Semi-naked fun (Suzuki Bandit GSF600)

Member Name: the_guru

Product:	Suzuki Bandit GSF600
Date:	22/07/02 (9594 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: easy to use, good insurance group, upright and comfortable riding position

Disadvantages: too heavy for good handling at low/high speed, poor suspension, poor lights

I owned a 2001 600S (faired) Bandit until recently - on the whole, the Bandit's a reasonably friendly and easy-to-use retro that'll probably suit a fairly experienced rider who's not really bothered about keeping up with the sportsbike pack.

The Bandit is a good looking machine, and performs reasonably well on the open road, its 600cc engine producing around 76 BHP. This equates to a top speed of around 130mph, but even with the fairing you wouldn't really want to do that sort of speed, as the windblast is uncomfortable and the handling deteriorates around 100mph. Cruising at 70+ is very comfortable, though. Insurance is quite reasonable given the perkiness of the engine, but be aware that some of the design elements of the bike (such as the exhaust and fairing mountings) mean that it doesn't survive crashes very well, and can be easily written-off due to frame damage.

The four cylinder arrangement is smooth and grunty, and sounds good - it's a lot less raw and vibratory than the twin-cylinder machines in the similar price range. The Bandit was revamped in 2000, slightly softening its angular looks whilst changing the frame design, but the redesign wasn't radical enough to keep up with the new crop of naked bikes - many people argue that the old bike was better.

In normal use, it's quite an easy bike to handle once you get going, and would suit a middle-distance journey thanks to an upright riding position, comfortable seat and bungee hooks.

My main gripe with the Bandit was the weight - it's 208 kg, which is quite a significant weight, and more than 25kg heavier than its more modern rivals. You'll notice the weight particularly if you miss your footing and find yourself struggling to hold it up, or if you have short legs like me - I could touch down, but always felt that the bike was a little "top heavy". I never really had low speed confidence due to the weight, and the bike was

a little "snatchy" when cold, leading to quite a few near-drops.

The weight also compromises the handling somewhat - if you make the mistake of trying to out-compete a sportsbike, you could be in for a nasty surprise as the bike wallows and drifts, and more than once I found that the bike was reluctant to steer as quickly as I wanted it to, leading to a couple of hair-raising moments.

Further gripes - there's no fuel gauge, and the suspension needs serious work. The weight of the bike is concentrated at the front, but the front forks are under-damped so under heavy braking they will "bottom out" with a "knocking" feeling that can seriously affect handling. I wouldn't be totally confident in the emergency braking ability of the Bandit as a result, although the brakes themselves are excellent. The headlight is pretty useless on dipped beam, as only one of the lights is lit. Many people replace the fork springs with progressive ones and rewire the lights, but it's a shame that this isn't done on the machine as standard.

Overall, it's a well-priced package for those who don't want the hunched-over sportsbike experience. It's quite good-looking for the money, and comfortable to ride, even over distance.

Although it's been revamped, it still feels a little old-fashioned next to more modern, lighter rivals such as the Yamaha Fazer and Suzuki's own SV650, but has traditionally scored on price. Its price is probably the reason that it continues to sell in the face of newer, better , bikes but essentially you get what you pay for and it's obvious where the money has been skimped. If you can handle the weight, it's a fun package, but it caught me out more than once and I was never entirely confident with this big hunk of metal.

However, the Bandit has a huge following, and it has a certain style of its own that appeals to many. You won't have a pro
blem
finding lots of custom bits for it, and you can turn it into a total tart's handbag if you want to. If you can manage the size and weight of the bike, it might be just what you're looking for, but don't make the mistake of trying to handle it like a sportsbike - the power is there, but not the handling.

Personally, I'd have a look at the Fazer and the SV650 before deciding on the Bandit. If Suzuki lightened it, sorted the suspension and handling and added a GSX-R 600 engine, it would be a cracking bike !

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