables or even new 6 pot calipers couldn't fix up.
love it, needs higher rear sets to really lay it over. Very nimble for a sport-tourer that needs a diet.
I love my bike, and will hate to part with it one day. You can't go wrong with a bandit.
135.5 mains 1" lowered ft. end. torched open the can, cut off cover of air cleaner to fully expose air filter,header rap my favorite mod to date, keeps heat off me and engine and is quiter.
any flat spots etc.yes, should go up on pilot jets and shim the main needle more. when cold runs rough 1000rpm to 4000rpm then its fine.
Feel, Strength,excellent
top heavy,tires suck (macadams) very loose when cold or even close to operating temp, but without power mods there ok.
would like to ditch center stand and get some sticker tires on carbon wheels and get a steering damper but cost is out of my reach.
Bone stock
Seems ok to me
Front is fine, rear is WEAK! Maybe some pads?
Ok for a big pig of a bike. It makes up in other areas.
I love this bike. Mondo torque, the seat is EXCELLENT. They must have changed it, as I've heard others complain. I'm 5'10" and 200 lbs. I took it to Texas and did a 700 mile day on it. It was rough, but it did it. It's no sport bike, but it's comfy and fast. Makes a great sport tourer. I threw some bags on it, a new tank bag and bungeed a big gym bag on the bag and across the country I went. And the best thing is I paid $6,049 US for it new, (tax extra) in July of 04. THAT'S a lot of bike for the money.
List the modifications on this bike not sure what all has been done got it from a guy who owned a bike shop know the carbs have been bored pushes 200hp
any flat spots etc. none give it gas and your gone
Feel, Strength great brakes
good handling, litle rough around corners
got this bike when i was 17 first streetbike had raced dirtbikes since i was 9. this bike is fast as hell. it has +200hp have taken r1 and hayabusas(unrestricted) with no problem. ever time i go to race it people just stare in fear never lost a race on this bike
Yoshimura RS-3 slipon. GS1150 handlebars (wider, more rise, more pullback). Rear shock set to maximum stiffness. Front fork raised 1" through triple-trees. Metzler ME Z4 tires. Suzuki's Gel seat. Braided front brake line. Suzuki case guards. Removed "S" fairing, installed Silhouette winshield.
Cold-blooded, but warms up quickly. Choke comes off in about 1/2 minute or less on cold days. No flat spot when warm. Love the torque! pulls like mad to 4,000 RPM, then really takes off. Have to lean way forward when taking off quickly, or the bike will wheelie. Lofte the front end when shifted into second unless I'm careful.
Great! This bike has the OEM 4-pot brakes. Noticeably improved by addition of braided line between lever and Y-junction.
Not good with original Bridgestone tires and chassis settings. Would fall into turns at low speed, aggravated by narrow bars. Felt very top-heavy and was hard to ride through S-turns. After installing Metzler ME-Z4 tires, making chassis adjustments (raise rear, lower front) and installing wider, taller bars with more pullback (used GS1150 bars), this became a totally different bike. It feels like it lost about 100 pounds, somehow. It now flings around like a big dirt bike and is a pure delight to ride. I can flick it through the esses almost as fast as an all-out sport bike, and it's easy to scrape hardware on the pavement with nary a twitch with the Metzler thingies on the rims. These tires are PHENOMENAL, and I understand that the most recent updates of these tires are even better.
The "S" fairing is beautiful but fairly useless at keeping wind, dirt, rocks and rain off at anything over 25 MPH. Being 6'-3", I stuck way out into the airflow. The Silhouette windshield is over 26" tall above the headlight cutout, perfect for me. The original seat was OK, but I wanted to try the Gel set. Not a big imrovement there. I saved the best for last: Even when short-shifted, this bike gets to 60 MPH in a few heartbeats. When caught in a milling herd of Cagers on the Interstate, a twist of the wrist will get me up to 135 in no time and safely away from them. The best word for what the Bandit 1200 does is EFFORTLESS. And it runs on 87 Octane, returning 47 MPG when ridden gently. It's never given less than 40 MPG. I was originally not happy with El Bandido, but just love it since changing the chassis setup and customizing the ergonomics. It goes so well that I haven't messed with the carbs or airbox yet. I'll probably do those mods anyway because it's tough to pass up free horsepower and more top end, not to mention an extra 10-15 Lb-Ft torque.
none yet, totally stock. Dynojet kit and k&n filter planned
bike really takes off around 3500 rpm. Below that its a little flat, and it seems to have some cold running problems, where it hesitates a bit. WAY more torque than any of the the hard edged sport bikes.
outstanding, back one locks up easily, but it's usually in the air. Who needs a back brake anyways?
can't complain. Its a bit soft, but it's also heavy, and its great for everyday roads. not all of us are on the track all the time, so a soft suspension is welcome. All that said, its still a sportbike, and handles very well. Its all relative I guess.
The bike screams! way more power than I know what to do with. On the spec sheet, it pales next to a gsxr, but on the street, the average rider will be faster on the bandit. pulls the front wheel in second gear with no clutch work. Great touring bike, great sport bike, great grocery getter, what else could you want? it also retails for thousands less than a gsxr. It does take a while to warm up, but when it does, it has more motor than I know what to do with. Don't let the 100 hp number make you think it's weak, it will smoke a 100hp 600cc bike without trying. its got enough torque to knock the world off its axis, and the motor is one of still very smooth for the amount of power it makes.
UPDATE: Have finally pulled the rubber snorkel out of the airbox and added 0.025" thick washers under the carb needles. This has made a tremendous difference in the engine's tractability, meaning that now it's possible to start up with the choke only half set, then knock the choke off immediately. The engine now makes REAL power between idle to 3,500 rpm. Before, it was strong, but now its even stronger and it's become very smooth - no more chain snatch! The idle has become very steady, without sounding like the engine has "hot cams". Since I spend a lot of time in the 1200 - 3500 rpm range driving around town, this has been an extremely worthwhile change. Fuel economy is the same as it was before: 40-47 mpg. Haven't had occasion to try for top end to see if it passes 150 mph, but then agin, I no longer even want to. El Bandido has become the perfect "putting around-on" ride, as docile as a Lambretta scooter. This is a lot like having a perfectly tuned old Yamaha YDS-2 250cc under you at very low speeds (that says a lot for Suzuki engineering), and a fire-breathing monster when WOT is called for, all rolled into one bike. I'm going riding tomorrow . . . can't stand NOT being out riding since making these ridiculously easy changes.
Was overly lean, especially between 1200-3500rpm. Cold-blooded,; needed a minute before the choke could be knocked off. Those 0.025" thick washers under the carb needles did the trick.
Install braided lines - then you'll do stoppies.
As before: Ditch the Bridgestones! Go for good Sport meats from Metzler (ME-Z4's were my choice), Dunlop, Avon, or Pirelli. Stiffen up the rear shock and front forks to max settings, pull the front forks up 1/2" at a time, add wider, taller bars with more pullback (like bars off the GS1150), and you won't believe the difference in handling and general over-all improvement in your confidence level when chucking the bike into turns.
The Bandit GSF1200 is probably the best value for the money on the market today, but as it comes from the factory, it will probably scare and annoy many riders to the point where they'll sell it. That's how I ended with my Bandit! Just don't stop making the easy changes given above until you're satisfied with the handling and performance. I've never had a bike that responded so well to minor changes.
K&N air filter, stage 1 jet kit, Yoshi can, 5 degree timing advancer, gel filled hand grips, stiffen rear and front suspension, tank bra.
Flat on take off butt absolutley flies after 2,500 RPM's and strong through out the rest of the gauge in all 5 gears.
Brakes are very strong yet, butt slow to stop when pushing the double digits.
very agressive, if you are willing to put some effort into the corners.
Overall the bike is amazing and has seen 170MPH top speed and can bring the front end off the ground with a rollong start by a hard twist of the throttle in first gear. Stable all around sport rider with nice riding position.
GSXR1100m usd forks, Hayabusa 6 pot calipers, Goodridge race setup braided lines, Twin headlights, Dynojet kit, k&n filter, Scorpion race can, Jack up kit.
Had a massive flat spot between 2 to 4000rpm after fitting the can and k&n filter. Jet kit cleared this up and it makes a silky smooth 117.5 bhp at the back wheel with no flat spots, just pulls and pulls.
Total bobbins as standard but with braided hoses and busa calipers it stoppies for England.
Bit twitchy with the usd forks as they're shorter than standard, jack up kit helps too. Easy enough to keep up with any plastic fantastic in the corners now-does help being larger than most though, to throw it around.
Not fantastic in stock form but you can make them into what you want, and I can manage to get my lardy frame on it easily. Just make sure you rejet it after a race can and filter- that flat spot ruined wheelie ability until it got sorted. Now for a turbo kit. bbbrrrrrooooooooooooooooooooooommmmmmmmmm.
Ivan jet kit & holeshot exhaust. Added lower fairings too.
Smooth power band at all speeds and accelerates very fast when you want it too
A very solid feel to the front rotors, the rear feels weak
Feels heavy standing still, but when its moving its pure pleasure. Very solid feeling with little vibration. Im 6'4 and 290lbs and this bike feels very comfortable and stable.
Just a nice sprot bike with a very solid, comfortable feel too it. Its a little heavy but its fast enough to burn up the road. I dont like the single headlight during the day so I use the brights. Gages and mirrors are great. The hydraulic assistated clutch is awsome, plus with only five gears you dont need to shift as much.
5 degree timing advance, yosh. RS3 carbon fiber exhaust. shaved rear fender, after market stubby blinkers, double bubble windscreen. soon stage one jet kit.
Being my first bike ever. i think it has awesome power all the way thru. 0-140.
breaking feels very strong. defiently enough to pull off stoppies.
seems to handle very well. its very smooth i feel safe hitting corners at (good) speeds.
Being my first bike. and weighing in at 265lbs and being 6'4 this bike has tons of power and the acceleration is crazy. i had it dyno tested the other day the horsepower was 103.2, and torque came in at 73.1, can't wait till i get the jet kit in her and shed a few pounds off myself.
M4 Can, Dyanjet Sage 1, KN Filters
Flat spots? Shesssh! Can't find one. This thing is a rocket.
with stock brakes and seems to skid the back tire a little early. With the size rubber thats on this thing I would have thought I would have thought it would have stuck like a booger on a door knob. Maybe a diffrent tire compound (Metzler Anyone?)
I love the way this thing handles, after a 23 year hiatus, from a 422 lb H2 I thought this bike would be a Ox, Not so.. Heavy bike, rides lighter!
To qoute when I got off of it the first time: "DAMN!" I love it! I am looking forward to some of the other mods (wire lines, Tires etc.)
BIKE HAS CRANK RODS CAMS CARBS BEEN JETTED ALSO K&N DUAL PODS ALSO YOSHI EXHAUST CAN AND FULL AFTERMARKET HEADERS ON BACK TO CAN ALSO TINTED WIND SCREEN, TURN SIGNALS, AND ONE AWESOME STICKER ON FRONT
ABSOLUTELY NO FLAT SPOTS BIKE SCREAMS FROM 1800 PAST 9000 I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE IMMENSE POWER DELIVERY FROM MY BIKE I LOVE HOW IT SHAKES THE GROUND AT IDLE ON KICKSTAND THIS BIKE WILL FLY WAY PAST THE 170 MPH MARK ON ANY TEMP DAY.
BRAKES ALWAYS FEEL READY TO HAUL MY BUTT BACK TO LEGAL SPEEDS NO COMPLAINTS
LITTLE EDGY FAR ON THE SIDES BUT VERY MANAGEABLE
BIKE IS AMAZING TOTAL HOSS ON THE ROAD EASY TO MAINTAIN AND LOTS OF FUN VERY COMFORTABLE FOR LONG RIDES ALSO LOTS OF FUN JUST TEARING UP THE OTHER RIDERS WHO JUST DONT UNDERSTAND WHAT I AM SITTING ON TILL I START IT AND LEAVE THEM BEHIND
SS brake lines, corbin gunfighter and lady seat w/backrest, Zero Gravity SR windscreen (touring), and soon (waiting on replacement from seller) a yoshimura rs3 slip-on. I'll also remove the snorkel from the airbox as suggested by yoshimura.
Power is excellent!! I have yet to use all of it and probably won't on the street. Hopefully, I can get up the courage to do a track day and see what this bike can do. I don't notice any flat spots and to me power seems linear. I've read a few reviews here that claim lower rpms are sluggish... whatever! This bike is very quick.
Soft? No way! Very quick to grab. And for you guys who think the back brake is weak, try an '85 Honda Sabre with that idiotic drum brake.
Heavy? Weighs nearly the same as my previous bike ('85 Honda VF700S). Put the Power Race tires on and it will fall into slow speed turns... be careful.
I love this bike!! Motorcyclist magazine rated it as one of the top 10 used bikes on the market and they were right on. For less than $5K you get plenty of bike. Two things I don't like (or, rather disturb me) is the slight bar vibration and the lack of a 6th gear. The Honda V4 motor was so smooth (no vibration = clear mirrors) and that extra gear put the thing in overdrive.
Yoshimura RS-3 slip-on. 2 shims (.020) under each carb needle, idle screws 3 turns out. EBC Double H sintered brake pads.
Very fast bike if you are accelerating thru the rev range. At 4000 rpm's @ 70 mph, the response seems a bit weak for a 1200. I guess most folks find this to be true. If you are traveling at 5000 rpm's it's a whole different story--lot's of acceleration! I will be modifying the carb similar to what Dale Walker does with 110 mains, 5 shims under the needle, 1 inch cut from the carb spring, a 1.5 inch hole drilled in the airbox and a 5 degree ignition advancer. I will probably slot the holes in the advancer about .200" myself. The whole mod should cost me next to nothing (just the 4 jets). I will publish the results soon.
The braking can be made much better with the addition of EBC Double H sintered brake pads. These pads offer a much better feel at the lever with a higher co-efficient of friction at the disks. Also, you really have to bleed the Bandit's brakes well or you will always have a soft lever feel. The front fork will dive much less if you dial it at it's firmest setting.
As far as handling goes, it no GSX-R. If you ride the Bandit back-to-back with a modern sport bike like the GSX-R or the R1, you will see what I mean. Those pure sport machines were designed with handling as a priority and truly are telepathic in response. I had the oportunity to ride a familiar road on an R1 and could not believe how much confidence that bike instills in the rider! It's way less scary to go fast in the twisties on a pure sportbike. Big drawback though, my wrists were in pain after 1/2 hour. A deal-breaker for sure. I'm not slamming the Bandit, but they did go to the bargain bucket when they equipped the bike with suspension pieces. For the best results, preload the fork all the way firm and loosen the rear to the softest setting. The Bandit is very sensitive to tire brand and tire pressure. I run about 2 lbs. less than recommended and find that it makes the handling a little less nervous. I currently run Michelin Pilot Road tires and find them to be an excellent match on the bike. Be careful when exiting corners as it's pretty easy to light up the rear tire with all that torque! The ride on the Bandit is pretty cushy on most roads with freeway expansion joints being it's only real enemy. The bike bounces so badly over these seams that the headlights (I have a 2002 1200S) at night are continually shaking up and down in thier gimbals. No fun at all. Remeber what I said about softening up the rear-end all the way?
Overall, the Bandit is the deal of the century--especially on the used market. Excellent examples with low miles can be had for around $3500. Where else can you get this much performance for so little cash? It's a great traveling machine if you like the stock seat. The vibes from the engine are not bad at all (a little buzz around 4000 RPM). It will return about 38-40 mpg and put a smile on your face every time you ride it. Just keep in mind that it is not a pure sport bike and you should not expect it to handle like one. If you have the "S" model with the fairing, you will find that it takes the wind off your chest and makes high speed cruising much more comfortable. There is a bit of buffeting at helmet level, though. Time to try a different windscreen height I guess. There are 4 useable bungee points on this bike and combined with the wide flat seat it makes for a great platform to carry things. I have commuted on this bike for years and have always managed to hold everything down securely with a cargo net. I don't care for luggage so this is a high point for me. I had a chance to see the new water-cooled Bandit 1250S at the 2007 Motorcycle show and it looks like they left off 2 off the bungee points! Arrrgh! The new 1250 looks like a great bike with fuel inj., a six-speed trany and ABS. With water cooling and ABS, I'll bet it weighs more, though. You can take the manufacturers weight specs. with a grain of salt. Have fun and enjoy the ride!
List the modifications on this bike Hole Shot slip-on
any flat spots etc. Low RPM's are flat, a performance kit is already on the way.
Feel, Strength Brakes need a lot of pressure to stop quickly
Handles solid and has a great riding position. Buzzy engine between 3500-4700 RPM's.
This bike is a great value. Rides good, looks great, and wheelies awesome(especially with the hole shot slip-on). I have the naked bike and strongly recommend a removable wind screen. Freeway rides can be brutal with-out one.
