1200 or 1250?

G'day from a new member. Didn't bother with the usual 'Introduce Yourself' because I have a big question straight up:

With a very limited budget, I'm considering buying a used Bandit. Most of the used 1250s are just outside my budget whereas I can get lots of the last model of 1200s for the right money. Which is OK with me because I actually prefer the looks of the 1200, especially the headlights and greyed-out engine.

Now, what do all you Bandimaniacs think? What are the pros and cons of these models in comparison to each other?

I don't own and don't want a car so the bike has to be able to give me lots of grins on weekend rides, has to be comfortable for interstate trips and has to be fairly forgiving of bumper-to-bumper traffic, which I do a lot of for about 8 months of the year.

The new bike will be my Xmas present to myself so before long my avatar will show you how I decided.

Cheers,
Nicko

Welcome mate. Good choice on a bandit.

For me, ive only ridden the 1250, which i bought. So i cant really give you pros or cons.

As for the 1250, its an awsome machine. So much torque....plenty of smiles for the weekend, and very easy to live with for comuting, etc.

Ive heard the 1200 has more "character". Its alot of bike for the money. You can pick up some real good ones for not alot of coin.

Either way, youll never regret it, and neither will bore you.

g,day nicko i think you already know which one you,re after (outside my budget) ,so i,ll put your mind at ease the 1200 kicks ass,thats the gen11 but i own one and are maybe a bit biased the character that cameron mentioned could be they are a bit buzzy and not as smooth as the fi 1250,s but geez they go once you get rid of the original pipe and play around with other things being a bit older you should be able to find good examples with plenty of accessories and cash already thrown at them,by the way there is some bloody nice ones on fleabay at the moment.try em both and have fun.cheers rick

The 1200s would be a good choice, I have an early Bandit 1200s as a budget, first road bike and I love it .
It has plenty of torque, got to the top of Bumble Hill, if you know where that is, went to change up and I was already in top (sometimes I wish for 6th gear) I've ridden a friends 1200s (2006 I think) and it was great the fairing is more protective and the mirrors on the fairing give you a better look behind. It felt somehow more secure at speed, it was a good comparison as we both have the same tyres (pilot road 2).

All in all they are hard to beat as a comfortable all round bike, although I did rather enjoy riding my brothers SV1000 but don't tell him.

I've got an 02 Bandit 1200 (Gen 2) that I've had from new. Again I'm totally biased, but the B12 does absolutely everything I want from a bike.

I commute everday on it, tour, and it will go round corners and keep up with with the average rider on a sports bikes on the road. I've even taken it on some very ordinary dirt roads, and providing your gentle with the throttle, there are no problems.

Basically the 1200 (1152cc) engine has been around for years in one form or another, and providing it gets fresh oil regularly it will last for ever (well not quite, but you get the picture). In 7 years it has never let me down, I've let it down a couple of times, but it has been totally faithful to me. It has one of the sweetest gearboxes I've used, and as a whole they are very forgiving.

I've found the B12 has 2 personalities. Gentle throttle openings, short shifting gears and it's a plesant, easy going 'cruiser' to the point where even a novice could ride it easily, but get aggresive with the throttle and the front wheel will reach for the sky, get aggressive with the front brake and the back end will come up. But it is still very controllable.

A couple of things to be aware of though. I've found the B12 to be sensitive to tyre tread patterns, it doesn't like centre grooves on the front tyre. Also, again just my experience, it's not the most economical bike around town, usually 190-200 sees me reaching for the reserve tap. On long touring trips I can get 350+ before reserve, depending on how much and how hard I twist the grip. It will eat soft compound rear tyres in 5000k's, or less. The best I've got out of a rear tyre is around 15000, but that says as much about how I ride as it does about the bandit. Other than that, just do the normal checks you'd do on any second hand bike, check for crash damage, forks, rear end, frame, engine covers etc.

I'd be surprised if you'd be unhappy with a bandit. Oh, and while it comes with 100hp out of the crate, there is more in there that is easily released. I haven't bothered, mine is totally standard, but there are plenty of people here who can help you with that.

As very happy owner of a 1250 and a few Suzuki's before this one there would be room in my garage for a 1200 as well if I found one at the right price.
I'd mod the shit out of it and have a hoon bike and keep the 1250 for touring.
Performance of both bikes in stock form is very similar but HP is much cheaper and easier to unlock in the 1200.
Buying a 1200 will require a very close look at a few things as they do encourage "abuse" so if you dont know what to look for take someone who does when you have a look.

I have had a Gen I and a Gen II 1200 and I would recommend either one in a heartbeat.
There is something special about those air/oil cooled engines that will always have a place in my garage. The newer watercooled 1250's may retain the Bandit name but that is all they seem to have in common.
My current ride, an 03 1200, is a keeper and if I ever bought another bike I dare say it will be another 1200...

Thanks for your enthusiastic contributions everyone! I'm more convinced than ever that a B12 is for me.
Cheers, and have a good holiday. (Mine will be full of test riding B12s!)

Cruisecontrol wrote:newer watercooled 1250's may retain the Bandit name but that is all they seem to have in common.

Its called evolution.
Put your elitism back in its box.

2wheelsagain wrote:

Cruisecontrol wrote:newer watercooled 1250's may retain the Bandit name but that is all they seem to have in common.

Its called evolution.
Put your elitism back in its box.

No in this case I think it's called a mutation.

2wheelsagain wrote:

Cruisecontrol wrote:newer watercooled 1250's may retain the Bandit name but that is all they seem to have in common.

Its called evolution.
Put your elitism back in its box.

No, it is called marketing.
Suzuki simply changed everything and stuck a familiar name on it to guarantee some sales.

Elitism, no. Realism, yes.
The oil/air cooled Bandit 1200 has been around since the mid 90's and the engine even longer under the guise of a GSX-R 1100 donk only to be phased out due to ever tightening emission standards.
The watercooled Bandit lasted two, or was it three years before the Bandit name was dropped and the GSF model went into retirement?

Cruisecontrol wrote:
The oil/air cooled Bandit 1200 has been around since the mid 90's and the engine even longer under the guise of a GSX-R 1100 donk only to be phased out due to ever tightening emission standards.
The watercooled Bandit lasted two, or was it three years before the Bandit name was dropped and the GSF model went into retirement?

And what a brilliant couple of years it was

Well, its taken many months but I've finally taken the plunge ... deposit down on black 05 1200. I've had temporary enthusiasms for all sorts of other bikes but kept coming back to the Bandit as the kind of all-rounder I need. Might pick up tomorrow if accessories have arrived, or Saturday.

It already has a very nice dark smoke after-market screen, slightly shorter, straighter, lower handlebar than original, a carbon Yoshi can, a tank protector and silver reflective rim stickers. I'm adding Oggies and 3 piece Hepco and Becker Junior hard cases. By the way, anyone have any idea if and how much extra power the Yoshi might be getting out of the engine?

Will post a up a pic for my new avatar soon.

Just one or two more sleeps ! ........

You and your Bandit will have many happy years together.

Mine turns 8 today. Just over 54,000km's of trouble free and highly enjoyalbe riding. As a birthday present my wife has ordered the B12 a Scorpion pipe. When it arrives I'll get the shop to fit it during the service and get them to check the fuelling at the same time.

Well..... Did you get it ????

First ride stories expected. And out of interest what bikes have you had prior to this.

Good to hear you got a bandit. you wont be dissapinted

Saikhan wrote:Well..... Did you get it ????

First ride stories expected. And out of interest what bikes have you had prior to this.

No, accessories hadn't arrived, but I'll get it tomorrow morning come what may and take it back for fitting when they do arrive. Got a feeling I'll be flying through the hinterland tomorrow afternoon ...

Very weird history with bikes. I bought a Honda CJ250 in '77, when I was 20, and took it on a 3 month trip from Sydney up to Cooktown, over to Uluru, up to Darwin and then home through outback Queensland. Kept that bike for some years but eventually forgot about riding and didn't get another until the late '80s when I lived in the bush, when I got a 500cc enduro (can't even remember what brand, though my brother assures me it was also a Honda). Had some wild times tearing up the bush on that! Amazing low down acceleration but topped out at about 80km/hr on the open road.

Two years ago I happened to drive rapidly past a parked Burgman and did a double take; had never seen anything like it. Out of the corner of my eye I thought I was seeing something like a Goldwing but looked closer and discovered a hole where the tank should be. I found it on the web and thought I might get a maxi-scooter to replace my very decrepit car. Bought a Kymco Xciting 500iR and have had a lot of fun with it but soon realised I wouldn't be happy until I got on another standardbike. Hence the Bandit. The scooter had surprising grunt but also a few unfortunate failings, chiefly that the riding position gave me a very sore back, storage was reasonably large to begin with but but not large enough, yet unable to be significantly increased and, perhaps most annoyingly for someone who really does want to ride a scooter like a sports bike, I kept scraping bits whilst leaning into corners.

I've also often ridden my brother's bikes, who has been a lifelong collector. He has had, among other things, a 1935 Rudge 500 (very weird operating a gear lever mounted along-side the tank), a 50's Lambretta (which he restored), a 60's Honda 600 straight four (he restored) and 3 successive models of VFR, from the 750 through to the 800. He's twelve years into restoring a 1918 Rover (like one we have a pic of our grandfather riding in 1918!). He currently rides a 1985 Ducati 600 Desmo/Pantah/something which sounds twice its size. I bet he'll come along with it to some of the SE Queensland Bandit rides with me. Lately had a ride on my partner's new GSR600, which is quite a surprise package.

Well that was long-winded ... but you asked!

So I don't have any experience with muscle bikes to speak of but had no trouble riding the Bandit on the test ride. Just felt totally at home and totally exhilarated. As easy to ride as the maxi-scooter but oh so much more POWERFUL

Not long winded at all, and I did ask.

All that way on a 250 and an old one at that, brilliant. After reading that I wanted to go for a ride.

I didn't ask what your other bikes were because I thought you may be getting in a bit deep with a Bandit, I just asked. Being nosey I guess.

Even though the Queenslanders on this site are spread out we should sort out some rides. About six of us are going to the Witsundays at the end of June, all are welcome to join in. I will post dates when I know them.

Regards

... my new (second hand) 05 Bandit. Have been too busy to ride, let alone post pics, but here are a couple from today and a week ago.
Love this bike! And my brother (who today was riding the old Duke seen in one of the photos) loves it too, especially after the hard seat and vibes of his own.

Yelgun rest stop (Pacific Motorway near Ocean Shores):


Outside Outpost Cafe, Canungra:


Lower Beechmont: