Advantages: Fun, Economic, Reasonably priced
Disadvantages: Wobbles over 100mph, Forks bottom out, Too high for people with short legs!!

...enough we signed on the dotted line, parted with £2,500 and we were the proud new owners of an R reg, blue Suzuki Bandit GSF600N. (Strangely enough, Suzuki class this blue colour as green?! They must have colour-blind employees!!!) A brand new Bandit will cost around £3500. So how does this bike perform? It has a decent sized engine although not as fast as the 1200 version but that is pretty obvious and to be expected. It is very handy for town work and is light and nippy enough to weave through traffic comfortably. Saying that however, it is also good on the open road and loves being given the opportunity to do just that, especially if it’s normally used for only town work. I don’t think huge amounts of town work is good for any vehicles, so a ‘good run’ every now and then will do it a world of good... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Easy handling, comfortable ride. Very fun
Disadvantages: Can be intense

...600cc bandit is around £4,000 on the road depending where you buy. Second hand is where the price drops, it's easy to get hold of a nice bandit, the biggest thing is getting hold of one that has been regularly serviced and looked after. To run a tank of fuel (20litres) will get me a range of about 140-150 miles even if your enthusiastic with the throttle/. ****Reliability**** It's a Suzuki! This means if it breaks fix it. I've had no problems with mine, and I don't know of anyone having any problems with theirs. The electrics are simple; they haven't over complicated any circuits. The engine is a robust all rounder. With the inline 4 going in. Wear is good, I've just put a new chain and sprocket on and tyres, which hasn't been done in years. Rides like a dream. It's only really wear and tear. ****Enjoyment**** The Bandit... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Handling, engine, novice- and expert- friendly
Disadvantages: Some dealers less than helpful

...I bought my Suzuki Bandit 600S (i.e. with a fairing) when it was just over a year old. I was very impressed: for the price of a year old Honda CB500 (boring but reliable commuter) I picked up a 600 Bandit (drummingbunny's dream bike!). I can heartily recommend this bike to anyone except the hardcore power junkies. It pulls smoothly from just above tickover in any gear: it will comfortably cruise at 30 mph in top gear. The engine goes slightly off tune when it is nearing the end of a service interval but otherwise it has surprisingly clearly defined powerbands (it's like having two turbos, brilliant!). Tickover to 4000 rpm has a nice soft response suitable for town riding, 4000 to 8000 rpm is sharper (just what you need for out of town riding) and 8000 to 12000 rpm is gung ho territory. It took a little time before I was confident... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: cheap to buy and run
Disadvantages: taller and heavier than some similar bikes

...easily attainable by both rider and pillion. Also it was on this trip that I discovered that the tank range is at least 160 miles from a 20 litre tank (140ish to reserve) whilst riding normally (i.e quite briskly) and with a passenger and our luggage - including tent and cooking equipment! I have heard reports of so called "sports tourers" with much worse fuel consumption than that! Top speed seen by me on the clocks is about 130 mph and it feels quite stable at that speed, and the acceleration is more than adequate in the real world. On a racetrack many bikes would make the Bandit look slow but out on the open road it easily holds it's own with most of my friend's machines, although it sometimes feels just a little wallowy in bends. All in all I would say that the Suzuki Bandit 600S is an excellent machine if you want to do a bit... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Trick parts and spares easy to find & cheaply.
Disadvantages: Need a neck brace for high speed on naked version

...more is it can be relatively easily tuned to turn out more. As far as spares and aftermarket parts are concerned these are readily available at good prices. It is arguably one of the best bikes to hone your bike mechanic skills on too. There are a multitude of websites available offering expert advice specifically for the Bandit 12 because of their popularity and if you're not completely in love with it, it's resale value is second to none. I'm a good example of this because I had to travel 60 odd miles for the nearest dealer who had one for sale. In conclusion the Suzuki Bandit GSF1200 is what I call a 'keeper', i.e once you get yourself one you'll hang on to it. If you're fortunate enough to have a few grand spare, take this strong advice, go out and get one you WON'T be disappointed.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Power, Cost
Disadvantages: Split interests

...I bought this bike from a dealer in the fall of 03. The "S" bikes come with a 1/2 fairing on the front, rather than the naked look of the 1200. I got the bike for about 6K US dollars. I don't know how many pounds or pence that is for your Brits. If you're looking for an old man cruiser, then get a cruiser, man. If you're looking for an all out crotch rocket, then get a full fairing sport bike, but be ready to pay 10 grand or so for those suckers. If you're looking for a bike with huge balls that is VERY inexpensive for what you get, but that can be ridden comfortably as well, then get out your purse M8 and buy the Bandit 1200S. This bike rocks. If you haven't been on a big bike, be EXTREMELY cautious with the throttle. I drove an old Honda and a 750 Honda Nighthawk, but neither was even close to the torque on this puppy... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Powerful, wasy to ride, cheap and FUN FUN FUN
Disadvantages: Lots of second hands have been stunted and dropped!

...Back in 2001 I bought a second hand (or more likely third/fourth hand) Suzuki GSF1200 Bandit (Nekkid however, not the S version), I had previously owned a Suzuki GS500E commuter bike (500cc flat twin). I was 20 years old and had 'tricked up' the GS500E to look like the streetfightered (term for personalised/modified bikes) Bandits I had seen all over the place. I unfortunately crashed that but just found it as a good excuse to have it re-sprayed, twin spotlights added and renthal handlebars to give it the 'tricked up' Bandit look. Therefore when I came to move up to a new bike I decided, on seeing an already tricked up 1200 Bandit in a local dealer, to go for it! I was pleased to see the bike was up fro Approx £4,000 which was just in my price range. I did worry about insurance as I was only 20 but was again pleased to find out... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Economical, Comfortable, Powerful, Predictable
Disadvantages: Having to buy extras to make it acceptable to me.

...I bought my Bandit in December last year, 2001 on a Y plate, 1000 miles on the clock. Virtually brand new. Its the bike I have been waiting all my life for! Only I didnt realise it until I actually got it and rode it on the road. I am 48 years old and had a couple of small bikes in my youth, got married had kids, they grew up, the old, old story! Now returned to biking, Well in 1997 actually, started with a Honda CM200 and worked my way up to a Suzuki GS500 in 1998. Joined an advanced riders club and got through the advanced test. Then started looking round for a big bike to suit me. I like the sitting up position, I'm not a sports bike rider. I wanted 4 cylinders for smoothness, I wanted a fairly light bike as I am not a strong person, so I had to give thought to getting it on and off the centre stand and in and out of the garage. I... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Price, Power, Performance
Disadvantages: Speeding Tickets

...to cripple the average human on a crotch rocket. The tedium of two hours at any speed on a cruiser just isn't for me. Four hours of steady highway speed on this Bandit was very comfortable and it has enough jump and swing to keep any ride interesting. Can't figure out how Suzuki manages to put this bike out at the very resonable price it does. There are no glaring omissions that account for it being in the price range it is in. Sure it has less fairing than some but the 1/2 job it has is quite adequate (mostly to keep riders like myself from being blown off). If you're someone who likes fast powerful bikes but don't need crippling riding positions to enjoy yourself and if you're still too young to buy big greasy cruisers you would be hard pressed to find a better bike than the 1200 Suzuki Bandit S... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: reliable, great power ,very nimble ,durable
Disadvantages: suspension a little soft, fairings buzzy

...The wife and I both ride Bandits hers is the 05, 650 and mine is a 06, 1200s , This is my second Bandit after my 04 1200 was wrecked by a guy running a red light, I've owned this series of Suzuki since the old 1985 gs750es and it is by far one of the most dependable motorcycles on the market. With all the years this motor combo has bean around up grading it is cheap and proven results are easy to get. As a great all round sport cruiser there is really isn't any thing close in it's price range and for me any price range. The only improvement I would request from Suzuki would be a slightly firmer suspension as it is a little washy in corners although that is corrected by put a Busa rear shock in it and replacing the springs in the front with the progressive style. If you purchase the 1200s you might find the fairing a little buzzy... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful