New 1250 Bandit Owner's Impressions - both Negative & Positive

[waz]

I bought a '01 Bandit 1200S NOS in 2003 and managed to put 24k miles on it despite having 2 young kids at home.  I loved the bike for the most part, but I was looking for something smoother with a 6 speed tranny.  

Well, a new 1250 followed me home earlier this month, but it's been rainy, cold, and I've been working long hours, so I haven't ridden it much yet (like 50 miles ) but after tinkering with, and (briefly) riding the bike, I've noticed a couple of things that bother me about my new purchase:

1) when I turn the key on, the speedometer looks like it flashes "CSF", instead of "GSF".  I thought it was defective, but apparently they all do that.  C'mon Suzuki - make a "G" look like a "G".

2) it took me about an hour to figure out how to attach the strap that goes under the seat for my Cortech mini tank bag.  

My '01 1200 has a convenient bar right where the gas tank rear bolts are, but the 1250 has nothing in that general area
to run a strap around.  Bupkas.  Nada.  Zilch.  I finally had to lift the rear of the gas tank and run the strap around the "L" shaped frame-member that the tank bolts to.  What a PITA.  The problem with this is that the strap is now in front of the tunnel that the seat tab slides into.  I made it work, but it's far from an elegant solution.

Yeah, I know...I could just buy a magnetic tank bag, but I already had the strap-on on the old Bandit, and I hate the idea of those little dirt particles grinding into the tank paint under the magnets.  Plus, I'm too cheap a bastidge to spring for a new one.

3) Where the hell are the second pair of seat attachment spindles (or whatever you call them)???   The 1200 has 4    
 "Frankenstein's neck" bolts, which worked great for my Cortech tailbag's bungees, but the 1250 has only 2 in the back.  WTF?

I always ride with a tailbag to carry extra clothes, gloves, tools, water, etc., but I don't know how I'm gonna do that on the new one.  Once again, I could get a new tailbag, but what was Suzuki thinking by putting only 2 bungee attachments back there?

4) You can have the digital speedo...give me back the 1200's analog unit!  Whenever I glance at the tach, my eyes are drawn by the movement of the digits in the speedo display - I find it distracting.  A classic case of "if it's not broken, don't fix it."

5) The bike is very smooth at a steady speed, but its got a pronounced vibration when accelerating from a stop or a roll on.  It almost feels Harley-like; very agricultural in nature.  I'm thinking the dealer-prep mechanic adjusted the chain too tight - I'm going to loosen it and see what happens.

6) The clutch makes a racket when idling in neutral. As soon as the clutch is pulled in it disappears.  What's up with that?  Does anybody else's do that?

7) I've got the oft-discussed sloppy throttle - both in play and side to side.  It's stupid of Suzuki to build such a nice machine with this kind of defect.

Okay, the positives of this new bike are too numerous to mention...but I'll mention a few of my favorites anyway:

1) The choke-less fuel-injected starts when it's 30 degrees are sweet!  Fires right up and idles smoothly.

2) OMG... the torque! Nuff said.

3) The headlight unit is 500% better than the 1200's - better design & way more light.

4) The Renn-tech tail rack I bought just a few months ago for the 1200 fits on the 1250 - No modifications, filing, welding, or blasting needed!  

5) The brakes just feel stronger than the 1200 - both the front and especially the rear.

6) The fuel injection map is spot-on - no surge, hesitation or other annoyances.  Good job Suzuki!

7) The battery is easily accessible under the seat. There's no screwed-on storage tray to get in the way like on the 1200.


Okay, this probably reads more anal retentive than I really am, and I realize that these picayune negatives are a small price to pay for such a sweet ride.

Your thoughts?
 
 
 

[spinalator]

Good write up, thanks Mr anal.  

[JoBu]

4) You can have the digital speedo...give me back the 1200's analog unit!  Whenever I glance at the tach, my eyes are drawn by the movement of the digits in the speedo display - I find it distracting.  A classic case of "if it's not broken, don't fix it."

5) The bike is very smooth at a steady speed, but its got a pronounced vibration when accelerating from a stop or a roll on.  It almost feels Harley-like; very agricultural in nature.  I'm thinking the dealer-prep mechanic adjusted the chain too tight - I'm going to loosen it and see what happens.

6) The clutch makes a racket when idling in neutral. As soon as the clutch is pulled in it disappears.  What's up with that?  Does anybody else's do that?

7) I've got the oft-discussed sloppy throttle - both in play and side to side.  It's stupid of Suzuki to build such a nice machine with this kind of defect.

Ok...I don't have a Bandit, but I thought I'd respond to a few of your concerns nonetheless.

#4 - Give it time.  I wasn't thrilled with the digital speedo when I bought my R1.  It not only grew on me, but I prefer it now.  I think, over time, it will become less of a distraction for you.  Plus, it makes it easier to tell the LEO how fast you were going when he/she asks you after pulling you over.  

#5 - Definitely address this, and soon.  There should be a little pic in your owner's manual depicting how much slack should be in the chain.  Either check it out/adjust it yourself, or take it back to the dealer and have them show you that it is, indeed, in correct adjustment.

#6 - Ride a Ducati (dry clutch) a few times.  Yours will probably seem quiet (or nonexistent) after that.  Honestly, I'd have that checked out.  It doesn't seem normal to me.  

#7 - Although I'll claim ignorance on this topic since I do not own one, I'd still have this checked out.  Your throttle cable may simply be out of adjustment.  

I'm sure there is a Bandit Forum out there somewhere.  Start posting questions and doing searches over there as well.  I'm sure you'll find a wealth of useful information there.

Best of luck and good job with your contrast/compare of your Bandits.

Cheers,

Joe

[waz]

Good write up, thanks Mr anal.  

Thanks for that crack.  I can tell you're a cheeky kind of guy.

But I prefer "Mr. Sphincter".

You know, I had a couple of bikes before the Bandit, but I rect 'um.

[stefrrr]

The throttle on the Bandit is a little weird. You can tighten it up for no give, but it'll still kind of slide side to side.  

Our Bandit doesn't make much noise when idling in neutral. I'd get that checked out.

As far as vibration - what rpms are you talking?

[DredheadV2.0]

Thanks for that crack.  I can tell you're a cheeky kind of guy.

But I prefer "Mr. Sphincter".

You know, I had a couple of bikes before the Bandit, but I rect 'um.

 

[wsgts]

Thought I would throw in my two cents

1) Dude, really...  Now I am going to be looking on mine every time I turn the key on.

4) I believe I heard that this had something to do with European standards, like there is more tax on a speedo that can goto 160 mph or something.

5) No vibration at all on mine, just hard to keep the front wheel on the ground with all that torque

6) Yeah, my clutch is a noisy bastard.  

7) My throttle has not been sloppy, but then again, I'm a sloppy guy, so we may fit well.

[waz]

As far as vibration - what rpms are you talking?

Any RPM, really.  It does it when I'm accellerating from a dead stop or rolling on the throttle while cruising.  Any time I give it a hit of go-juice.

I've loosened the chain but haven't had the opportunity to ride since doing so (work keeps getting in the way of my life - it sux).  I'll keep y'all posted.

[EZAS]

I don't know about the Bandit but on my last two bikes a throttle body (Warrior) or carb sync (FZ1) really cut down on vibration.

[Ken]

1) when I turn the key on, the speedometer looks like it flashes "CSF", instead of "GSF".  I thought it was defective, but apparently they all do that.  C'mon Suzuki - make a "G" look like a "G".

2) it took me about an hour to figure out how to attach the strap that goes under the seat for my Cortech mini tank bag.  

3) Where the hell are the second pair of seat attachment spindles (or whatever you call them)???   The 1200 has 4    
 "Frankenstein's neck" bolts, which worked great for my Cortech tailbag's bungees, but the 1250 has only 2 in the back.  WTF?

4) You can have the digital speedo...give me back the 1200's analog unit!  Whenever I glance at the tach, my eyes are drawn by the movement of the digits in the speedo display - I find it distracting.  A classic case of "if it's not broken, don't fix it."

5) The bike is very smooth at a steady speed, but its got a pronounced vibration when accelerating from a stop or a roll on.  It almost feels Harley-like; very agricultural in nature.  I'm thinking the dealer-prep mechanic adjusted the chain too tight - I'm going to loosen it and see what happens.

6) The clutch makes a racket when idling in neutral. As soon as the clutch is pulled in it disappears.  What's up with that?  Does anybody else's do that?

7) I've got the oft-discussed sloppy throttle - both in play and side to side.  It's stupid of Suzuki to build such a nice machine with this kind of defect.

Okay, the positives of this new bike are too numerous to mention...but I'll mention a few of my favorites anyway:

1) The choke-less fuel-injected starts when it's 30 degrees are sweet!  Fires right up and idles smoothly.

2) OMG... the torque! Nuff said.

3) The headlight unit is 500% better than the 1200's - better design & way more light.

4) The Renn-tech tail rack I bought just a few months ago for the 1200 fits on the 1250 - No modifications, filing, welding, or blasting needed!  

5) The brakes just feel stronger than the 1200 - both the front and especially the rear.

6) The fuel injection map is spot-on - no surge, hesitation or other annoyances.  Good job Suzuki!

7) The battery is easily accessible under the seat. There's no screwed-on storage tray to get in the way like on the 1200.

1. Never noticed that before but digital letters are odd anyway...
2. I'm seriously considering a Bags-Connect tank bag that locks to the fuel cap
3. More frankenbolts would be nice
4. I prefer analog display as well but no big complaint with the digital - less moving parts
5. No vibration here - its smoothness and torque are what I love most about this bike
6. The clutch is a bit noisy but it seems to be a design characteristic of most Suzukis
7. Suzuki could certainly build a throttle tube with less slop. I'm starting to believe they did this intentionally to avoid any snatch problems and complaints. The new Hondas are nearly as bad. It seems like a deliberate design by the manufacturers.

Agree with all your positives -- the torque, handling characteristics, weight, comfort, ability to quickly make it a very capable tourer, the MPG, and the price make it an amazing bang for the buck. Oh, and the $179/year for full insurance coverage is nice too!

[waz]

Well I rode the 1250 about 30 miles yesterday to get an inspection sticker and since I loosened the chain the vibration upon acceleration is just about gone.  I also used kerosene to clean off the sticky, white chain-wax stuff that was on the chain.  I don't know if that was applied by the factory or by the dealer, but it was very sticky to the touch, so  thought it might be contributing to the problem.  It's nice that the bike let me know if the chain is adjusted incorrectly.

Ken - what insurance company gave you that kind of a screaming deal on full coverage insurance?  I'm paying $550 per year in semi-rural NC!

[Ken]

Well I rode the 1250 about 30 miles yesterday to get an inspection sticker and since I loosened the chain the vibration upon acceleration is just about gone.  I also used kerosene to clean off the sticky, white chain-wax stuff that was on the chain.  I don't know if that was applied by the factory or by the dealer, but it was very sticky to the touch, so  thought it might be contributing to the problem.  It's nice that the bike let me know if the chain is adjusted incorrectly.

Ken - what insurance company gave you that kind of a screaming deal on full coverage insurance?  I'm paying $550 per year in semi-rural NC!

Allstate insures me with comp, liability, collision, 100/300, $200 accessory coverage, and a $500 deductible for $179/year. Age 42, clean license, and a small discount for taking the MSF ERC last year.

That wax crap was a PITA. I had it all over the rear wheel, chain guard, and frame. Took some elbow grease to get it all off.

[X Harley Guy]

1) when I turn the key on, the speedometer looks like it flashes "CSF", instead of "GSF".  I thought it was defective, but apparently they all do that.  C'mon Suzuki - make a "G" look like a "G".

2) it took me about an hour to figure out how to attach the strap that goes under the seat for my Cortech mini tank bag.  

My '01 1200 has a convenient bar right where the gas tank rear bolts are, but the 1250 has nothing in that general area
to run a strap around.  Bupkas.  Nada.  Zilch.  I finally had to lift the rear of the gas tank and run the strap around the "L" shaped frame-member that the tank bolts to.  What a PITA.  The problem with this is that the strap is now in front of the tunnel that the seat tab slides into.  I made it work, but it's far from an elegant solution.

Yeah, I know...I could just buy a magnetic tank bag, but I already had the strap-on on the old Bandit, and I hate the idea of those little dirt particles grinding into the tank paint under the magnets.  Plus, I'm too cheap a bastidge to spring for a new one.

3) Where the hell are the second pair of seat attachment spindles (or whatever you call them)???   The 1200 has 4    
 "Frankenstein's neck" bolts, which worked great for my Cortech tailbag's bungees, but the 1250 has only 2 in the back.  WTF?

I always ride with a tailbag to carry extra clothes, gloves, tools, water, etc., but I don't know how I'm gonna do that on the new one.  Once again, I could get a new tailbag, but what was Suzuki thinking by putting only 2 bungee attachments back there?

4) You can have the digital speedo...give me back the 1200's analog unit!  Whenever I glance at the tach, my eyes are drawn by the movement of the digits in the speedo display - I find it distracting.  A classic case of "if it's not broken, don't fix it."

5) The bike is very smooth at a steady speed, but its got a pronounced vibration when accelerating from a stop or a roll on.  It almost feels Harley-like; very agricultural in nature.  I'm thinking the dealer-prep mechanic adjusted the chain too tight - I'm going to loosen it and see what happens.

6) The clutch makes a racket when idling in neutral. As soon as the clutch is pulled in it disappears.  What's up with that?  Does anybody else's do that?

7) I've got the oft-discussed sloppy throttle - both in play and side to side.  It's stupid of Suzuki to build such a nice machine with this kind of defect.

Okay, the positives of this new bike are too numerous to mention...but I'll mention a few of my favorites anyway:

1) The choke-less fuel-injected starts when it's 30 degrees are sweet!  Fires right up and idles smoothly.

2) OMG... the torque! Nuff said.

3) The headlight unit is 500% better than the 1200's - better design & way more light.

4) The Renn-tech tail rack I bought just a few months ago for the 1200 fits on the 1250 - No modifications, filing, welding, or blasting needed!  

5) The brakes just feel stronger than the 1200 - both the front and especially the rear.

6) The fuel injection map is spot-on - no surge, hesitation or other annoyances.  Good job Suzuki!

7) The battery is easily accessible under the seat. There's no screwed-on storage tray to get in the way like on the 1200.


Okay, this probably reads more anal retentive than I really am, and I realize that these picayune negatives are a small price to pay for such a sweet ride.

Your thoughts?
 
 
 1. Yeah, they all do that. After a month I no longer notice...

 2. Currently shopping for a tank bag...I'll keep that in mind!
 
 3. Mine has the Givi/Suzuki hard bags set....don't need no stinkin' frankenbolts.

 4. After years on a HD, I love the gauge set.

 5. Well is does buzz a LITTLE, but trust me, it is NOWHERE near a like HD.

 6. Yeah it rattles, a LITTLE, but near silent compared to a Ducati.

 7. Yeah it is,  most of it can be adjusted out.

Positives for me...I could not be happier with the purchase!  I love virtually everything (ok the front suspension has too much dive and the seat is a bit hard)
about this bike. Even my wife likes it.  The near flat torque curve from 3700-7800 is just TOO much fun.
XHG
   

[sprintamx]

FWIW, I've been told by two Suzuki dealers for two (different) 1250s that the throttle "slop" is a specific design element to alleviate throttle "snatch" problems as Ken suggested.  They also claimed that the same side-by-side throttle grip is to be found on GSXRs, etc.  I have never personally compared.  Throttle "play" I understand, but the side-by-side "slop" is annoying, until you get used to it.  Take up as much cable slack as you are comfortably with for your riding style/throttle control, and then live with slip.  That is unless you want to install a different throttle . . .

[Oilhed]

So what is the fuel tank size and expected mileage or range on the 1250?  Anyone seen the fully faired version in the USofA?  My dealer has never even had one on the floor.  I think the naked version might be very tempting.

[Mr.Black]

I want the belt drive kit. But $2000.00?????

[Zerosum]

I bought a '01 Bandit 1200S NOS in 2003 and managed to put 24k miles on it despite having 2 young kids at home.  I loved the bike for the most part, but I was looking for something smoother with a 6 speed tranny.  

Well, a new 1250 followed me home earlier this month, but it's been rainy, cold, and I've been working long hours, so I haven't ridden it much yet (like 50 miles ) but after tinkering with, and (briefly) riding the bike, I've noticed a couple of things that bother me about my new purchase:

1) when I turn the key on, the speedometer looks like it flashes "CSF", instead of "GSF".  I thought it was defective, but apparently they all do that.  C'mon Suzuki - make a "G" look like a "G".

2) it took me about an hour to figure out how to attach the strap that goes under the seat for my Cortech mini tank bag.  

My '01 1200 has a convenient bar right where the gas tank rear bolts are, but the 1250 has nothing in that general area
to run a strap around.  Bupkas.  Nada.  Zilch.  I finally had to lift the rear of the gas tank and run the strap around the "L" shaped frame-member that the tank bolts to.  What a PITA.  The problem with this is that the strap is now in front of the tunnel that the seat tab slides into.  I made it work, but it's far from an elegant solution.

Yeah, I know...I could just buy a magnetic tank bag, but I already had the strap-on on the old Bandit, and I hate the idea of those little dirt particles grinding into the tank paint under the magnets.  Plus, I'm too cheap a bastidge to spring for a new one.

3) Where the hell are the second pair of seat attachment spindles (or whatever you call them)???   The 1200 has 4    
 "Frankenstein's neck" bolts, which worked great for my Cortech tailbag's bungees, but the 1250 has only 2 in the back.  WTF?

I always ride with a tailbag to carry extra clothes, gloves, tools, water, etc., but I don't know how I'm gonna do that on the new one.  Once again, I could get a new tailbag, but what was Suzuki thinking by putting only 2 bungee attachments back there?

4) You can have the digital speedo...give me back the 1200's analog unit!  Whenever I glance at the tach, my eyes are drawn by the movement of the digits in the speedo display - I find it distracting.  A classic case of "if it's not broken, don't fix it."

5) The bike is very smooth at a steady speed, but its got a pronounced vibration when accelerating from a stop or a roll on.  It almost feels Harley-like; very agricultural in nature.  I'm thinking the dealer-prep mechanic adjusted the chain too tight - I'm going to loosen it and see what happens.

6) The clutch makes a racket when idling in neutral. As soon as the clutch is pulled in it disappears.  What's up with that?  Does anybody else's do that?

7) I've got the oft-discussed sloppy throttle - both in play and side to side.  It's stupid of Suzuki to build such a nice machine with this kind of defect.

Okay, the positives of this new bike are too numerous to mention...but I'll mention a few of my favorites anyway:

1) The choke-less fuel-injected starts when it's 30 degrees are sweet!  Fires right up and idles smoothly.

2) OMG... the torque! Nuff said.

3) The headlight unit is 500% better than the 1200's - better design & way more light.

4) The Renn-tech tail rack I bought just a few months ago for the 1200 fits on the 1250 - No modifications, filing, welding, or blasting needed!  

5) The brakes just feel stronger than the 1200 - both the front and especially the rear.

6) The fuel injection map is spot-on - no surge, hesitation or other annoyances.  Good job Suzuki!

7) The battery is easily accessible under the seat. There's no screwed-on storage tray to get in the way like on the 1200.


Okay, this probably reads more anal retentive than I really am, and I realize that these picayune negatives are a small price to pay for such a sweet ride.

Your thoughts?
 

Waaah!  I bought a budget-bike and got budget-bike build quality!  Waaah!    It's like me complaining that my V-Strom isn't a Ducati Multistrada or a Triumph Tiger.

Kidding aside, your compaints about smoothness are probably due to the bike being new.  I bought my V-Strom brand-new and it ran noticably rough for the frist 5,000 miles - so rough that I was afraid I had bought a lemon.  Then, suddenly, it smoothed out and started getting 10% better mileage.  It also quieted way down, the engine made quite a bit of racket before that 5K mark.  Also,  I test-rode a 1250 last summer that had 8,000 miles on it - it was very smooth.

Re: throttle, I think the V-Strom has the same throttle assembly as the Bandit, and my throttle is wiggly to.  I got used to it.  Suzuki builds bikes to hit a price point, and it was a leftover to boot, so I really can't complain.  

[chornbe]

I want the belt drive kit. But $2000.00?????

There have been (back when I had my Magna and was considering it) repeated reports of one certain company's belt drive conversions exploding in dramatic fashion on certain higher-torque machines.  

[Mr.Black]

There have been (back when I had my Magna and was considering it) repeated reports of one certain company's belt drive conversions exploding in dramatic fashion on certain higher-torque machines.  

Ive only seen one manufacturer. It's in yerup.

[chornbe]

Did ScooterWorks stop making the belt drive conversions?