Gaz's MZ replacement

[Gazdaman]

Well, saw the bike in the paper, called up, he said someone else was coming to look at it, but I had second shout.

I looked at a few other bikes, found a nice slightly customised ER-5, and was fairly keen on that. Then the bloke phoned me, and said the woman who was coming to look at the bike didn't like the colour.

So thursday morning at 8am my dad drove me to SW16, London. We looked at the bike, I took it out for a quick spin. We handed over cash. And I took it home.

It's a '97 Suzuki Bandit S 600. Blue, semi faired, heated grips, MICRON CAN!, 10 months MOT, 32k, £800.

Went to ride it to bristol today and suzuki build quality strikes!! Front brakes had seized on. They were binding a bit earlier, but this was silly, we could hardly wheel it out the garage, so now I'm in bristol with my mum's car sitting outside, and dad will fix the bike at his own pace, and I'll pick it up in a couple of weeks.

Think I've had a bit of a blinder.

Love it. No pics for a while, other than some fairly crappy phone ones I'll post later.

Need a new screen for it, and some matching mirrors. Maybe some crash bungs. Possibly some renthal bars. Who knows.


Gaz

[colin1]

i think the idea of cash bungs is to protect side fairings so if you dont have those, you dont need crash bungs.

im glad the brakes problem isnt dampening your spirits
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colin1 is officially faster than god

[Gazdaman]

Yes, because no naked bikes have crash bungs . I think you'll find it's to protect the more expensive parts of the bikes, engine cases, frame etc. Fairings are relatively cheap.

Gaz

[numark1]

https://www.suzukicycles.org/photos/GSF-Bandit/GSF600S-Bandit/1997_GSF600S-Bandit_bk_450.jpg

Like that? They aren't too bad just the front nose cone lets it down loads. Looks really out of place. Take it off and streetfighter it proper.

[Rookie]

£800!

I had no idea these were so cheap, I may have to rethink some stuff..

[Claud 14.7 to 1]

Down gear it to frick (for wheelies).

Sort the front end out, and maybe get something for the back . 'Bungs.

Not my cup-of-tea, but for £800 it'll do fine for Uni and general twatting about.

[BlackSheep_2]

Well the bike is a 97 and you could aspect miner things that would need to be repaired or changed How ever the Suzuki Bandit S 600 is a good bike and for what you paid for it you cant go wrong there Have it for a few years,Get some riding experience on it and if you take care of it you still could sell it when time comes for almost as much as you paid for it
Good luck

[Gazdaman]

Hah, I love that, 'get some riding experience on it'. This is my fifth bike.

The nose cone is fairly ugly, but I'll buy it a nice tinted screen, and it'll be invaluable on the motorway journeys I do.

Got a nice new rear tyre, but it's a macadam. The micron can sounds mean, got the 'original' nexxus one with it aswell.

https://www.bikepics.com/pics/pics/suzuki-gsf600-97-bikepics-048645.jpg

Not my bike, but same year and colour, that looks a bit shinier.

They handle well aswell, Jon got his can down on his one (albeit newer) at Snetterton.

Gaz

[dodsi]

Never had a problem with my bandit like that.

I have the whale edition though. (newer longer wheelbase)

Not a bad buy.

Dont fit renthals, I borrowed a Bandit for a couple of days (same year but naked model) as you have and the renthals made it a twat to steer and you had light bar ends which cause loads of vibration.

And the screen, tacky dont bother standard looks fine.

and try engine bars rather than the RNG's they are cheaper and probably do a better job.

(and somewhere to rest your feet on a long journey)

[Gazdaman]

The screen needs replacing anyway, looks like someones very carefully gone over it with a scouring pad. And there are actually 4 holes drilled in it. Then a sticker slapped over it to cover it up.

Crash bars aren't a bad idea. I'm gonna be keeping this bike for a fair while, but I'm not sure what else to do with it. It's all alarmed, which would have been the first thing I would have done.

It does need some form of protection. i.e bars or sliders. New tyres in the summer before its first trackday, the can is beautiful, it's a damn good bike.

Might get a new number plate, this one's actually falling apart.

Gaz

[dodsi]

The only problem with engine bars on bandits are that they are black or chrome and bandits have coloured frames.

Not an issue on my bandit as its a black brake with black bars but on yours you could paint them for blingness?

Stick with a clear screen gaz, I see bandit S's everywhere with non standard screens and they look stupid to be honest.

for what you paid you god a good deal, just keep ontop of the oil and filter changes. should run for years to come.

[Gazdaman]

It sucks a little bit that the paint on the frame rubs off all too easily where your knees rub on them.

A few of the lugs on the side panels have snapped aswell. Nothing major though.

I don't like the way the pegs are rubber mounted either. I just can't wait 'til summer to throw it around a bit.

You and instigator amaze me. You both started out on ER-5s, and have moved onto much bigger, much more expensive bikes. Another both got through a couple!

You got a 2004 Bandit S, and an SV650? He got a hornet, an SV650, and now a ZX6-r!!

Madness, my dad bought this bike for me, I sure as hell couldn't have afforded it.

Gaz

[dodsi]

No, I only have the bandit.

Should be chopping it in for a ZX6R in the next couple of weeks.

[instigator]

[Kickstart]

Hi

Sounds like a bargain.

On an 8 year old bike it is not a surprise the brakes are binding. They are twin piston sliding calipers so should be easy to strip down. Pistons should pump out easily and you should be able to clean up the pins they slide on. Wemoto have a pair of seals (ie, for one piston) at £5.62, so £25 for a full set of seals.

All the best

Keith
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[Gazdaman]

That's exactly what they are Keith. I think it's the pistons binding more than the slidey bit.

Although the slidey bit was a bit stiff on one of them. Copper slip helped that. It needs new front disks aswell, they're very worn which makes the whole taking the caliper off job harder.

One new disk came with it, brand spanking new. So we only need to buy one. But I'm pleased with it so far. Must....resist....temptation, to buy undertray, hugger, belly pan and other various aftermarket crap.

Gaz

[Gazdaman]

Actual pics of the bike. Poor quality I know.

Gaz

[Kickstart]

[Adam_P]

Only thing I'd buy would be a pair of mirrors that match.

Other than that, looks like you found a bargain. £800....

Good stuff. Enjoy it.
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God is imaginary

[Gazdaman]

Yeah, the mirrors are horrible. I'll get some new ones before long.
I will buy a new screen aswell, not sure if it'll be clear or tint yet though.

I'm happy with it. More decent pics will be along in a couple of weeks.

Gaz