GSX1250 Replacement?

So the GSX1250 is 5 years old and has around 35k on the clock.  A great work horse but every now and then I get the urge to look at something to replace it with that is not too pricey.

Candidates that I have tried so far:

VStrom1000 ... fun, good brakes, good low & midrange and handles fairly well.

Kawasaki Ninja 1000 ...looks great on paper, doesn't have the low mid range torque of the bandit but has great brakes & handling. Tends to be a bit buzzy in the engine dept though.

Suzuki GSXS1000F... great engine, handling & brakes......... it just doesn't have a real pillion seat.  So far the top contender once they sort the fueling issues.very on or off on the throttle.

Any thoughts of other good candidates???

Yamaha mt10

no new ones to add but I have had a couple of rides on the new DL1000. It ticked all my boxes. The v twin isnt nearly a smooth as the bandit/FA but everything else is a step up in sophistication. Easily moddable and the prices are coming down. In NZ at least dealers are letting them out the door at $2k less than they were on launch.

I would have considered the GSX-S1000 or F as my next replacement but I can't see it as a tourer. Unless some company comes up with a suitable luggage arrangement for it. Being as there's not much of a rear to carry anything on I'm not going to hold my breath.

Just wait a little longer. The Bandit platform is ageing it will have a full redesign or replacement within the next 18 months I believe.
But just incase Mr Suzuki is listening the bandit report card...

for the 2017/18 Bandit

Engine  = bulletproof A
Engine management = needs help C
Suspension = fail F
Seat = fail F
Styling = start again please
Brakes = C - go the six pot calipers again with ABS
Instrumentation = epic fail start again

Why do I like this bike? Hmmmmmm

The current Bandit S looks almost identical to the 2006. So 10 years with very little $ spent on upgrades would indicate its replacement or redesign is due.

Ironman wrote:Just wait a little longer. The Bandit platform is ageing it will have a full redesign or replacement within the next 18 months I believe.
But just incase Mr Suzuki is listening the bandit report card...

for the 2017/18 Bandit

Engine  = bulletproof A
Engine management = needs help C
Suspension = fail F
Seat = fail F
Styling = start again please
Brakes = C - go the six pot calipers again with ABS
Instrumentation = epic fail start again

Why do I like this bike? Hmmmmmm

The current Bandit S looks almost identical to the 2006. So 10 years with very little $ spent on upgrades would indicate its replacement or redesign is due.

Engine = C Not enough power for 1250cc and thirsty for the output
Seat = Was fine for 1000km days for me
Styling = GSF looked good
Brakes = Up to the task if suspension was improved
Instrumentation = GSF was ok

People still fall over themselves to buy them so they're still building them at minimal cost.

I've said it before.  And I'll say it again.  Bang for your Buck.  There is probably not much that can match it.  Maybe a good GSX1400 or an FJR1300.

If Mr Suzuki ever decides to build a new Bandit he will have to start at the beginning.  That means a totally new Chassis.  Then you will have the makings of a great Sport/Tourer.  JM2CW.  FWIW. HYUC.

It makes for a good bar discussion that's for sure.  The soft-offroaders (a la Vstrom) definitely confuse the picture because Oz has so many dirt roads.  But if you never plan to ride on dirt (except when necessary) I don't see the point in buying one over a sports-tourer. I think 2WA hit it on the head - buy whichever machine puts the biggest smile on your dial.

The Bandit has always been a budget bike & good bang for buck .................if they stray too far from this platform , & go too up spec ( granted there" is" room for improvement ) they may find themselves competing in a whole different , higher priced market place & loose that section of the market they appeal to . There is a different bike to suit every rider out there , the only way to really tell what suits you is to ride them .

Off to test ride another GSXS1000F today...........    I suppose I can have 2 bikes, keep the Bandit & have something else for a bit more fun?  I think I will wait until the red/black colour lands in AU & they fix the snatchy throttle.

The problem is the Bandit does everything well but nothing brilliantly!  

jaba01 wrote:Off to test ride another GSXS1000F today...........    I suppose I can have 2 bikes, keep the Bandit & have something else for a bit more fun?  I think I will wait until the red/black colour lands in AU & they fix the snatchy throttle.

The problem is the Bandit does everything well but nothing brilliantly!  

