Suzuki's Bandit 600 is fondly remembered by many riders as the machine that brought the budget middleweight class to life. True, Yamaha's 1992 Diversion 600 effectively invented the category, but for all its appealing style, it was too dour and worthy to generate real excitement. Three years later, the Bandit, with its GSX-R600-derived motor, added sparkle and fun to the value-for-money all-rounder formula.
Bandit on the run: instead of a major overhaul, the roadster has been gently tweaked
But that was a decade ago, and the engine had already been around a while, even at the Bandit's debut. Yamaha's Fazer 600 and Honda's Hornet 600 took over as the most desirable bikes in the class, followed by last year's all- new Fazer and FZ6, leaving the Suzuki to sell primarily on price (usually discounted), its performance and zest outshone by its newer, supersport 600-based rivals. Yet despite its long production run, the Bandit changed very little. Some new colours and, in 1997, chrome airbox covers were about it.
Until this year. At last, and long overdue, a new Bandit has arrived. Well, sort of. To tell the truth it's uprated rather than renewed, even after 10 years without a tweak. Still, the 2005 version follows the very latest trend, initiated by Kawasaki and followed by Triumph, of ignoring the 600cc ceiling and adding some extra capacity to achieve better performance. With a 2.9mm bore increase, the capacity is up from 600cc to 656cc, a move designed to improve the spread of torque rather than increase power.
In fact the peak output is unchanged at 77bhp but the build-up to that is significantly stronger, while the torque maximum is raised to 43lb ft. With the same aim, the valve timing is milder and the valve lift reduced, while new ceramic-coated bores cut 4lb from the weight of the engine.
Other changes to the driveline are minimal: the same six-speed gearbox is used and carburettors are still fitted, according to Suzuki to keep costs down, although the new exhaust system does now feature a simple catalyst.
The chassis has basically the same frame slightly altered to improve stability and reduce vibration reaching the rider. These changes confirm that Suzuki has moved away from the original Bandit's sporty image to something more sensible.
And with this in mind, the seat height has been reduced to 770mm, although it can be raised to 790mm in two steps by replacing rubber blocks on its underside. The fuel tank is 32mm shorter, to allow the rider to sit further forward, and the handlebar height can be adjusted by 10mm by reversing its mounting blocks. The capacity of the fuel tank remains unchanged at a useful 4.4 gallons.
So a gently breathed-on bike, one which comes with a tacit acceptance from Suzuki that the Bandit can no longer expect to compete with the sportier middleweights, and is now facing up to novice-friendly machines such as Honda's CBF600. This does show when you ride it: treat the Bandit hard by hurling it into corners, heaving on the brakes and nailing the throttle wide open at every opportunity and it's not very rewarding.
The suspension is just too bouncy and overworked, and while the bike stays on line well enough, feedback is below average and it squirms and protests when you're pushing it close to its limits.
The brakes are unchanged, so they work reasonably well, if without the initial bite of sportier machines, but the forks aren't really up to pinning the front end to the road then flinging the bike into a turn.
In rapid riding the engine struggles a little too, feeling laboured in its upper reaches. So, wipe the old Bandit's character from the memory banks, start again and things improve substantially.
The suspension stops feeling over-soft and instead, at a more reasonable pace, offers an exceptionally good ride quality, soaking up poor surfaces with real panache and playing a major part in the bike's high comfort levels. Many budget bikes have a choppy ride but not the 650 Bandit, which feels plush and, frankly, expensive.
The lack of bite from the brakes now translates into a linearity which is safer and easier for inexperienced riders, who can also opt for ABS at a reasonable £300. The engine is more co-operative with novices too, pulling more strongly from lower revs and reducing the need to change down a gear or two to maintain speed.
The motor is noticeably smoother than before - the old Bandit was quite a buzzy, rattly beast, but the 650 feels altogether more sophisticated. It also has to be said that the new machine shows that fuel injection still isn't quite there in terms of feel and response compared with carburettors - even their very occasional splutter didn't spoil their general air of superiority over EFI systems. It was like going back to a favourite pair of old shoes.
The riding position is more upright than before, which is a help at town speeds, and on the faired version it's no problem out of town either, although as you'd expect the naked version is too windblown for sustained high speeds. For touring, solo or two up, the faired version is clearly the first choice, and with that generous fuel tank capacity it should offer a good range too, although it wasn't possible to test consumption on the Spanish press launch.
Both machines share the same dash, which comprises a pair of conventional round pods, but only the left one houses an analogue dial, the tachometer. On the right a rectangular LCD display is clumsily squeezed in. Still, it does at least show time and fuel level as well as two tripmeters and the odometer.
Headlight height adjustment is unnecessarily difficult, demanding use of the tool kit and some fiddly spannering, which is annoying when it would be so cheap and easy to fit a hand adjuster, although the Bandit is hardly alone in this respect.
Otherwise this is an unintimidating bike that still has a fresh and well-balanced style. By not updating it too much, Suzuki has effectively repositioned the Bandit into the "first big bike" bracket, and at a price that means it sits there convincingly, cheaper than its main Honda and Yamaha rivals. On top of this, Suzuki dealers are currently offering the Bandit at zero per cent finance for a £1 deposit, which is even more persuasive.
Suzuki Bandit
Price/availability: £4,299 on the road (£4,499 for 650S with fairing). Available now. Contact Suzuki (GB): tel 01293 518000,
www.suzuki.co.uk.
Engine/transmission: 656cc, air/ oil-cooled four-cylinder four-stroke with 16 valves; 77bhp at 10,100rpm, 43lb ft of torque at 9,500rpm. Six-speed gearbox, chain final drive.
Performance: top speed 125mph (est), average fuel consumption N/A.
We like: Price, comfort, new-rider friendliness.
We don't like: Rather bouncy when pushed, laboured at high revs.
Alternatives: Honda CBF600, £4,899. Moto Guzzi Breva V750ie, £5,199. Yamaha Fazer, £5,499.
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