Pair system /

First topic message reminder :

If i've blocked the pair hose at the joint as most people do. Why do i still have the hose in place .If i was to block the hose further forward at the
start, and at the other end of it ,couldnt i remove the rest of the hose in the middle ?And no i'm not interested in buying anything,

My gearbox has to be one of the smoothest out there. If you have ever ridden a Kawasaki you'll know what notchy boxes are like. I ran mineral oil until 12000kms and then switched to Belray semi synthetic and it has been perfect.

Are you sure your gear lever is set at the right height for you as it sounds like you may not be lifting it high enough to engage properly. Also may be worth checking chain tension as if it is too loose it can cause some issues.

As for PAIR's there are plenty of posts, it's an emissions system that sits on top of the valve cover. A set of reed valves allow extra air into the exhaust I think from memory, but just block them off and it'll stop the popping if you have an after market exhaust and the sound annoys you. If you want to do any modification just ask if there is anyone close to you to help you out. I wouldn't have an issue doing it to anyone elses Bandit if they were near me. Just remember that any modification can void warranty, so if that's an issue don't do it. My warranty lasted 3 months I think

I had similar issues with my gearbox on my FA until i had my recent service change. They made a small adjustment to some rod which helps to engage gear correctly and change the oil to Motul 7000 something (a better gearbox oil) as suggested by someone here in another thread. My gearbox is now much much better. I still have the occasional problem down shifting but nothing like I had before. Belive me having just completed over 2000km in the last week i would have notied any gearbox issues after the service form the week before.

I wold however suggest that you make sure that the pinion holding the gear shifter is clear of any grease build up or dirt. The service tech at hills told me to make sure it was nice and clean and to use a light lubrication oil not grease on this particular pinion.

Silver wrote:Hi all,

I've been reading items posted re 'Pairs', blocking off various pipes & drilling holes in the air-box.....

Now I know that this all makes a great deal of sense to most of you but I don't really have a clue what you are talking about. So, would someone be kind enough to provide me with 'the beginner's guide to Pairs....'. that may be aplicable to me & my 2010 1250 FA.

On a completely different subject: from the moment I bought the bike, the gear changes going up from first to third, have been VERY clunky, whilst four, five & six are as sweet as can be.

I advised Peter Stevens at my first service - their response was to take out the plates soak them in oil & told me to just get some kilometres up as warranty does not cover the clutch!!!.

I took the bike back for its 6,000km service last Wed ready for my trip up to Broken Hill & back, once again I pointed out the dreaded KLUNK only to be told that its a characteristic of the bike.

Now, whilst I have not read one review that mentions this problem, it's not to say it doesn't exist - but I think it's just my dealer trying to get rid of me.

Anyone else have a similar problem?

Cheers,
Silver

While most of our boxes are thought to be slick and smooth there is a knack to shifting smoothly with any high torque load capable gearbox.
Suzuki are generally considered to build smooth boxes and in my time riding bikes I would have to agree.
A test I recommend is ask how it shifts from 2nd to 6th without the clutch? If these are smooth its not the box but operator technique.
downshifts work best if the throttle is "blipped".
In all cases be firm with your foot and shift while accel/decel not while just poking along.

FWIW there will always be a clunk into first if you're stopped. Fresh oil will help.

My 2c worth.

Edit: So PS told you to soak wet clutch plates in oil? How the truck do they think they work in the first place?

Agree ,gearbox gets getter with age (like me ).I'd have say mine is an 8.5 out of ten .Used to be a disappointing 6 .Your bike is probably
runing mineral oil (a good thing ) once you change over to a semi synthetic (or full ) it will feel better .Shame you live so far away Ewok i'd love to
try yours out .
No warranty on clutch's ,thats a good one . I'm calling that Bullshit .

The only reason i removed the pair system was to tidy up the top of the motor .I also dont see the sense in carying it around for 10 years when i
disconnected it .It also is going to make removing the cam. cover (valve check ) easy with all those hoses gone .The "easy" way is to buy a removal kit .Maybe not the "fun " way .With an FA i dont know if i'd bother ,most of you blokes are into adding things not taking them off .

I have always run mineral oil up to 6000k then switch to Motul 5100........smoothed out the gearbox / change....find out what oil they put in..I'll bet it was mineral because most dealers don't go for the more expensive ones........re-oil the clutch plates??...I like his sense of humour...................Grumpy

I'm with Twowheels here. I can clutchless shift without any problems and did so at the drags, but I don't like punishing gearboxes so use the clutch most of the time. I'm not a fan of blipping the Bandit, I utilise the clutch slip as I had a "moment" one time at the Collie motorplex where the Bandit's rear wheel decided to compression lock and the only option was to go off track on the gravel dirt track style and back on

After that I decided to shift gears less quickly and let the torque of the bike do it's thing.

The only time my bikes gearbox gets notchy is near the 6000km service mark and then it's time to dump the oil and replace with a fresh batch of Belray Semi synth and filter. I've tried Silkolene full synthetic and the gearbox felt pretty crappy, so Belray works for me.

2wheelsagain wrote:

Silver wrote:Hi all,

I've been reading items posted re 'Pairs', blocking off various pipes & drilling holes in the air-box.....

Now I know that this all makes a great deal of sense to most of you but I don't really have a clue what you are talking about. So, would someone be kind enough to provide me with 'the beginner's guide to Pairs....'. that may be aplicable to me & my 2010 1250 FA.

On a completely different subject: from the moment I bought the bike, the gear changes going up from first to third, have been VERY clunky, whilst four, five & six are as sweet as can be.

I advised Peter Stevens at my first service - their response was to take out the plates soak them in oil & told me to just get some kilometres up as warranty does not cover the clutch!!!.

I took the bike back for its 6,000km service last Wed ready for my trip up to Broken Hill & back, once again I pointed out the dreaded KLUNK only to be told that its a characteristic of the bike.

Now, whilst I have not read one review that mentions this problem, it's not to say it doesn't exist - but I think it's just my dealer trying to get rid of me.

Anyone else have a similar problem?

Cheers,
Silver

While most of our boxes are thought to be slick and smooth there is a knack to shifting smoothly with any high torque load capable gearbox.
Suzuki are generally considered to build smooth boxes and in my time riding bikes I would have to agree.
A test I recommend is ask how it shifts from 2nd to 6th without the clutch? If these are smooth its not the box but operator technique.
downshifts work best if the throttle is "blipped".
In all cases be firm with your foot and shift while accel/decel not while just poking along.

FWIW there will always be a clunk into first if you're stopped. Fresh oil will help.

My 2c worth.

Edit: So PS told you to soak wet clutch plates in oil? How the truck do they think they work in the first place?

Hi all,

thanks for all the feedback.

When I initially voiced my dissatisfaction with Peter Stevens around the 1500km stage, they dismantled the clutch & showed me the plates, & they were indeed, quite dry & 'tacky' - that's why they cleaned & soaked them...... Nevertheless, it failed to display any improvement.

They actually tried the clutch-free change technique to test the system & first to third was still 'klunky'.

Whilst I acknowledge that dropping it into first at a standstill will always produce a klunk, I am disappointed that second & third are similar. And whilst I had PS check the clutch lever/foot position when I was seated on the bike, I have not given too much notice as to how my changing technique, as per your suggestion, 2wheelsagain, I will examine this to eliminate operator error.

The other suggestions of oil selection are also very valid - I will visit Peter Stevens & find out.

Thanks also for putting me straight re the pair system - on that basis I will leave mine alone.

Finally, having just returned from a run to Broken Hill, I have to say that I get more 'smiles per mile' on this bike than any other bike I have had, so if a 'klunky' box is the worst I have to complain about ..... well you get my drift.

Cheers,

Silver

Silver wrote:

2wheelsagain wrote:

Silver wrote:Hi all,

I've been reading items posted re 'Pairs', blocking off various pipes & drilling holes in the air-box.....

Now I know that this all makes a great deal of sense to most of you but I don't really have a clue what you are talking about. So, would someone be kind enough to provide me with 'the beginner's guide to Pairs....'. that may be aplicable to me & my 2010 1250 FA.

On a completely different subject: from the moment I bought the bike, the gear changes going up from first to third, have been VERY clunky, whilst four, five & six are as sweet as can be.

I advised Peter Stevens at my first service - their response was to take out the plates soak them in oil & told me to just get some kilometres up as warranty does not cover the clutch!!!.

I took the bike back for its 6,000km service last Wed ready for my trip up to Broken Hill & back, once again I pointed out the dreaded KLUNK only to be told that its a characteristic of the bike.

Now, whilst I have not read one review that mentions this problem, it's not to say it doesn't exist - but I think it's just my dealer trying to get rid of me.

Anyone else have a similar problem?

Cheers,
Silver

While most of our boxes are thought to be slick and smooth there is a knack to shifting smoothly with any high torque load capable gearbox.
Suzuki are generally considered to build smooth boxes and in my time riding bikes I would have to agree.
A test I recommend is ask how it shifts from 2nd to 6th without the clutch? If these are smooth its not the box but operator technique.
downshifts work best if the throttle is "blipped".
In all cases be firm with your foot and shift while accel/decel not while just poking along.

FWIW there will always be a clunk into first if you're stopped. Fresh oil will help.

My 2c worth.

Edit: So PS told you to soak wet clutch plates in oil? How the truck do they think they work in the first place?

Hi all,

thanks for all the feedback.

When I initially voiced my dissatisfaction with Peter Stevens around the 1500km stage, they dismantled the clutch & showed me the plates, & they were indeed, quite dry & 'tacky' - that's why they cleaned & soaked them...... Nevertheless, it failed to display any improvement.

They actually tried the clutch-free change technique to test the system & first to third was still 'klunky'.

Whilst I acknowledge that dropping it into first at a standstill will always produce a klunk, I am disappointed that second & third are similar. And whilst I had PS check the clutch lever/foot position when I was seated on the bike, I have not given too much notice as to how my changing technique, as per your suggestion, 2wheelsagain, I will examine this to eliminate operator error.

The other suggestions of oil selection are also very valid - I will visit Peter Stevens & find out.

Thanks also for putting me straight re the pair system - on that basis I will leave mine alone.

Finally, having just returned from a run to Broken Hill, I have to say that I get more 'smiles per mile' on this bike than any other bike I have had, so if a 'klunky' box is the worst I have to complain about ..... well you get my drift.

Cheers,

Silver

I actually used the word "technique". Hope you get some satisfaction anyway

It will get better with age guaranteed. 1500 is clunky town. 10000 is where it starts to loosen up. Amates old 96 Bandit has done huge mileage and I reckon it has to be the smoothest gearbox I have ever used. Good luck with the bike, it's seriously the best bang for buck bike out there. Many people think that us Banditos are just mile munching tossers. Once you're in the twisties though they soon figure out with a good rider the Bandit can hold it's own.

Fossil is kindly sending me a copy of the workshop manual

Once I am out of hospital and feeling unto it I will be ripping out the pair/evap units and undertaking my secondaryectomy.

Kevin from VCM is making a new seat form me and I will also raise andull back the bars for a more upright sitting position. I will also suspect tha an MRA screen will be needed for the increase of wind due the the upright position

If you remove the pair solenoid the red Fi light stays on . Does it hurt the bike to run it that way ? .The solenoid went for a drive .

Shouldn't hurt the bike at all Gus. You'll just get annoyed with the flashing light

reddog wrote:Shouldn't hurt the bike at all Gus. You'll just get annoyed with the flashing light

+1

Got rid of the Fi light with a 10w 330ohm xo5% Resistor .Well the lights off at the moment .

The Solenoid .I like to know how things work so i couldnt help myself taking it apart .Its a sealed unit (not hacksaw proof though )
This is what i found .Correct me if ive got it wrong.
Power goes into an armiture winding creating a magnetic field which push's a pin with a rubber bung on the end which i guess seals and un-seals .A spring returns the pin and bung when power and magnetic field is cut .
Now the strange bit .My solinoid has been on the bike scince new (09). THe pin was rusted solid inside the solinoid .At first i thought it was welded
in place and had to use pliers a force to budge it .No magnetic field was capable of moveing it .
Makes me wonder it if it only had to work to pass emmisions test and then who cares .If your is anything like mine was it doesnt work .

You can see the bung looking through two of the holes .I managed to push it one way (small screwdriver )and the it locked solid .
The pin was very rusty and now lives at the Nambour Tip .

Good work sorting out the FI light.

I couldn't be bothered pulling the solenoid apart. It just went in the same place all the unneeded bits went like the exhaust system, PAIR etc

Once the bike passes emmisions testing that's usually it as there is a process to put the same (tested) parts on each and every bike. If they don't work then who is to know, the parts are fitted, hence a lot of people plugging the hose and not removing it entirely

I offered the PAIR stuff to the dealer when I traded the bandit and the responce I got was along the lines of "No thanks mate"

reddog wrote:As for PAIR's there are plenty of posts, it's an emissions system that sits on top of the valve cover. A set of reed valves allow extra air into the exhaust I think from memory, but just block them off and it'll stop the popping if you have an after market exhaust and the sound annoys you. If you want to do any modification just ask if there is anyone close to you to help you out. I wouldn't have an issue doing it to anyone elses Bandit if they were near me. Just remember that any modification can void warranty, so if that's an issue don't do it. My warranty lasted 3 months I think

The extra air into the exhaust helps the catalytic converter burn any unburnt fuel. My Bandit seems to surge when the popping occurs.

Well I've done the pairs mod. Exchanged the hose joiner with a solid plastic rod to block it off both ways.

I took out the baffle from the Yoshi and it goes like the clappers without the popping & surging. As I throttle off, the bike slows immediatley without the surge forward. Another satisfied customer. Thank you forum