Suzuki Bandit: A motorcycle as cheap and dirty as the bowling alley bathroom where I was conceived. This bike has a 1,250cc 4cyl engine, larger than some 4-passenger cars in the UK.
Most bikes look like...well, a bike. You have the engine, you have the fairings, you have the wheels, etc. This thing looks like a moving engine. Seriously. It looks like 90% engine 5% bike and 5% air. I want one.
Ep1o Even those are rather proportioned, since a number of them are in the 600 range, and even the liter streetfighters still look balanced between the engine and the rest of the bike. I don't know, there's just something about this Bandit that looks like he's riding an engine, not a bike. It's beautiful. Makes me think of pod-racing, for some reason. #nerdmodeactivate.
Well it's 5 years since you posted this n no doubt your lovely fiat is still a smoldering piece of poop that spends more time sitting in the parking lot of some poor bastard's repair shop than it spends limping down the road.
Very under rated machine. They run very well and thrive on neglect. I considered getting one but got a VTR-1000 instead. The Superhawk turned out to be bad luck for me... That thing went down more than Paris Hilton.
I'm sorry but muscle bikes are stupid. If you want speed, you go for a superbike or supersport. If you do not want that much of speed, you go for a 1000cc naked bike. If you want a bit less, you go for a 600-750cc naked Nobody ever said "I want a big fat bike that has less power than most 600cc bike"
Diego, how do I put this? You are not nearly as smart or wise as you think you are. Let me explain. You pigeon hole bikes into little box like classifications and dismiss anything that doesn't fit into your boxes. This makes people like me, who've owned more bikes than you've lived years on this Earth, really question the validity of your opinion and depth of your experience. Look at it this way... You are the guy that goes into Baskin Robins (31 Flavors!) and announce that everything other than Butter Pecan or Rocky Road is no good. You know what? Try the Rum Raisin. Appreciate it for what it is. Enjoy what it has to offer. And then if you like your Butter Pecan - which is a fine flavor indeed - go back to it. But let those who like variety, or something different, leave us alone. Take your Butter Pecan, and STFU, GTFO.
George Hill This bike is meaningless, useless. It's not faster than most 1000cc naked bikes, it's not more comfortable than them, it is heavier than most naked bikes... Tell me just one class where this kind of bike is the best among naked bikes Suzuki is losing money because of shit like this, they make useless bikes, people know it and they do not buy Suzukis. The only "decent" excuse to make this bike is if it had at least around 140hp (I think it'd be slower than a Z1000), then I'd say that the oversized engine is there for a reason I understand most kind of bikes: · Want to go stupidly fast? Superbike, supersports... · Want to go fast but cover yourself from wind? Sports-touring is your ride · Want to seem faster than what you actually are? Buy a naked bike (right now naked bikes are less powerful and heavier than sportbikes... but that's not a bad thing since sportbikes are insanely fast right now) · Want to be so comfortable you could ride for 24h straight? Buy a grand tourer · Want to annoy the crap out of your neighbours and anyone around you while riding the clumsiest of bikes? Buy a cruiser (seriously, fuck those bikes) · Do you go where roads end? Buy a dual-sport/trail bike · Do you go where roads will never go? Buy an enduro bike · Do you want to be on the 1st line of all the traffic lights? Buy a scooter · Do you want to be near the front on a traffic light and cruise semi-decently at legal speeds on highways? Buy a maxiscooter Seriously, I understand the reason why most bikes are built but muscle bikes and cruisers should be discontinued. Anything over 1000cc except V-twins (Ducati and dual-sport, basically) is stupid, the whole Harley-Davidson catalogue is completely useless (except for XR1200), some bikes should stop existing
whats up RCR, love the videos, ive got an interesting group of bikes my wife and i share. we live and ride in hocking co ohio. we are both bike nuts, anyway here are the current bikes 04 dr200se, 00 xt350, 97 ninja 500r(for sale craigs cbus) 99 cbr f4 01 cbr929 , atc 200 big red, 00 kingquad 300, 00 pw80. fun right? take care!
If you want a bike that is affordable, simple and just works - you get a bandit. Had a 600 aircooled one for years. not a single major thing ever went wrong with it. It had it's maintance done by myself and a maintanace book by suzuki and that's it. the most annoying thing that ever happened to it was the light switch breaking...
