Running costs of something like a Bandit1200 vs CBR600

[c_dug]

I've heard a few times that running a litre bike is more expensive than running a smaller bike but I have no idea how much difference it makes. I'm guessing a few people here have made similar changes in the past so I'm wondering how big the difference is?

Will a litre bike go through things like brake disks and pads, chains and sprockets blah blah... noticibly quicker than a 600, and do they cost more to replace.

Also I ask specifically about bikes like the Bandit 1200 because if I make the move to a bigger cc bike I will be looking at naked/bikini bikes as insurance on their faired counterparts is far too high.

Thanks
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[P.]

I've heard they are quite juicy bikes.

I've ridden a GSXR1000 and a GSXR750. Fuel wise... both would equal eachother.

The Daytona 600 drank fuel, the CBR600RR also seems to drink.

Probably getting between 30 and 40mpg on all the above. You could get more if you rode a little slower, but given your London traffic based commute, I'd say it wouldn't really matter aside from the Bandit being a fair bit chunkier.

[KLR600]

I went from a Yamaha XJ600 diversion to a Kawasaki ZRX1100 so a sort of similar comparison.

The ZRX is heavier on fuel. The XJ would do 55/60mpg regardless of how it was ridden all day long but the ZRX really drinks fuel if you've got a heavy right wrist.

Tyres are more expensive on the ZRX. I'm looking at about £240ish a pair fitted for the ZRX when it used to be around £160 fitted on the XJ. I can't get more than 4,000 miles to a rear on the ZRX where I could easily get 8,000 miles to a rear on the XJ.

I have a Scottoiler on the ZRX and can get 20k out of a chain and sprocket set so that's ok in my books. I think I got about the same on the XJ without a Scottoiler.

Brake pads were around the same price although the ZRX has twin front disks and my XJ only had a single frotn disk so that's an extra pair of pads every time. I find they last a similar amount of time though. I've only had to replace 1 disk on the ZRX so far in 30k miles. I did however upgrade from the ultra sensitive Tokico 6 pots to some bandit 1200 calipers and I'll need a new rear caliper soon. The XJ brakes were rubbish and I replaced the both of them several times in around 30k.

Insurance wasn't a major hike, probably around £50 for the year from the XJ to the ZRX. I do have 8 years NCB and live in a good postcode though.

Things like air/oil filters, oil, brake fluid etc cost the same pretty much between both bikes so no difference there. I do all my own servicing so can't comment on what the dealer/garage service costs between the two were.

It's definitely worth it. The ZRX is a torque monster and made the XJ feel like a 125 and I haven't once regretted swapping the XJ for the ZRX.
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Now: '00 Kawasaki ZRX1100R - Past: '84 Yamaha DT125, '89 Kawasaki KLR600, '97 Yamaha XJ600N
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[c_dug]

I could coax over 50-60mpg out of the cbr easily enough, I'm prepaired to take a bit of a hit on fuel though, it's more the consumables and reliability I am concered with.

I suppose I could go for a divvy900 for the shaft drive but they seem a little boring in my mind.
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[panrider_uk]

The Pan (1100) does around 45mpg.

Tyres are approx £100 each and last as long as tyres on my CX500's did.

The chain and sprockets seem to go on forever

Mark
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Current bikes: Honda ST1100 Pan European. Moto Guzzi V85 TT Travel

[c_dug]

Ah but the pan is too wide for my straight through the middle of London commute. Even on a big naked I will be removing the mirrors to make it as narrow as I can.
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[Joenitro]

My bandit used to eat through c & s and tyres quite quickly and it only had 5 gears so wasn't great on fuel. Insurance was cheaper than a 600 and it was much more fun to ride than a 600. Servicing costs are probably cheaper but the clutch was a weak point on mine.

[Richy CB1000]

Generally they'll be more expensive as the others are pointing out.

Mine, 35-40 mpg
Tyres £300 a pair (fitted)

Rear tyre, the last one, 3100 miles! fronts about 5500.

Insurance no difference for me, brake pads etc... a little heavier but not the killer. C&S £160 fitted

So if you can put up with rear tyres being the main bit that get eaten the rest will just put a smile on your face, what price for that?