They are high on my list when the time comes but you may find there isn't enough difference between the two to warrant owning both.
I had a well sorted FZ1S as well as a GSF1250S at the same time and the FZ was easily the better built and more fun but overall they did the same job for about the same cost. The FZ1 went and made room for a V Twin. A different bike

Jimcoleman wrote:Yamaha mt10

Looks good, now if they bring one out with a small fairing???

My advise...don`t buy a knew bike.

Get a 20 yr old oil banger, and learn to appreciate it.

I love my Gen1, better than my Gen2, that I chucked thousands on,
and all the other modern bikes I`ve test ridden.

It wouldn`t matter what bike I bought, budget, or extreme, I`d still chuck money at suspension.


Gen 1, simple, reliable.  Its a keeper, and a winner.

2wheelsagain wrote:

Ironman wrote:Just wait a little longer. The Bandit platform is ageing it will have a full redesign or replacement within the next 18 months I believe.
But just incase Mr Suzuki is listening the bandit report card...

for the 2017/18 Bandit

Engine  = bulletproof A
Engine management = needs help C
Suspension = fail F
Seat = fail F
Styling = start again please
Brakes = C - go the six pot calipers again with ABS
Instrumentation = epic fail start again

Why do I like this bike? Hmmmmmm

The current Bandit S looks almost identical to the 2006. So 10 years with very little $ spent on upgrades would indicate its replacement or redesign is due.

Engine = C Not enough power for 1250cc and thirsty for the output
Seat = Was fine for 1000km days for me
Styling = GSF looked good
Brakes = Up to the task if suspension was improved
Instrumentation = GSF was ok

People still fall over themselves to buy them so they're still building them at minimal cost.

I'm also going to give the engine an A. Engine is designed for a tourer, not a sports bike. Low down torque with more than adequate acceleration. Fuel economy is relative to how its ridden
Seat C, seat for me and quite a lot of riders only good for 400k. Not good enough for a tourer
Styling C, outdated on both the GSF and GSX. Though the GSX was better it is nothing more than a copy of the 650F
Brakes = what brakes? Give me some Brembos please
Instruments C, very dated on the pre 2012 GSF, GSX and later GSF models much better but could still be improved.
Suspension F, I didn't think the Bandit had suspension!
Overall finish F, panels mismatched and not aligned properly cheap tacky fittings, steel tubular frame.

But hey, still happy with mine for the money I paid. If they do make the improvements the Bandit ranges needs and the price goes up somewhat, I'd probably still consider it, but I'll be shopping around at equally priced bikes too.

There is one other thing too, if it wasn't for my GSX I wouldn't have found this forum and I wouldn't have met some great people.

I reckon that if you could graft a bandit style tail (one that has a decent pillion seat and options for panniers or top box) onto a new gsx1000F, you would be on a winner. 
It's got the horsepower, the instruments, the suspension just doesn't have anything worth writing about rearward of the pilot seat.


I will always have a soft spot for the oil boilers though.
One day you will see them adorn the pages of Old Bike Australasia

Removed by poster as not relevant to this thread!

Removed by poster as not relevant to this thread!

mtbeerwah wrote:My advise...don`t buy a knew bike.

Get a 20 yr old oil banger, and learn to appreciate it.

I love my Gen1, better than my Gen2, that I chucked thousands on,
and all the other modern bikes I`ve test ridden.

It wouldn`t matter what bike I bought, budget, or extreme, I`d still chuck money at suspension.


Gen 1, simple, reliable.  Its a keeper, and a winner.

im with MTB on this, dont understand why you all bought one in the first place, every bike will have its good and bad pionts, the bandit was built for a reason and a price, sure its seat and suspension arent great......so i changed them to suit myself, easy, every bike you buy you will have to alter upgrade something to suit your style of riding,had a 2003 1200 and wish i still had it great bike, my 2010 bandit is exactly what i want for what i do, 20 to 25,000ks out of a set of tyres. still have original sprockets and chain after 67000ks, same front pads only just changed rear,380ks out of a tank of fuel, do all my own servicing been to a dealer once for first free service, sure there are problems with the fuel pump/filter but so do the Busa and V Strom, a bit of servicing every 15000 ks fixes that as ive never experienced the pproblem if you dont like your bike sell it and get something that suits how you ride and where you ride, but you will allways find something you dont like about a particular bike

woah up talon, the context of the thread was more to say how the bandit should evolve.
if manufacturers never listen to its customers as to what they want, or what could be improved rather than the bean counters, you end up with something like an AU falcon.

if you know me, you would know that I am a die hard bandit nutter. never owned anything else except for a hyoflung as my first bike. now that was a bike that was made of cheese and paperclips.

The problem is, what demography do they listen to as to the evolution of the Bandit?

I don`t think I fit the contemporary view of a Bandit owner!!

I don`t like the way it has evolved from the Gen1, know as a hooligan machine.
So my simple wants and needs will be different to the middle aged modern owner.

I got into Bandits from looking at the streetfighter, and highly modifying point of view, many many years ago, that they were know for.
Not for putting gadgets all over it, and heated hand grips, and and and .......

They are a totally different bike now.

So...who does Suzuki listen to? They won`t listen to me!!

That it should have to evolve is only a commercial / marketing concern so far as I am concerned.  There always will be a market segment for a tourer / sports tourer and I regard the 2007 1250s that I have to be developed by the owner to be a real good platform for the owner to tailor either way.  

I know there are those who have spoken of in here, how they have improved the suspension, got plenty more out of the engine etc making it more sporty, better handling by  removing, replacing and "lightened" or otherwise tidied up what they didn't like

Others, myself included.  have gone the other way - added things rather than replaced, and worked on comfort and accessory level.  

I think the 1200 was an unsophisticated animal and could be made more so easily, or softened to suit someone's touring or more general needs. 

What's next for the Bandit?  Who can tell?  It's a pretty good open "platform" with some styling variations as it is. 

Suzuki will not want to put off the market segment by making it way different, BUT of course must be seen as doing something new every so often. It's a market share strategy.  That "something new" needs to do the same thing, so I'm guessing that styling could be it.  With long model runs such as the Bandit 1250 has had, they have probably "milked" the market for about as long as they can and will need to do "something"  It would be their interest to not vary from the concept too much. 

With this, I wonder whether there hasn't been some "topping out" of engine development.  The engine is a pearler.  In its standard form, it is not highly stressed.  It's a conventional, solid design with few flaws.  Where are they going to go with that?  

We do see where concepts go a little awry in their evolution.  The Thumper segment is a good example.  Thumpers such as the XT Yammie, DR Suzi and KLR are still there, while the companies have introduced More road orientated bikes with trail capability, and some of the variants are not better bikes at doing what they do. the DL1000 would be a good example. (and of course that is only my opinion) But all of the companies are producing large trail bikes, so ya gotta have one.   

My speculation is that in the long run, Suzuki will keep a "platform" model - probably called the Bandit, but will introduce a fully integrated touring version a-la VFR800/1200  That is my guess.  There is probably room for it.  

We have to remember that Australia is on a world scale only a small market, so what happens more reflects world trends.

Kawasaki Versys?
No matter what you want it will almost always come down to budget.
So long as you are happy, keep riding.

The 2012+ ZX14r will make a nice replacement or stable mate to the 1250 Bandit.  They posses very smooth engines.
They are only 25 lb. difference in stock form.  The ZX14r seat is longer and more room to slide around.
I added to my ZX14r 2" spacers under each handle bar, Zero Gravity Touring shield, lower foot pegs, Delkevic mufflers, 2015 Concours Touring Seat and the Givi Bag set.  Also, a throttle lock. 
I bought my 2007 1250 Bandit after the ZX.  I found the Bandit completely kitted with matching colored Givi saddle bags and Trunk, plus, a host of Dale Walker items installed. The big Ninja is still a much better balanced motorcycle.  Take a ride on one.

Something I've added for traveling is the original wind screen pasted to the Zero Gravity Touring shield; tested to 120 mph.  I used 3M Dual lock 250 pins per inch adhesive tape.  I can pop off the screen when I'm not touring.  With the screen in place it gives me a place to get out of the rain and Bugs.

Rode to Arkansas in October. 
When I take off all the luggage it feels lighter than the Bandit because most of the fuel is under the seat.
I'm 64 years old and been riding for 44 years.  The ZX14 guys think I'm nuts experimenting on my Ninja.  I like to tinker with my Bikes, like most of you.  I live in the wrong country.

The seat certainly looks more comfortable than the Bandit's. I don't think we get that blue one here in Oz  (or else I've just never seen one that color). My mate in Canberra has a pre-2012 one and it just rolled over 200,000kms on the odometer.