@@zachp7603 Its not a shitty bike, its a great bike! Very smooth, great powerband, feels very agile. But yes - it looks like crap took a poop and thats been called bandit.
These reviews just get better and better. This is such a refined example of the entire series! The random wackiness gets more precise and on point, and the references, while still true to PA, become more poignant with every review. You can accurately model the type of person who would drive one of these things.
I take two poops in the morning I take two poops at night I take two poops in the afternoon It makes me feel all right I take two poops in time of peace And two in time of war I take two poops before I take two poops, And then I take two more
aquaticko Back in April 2008, I had an awful job and was in a bad spot. My 1993 Geo Tracker (given to me by a sibling years before) died an awful third death and I had nothing to fall back on. Cheap used car dealerships wouldn't finance me. In my 20 year old naivety, I visited a Dodge dealership and they financed me for that monster. 2008 Dodge Avenger, used with 24k miles. I wasn't even aware no was an option due to those earlier dealership experiences and my need for a car to even continue working. It wasn't cheap for what it was, especially in my situation. I fell for those angry headlights in a way. I'm not a car person by any stretch, even still. But I bit the bullet, got the car, then sought better employment. It's still going, too. Just broke 115k miles. I hope it keeps going just to spite all expectations. But they weren't kidding with their review. It's an awful car. Not a decision I'd make twice.
Well, no one can blame you for choosing it when it hardly sounds like it was a choice. I just wonder how people come to own such bad cars, and while sometimes any car is better than no car, as in your situation, others have the luxury of choice and just make stupid decisions. Thanks for sating my curiosity!
This is by far the coolest Bandit review I've EVER seen. I have an 07 Bandit and I swear, I have to see this video every year. Dude is creative as hell.
Very true, I can't tell you how many times I've told my peers to clean/lube/tighten their chains and they just brush it off saying "I'll get to it later." (Spoiler: they never get to it.)
Don't even have to check my chain anymore. I can feel when it's out of spec by the amount of slop when shifting gears. How people let it get so bad that it sags like that is beyond me. It would be driving me insane (with the slop on shifting or throttle on/off) long before that. Anything that makes it harder to ride smooth really activates my almonds.
Weaving through traffic is bad? You're crazy. That's the best thing about a motorcycle. It's like Game Genie for the road. Suddenly those assholes who drive slowly in the left lane right beside someone else in the right lane are no longer capable of holding you to their tedious velocity standards until they finally get bored of torturing you. You have all the power now, and if you don't use it, you don't deserve it.
I have a 2002 Bandit 1200S and absolutely love it. Yes, it lends itself to hooning, but it does everything well. It also lends itself to garage tuning, even for an amateur mechanic like me.
I really like the Bandit, I don't think it's bland or boring like most people. I love it's simplicity and really like the old one's looks. That chrome with some gold/black/blue details and a slightly sketish look really suit it well, not so much the new one but it's not by any means ugly. Also, it has one of the cooles names ever put on a motorcycle.
I love this! It reminded me of the earlier videos that got me hooked! Though I realize we might never see another video like the one you did for the Dodge Avenger, I appreciated a bit of a return to the past.
The way you throw philosophy into the video is what makes you guys special. Like a mini psychedelic for most i guess. This is your best review since the real early ones! MOAR
your originality is awesome, and how you can go off on these elaborate tangents that don't appear to make sense, until you bring them full circle. Its hilarious. I love watching these reviews.
Mr Bungle explains my reaction to this machine best: " I got yogurt meat loaf smeared all over my ass I stick my weiner in two buns and and then give it the gas Sour cream from my spleen into Levi jeans Gonna bust the seams with my refried beans "
Cool to see this review. I JUST discovered the Gold Wing review & thought that was cool, "regular car review guy" did a bike. What a surprise that you also did a bike review on something akin to what I own. 😊 My '05 1200s Bandit, "Ellie" has been mine for a decade now & yea, they ARE tanks. Just a big 'ol engine in a simple steel frame, decent ergonomics (for a 6'2",200lb guy), & can be a Main St. Miscreant on a Friday AND then pull out early Saturday morning to take me cross-country without a second thought. Mechanically bulletproof, Sportbike-ish styling, easily modable with off-the-shelf Suzuki parts, she's the best. Took a year to get exactly what bike I wanted. . . after 10+ yrs out of the saddle, loosing A TON of weight, & getting the Wife's blessing. After figuring it out, I was prepared to drive 1-2 states away for the exact same bike that "Ellie" is - an '05 in blu/wht/blu (only year w/a paint scheme), bone stock w/NO mods whatsoever, & low miles. Ends up the local dealer I was friendly with, had been answering my questions, & had purchased gear from, found the exact bike & held it for me. God love 'em! While the GSF1250 is great & a 6th gear would probably be cool too, I'm pretty sure I'll never be giving up my "Ellie".
