Suzuki GSX1400 Owners Club: Bandit 1250a - Suzuki GSX1400 Owners Club

Ridden an earlier bandit... not a patch on the 14.
I find it hard to buy a good all rounder and when I traded my K2 14, well it just had to be a a new K6 (back then) in black. Haven't looked back and have ridden other bikes since then and still pleased with the 14. I've tried the ZX14, Speed Triple, Super Duke R Tuono and still come back to the fact you can't beat the 14

Hi i rode one for a day while mine was under warranty (servicing), it really went well but compared to the 14
your up and down the gearbox fun for a day but happy as to get the torque monster back.
As for finish what a load of crap corrosion starting on it already esp around the top of the engine, i pointed
this out to the shop and they seemed surprised as me.

Mr Farquar
If your 14 is wallowing around corners me thinks that your bouncy bits need to be tweaked up to the right setting. Because no way does mine wallow, it's smooth as into real tight turns, and sweeping turns. Also any bike will stand up on to if you hit the brakes whilst mid turn. I was taught many years ago if I was going into a corner to hot, and to scrub the speed of before I went into the corner and NEVER break mid corner.
My 14 is far superior to a Bandit. We have a lot of Bandit riders in the Ulysses club of which I am the president (85 members in my chapter). In fact we have 4 special editions 1400's now in the club. Three of the guys traded Bandits in on them as they were much cheaper on the Summer fest deal, (and better) than the new water cooled bandits. All the guys are thrilled to bits with them. So yes it was an Upgrade for them as well as me. Also as mentioned this is not the place to be talking about Bandits.
nuff said
cheers
Dan

Hey Dan, that's Farqhuar with an 'h'.

Re your comments, I beg to differ Dan - it depends how you ride 'em.

The 14 will wallow in high speed turns no matter what - it's the nature of the beast. On the contrary the 14 would never stand up mid-turn during braking. So for me the Bandit was better for high speed turns and the 14 the better for tight turns. However, I now have a beast that does both better.

I posted the following on the Burgman site last night - there were quite a few Ulysses members on the ride but no 14s or Bandits.

I went for a ride today on my K8 Burgie with a new group of riders. There were 20 bikes in total - apart from my Burgie all above 1000cc and an interesting mix of Yamaha FJR1300s, R1s, Honda Fireblades/STs/Blackbirds, Kawasaki Ninjas and 1400s, Suzuki GSXR1000s and BMW K and R series.

Most of the riders were a similar age to myself - mid 50s but there were also a few in their late 20s/early 30s.

I was introduced to the group by an old friend who runs a Yamaha R1 - he and I have been to track days together when I used to own my Suzuki GSX1400.

On all these rides we eschew freeways and plan our itinerary to include as many tight curves as possible - fortunately we have plenty of those. We left Melbourne from the outer eastern suburbs around 9.30am, and by coincidence, once we hit the first 20km long batch of twisties I just happened to be behind the ride leader on his FJR1300. I stuck right behind him, metres from his tail and on a number of occasions was ready to pass him, despite his best efforts to shake me and consistent with my belief that it would not be politic to pass the ride leader of a ride I had only just been invited to join.

An hour later at our first stop he came over to me and with a big grin on his face he announced to my friend and the rest of the group "you told me you were bringing a mate on a scooter - not an R1 in disguise"

We ended the ride 200 miles later with me and the Burgie in the same position - pushing the leader and right up his derriere. The only time I was overtaken was on a flat straight section of road where I had to stay below an indicated 170kmh (106mph) because at that speed the wind would force the dark visor section of my Nolan N42 down obscuring my vision. During the rest of the ride there were lots of interesting moments where we were cranked pretty heavily into turns - my centrestand feet have lost a fair bit of metal on both sides - but the Burgie never felt as if it was uncomposed or out of control, whilst other riders were having to run wide on corners to maintain their pace.

Hopefully today I gained a few more converts to the Burgie cause - not only was I as quick as the other riders but I ended the ride as fresh as I started, no sore wrists, derriere, back or neck. I am probably sounding like a broken record but I once again proved to myself, and others, that the Burgman is by far the best all round road bike anyone can own.

This post has been edited by farqhuar: 05 October 2009 - 02:23 AM

"the Burgman is by far the best all round road bike anyone can own." But its NOT a bike sorry had to be said

a few comments from my perspective,
a bike doesnt naturally stand up in corners under braking, in fact a little rear brake trailing can assist it in tipping in further, it would be the rider physically manhandling it upright for it to do so..........
a bike set up reasonably well will stay on its line tipped over with the throttle just cracked, (neutralising either decelleration or accelleration) but stands up in corners if you feed too much power on.........
The 14 can wallow but I would suggest it can be dialled out as has been said.......
I hate to say this but, a big Burgie with a good rider aboard ( ) yeah Farquie'........would be quite capable of sticking to quick bikes in the twisties due to its low centre of gravity..........
.......and I concur, The Burgmans' NOT a bike................its a fookin scooter'

R

No worries guys, I can take it - my hide's as thick as a bloody elephant -

.... which is more than I can say for my arse after riding a 14 all day.

..... ouch!

......typical sorry-arsed 'scooter rider'........

I agree with AussiePaul, a Scooter is not a bike......

as for the rear shocks what I find works well for me is if I am just cruising along I back the springs off to just over 3 rings which makes the bike very comfy, if I want to ride it a bit quicker thru some twisties I just adjust them to 4 rings showing and stiffens it up heaps. I don't like riding normal on 4 rings as it is a bit too harsh for me and my arse is real quick to complain, adjustable suspension, got to love it.

Good reply Farqhuar
Yes the ride leader would not be impressed overtaking him, on your first outing, but it's good they get along a bit, so to do our guys over here, Just come from our Ulysses monthly meeting and we had an x race guy there speaking to 50 members and setting up 3 bikes, mine was one, a Triumph Daytona the other and an older Guzzi The teacher was Brian Bernard one of the number 1 race guys in Super bike series they run over here a few years ago. He brought along a mono shock which had the cylinder made of clear plastic for demo purposes. Shit when it is depressed and released all in slow motion it's amazing just how many bits and pieces are working inside the thing. He tweaked my bike up and I just had the rebound on the front forks a bit slow in returning. The rest of my set up was A" ok. I'm itching to get out for a ride but it's been pissing down over here for the last 3 weekends. Suspension settings are the individuals choice I guess so if riders are happy with what they have dialed in fair enough. Oh I must add the other two bikes were so far out it wasn't funny.
Cheers cobber
Dan

Houston to Beagle,..Houston to Beagle!

Aaawww..... ........ dont get the other ol' fart started Guy,............