[_Iain_]

A mate borrowed a bandit 1200. Commented that it had an awesome engine, but absolutely DRANK fuel. 2/3 a tank in 80 miles as i remember.[/quote]
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Please be aware that the above post may be full of complete nonsense.
Riding: '07 KTM Duke II, Baotian BT49QT-20 Driving: '88 Volvo 340

[mysterious_rider]

[Moxey]

A guy on the Bandit forum claimed to be getting high 40's/50 after adding a tooth on the front sprocket.

All depends on how heavy you are with the throttle, based on average fuel consumption I figured there wasn't much difference between the 12 and the 6.

Tyre mileage based on my research, rear about 4500 and front 6000-6500 although depends on brand of tyre etc.

A Bandit 12 isn't really too bad a choice for the cc it is depending on how you use the throttle and brakes they're a fairly tame all rounder IMO.

For me the big plus is simplicity of maintenance the older air cooled lump offers coupled with abundance of spares and relatively cheap parts (not always though), its reasons such as that that placed the B12 above a VFR 750 and a few other bikes in terms of running costs.
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Current: 02 FZS 1000 & 91 Royal Enfield Bullet 350 Some Bike Pics...
'I was too busy paying attention to pay attention'

[woo]

from my experience of having various sports bikes which are not what your looking at the running costs have been the same just insurance and the actual cost of the bikes actually made the real difference for me.

As for tyres i buy mine part worn off ebay for a fraction of the cost of brand new, its just about looking at the tyre descriptions and how much tread is left as it costs about £15 to get them fitted e.g i have bought a pair of tyres with 4mm left in the centre for £80 works fine for me!
I also dont have a problem mix and matching tyres im not rossi and am not inspired to get my knee down so, so long as it can grip ok im fine with it.

Consumables tend to cost practically the same for Jap bikes
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Elen sila lummen omentielvo!

[mysterious_rider]

Most tyres will happy see you get kneedown... My friend helps out at a car tyre yard, comes across a some bike tyres so he puts them aside for me for free. I chuck any on there and literally straight away in the carpark test em with some kneedown.

Best to warm them up first though. Especially if you're going to be slamming the bike down quite far.

[multijoy]

The only thing I've noticed on the CBF is it is, realistically, a more thirsty bike than it's 600cc counterpart. I've not calculated it (as I don't want to cry), but I suspect it's in the 30mpg for town work. Rockets up to 50 odd for motorways.

I've had nearly 8000 miles out of the stock tyres and they're only just starting to square (with acres of tread), and the C&S I've barely had to adjust with weekly(ish) lubing.
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'11 CBF1000A, '99 C90, '98 CB500
silky666: He rode amazingly well considering his bike is the weight of a small van and had slicks on.

[c_dug]

I'm not really that heavy handed to be honest, does sound like it eats through tyres though!

I can get over 10000 miles from the tyres on a 600
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[c_dug]

Oddly the insurance on a diversion 900 is more expensive than on a bandit!
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[temeluchus]

Fuel economy wise, I got 40-45mpg on average for my GSXR1100s. Could coax 50 out of it on the motorway plodding at 80.
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Some shite cruiser. Now with guns and FREEDOM!

[Kickstart]

Hi

When standard my 1200 would do 45mpg quite happily in day to day use. Running a 1 tooth smaller front sprocket knocked that down by about 10%. Fuel consumption improved a touch when it was tuned .

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[BigDan1190]

[mysterious_rider]

[AL-]

FZS600 to FZ1. Was getting 200 miles to tank whilst 2 up on the 600. On the 1000 I am getting around the 120 mark

However, the FZ maybe going soon as I am getting more and more attached to the Triumph Sprint

[P.]

[ToGGoT]

I know its a bit older, but i've been getting about 33mpg on my K100, and that with the valves badly out of adjustment. Now i've sorted it, i'm expecting it to be between 40 and 45.

What with it being older tech its not as "nippy" as a newer thou, but 90bhp has been enough to keep me grinning, and its been a damn sight more reliable than the GPX600 i had before that.


I usually run part-worns, dirt cheap, shaft drive means no chain adjustment/replacement, do my own servicing, and insurance TPFT this year cost me £70.81.


Litre bikes don't HAVE to be expensive, but i'd imagine a lot of the running costs are down to how you ride - and lets face it, most of us bike because it puts a smile on our faces - i'm not going to ease off the throttle because it costs me less in the long run.

ToGGoT
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2005 BMW R1150R

[temeluchus]

[Polarbear]