I have the 2011 GSX 1250 FA which is literally this same motorcycle in every single way, with a big faring. Love it, it will do 60 in first gear before I have time to say wtf.
Another GSX 1250FA owner here - yep, the bike is awesome! Like RCR alluded to, I bought it years ago as basically a budget/smaller touring bike. Have the full Givi luggage for it and have taken it all around the Eastern US. Taken it off road. Taken it to a track. It's a fantastic locomotive engine that happens to have a seat on it.
jason macierowski the bike is defiantly awesome. I have the Suzuki and also a Buell M2 Cyclone for when I want a Harley rumble. I got my Suzuki from some idiot on Craigslist who was too short to ride it... paid $4500 and it only had 2000 miles on it. It came with the glorious Suzuki saddle bags and top luggage too. Amazing touring bike. Does your speedometer read slow?
I've been wondering about that. Is it the right thing to do? Considering it was bought from the FundAnything money, some people might be upset about him ripping on the car he bought we others money. But then again, many of the people who donated probally want a review of it. Not sure what the right path would be on that one.
I've had a 2008 Bandit for years now, and it's an absolutely wonderful bike. Honestly, most of the "reputation" it has involves people having no clue what it is.
That’s a brilliant bike - had it as a courtesy bike for a few months... you can be the laziest person in the world and it will flatter you, so much torque, space and stability. I will get one when I am old
I learned...practically nothing, other than some specs I could find on a 2 second google search. What stunta rides a Bandit anyway? The guy who buys a Bandit was also thiiiiis close to buying either a ZRX or a 1st gen FZ1 too, but his Bandit came with hardbags, new tires, and cost $300 less. He wasn't looking at a roadrashed GSX(number)R or ZX-blahdeeblooR. What I would actually like to know is what that Two Bros exhaust sounds like between 6-9500 rpm. Probably glorious.
They are ace bikes, I had a small custom/race shop in the 90s and when I finished in 2001 and closed I built a 1200 turbo with lots of the bits and pieces left from the shop. It was awesome and I regret selling it but I think I would have lost my license if I had kept it.
I went to school with the owner, I only noticed on the second viewing. His latest bike got crunched with him on it and he's piecing it back together again.
Jacob might find the Bandit even more comfortable if he adjusted his brake and clutch levers...not only are they way too high, his m/c's are at a very poor angle and could cause him nasty problems. BTW, my Bandido does triple duty: commuter, sport tourer, and when stripped of all the plastic bits, a track day blast.
Bandit is a beast. Cycle World did a vid where they made one pull off in 6th gear. No problem I want one for exactly what dude said they are great for. My wife and I are both over 5' 9" and not obese but not exactly skinny either... Ninja 650R doesn't cut it for both of us. Would love a Bandit for exclusive 2 up touring duty.
The bike reviews are the best. It was the first review of the Suzuki 500 that got me to sub. Glad to see I'm not the only one that rolls his eyes at Two Brothers mufflers. Yep. It got the "bro" treatment.
Just come from 3 unsuccessful dates this month,got arrangements cancelled twice,and friend zoned on the third,well actually that's a lie....she doesn't even wanna be friends...So I really appreciated the element of this video which paid a nod to how utterly shit I am at getting any coitus, Maybe it's because I'm riding an 04 BMW F650gs... Maybe I need a man's bike.. Maybe I need a Bandit..
If your gonna tack shit onto your bike feel free, just don't flood my craigslist feed with listings expecting more because you taped on some shitty flushmount lights, and removed the cat.