Bandit 1200S questions

B

Braudie S

New member
After 20 years I have finally convinced my wife to let me get a bike. I got a great deal on a 2001 Suzuki Bandit 1200S. It is a lot more powerful bike than the little Honda 550 I rode in college (before I got married!) I got the bike without an owner's manual. Does anyone know where I can get a copy of one without going to a dealer? I bought the bike from an individual who did not have the manual. I would really like a copy on CD if possible.

In the meantime, is there any wisdom current Bandit 1200S owners can give me as far as issues that may arise. The bike had been serviced before I bought it (oil change, tune up). It has a little over 13000 miles on it. Since I don't know what the service intervals are I don't want to let something get past me. When it comes to maintanence on my vehicles I like to err on the side of overcaution.

Thanks in advance.
 
Get yourself a Clymer. Much more information and probably cheaper.

Did you verify that it's not one of the oil burners? Most '01s and some '02s had faulty pistons that let oil by, burning as much as a quart per 500 miles. Also, the headlights tend to get crudded up with black dust from the raw metal blocker plates. If your night vision sucks, ask me about your options. One of them's at my site.

Common upgrades include a take-off Hayabusa shock, which can be had on ebay for about $40. Vastly improves rear control and adjustability. Fork upgrades are common, but requre a little more tech know-how. Windshields can be had in many flavors to suit your height and preference. Carb kits and exhaust are probably the most popular, and Holeshot has a great following among B12 owners.

I really like my bike. It's a fantastic do-all machine, though it does have some faults. See my page for more. If you have any specific questions, I know almost everything there is to know about second generation Bandits. Almost. I've done several trips on it, this year's being 4400 miles and 10 days, and I took it to the track last month. I know it fairly well.


Be aware that you're in a high-risk category. Riders who return to the sport after a hiatus really need some refresher training, especially if you had bad habits from the start. Look into a local Rider Course by the MSF. Do some reading when you have time. There's a link to a great book in my sig.

Welcome to the forum.
 
Clint,

Thanks for the info. I know modifications were made to the bike before I bought it so I don't know what is standard. That was one of the reasons I wanted the owners manual. Thanks for the link to your page. Lots of useful info. I DO have an opportunity to ride daily to and from work. I predict more year-round riding for me than for you because it never gets too cold here in south Mississippi. Actually, it has almost gotten too hot to ride! I have to worry more about another hurricane than I do snow and ice!
I probably should have made a more informed decision when I made my purchase but the deal fell in my lap and I couldn't pass it up. Besides, it was a decision of the heart - not the mind.
My next-door neighbor is a very experienced rider having ridden for probably more years than I have been able to drive a car. We had a good talk about safety. This was not a problem for me though. I love my family and don't want to jeopardize my chances of seeing my daughter grow up and give me grandkids... but I can wait about 10 years for that.
I look forward to visiting the forum quite often. Thanks again.

KJ
 
KJ, it's another statistical fact that riders who learn from friends are high-risk, too. There's a big difference between "experienced" and "skilled". Some riders go for tens of thousands of miles with poor technique, riding the edge of a crash. I saw a guy who had ridden his touring bike for over 100,000 miles crash at a training course. He simply hadn't learned proper braking technique in all that time. If your friend has done his homework, fine, but make sure he's qualified to give advice.

I'm not sure what the year-round comment was getting at, but everyone can use some refresher training. If you have questions about what's on your bike, fire away.
 
Clint,

What I was getting at was that the weather here lets me ride almost year round. I don't have to deal with snow and ice the way those of you in the north do. As far as experience goes, my neighbor actually taught riding classes a number of years ago. He has been watching me ride and commenting on my technique. We've talked about a number of issues already such as riding in inclement weather, starting and stopping, avoiding wrecks, riding on the left side of the lane to always remain directly in front of the driver, how to ride on wet pavement, wearing proper safety gear... he is retired so he enjoys the afternoon chats!
I checked the headlights as you recommended. Mine are clear. A previous owner put in a Zero Gravity windshield so I don't know how it rode without it. I have noticed that it does burn oil more rapidly than I would have guessed. I have put about 400 miles on the bike and added a quart of oil to it today. Do you recommend that adjustments be made or should I just plan to add a quart of oil every 400 - 500 miles?
I am sure there are some other changes that have been made to the bike but I wouldn't know what they are since, again, I don't know what it was supposed to look like. I'll look into the Clymer manual and hopefully learn a little bit more. In the meantime I guess I'll just have to rely on you and other forum members.
Thanks.
 
Suzuki finally relented and offered new pistons but I'm not sure if they'll go back to 2001. Check with your dealer. If they won't do it, there're several options to replace them yourself if you're so inclined. Otherwise, stock up on oil. The VINs affected are those ending below 2179.

Sounds like you have a great friend to learn from. Most of us aren't so lucky.

suzbul1.gif


suzbul2.gif
 
Back
Top