[BlaznBlu]

Well, I have had my GSX650F for almost four months now and can say I am thoroughly pleased with it. I wanted a bike that gave a more upright position, had all-day comfort, was a good commuter bike but could also be used as a tourer, and was sporty enough for when we head to the North Georgia/Tennessee twisties.

I seriously considered the Bandit for quite a while, but I knew that I would be adding lower fairings in no time because I really like the look. Knowing that I would be spending close to $1900 more for a Bandit ABS, $700 for a TCP fairing and another $200 for a gear indicator made it a pretty easy decision to go for the GSX650F.

Like always, I began making adjustments to the bike from the start. I added risers for my comfort, changed the windscreen to a Double Bubble, Sylvania Silverstar headlights, flush-mount front turn signals, and a Streble horn as the initial changes. Next, I pinstriped the rims with red reflective tape. Seat comfort is obviously a huge issue, and went with the Holeshot/Corbin saddle with back rest.

I also really liked the look of the Corbin hard bags, even though the price was astronomical. Nothing against the Givi bags, but I just wanted something that looked like it was a part of the bike, not an aftermarket add-on. Given that I would have spent close to $3000 more if I went for a Bandit made it easier to go for Corbin. However, there were and still are issues with the Corbin bags, which I will detail in another thread. As you can see from the pictures, the paint is wrong and they are on their way back to Hollister to be corrected.

Gotta say, I couldn’t be happier with this bike. I knew from my M50 that Suzuki made a quality product. The Bandit line has been very strong, so I had no hesitation with going with a “new” product because it is pretty much a Bandit 650. The incredible research and support that Dale (Holeshot.com) put into the Bandit placed my mind at ease since almost all the parts are interchangeable between the bikes.

So for anyone looking for another option for an affordable upright bike that has a sporty appearance but has the comfort and reliability for touring, I would wholeheartedly recommend the GSX650F.