Absolutely the best bike for the money, anywhere!!!
Written: Mar 08 '04 (Updated Jan 04 '08)
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Pros: Insane power at all revs, impressive handling for budget price, multi-state ergos, cheap insurance
Cons: NOT FOR BEGINNERS! Not a touring bike and heavy for some to handle.
The Bottom Line: If you want a bike to ride everyday all season you can't go wrong. Watch out for 2001-2002 oil burners on the used market. Eats tires when ridden hard.
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| wgfurman's Full Review: 2001 Suzuki Bandit 1200S |
Quick background on me: Been riding with my dad to races and rallies since I was 5. I've grown up around motorcycles and had a chance to ride every major motorcycle from the last couple decades of bikes. I love a sportbike for an afternoon scratch, and a cruiser to hit the strip. But my personal style has led me toward do-everything bikes that take multi-state trips in stride.
The bike: Research over the last couple years led me toward the most recent crowd of "super standards" or naked bikes. The combination of reasonable Hp, good torque and comfortable ergos was right in line with my touring aspirations. The handling had to be reasonable as well which made these bikes pretty much the only real option.
I'm not going to debate the attributes of the bandit with those of the FZ-1 or ZRX or other standards on the market. People like what they like. I tested my 2001 GSF1200S Back-to-back at a dealer with a '97 VFR750 and a 2000 ZRX1100. The VFR was a fantastic bike! The aftermarket can and heli-bar/givi screen combo boosted its already comfortable seating possition to almost tour levels. But, not enough to see myself at the end of an hours ride without some aching. The ZRX was really fast and fun to flog around with good road feel but noticeably less agile than the VFR and not all that much faster. The lack of wind protection really did it in for my uses.
The bandit was last and blew the others away. The power is like nothing shy of a GSXR1100! Start off in first like normal, easing into traffic. Reach a good point in the revs to change up and everything is smooth as silk in the gearbox. as you reach regular road speeds you think "what can this thing do?" The answer is shocking! Wind it out and suddenly the road sucks up like you are going to warp speed. I hit 90 without even noticing the difference (note: it has a Zero-Gravity screen to keep wind off). Then I took it out to the same twisting neighborhood I rode the others in. Much quicker than the ZRX and only a bit shy of the VFR.
I'm absolutely certain that at a race track the VFR would walk away from the bandit. I think both the other bikes are great if you go with them. I tend to be a practical guy who rides bikes for decades and over continents. In this world, very little offers the ability and fun of the bandit for anywhere near the money. I'll bet you will feel the same after a ride. (make sure it's not a lemon)
In the end, I'm sure some people will not like the Bandit for one reason or another. It does vibrate when idling and at certain RPM, but nothing that I thought was too bad. My father used to have an old air-head BMW that was like a vibromatic. This thing is silk in comparison. Take it for a ride and you will fall in love too.
Happy riding. :)
3/21/05 UPDATE:
Spent last year blasting around on the Big-B and it's just as good as I first thought. I commute every day about 100 miles in the summer and she's an absolute champ. Highways are a blast and backroads are a hoot. I've even had the chance to chase a couple kids on R1's and GSXR750's down the highway. What a feeling, when they're all tucked in and holding on for dear life, to have them look over and see me sitting mostly upright at 140 and waving at them. HA! And they say old guys are slow. Not on a Bandit 1200.
Also, the buzzing I noticed when buying my bike turned out to be an incorrectly installed aftermarket windscreen. Now she still shakes a little at idle, but without the annoying soundtrack.
1/4/08 Update:
Moved to Atlanta last year with the family and couldn't part with the Bandit 1200 despite selling off other bikes. Still a fabulous bike after all this time. I started out thinking I would poor aftermarket goodies onto it, but haven't had the need so far. I live within day-trip distance to Deal's Gap now, and this bike is able to make the drive there in comfort. Drop off your gear at the hotel and she does just fine in all that twistiness if you keep your head about you. I do plan to refresh and upgrade the basic suspension this year with an aftermarket shock and Racetec gold valves for the fork. If I get really ahead of myself I might also slap on a carbon fibre can just for the sound.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 4600
Condition: Used
Model Year: 2001
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Epinions.com ID:
wgfurman
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Reviews written: 4
Trusted by: 0 members
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