Honda CBR 600 or Suzuki Bandit 600

[Blob]

Hey

Recently passed my Mod 2 and after a long hard search i've narrowed my options down to these two.

Insurance wise they are both around the £350 margain.

The money to buy the actual bike will be whatever i get from selling my Honda XR so maybe around £700-£800 to be rough.

I know i'm probably looking at a ~2000 model but just wondered the pro's and con's of these bikes? I.E Fuel Consumption, Reliability, Ability to be restricted(as i have no clue how )

Many Thanks
Will
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Bikes - Honda XR125 (SOLD) Suzuki GS500E (SCRAPED) Yamaha XJ600 N (CURRENT) -- Theory Test - 12/7/2011 (PASSED) -- Mod 1 Test - 13/7/2011 (PASSED) -- Mod 2 Test - 15/7/2011 (PASSED)

[c_dug]

No way on earth are you getting a 2000 cbr600 for £800! My 1993 bike cost me £1000.

cbr every time though, they don't call them blandits for nothing!
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[fatpies]

CBR.

Simply it was one of Honda's flagship bikes from the early 1990s till around 2002 when the RR eclipsed it.

OTOH the bandit is a parts bin special with some decent pieces from other bikes.

[DrDonnyBrago]

The CBR is better in every way.

[imanupstart]

Owned both, as stated above the CBR wins in every single way.

[Blob]

How do you restrict a CBR? As i'm on an A2 License
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Bikes - Honda XR125 (SOLD) Suzuki GS500E (SCRAPED) Yamaha XJ600 N (CURRENT) -- Theory Test - 12/7/2011 (PASSED) -- Mod 1 Test - 13/7/2011 (PASSED) -- Mod 2 Test - 15/7/2011 (PASSED)

[P.addy]

[Blob]

[Teflon-Mike]

For under a grand?
Hobson's choice.
You'll be very lucky to get either nwer than Y2K, for that money.
& Given you're going to have to restrict it & both are 4s with double 33bhp limit as stock, I'd not bother. I'd be looking for a twin, of the usual suspects, GPz500s, ER5, GS500, SV500 etc; which you stand more chance of finding a better bike for your money, which will be cheaper to run, long term, and will restrict more cheaply, and more easily.
Of the two, though, I'd go CBR. Budget would get older mid 90's gear-cam F2 model, in reasonable shape, BUT, under all the plastic I'd not expect it to be in much better condition than a Bandit.... and I'd budget £150 over buy price to recondition front brakes, regardless of what seller said... and hope I get lucky when I strip them, it IS only furr behind the dust seals, and doesn't need new pistons and float pins!
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[jjdugen]

New rider, no experience.. Bandit every time. No plastics to smash when the inevitable happens, simple aircooled engine, damn good electrical system, (unlike the CBR), loads of cheap spares and an easy upgrade route. Dont knock the Bandido, for the money they are a very credible motorcycle.

[Blob]

A bandit does seen a slightly better option as said above i have no plastics to ruin when and if i drop the bike

I shall also look around at the bikes Mike has stated
____________________
Bikes - Honda XR125 (SOLD) Suzuki GS500E (SCRAPED) Yamaha XJ600 N (CURRENT) -- Theory Test - 12/7/2011 (PASSED) -- Mod 1 Test - 13/7/2011 (PASSED) -- Mod 2 Test - 15/7/2011 (PASSED)

[DrDonnyBrago]

[Hywel]

You're gonna find a much better Bandit for £800. An £800 CBR600 is probably gonna need the same spent on it again to make it viable as reliable everyday transport, unless you find some kind of freakish fluke bargain.

Get a Bandit for a year or two and learn how to work on it.

[Blob]

[mad4it028]

k reg cbr600 will fetch £1000 in fair condition cbr's really hold there money
for £7-800 you might get a decent 80s jelly mould cbr600 but be lucky to get anything newer that fit for the road
bandits can be had for this money if you search but not mk2 2000+ models you may find a p to r reg bandit mk1 for your money
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always looking to buy bikes crashed ,unfinished projects,none runners pm me
currently riding kawasaki z1000 only bike ive ever loved

[woll]

I've had both and i'd say get the bandit for a first bike. The cbr is a totally different bike to the bandit. I'm glad got to grips with the power of a bandit first as it taught me to respect the power and not to go like a dick everywhere. I think if i'd had the cbr first it'd probably be in a wreckers yard within a week. If you do decide to get the bandit i'd recomend getting braided lines if it hasn't already got them, strip and clean the brakes (they're bastards for seizing if you don't), service it, and make sure it's got a good set of boots on.
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Current Bike- Suzuki DRZ400 SM K6
Previous bikes - Derbi Senda Xtreme50r, Honda CBR 125, Kawasaki ZZR 250, Yamaha DT125R, Suzuki Bandit 600, Gas gas ec 250, Honda CBR600FW
Damaged spleen, damaged kindey, 2 popped lungs, 2 broken ribs, broken face, broken wrist and 5 back fractures... remember kids walls hurt

[Daimo]

Loving the "Blandit" comments. Probably never ridden one.

Yes its no CBR, but if I had to use it every day for work, im telling you now you wouldn't want the CBR.

Bandits can get a hustle on if need be, and if your into fast road riding, what you doing on a bandit anyway.

Blandits - The name came from those with no knowledge.


PS, buy mine, and its a 650cc

[MarJay]

[DrDonnyBrago]

[mad4it028]

having owned a few bandits and cbr600 s i can conferm bandits are bland and the build quality sucks the big one
strangly the mk1 bandits break for more money than the mk2 blandits both are pigs to strip with bolts snapping etc
the 1200 bandit is alot of fun but the 600 is just plain dull
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always looking to buy bikes crashed ,unfinished projects,none runners pm me
currently riding kawasaki z1000 only bike ive ever loved

[L-Jam]

I used a CBR600FY for work for over a year, if someone gave me a bandit to replace it I would be sick in my own mouth.
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Skp 50 --> GS 500 --> CBR600F with custom HRC paint jobby --> GSX-R 750 K7, beautiful!

[MarJay]

[c_dug]

I went from a bandit 650 curtusy (sp?) bike to my current CBR600F. Seriously the CBR is about 100000000 times better as an every day bike.

The only situation I can fathom wher the bandit would be better is in stop start traffic, where the engine wouldn't over heat like the CBR does.
____________________
I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[Daimo]

[MarJay]