Discussion
The 125 screamer is serviced, MOTed and ready for a buyer
Now what do I replace it with?
I thought I was decided on a 600 Bandit but the more people tell me it's a bland boring not the fast bag of nails the more I'm undecided
I only use the bike to commute, about 15 miles of windy single carrageway A & B roads with quite a bit of traffic. Everyday whatever the weather, sits outside in company carpark and garaged at home
Budget of about £2500 and the Bandit insurance was going to be £100 so I don't want to be paying a great deal more, 1 years riding experiance on the screamer but I'm no Foggy
So whats my options?

Now what do I replace it with?
I thought I was decided on a 600 Bandit but the more people tell me it's a bland boring not the fast bag of nails the more I'm undecided

I only use the bike to commute, about 15 miles of windy single carrageway A & B roads with quite a bit of traffic. Everyday whatever the weather, sits outside in company carpark and garaged at home

Budget of about £2500 and the Bandit insurance was going to be £100 so I don't want to be paying a great deal more, 1 years riding experiance on the screamer but I'm no Foggy

So whats my options?

a bandit is a good capable machine, but dull. for £2500 your going to get an older model that requires regular valve checks. services therefore are generally more expenses compared like for like on other "commuter"
not sure on pricing, but consider a fazer or an older triumph speed triple 900/955
not sure on pricing, but consider a fazer or an older triumph speed triple 900/955
raceboy said:There are 98 ones for that kind of price. only reccoemnd the CBR6 'cause I had one for commuting and general hooning for a few years
I'm after something a little newer really, and don't really want anything to 'sports bike' ish I like the naked, sit up and beg riding style,
It was absolutely faultless, and the fairing makes a big difference in the rain. Definately not too "sporty" for a commute
Bandit bland! you gotta be kidding, fair enough comparison vs say a Speed triple or a Duke but against other budget stuff nah- ever heard one & ridden one with a race pipe??
Pretty much indestructable engine although suspension is a bit soft as standard & gets worse with age, but a Hagon or similar shock & upgraded fork springs & new oil make a massive improvement- although to be fair its never going to handle as sweetly as say a Duke monster- murder a monster 600 on power tho.
Yes its outclassed by a Hornet or Fazer on grunt but you do have to be a pretty good rider to make that advantage stick, & coming off a 125 its gunna feel like a flippin' R1 for a long while!
Having said all of that I would personally probably go for an SV650S over a Bandit given a £2500+ budget.
Pretty much indestructable engine although suspension is a bit soft as standard & gets worse with age, but a Hagon or similar shock & upgraded fork springs & new oil make a massive improvement- although to be fair its never going to handle as sweetly as say a Duke monster- murder a monster 600 on power tho.
Yes its outclassed by a Hornet or Fazer on grunt but you do have to be a pretty good rider to make that advantage stick, & coming off a 125 its gunna feel like a flippin' R1 for a long while!
Having said all of that I would personally probably go for an SV650S over a Bandit given a £2500+ budget.
Has Sir tried the Kawasaki Drifter?
www.mc-kompaniet.se/bilder/nya%20hojar/kawa-01/vn%20800%20drifter%20r%F6d.jpg
>> Edited by cinqster on Thursday 8th April 00:22

www.mc-kompaniet.se/bilder/nya%20hojar/kawa-01/vn%20800%20drifter%20r%F6d.jpg
>> Edited by cinqster on Thursday 8th April 00:22
cinqster said:
Has Sir tried the Kawasaki Drifter? ![]()
strangely enough , yes, a few days ago.
The place I get my Trumpet fettled at had one for sale and some chap came in and took it for a test ride, only this one had straight through pipes, sounded absolutely awesome.....grin inducing just watching it with the engine running.
cinqster said:
Has Sir tried the Kawasaki Drifter?
Not really my cup of tea

And theres no way I'll get it round the back of the house.
Think I'll be spending the weekend looking in the local bike dealers and seeing what I like the look of
beats joining the thousands at Ikea/Garden Centre/M1 traffic Jam

Bandits are only bland depending on what you are comparing it to.
It will be far faster than your screamer!
I had 135mph quite regular on mine, it is slightly down on power compared to the hornet but, the hornet engine is based on the CBR600 engine so all the power that the bandit is down on is all top end.
I had no problem keeping up with anybody on the rideouts i have been on, the only place where people went past me were long straights and those bikes that were quicker than me were 900ninja's and firebades etc. But at everystop i was far more refreshed than any of them.
End of the day if the bandit is so bland then when Bike did the top 100 bikes of all time last year, was the Bandit 600 the ONLY bike to get 3 pages to itself, only the top two had 1 page to themselves the rest all shared.
Ignore peoples opinions who haven't owned a bandit, nearly everybody who has owner a bandit will have loved it. I had a brilliant time on mine, I only changed it cause I wanted a sportsbike.
The only reason people think the bandit is bland is because the magazines compare the bike to Fazer's and hornet's, yes the idea is similar but both those bike have sportsbike engines and are a lot newer.
If you want a bike that is easy to ride, stable, confidence inspiring, fun to ride, reliable hack, sit out in the rain all winter, tour, take lugage, tackle country lanes, commute, take pillions etc etc, then the Bandit is an ideal, nah perfect, bike.
Sorry for the longish post but the constant Bandit bashing on the forum really
me off!
Tim.
It will be far faster than your screamer!
I had 135mph quite regular on mine, it is slightly down on power compared to the hornet but, the hornet engine is based on the CBR600 engine so all the power that the bandit is down on is all top end.
I had no problem keeping up with anybody on the rideouts i have been on, the only place where people went past me were long straights and those bikes that were quicker than me were 900ninja's and firebades etc. But at everystop i was far more refreshed than any of them.
End of the day if the bandit is so bland then when Bike did the top 100 bikes of all time last year, was the Bandit 600 the ONLY bike to get 3 pages to itself, only the top two had 1 page to themselves the rest all shared.
Ignore peoples opinions who haven't owned a bandit, nearly everybody who has owner a bandit will have loved it. I had a brilliant time on mine, I only changed it cause I wanted a sportsbike.
The only reason people think the bandit is bland is because the magazines compare the bike to Fazer's and hornet's, yes the idea is similar but both those bike have sportsbike engines and are a lot newer.
If you want a bike that is easy to ride, stable, confidence inspiring, fun to ride, reliable hack, sit out in the rain all winter, tour, take lugage, tackle country lanes, commute, take pillions etc etc, then the Bandit is an ideal, nah perfect, bike.
Sorry for the longish post but the constant Bandit bashing on the forum really

Tim.
Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff