2007 Bandit 1250S - Reborn

[DredheadV2.0]

He's got a thread ongoing at Max Zook.  I've been trying not to read it since I don't have any money to get a new bike this decade, but still...

[mike goodwin]

He's got a thread ongoing at Max Zook.  I've been trying not to read it since I don't have any money to get a new bike this decade, but still...

I feel your pain and can easily understand your plight...Hence i own a 1992 model motorcycle after dumping my 2001 Bandit.

I wished someone would give me some answers on my headlight bulb questions.

[sprintamx]

No rush on the exhaust.  Just a consideration.  Scorpion claims no FI re-mapping required.  And, yes, I will gladly wait until someone else works out a good solution.

Only one light is on for the low beam; both lights stay on with the high beam.

I was looking at mounting accessory lights under the fairing--as the only possibility I can see at this point.  But for $400, I'll stay away from the Motolights.  Plus, they only offer bike-specific fork or caliper mounting.  PIAA ain't cheap either; with no specific mounting options.  On the other hand, Rallylights has some nicely priced possibilities.

Aaron

[JamesG]

I  have been looking at the fairing, but did not readily see an abvious place that I would be comfortable drilling any holes...

Hang 'em under the chin of the fairing in front of the forks? Under the corners of the radiator? Where theres a will...

Got to sit on a B1250 this afternoon. I donno if it was that I'd just spent an hour on my cushy YZF600R's seat, but the Bandit's felt rock hard and narrow.  Not what I was expecting at all...

[desert_rider]

Got to sit on a B1250 this afternoon. I donno if it was that I'd just spent an hour on my cushy YZF600R's seat, but the Bandit's felt rock hard and narrow.  Not what I was expecting at all...

+1   --   How is it that motorcycle companies can design great bikes but put crappy seats on them?

[JamesG]

Maybe they let the GSXR team design the Bandits seat?  

[Baz]

Until these things become more popular i would wait on the exhaust mod. because the computer will habve to be remapped.
I am sure Holeshot will come thru soon on this if he has not already.

Not knowing how the fairing goes together but it might be possible to mount one light directly at the bottom of the fairing below the headlight.
You might have to fabricate a bracket which would be a trip to the harware store.
Check out Moto Lites as well.

Hey on the headlight i have a questin.
Since it is a two bulb setup do both low beams shine at once??
If not then when you put the bike in high beam mode does both lights then stay on??

Mike:

The new Bandito has a stacked headlight system like the Busa. Low beam is one light, high beam the other. Both lights are only on when you have the high beams on.

[Spectreman]

http://www.arspowersports.com/

I was perusing an ad in the current issue of Cycle Trader (for Florida) and saw an ad for what I assume is this business' internet link (above). By my recollection, the ad listed the sales price of an 07 Suzuki Bandit 1250 as $6999!!!  If that's accurate, then that is one incredible price. The site sez they don't charge for freight or prep & often charge less than most dealerships pay for a bike! All I can say is WOW if it's true.

There are a couple of bike shops in central FLA, particularly around Lake Okeechobee for whatever reason, that advertise outrageous deals on bikes. Some of my friends down here in SoFla have made the drive and felt it was very much worth it. I don't know if they're for real but I must admit, the price on the Bandit certainly picqued my curiosity into sending them an e-mail just for curiosity's sake.  

I'm not looking for a Bandit but I'm betting there will be a lot of folks who want a utilitarian bike like that, especially since the ZRX is no longer being sold and the only alternatives are none too appetizing, at least not to me.
Lee

[mike goodwin]

I stopped over at a Suzuki dealer Saturday that had one.
I checked that headlight setup pretty good.
For the life of me i cannot fathom why Suzuki put a 55 watt high beam in that thing when practically EVERY vehicle on the street be it car or motorcycle usese a 60 watt high beam.
The lowly Katana 750 sitting next to it has strong dual H-4's with 55/60 watt bulbs that burn both in either low or high beam mode.
WTF is it with Suzuki always experimenting with the the Bandits lighting system???
The bike looked good but the wind protection is not as good as the second gen air cooled Bandit.
I am sure the after market companies will soon catch up there.
The bike will be a bit more complicated to work on  and that oil filter will be a tight squeeze to get out and put back in due to a lot of hoses around it.
I certainly would like to ride one in the near future.
However...I personally would wait awile before buying one to see what sort of flaws if any start showing up on internet boards.
If i had waited even six more months from the date i bought my second gen Bandit i would have never bought mine cause by then i would have known all was not well with the engines and lighting.
I truely hope they got this one right this time.

[Red01]

Well, this is the thrid year for that lighting system, so you only need to see if any bugs show up in the new engines.  

[mike goodwin]

Well, this is the thrid year for that lighting system, so you only need to see if any bugs show up in the new engines.  

Good to know.
And truthfully since they have been making liquid cooled engines for quite some time now hopefully again all will be well.
Anyone got the alternator output specs on the new bike??

[DredheadV2.0]

Good to know.
And truthfully since they have been making liquid cooled engines for quite some time now hopefully again all will be well.
Anyone got the alternator output specs on the new bike??

Oooh, very important point.  Must be able to run vest, gloves, grips, GPS, XM, RADAR detector and 12V portable espresso machine from the overhead in the charging system.

[Baz]

Ok, ok . . . I;ll blow the dust off the camera and get some pics this week!  I may even throw a little polish on before the flash.  The side case racks are on backorder until July, and the MRA screen will ship "any day."  So, I'll be able to show stock + the SW Motech top case mounting plate and GIVI V46.  I also have the Motech tank lock mount installed for my small daypack.

The turn signal "re-wiring" suggestion got me thinking . . .  I have been mulling the idea of accessory lights as a safety precaution.  I do think that the stock lighting is quite good, but more light is always better, right!  A problem is that there are few mounting options.  I could be wrong, but I do not think there is enough space on the forks to mount the lights, and I am not interested in any caliper mount system should one become available.  I  have been looking at the fairing, but did not readily see an abvious place that I would be comfortable drilling any holes, though that is a possibility.  However, if you can re-wire the indicator lights into turn signals, then could you not replace the stock turn signals with accessory/fog lights?  Hmmm . . .

And, a question about exhaust.  A few companies have started to release slip-ons for the 1250.  I have seen models by Two Brothers, Scorpion and Yoshimura.  I am considering this because it may be useful to mount a somewhat smaller can than the OEM (that thing is huge!).  But, and this is purely subjective, the bike is literally silent.  The stock can works so well there is no exhaust note, period.  At this point, I am not seeking any power increase, though that will result to some extent, and I am not looking for a loud pipe.  So, does anyone have any experience with products from the three companies I mentioned?  And, if so, is it good, bad, indifferent?  Are any of their pipe too loud?  Etc.

Thanks guys,

Aaron

Hi Aaron:

I had a Yoshi TRS on my 2002 Bandit. I went with a Yoshi as they and Holeshot were the only people who replaced the midpipe on the K-2 Bandit. My TRS was the race version and I guess I must be getting old, as I was getting tired of the noise (any aftermarket pipe would have done this), especially on long highway trips.

The people I rode with loved the sound of my bike though. To tell you the truth the sound difference of aftermarket pipes on the K-2 bandit I found was really marginable. The only real difference was volume.

Aftermarket pipes attract the wrong attention most of the time. Whenever I jumped on the throttle of the old Bandit, every cop in every donut shop for miles around would perk right up.

I now have an FJR and will keep the pipes stock on it. I love the quiet. There is nothing that ticks me off more that to hear a cruiser with straight pipes on it rattle the fillings out of my teeth, so with this bike I am going to be the example of a good neighbor.

Your new Bandit has a catalytic converter in the pipe, (thus the increased size) I am not sure how much HP you would gain on the new Bandit with a pipe. (The gain on the old Bandit was huge) I would wait and see what the tuners like Holeshot can do with the new bandit before purchasing a pipe.

I know with the FJR, new exhaust only gets you about 8 hp tops (with a power commander) and the package will cost me over $1200. Needless to say, I will throw the money to better things.

[FJRmgm]

the new Bandit sure got a great review in the latest Motorcyclist mag..

[denydog]

the new Bandit sure got a great review in the latest Motorcyclist mag..

I saw that article in May's Motorcyclist.

July's Rider magazine has an even better article, and features the Bandit 1250 as its cover photo.

[RowdyRed94]

They're still comparing it to an FZ1, though. That's not really apples-to-apples.

[denydog]

They're still comparing it to an FZ1, though. That's not really apples-to-apples.

Ya, I Just received the latest issue of Cycle World, and saw the head to head report with the FZ1.  The conclusion seemed to be that some people would prefer the sharper edged performance and handling of the FZ, and others might prefer the all around comfort, real world performance, and  smoothness of the Bandit.

I took special notice of the dragstrip performance comparison, as high lighting the difference in design between the bikes.  The FZ1 was about a half second quicker and 13 mph faster in the 1/4, but required plenty of revving and clutch slipping, were as with the Bandit, they just had to pretty much let the clutch out and the torque did the rest.

(BTW- The dragstrip numbers with the 1250 Bandit were just a fraction better than what the magazines reported on my bike 25 years ago.  Must be the the pollution controls on the new bikes.   )

[Jetpilot5]

The July issue of Sport Rider magazine has a test between the Bandit 1250S and the BMW K1200R Sport.  The Bandit did very well in the comparison.

[Red01]

(BTW- The dragstrip numbers with the 1250 Bandit were just a fraction better than what the magazines reported on my bike 25 years ago.  Must be the the pollution controls on the new bikes.   )

Remember, 25 years ago your EZ was one of the quickest & fastest production bikes made.
Today, that honor goes to bikes in a completely different class than the Bandit or FZ1.

[Squiggy]

Dale's dynos on the 1250. stock and modified.