| Product: |
Suzuki Bandit GSF600 |
| Date: |
28.05.02 (2893 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Easy to ride, Power, Low repair costs
Disadvantages: Rusts, Common
This is my first bike. I quite like this bike. I find it comfortable and easy to ride. I think it looks good. It didn't break the bank. So what's the problem?
The finish. This bike was obviously manufacture from New Improved "Rust-Kwik" Metals. It's only got 8,500 on the clock and the rust is begining to show (despite weekly baths and plenty of "WD40"). This would be intolerable in a car and I don't see why I should have to put up with it on a bike? I'm told it's a common problem on bikes.
There are a few points where the paint has worn off or been shipped off. These seem to be at the headstock, engine mounts and rear wheel mount. As these areas are protected by the fairing or other bits I am surprised at this. I can only assume that it was part of general maintainence that has caused them. Again, this would not be tolerated in a car.
Other than that the bike is a good friend. Stable and docile enough not to scare a begiiner (i.e. me) yet with enough punch in it's power band to raise a smile get the adrenaline pumping. It won't bite you on the arse and have you in the nearest hedge and it suits my lanky frame quite well (a new screen might cut the windblast a tad).
The brakes seem effective enough (they are slightly better than the Yamaha Diversion 600 I learnt on) and the suspension seems fine to me - although I have been told that it will need replaced around the 10,000 mile mark.
Fuel economy is adequate - I hit reserve around 130miles and I do urban riding with lots of stops/starts which doesn't help the economy.
Some idiot drove into the bike a few weeks ago dumping it on its side. Scratched fairing, shattered front guard and both front inidcators broken. About £130 inc labour to repair - pretty good. Engine bars save any major damage (it fell on the right side, so there was a danger that the can could have twisted the sub frame and wr
itten the bike off).
The bike is well fast enough to do idiotic speeds, cheap to run, cheap to insure, cheap to fix. Comfortable (I'm over 6 foot). Just a shame the quality of the metal lets the side down.
A good bike to get experience on and very popular for modification. I think I'll be keeping this for quite a few years.
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