I bought the same bike. Literally, for only 800€ with round about 31.000km on it. It needed a little bit of work on the carburators and a new fuel tank. All in all it is kind of my favourite bike, although i had a '15 Suzuki GSR 750, '16 KTM SMC R, '05 KTM LC4 and a '11 125 KTM Duke. I figured out, that I am kind of obsessed with these retro bikes and that I enjoy these the most. I have driven a lot of more modern bikes from friends, but I had never have this analogue, unique connection to a bike like this before. I have to say, you made a great video about my current favourite bike! Be safe! We have to keep the retro community together! I want to apologize, if the grammar wasn't on point in this comment. Much love from Germany!
Thanks brother for sharing your own connection to the Bandit. I agree with you, I have also tested different modern bikes as well. Yamaha mt 07 & mt09, honda cbr1000, Ktm 1290 superduke and Bmw gs 1200. I even tested the triumph scrambler 900 and bonneville T120, great bikes indeed. But I like something raw, pure and mechanical, that gives 100% connection without any filtration system, ABS, Traction control anti wheelie control etc etc. You modulate everything yourself. It is like riding a horse. You need to be good at what you are doing or you will hit the ground fast. Never apologise man, it was great. We need to keep the love for the retro 90s bikes alive!!! It blows my mind that nobody knows anything about carbs and petcocks of the younger generation... Strange world ;) Keep riding strong and safe!
I have 97.000 km on my 1200n and a whopping 154.000 on my 1200s. These bikes are tanks. Only thing i had to change, other than oil/tires, are the clutch plates. They are staying, never letting them go ❤.
Wow that is a good mileage. They are great machines with a lot of character. Built like a tank. Same here, I will not sell it. I have nice plans for mine in the future. Nice upgraded rear shock and some upgraded brake hoses etc etc. Awesome bike for sure!
Congratulations, I have the n1200 from 2000, with only 31000km, carbon DEVIL exaust, and I love it, zero electronics. Has never let me down, just a fantastic bike.
I have a 1998 600, also in black. It’s a naked one, not faired. It’s the best thing I ever bought by mistake. (Different story.) I love their look. That is why I ended up buying one by mistake. I have spent (cough) a fair bit on mine, most on cosmetics, but also to make it work correctly. Mine was not my first bike, but my 5th. It is my first ever bike over 250. When I was in my early 20’s I had bikes that looked crap. I could not afford to look after them properly. Then I gave up on motorcycles due to lack of money and a mortgage. 25 years later. . . I paid my mortgage off. a few years later I got made redundant. I got a big wad of cash, and accidentally bought an 18 (now 24) year old bike. Best mistake I ever made.
They are great bikes! Sometimes the bike or the thing we haven't planned for to purchase can also be the thing we actually needed. Those times a rare but it happens. Motorcycles are most a luxury item in the developed world. That is why I choose to buy used and wanted sometime mechanically and pure with lots of bang for the buck. Ride safe and take care of yourself!
Nice bike mate,had one in 2000 put 142000 miles on it without any major issues.been riding bandits & gsxr’s for the last 30 odd years.picking up another 1200 bandit next Fri…love em.Great great bikes,good ones are getting hard to find now though….ride safe 👍
THANKS! they are awesome bikes. They eat miles reliable and goes like a rocket. I totally understand that you have been hooked on them for so long time. I know, I have been planing on buying a doner bike for spares or just a doner engine, so i can always have the bike on the road quick and cheap if something happens. I love the bandit a analog beast. Ride safe brother! 🏍
Bro. I sold my Bandit 1200n and have regretted it ever since. The mistake I made was using mine for several years only as a tool for commuting, year round in all kinds of weather. It took that like a champ (aside from the exhaust collector rotting out), but at some point I got sick of being cold and miserable I guess, bought a cheap car and the rest is history. If I'm lucky enough to find another Bandit in good shape, for a good price, I'll snag that and it will be used only for my enjoyment. Agree with everything you say in the video, the B12 is a torque monster and supremely reliable due to its simplicity and fairly loose tolerances. The only downside is it can be a little thirsty if you're really thrashing it. Maybe the cheap construction of some parts, such as the exhaust collector being mild steel rather than stainless.
Yeah that is usually how it goes. You dont miss it when it used everyday but when it gone you realize you did a mistake. But the bike is a masterpiece of balance it is very capable of doing regular stuff and crazy stuff very well. You should definitely try to find a good one again and enjoy it as toy and a tool for relaxation and spituded riding.Thanks for that! Yes the engine is very strong indeed and a bit thirsty, but anything that is that strong and that fast will have a appetite. My collector was rotten too when I bought the bike. I just ordered a new sleeve and welded it in with my mig welder. Easy fix! Take good care of yourself!
@@personaldiscovery2124 I'm always delighted when people can afford something and enjoy life. Your video is so cute and I am really happy for you. Another little tip: regardless of whether you get a new motorcycle, park it, cover it with blankets and keep it for the next 20 or 30 years. I sold my first motorcycle, a big mistake, money is not important, I would give anything to at least be able to see it in the garage. By the way, the Bandit is an excellent and timeless motorcycle, you will enjoy it in the old days, if you decide to restore it. Ride like there is nothing to prove and God bless you.
Thank you for your kind and very wise words. It is a keeper and I'm not a person that likes to change out stuff every year or so. I still have my first moped I bought when I was 15. Good times! Thank you and that I will do! God bless and ride safely :)
Excellent review .. however .. it wasn't a "parts bin" bike or design .. it was simply a late carry over production version from the factories xr69 race f1 superbike .. Harris built a very similar frame .. the gsf1200 was simply sidelined briefly by Suzukis interests in productionising aluminium frames for obvious lightweight .. I recall at the time concerns within the super conservative japanese bike industry that aluminium frames wouldn't be durable enough for production models g everyone watached for cracks to develop that never did .. another unforeseen added feature with the oil "cooling" system was the benefit of the cooling systems capacity & effects for durability of these engines & their roller bearing bottom ends.. highly underrated bikes in today's tech blinded market place .. 👍🇳🇿🇳🇿nz
Thank you! I have never heard that story, very interesting. I will save that one for sure. Makes me even more proud to own this bike.You hit the nail on the head.To much electronics and rider aids, Less is definitely more. I appreciate your comment and your support. Take care.
@@personaldiscovery2124 the gsf design similarities to the legendary xr69 isn't open for debate.. being there at the time & remembering the track talk of the Ali frames which are the same design too.. led down a different path into the twin spar Ali frame.. as a compromise.. away from monocoque chassis ideas like the zx12r & early 80s f1 bike ideas.. diverging evolutions
@@Errol.C-nz That is very interesting, two different ways of looking at it! I think it was a very good compomise. The xrf69 is a beautiful beast. I would love to ride that one.
@@personaldiscovery2124 there are several xr69's here in NZ.. have had lots of opportunities to study them & talk with the owners/mechanics.. it was a golden era of discovery & vastly varying designs & innovations.. I followed closely Steve Roberts all aluminium monocoque & in 82 the carbon fiber version f1 bikes of Neville & Steve Hiscock that shockup the factories in the early 80s & that John Britton later improved on .. age seems to trigger nostalgia .. it's a strange & regulated world now.. god save the TT
Congrats on your first bike. Great. I had the SV650 and it was a wonderful machine. Well done video mate. Enjoyed it. Drop by when you can, you may like my content. :) Cheers.
Thank you sir. Yea the SV650 is awesome, very underrated bike with character. Happy to hear and I will check out your videos. Take care brother. Safe riding.
Advertised output is 98hp. That is always measured at the crank. It's an average. Different individuals will vary, particularly after 30years of different wear and different maintenance. Transmission, chain and rubber damping will tax 8-10%. The classic Bandit 2" mod, with airbox 2" hole, increased main jets, decreased pilot jets, slip-on muffler, will give a perfectly broken in, well maintained, low mileage B12, as much as 100-110bhp. Adding a slip-on will change the tone. No noticeable power increase if nothing else is matching.
@@impalaSS65 I seen dyno on Bandit 1200 with 10-15 hp more with Slip on and jetting, I tried one with 115 hp on backwheel and then feels faster then Mt09 ✊🔥
I bought the same bike. Literally, for only 800€ with round about 31.000km on it. It needed a little bit of work on the carburators and a new fuel tank. All in all it is kind of my favourite bike, although i had a '15 Suzuki GSR 750, '16 KTM SMC R, '05 KTM LC4 and a '11 125 KTM Duke.
I figured out, that I am kind of obsessed with these retro bikes and that I enjoy these the most.
I have driven a lot of more modern bikes from friends, but I had never have this analogue, unique connection to a bike like this before.
I have to say, you made a great video about my current favourite bike! Be safe! We have to keep the retro community together!
I want to apologize, if the grammar wasn't on point in this comment.
Much love from Germany!
Thanks brother for sharing your own connection to the Bandit. I agree with you, I have also tested different modern bikes as well. Yamaha mt 07 & mt09, honda cbr1000, Ktm 1290 superduke and Bmw gs 1200. I even tested the triumph scrambler 900 and bonneville T120, great bikes indeed. But I like something raw, pure and mechanical, that gives 100% connection without any filtration system, ABS, Traction control anti wheelie control etc etc. You modulate everything yourself. It is like riding a horse. You need to be good at what you are doing or you will hit the ground fast.
Never apologise man, it was great.
We need to keep the love for the retro 90s bikes alive!!! It blows my mind that nobody knows anything about carbs and petcocks of the younger generation...
Strange world ;)
Keep riding strong and safe!
@@personaldiscovery2124 I am really excited if you release some more videos about the bike. I'd really enjoy that!!
got the 1250 as my first and I still never fully pinned the throttle yet. It's just nice to be able to go anywhere in traffic when you want.
Yes you need to be nuts to really go open throttle. I have not done 100% throttle at most maybe 80% and it really goes. Great machine!
I have 97.000 km on my 1200n and a whopping 154.000 on my 1200s. These bikes are tanks. Only thing i had to change, other than oil/tires, are the clutch plates.
They are staying, never letting them go ❤.
Wow that is a good mileage. They are great machines with a lot of character. Built like a tank. Same here, I will not sell it. I have nice plans for mine in the future. Nice upgraded rear shock and some upgraded brake hoses etc etc. Awesome bike for sure!
Congratulations, I have the n1200 from 2000, with only 31000km, carbon DEVIL exaust, and I love it, zero electronics. Has never let me down, just a fantastic bike.
Nice one. I agree. Always been more than enough bike for me. Great all rounder.
Thanks! It is a relly competent bike, with more than enough bite.
I've always wanted one as it is more than enough bait for me.
@@Mybwain They are awesome bike to ride and work on. Good performance with a ton of torque.
Congratulations Gabriel!!! I have a 1998, and I will NEVER sell it.
But Why ?
Thank you! I feel the same! The Bandit is a good bike that ticks all the boxes for me. Ride safe brother :)
I have a 1998 600, also in black. It’s a naked one, not faired.
It’s the best thing I ever bought by mistake. (Different story.)
I love their look. That is why I ended up buying one by mistake.
I have spent (cough) a fair bit on mine, most on cosmetics, but also to make it work correctly.
Mine was not my first bike, but my 5th. It is my first ever bike over 250.
When I was in my early 20’s I had bikes that looked crap. I could not afford to look after them properly. Then I gave up on motorcycles due to lack of money and a mortgage.
25 years later. . .
I paid my mortgage off.
a few years later I got made redundant.
I got a big wad of cash, and accidentally bought an 18 (now 24) year old bike. Best mistake I ever made.
They are great bikes! Sometimes the bike or the thing we haven't planned for to purchase can also be the thing we actually needed. Those times a rare but it happens.
Motorcycles are most a luxury item in the developed world. That is why I choose to buy used and wanted sometime mechanically and pure with lots of bang for the buck.
Ride safe and take care of yourself!
Nice bike mate,had one in 2000 put 142000 miles on it without any major issues.been riding bandits & gsxr’s for the last 30 odd years.picking up
another 1200 bandit next Fri…love em.Great great bikes,good ones are getting hard to find now though….ride safe 👍
THANKS! they are awesome bikes. They eat miles reliable and goes like a rocket. I totally understand that you have been hooked on them for so long time. I know, I have been planing on buying a doner bike for spares or just a doner engine, so i can always have the bike on the road quick and cheap if something happens. I love the bandit a analog beast. Ride safe brother!
🏍
You can get bandits for cheap, most of them are in great condition too. Pretty amazing tbh
Good 👍
Man's bike I have two gsf injection .. .🎉
Totally agree with you! They are awesome bikes with lots of character and potential. Ride safe brother!
Great Bike 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻
100% 👍
Bro. I sold my Bandit 1200n and have regretted it ever since. The mistake I made was using mine for several years only as a tool for commuting, year round in all kinds of weather. It took that like a champ (aside from the exhaust collector rotting out), but at some point I got sick of being cold and miserable I guess, bought a cheap car and the rest is history. If I'm lucky enough to find another Bandit in good shape, for a good price, I'll snag that and it will be used only for my enjoyment.
Agree with everything you say in the video, the B12 is a torque monster and supremely reliable due to its simplicity and fairly loose tolerances. The only downside is it can be a little thirsty if you're really thrashing it. Maybe the cheap construction of some parts, such as the exhaust collector being mild steel rather than stainless.
Yeah that is usually how it goes. You dont miss it when it used everyday but when it gone you realize you did a mistake. But the bike is a masterpiece of balance it is very capable of doing regular stuff and crazy stuff very well. You should definitely try to find a good one again and enjoy it as toy and a tool for relaxation and spituded riding.Thanks for that! Yes the engine is very strong indeed and a bit thirsty, but anything that is that strong and that fast will have a appetite. My collector was rotten too when I bought the bike. I just ordered a new sleeve and welded it in with my mig welder. Easy fix!
Take good care of yourself!
Congrats on your first bike. have lot of fun and a save ride. Enjoyed it.
Thank you so much!
Take care brother, ride safe!
@@personaldiscovery2124 I'm always delighted when people can afford something and enjoy life. Your video is so cute and I am really happy for you. Another little tip: regardless of whether you get a new motorcycle, park it, cover it with blankets and keep it for the next 20 or 30 years. I sold my first motorcycle, a big mistake, money is not important, I would give anything to at least be able to see it in the garage. By the way, the Bandit is an excellent and timeless motorcycle, you will enjoy it in the old days, if you decide to restore it. Ride like there is nothing to prove and God bless you.
Thank you for your kind and very wise words. It is a keeper and I'm not a person that likes to change out stuff every year or so. I still have my first moped I bought when I was 15. Good times! Thank you and that I will do! God bless and ride safely :)
Excellent review .. however .. it wasn't a "parts bin" bike or design .. it was simply a late carry over production version from the factories xr69 race f1 superbike .. Harris built a very similar frame .. the gsf1200 was simply sidelined briefly by Suzukis interests in productionising aluminium frames for obvious lightweight .. I recall at the time concerns within the super conservative japanese bike industry that aluminium frames wouldn't be durable enough for production models g everyone watached for cracks to develop that never did .. another unforeseen added feature with the oil "cooling" system was the benefit of the cooling systems capacity & effects for durability of these engines & their roller bearing bottom ends.. highly underrated bikes in today's tech blinded market place .. 👍🇳🇿🇳🇿nz
Thank you! I have never heard that story, very interesting. I will save that one for sure. Makes me even more proud to own this bike.You hit the nail on the head.To much electronics and rider aids, Less is definitely more. I appreciate your comment and your support. Take care.
@@personaldiscovery2124 the gsf design similarities to the legendary xr69 isn't open for debate.. being there at the time & remembering the track talk of the Ali frames which are the same design too.. led down a different path into the twin spar Ali frame.. as a compromise.. away from monocoque chassis ideas like the zx12r & early 80s f1 bike ideas.. diverging evolutions
@@Errol.C-nz That is very interesting, two different ways of looking at it! I think it was a very good compomise. The xrf69 is a beautiful beast. I would love to ride that one.
@@personaldiscovery2124 there are several xr69's here in NZ.. have had lots of opportunities to study them & talk with the owners/mechanics.. it was a golden era of discovery & vastly varying designs & innovations.. I followed closely Steve Roberts all aluminium monocoque & in 82 the carbon fiber version f1 bikes of Neville & Steve Hiscock that shockup the factories in the early 80s & that John Britton later improved on .. age seems to trigger nostalgia .. it's a strange & regulated world now.. god save the TT
Nice bike mk1 is the one, enjoy.
Thanks I rellay like it. Couple of months left then it's time to ride again.
bella 👍✌️🤙
This wind shield is not the original. Does it works well?
Correct it is not original. It works good enough but I think it gives the bike a better look.
Congrats on your first bike. Great. I had the SV650 and it was a wonderful machine. Well done video mate. Enjoyed it. Drop by when you can, you may like my content. :) Cheers.
Thank you sir. Yea the SV650 is awesome, very underrated bike with character. Happy to hear and I will check out your videos. Take care brother. Safe riding.
@@personaldiscovery2124 Cool. Thanks a lot mate. Appreciate it.
Stock 100hp backwheel, 115 motor, slip on 10 more hp✊🔥
They are great machines!
Advertised output is 98hp. That is always measured at the crank. It's an average. Different individuals will vary, particularly after 30years of different wear and different maintenance. Transmission, chain and rubber damping will tax 8-10%.
The classic Bandit 2" mod, with airbox 2" hole, increased main jets, decreased pilot jets, slip-on muffler, will give a perfectly broken in, well maintained, low mileage B12, as much as 100-110bhp.
Adding a slip-on will change the tone. No noticeable power increase if nothing else is matching.
@@impalaSS65 thats wrong Slip on on a Bandit give over 10hp, so over 110hp back wheel with. Slip on and 125 Motor✊🔥
@@helgejohan3604 Yeah you said that before. And I told what real life dyno results are, and how you get them.
@@impalaSS65 I seen dyno on Bandit 1200 with 10-15 hp more with Slip on and jetting, I tried one with 115 hp on backwheel and then feels faster then Mt09 ✊🔥
I dont half miss my mk2 Bandit.!
They are great bikes, I can't wait for the spring/summer to come.