Bandit 1200. Good first bike?

[Kodatech]

Originally Posted by RowdyRed94

Well, since a Bandit is a GSF650...

yeah but the picture is not a GSF650F

....Its a GSX650F

[themeatmanlandry]

Originally Posted by Kodatech

yeah but the picture is not a GSF650F

....Its a GSX650F

Yeah, I meant to type GSX650F. Having owned a GSF600S for five years, I must have subconsciously typed it incorrectly.

[Clint]

Oops. Of course, the GSX moniker carries over from the Katana. It's kind of a crossbreed with liquid cooling.

[Kodatech]

Dont you think the frame and tank look alot like the bandit?...if it is a knock-off of the bandit, it should ride well.

[womper]

i've never looked into the bikes all listed as far as spec goes, but i really like the naked look of the SV650s

Suzuki® Sportbike SV650S

looks like a nake with a windshield. if i were to buy a sport/standard i'd go with that on looks alone

[omegajim]

there's something to be said for the no fiberglass sv650. Like it's easier to change the oil.

[Merlin2000]

The first bike I bought was the M50. The only other bike I road was the Ninja 250 during the MSF course.

I don't think I could have picked out a better bike for what I was looking for. I wanted a relaxed ride (cruiser) with a slick sporty look. The M50 is exactly that. It has quite a bit of power, enough to get you going, but not overkill.

I plan on keeping this bike for a couple years and then looking into something like the VSRCDX Night Rod (watch it take off)

[ajg72]

I didnt read every every last post in this thread but am I the only one that thinks only a scumbag for a friend woiuld sell a new rider this bike. with friends like this who needs enemies.

[womper]

Originally Posted by ajg72

I didnt read every every last post in this thread but am I the only one that thinks only a scumbag for a friend woiuld sell a new rider this bike. with friends like this who needs enemies.

perhaps... if time2ride was a 18 year old squid looking for a really fast ride... then i'd agree with you.

from the sounds of time2ride's post, it looks like he's put a lot of thought in this and has the right attitude and maturity to be able to see the risks involved and able to accept them...

sure, it might be too much bike for him... and maybe he's a natural rocket racer... time will tell

[Blade]

Hey Time2Ride,

Here is my take. Any bike you get has the potential to get you hurt or even worse killed. It all comes down to a few smiple things. One and very important, take a good riding course to learn the basics. But remember just learning the basics will not make you a rider, it is to get you started and to help you get some what comforable with all the controls and what to do is some simple situations.

Second, make sure to get all the proper gear and wear it when you ride.

Third and most important, respect the right hand. It does not matter what bike you buy to ride, as long as you respect the right hand. Also stay with in your riding limits. For example, if you buy the Bandit 1200, you know it makes a lot of power so you also know that a hard twist of the throttle will put you into warp drive. But to easily twist the throttle will usually help give you the control you need.

What I have read in this post as to advice to you is correct for most riders, but I disagree as long as a person will use their self control.

I have a friend that never rode before and bought a brand new R1 as his first bike, this is much more of a bike than the Bandit you are thinking of getting. I could not talk him out of it, but I begged him to take the MSF course and to buy the proper gear. Well he did get most of the gear and did take the MSF course. Then he also did the one thing that I begged most of all, rode only with in his limits and took it slow. Well he has been riding now for four years with only two accidents. The first one was he forgot to put his feet down at a stop sign (any newby rider can do this), he had only been riding about three days and the second accident was he was hit from behind in a round about. This could have even happened to and experienced rider.

So it really does not matter what bike you buy to ride as your first bike as long as you use your self control, take the safety courses, ride with friends who are willing to help you learn and most of all respect the right hand and ride with in your limits. Then practice, practice and practice.

Good luck with your decision

[Suzkuz]

Originally Posted by Blade

Hey Time2Ride,

Here is my take. Any bike you get has the potential to get you hurt or even worse killed. It all comes down to a few smiple things. One and very important, take a good riding course to learn the basics. But remember just learning the basics will not make you a rider, it is to get you started and to help you get some what comforable with all the controls and what to do is some simple situations.

Second, make sure to get all the proper gear and wear it when you ride.

Third and most important, respect the right hand. It does not matter what bike you buy to ride, as long as you respect the right hand. Also stay with in your riding limits. For example, if you buy the Bandit 1200, you know it makes a lot of power so you also know that a hard twist of the throttle will put you into warp drive. But to easily twist the throttle will usually help give you the control you need.

What I have read in this post as to advice to you is correct for most riders, but I disagree as long as a person will use their self control.

I have a friend that never rode before and bought a brand new R1 as his first bike, this is much more of a bike than the Bandit you are thinking of getting. I could not talk him out of it, but I begged him to take the MSF course and to buy the proper gear. Well he did get most of the gear and did take the MSF course. Then he also did the one thing that I begged most of all, rode only with in his limits and took it slow. Well he has been riding now for four years with only two accidents. The first one was he forgot to put his feet down at a stop sign (any newby rider can do this), he had only been riding about three days and the second accident was he was hit from behind in a round about. This could have even happened to and experienced rider.

So it really does not matter what bike you buy to ride as your first bike as long as you use your self control, take the safety courses, ride with friends who are willing to help you learn and most of all respect the right hand and ride with in your limits. Then practice, practice and practice.

Good luck with your decision

Don't listen to him.
Don't get the Bandit 1200.

Like others mentioned, it is too easy to go to fast on it, too easy to flip yourself backwards on.

I would say go for a 500, even with a mid size engine like that you will still get more then enough of a rush.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by Blade

What I have read in this post as to advice to you is correct for most riders, but I disagree as long as a person will use their self control.

As usual, excellent information.......but with all due respect, you should have stopped after "correct for most riders".

It is often not a matter of "self control" although that can help a lot.

What would be a small mistake that is easily correctable on a small bike all too often becomes a crash on a heavier, more powerful bike (in the hands of a beginner).

You can but, if, however and whatever all day long but that doesn't change the simple fact that a newbie is more likely to get into trouble on a bigger, more powerful bike.

[omegajim]

What would be a small mistake that is easily correctable on a small bike all too often becomes a crash on a heavier, more powerful bike (in the hands of a beginner).

In spades.

Part of the reason I don't plan to go to anything much bigger or faster.

Getting a Goldwing or a Yamaha FJ1200 may be fine, but you will also notice on shorter trips, these bikes can be a pain. Such as around parking lots, heavy city traffic, and yes, on the road where all of a sudden out of nowhere, the ROAD SUDDENLY TURNS, and sharp!

Lastly, a Bandit 1200 (or that size) makes it too easy to go from the frying pan into the fire. You start thinking you can race away from any accident, but often as not, you may be racing into an even worse accident.

[allan4169]

I have a 2001 1200 Bandit that I just love. I do a lot of riding on the Angeles Crest Highway on the weekends and the Bandit just shines up there. The frame is not a Gixxer frame so you can't push it but, the motor is fantastic. It is very torquey even as low as 3k rpm and I can do a lot of the hills in 4th or 5th gear. You don't have to keep it revving in its power band as it has a pretty flat torque curve. You can keep it docile like a 600 but give it a twist and you know you have a 1200. It has a good riding position that is confortable for me and my girl friend is tucked in behind me and not sitting high and out by herself if she was on a crutch rocket. Put on a set of saddle bags and you can travel around the country. Fuel economy around 40 mpg is pretty good as I use it for my daily driver. The fairing is more usefull than on some of the other liter bikes. Just because it has a big motor dosen't make it dangerous. Ride it using restraint on that right wrist and you will have a lot of fun on a great bike. How you ride your bike shows your maturity, but a 1200 Bandit is too much for a novice rider.

[omegajim]

I can still remember reading about the Bandit when it was fairly new and this comment pretty well sums up the article........

"Why all the gears, it has enough torque that 3 gears, low, med, and high would be enough to get around."

I was also amused when I test drove a gsxr 750. Below 6 k, modest, even docile acceleration, that nearly anybody could handle. Much past 6 k, though, and watch out.

[Anville]

Apart from having a 500 for 2 months, and a 50cc scooter for 2 years after that, the 1200 bandit was my first bike.

Now, one reason why Im probabaly still breahting after 1500 miles is I probabaly have not taken it past 5k. This makes a difference.

[Clint]

The B12 makes over 70 lbs-ft at 4k. You've been lucky to not have found yourself in a traction-deficient situation.

[Anville]

Originally Posted by RowdyRed94

The B12 makes over 70 lbs-ft at 4k. You've been lucky to not have found yourself in a traction-deficient situation.

I never hit 4k on the streets, only when Im getting on the freeway.

Being scared of the bike helps you to control it. But I will also, yet again, not reccomend this bike for beginners. While it is light (400lbs I think?) and manuverable, it can still get you into trouble FAST. If I got approved credit, I would have definitly bought a new ninja 500.

[omegajim]

If I got approved credit, I would have definitly bought a new ninja 500.

smarter than I thought.

There were comments made that the "Bandit does not us the gsxr frame."

So there is more flex in the frame? Longer wheelbase? Softer shocks? Basically a sport - touring bike?

[Clint]

No noticeable flex, but a heavier steel frame. Longer wheelbase, more rake, less suspension adjustment. It's a standard, but it can be made to be what you want.