First big bike after Bandit 600? Ideas please.

[RaviTaji]

I've been riding the bandit for the last five years since passing my test, and yeah, its time to move on.

It's actually been a great bike for me, but two ridiculously expensive MOts in succession have given me the incentive to replace.

I'd like something that is comfortable for some camping trips within the UK, and maybe even abroad, but that has a bit of excitement to it, too. Something that gives me the buzz I got when I first got the Bandit. And something reliable and relatively cheap to run.

Please note I am very much an idiot, so welcome any advice. Budget is about 5k used.

I'm thinking.

Z1000SX - Nice looking bike. I wonder if it's too sporty though, and practical for carrying the sort of luggage I carried on the bandit.

VFR 800 - Looks pretty nice. I wonder if it's too similar to the Bandit, though, as not enough of a change in power.

FJR1200. I wonder if this will be too big and heavy for me.

GSX1250 - This seems to tick the most boxes at the moment.

I'd welcome any thoughts about any of these bikes or other suggestions.

[Ericck]

Bandit 1200
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Current Bikes: 2006 Suzuki Bandit 1200, 2008 Suzuki SV650N.
Previous Bikes: Yamaha FS1E, Mobylette Moped Thingy, Suzuki GS125, Kawasaki Zephyr 550, Kawasaki Zephyr 750, Kawasaki ER500, Suzuki Bandit 600, Honda CBR600F, Triumph Street Triple 675, Suzuki V Strom 650.

[spottedtango]

Suzuki SV1000/DL1000

Plenty of tractable power, reliable, slick gear change, twin cylinder soundtrack, not too heavy. Underrated bikes.

They use the old TL1000 mill which is solid apart from the odd clutch problem. I’ve ridden the SV1000 and I’d highly recommend.


Fit them with aftermarket cans and the sound will make you go through the gears just for the noise.

[Evil Hans]

FZ1s ?
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Triumph Sprint ST 1050. And it's Red.

[martin734]

It sounds like a sports oriented sports tourer is what you want. There is plenty of choice out there. The CBR1100XX is a very good bike, but most are getting a bit old now and good ones are getting rarer. Then you have the Kawasaki ZX-12R and the Suzuki Hyabusa, both of which are similar to the CBR1100XX but with a bit more lairiness. The BMW K1200s is worth a look, but good ones are expensive and they are known for complicated and fragile electronics. They are very good fun to ride though. If you want something a bit different with plenty of character and fun then the Triumph Sprint ST 1050 is something you should consider, but again there have been a few issues with build quality. HTH.
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Current bike: ST1100 "Big Red"

[Pete.]

[TravisBickle]

Sorry to sort of spam something I already put in a previous post but I think this applies here and easier to copy and paste rather than re-write basically the same thing again:

I can't recommend the FZ1 Fazer highly enough. Not a sports bike by any stretch of the imagination but it certainly IS SPORTY with 150bhp on tap from the re-tuned R1 engine for better mid-range grunt, a max speed of 160mph, 0-60 in 2.7 seconds same as a Lamborghini Aventador will give any sports bike a run for its money if you feel like playing tag, all this in a practical package with a comfortable upright riding position that you can comfortably do long tours on without feeling any aches or pains, nice wide handlebars give you a confidence inspiring control to chuck it through the twisties, although some call it a naked bike I think there's enough fairing on the front to keep you protected on a long tour, the standard screen is tall enough but you can always add a taller touring one (or even a smaller one for a sportier look) at a later date if you desire. I think it's know colloquially as 'the thinking man's R1'. Basically the bike version of the BMW M5 (blistering performance in a practical comfortable package, just get the best of all worlds without any real drawbacks or compromises).

Done a lot of research and the only other bikes that match or exceed the performance, practicality and comfort of the FZ1 Fazer are the Ducati Multistrada 1200 and the KTM Super Adventure 1290 but you won't find one of those for under £5,000 and arguably not as reliable plus spares and accessories are not as readily available or reasonably priced.

I only paid £3,500 for my FZ1 Fazer.

I done a fair bit of looking around and was adamant I wanted a ZZR1400 until I sat on one in a showroom. Despite it being classed as a sports tourer the riding position was way to aggressive for me, could be comfortable doing 100mph plus on a long tour but for every day use not comfortable to practical at all.

Just my two pence for what it's worth x

Also worth noting I find the FZ1 Fazer very practical luggage-wise with the biggest top box that Givi do will take two fully modular helmets no problem at all with extra room to spare:
https://i.ibb.co/8KRM8sJ/20200410-143931.jpg
Had straight through de-cat aftermarket exhaust fitted and a few other aftermarket accessories fitted since that photo was taken.
Plus obviously it will take panniers. Just love this bike so much I can't stop raving about it. I'm 100% sure there's nothing out there in the £5k price range that will match the comfort and performance of this bike. It's a total sleeper. Most people (even other bikers) have no idea how raving ballistic these things are, and that goes for the insurance companies too, if I'm not mistaken the insurance on one of these will be less than half that of an R1 even though real-world usable performance is comparable.
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2007 Yamaha FZ1 S Fazer
2021 Honda CMX500 Rebel S
2016 Triumph Tiger 1050 Sport

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

zx9r? cheap as owt, billions of cheap spares, comfy, fast, indestructible - only problem is it's shit for camping on cos it's got no bungee points on the subframe or anywhere else.
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"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[wr6133]

[stinkwheel]

Five grand though.

VFR1200?

Triumph tiger sport.

A tidy, low-mileage blackbird with enough left over to fit brembo suspension and brakes.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[1198]

The size of that top box amuses / terrifies me in equal measures! If that’s full than I bet the handling is ‘interesting’!

[TravisBickle]

LOL not as much as you'd think! And certainly nowhere near as bad as carrying a pillion. Sometimes it does get full but usually only on the last short bit of the journey before I get home because I've stopped to get some beers

There's usually a jumper or the inner lining to my motorcycle jacket or something in there to pad out / separate anything else that might be in there so it doesn't roll around and shift the weight from side to side.

Change in handling has never been noticeable or of any concern to me. The only thing I do worry about is doing 160mph on the motorway with 10kg in there... doubt it's tested at those sort of speeds

I know it looks goofy, especially on that type of bike (would look more at home on a GS or an Africa Twin), but it's super convenient and I wouldn't get rid of it. I mean the bike is a bit of a sleeper anyway it's not about being showy or anything just a bit plain and bland looking but knocks the socks off most everything else on the road so makes it even more funny when I cream another car or bike on it with that utilitarian-looking top box, does get raised eyebrows sometimes.
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2007 Yamaha FZ1 S Fazer
2021 Honda CMX500 Rebel S
2016 Triumph Tiger 1050 Sport

[ThatDippyTwat]

VFR - Sportier riding position, and will easily see off a Bandit 600 without breaking a sweat. 5K will give you a world of choice. I'd look for a really nice pre-VTEC 800 (1998-2001) and keep the change. These things do moon miles without major servicing. Well looked after is far more important than low mileage.

ZZR1200 - Similar to the VFR, but a bigger bike, and more poke. Looks are a subjective thing.
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'98 VFR800 (touring) - '12 VFR800 Crosrunner (Commuting) - '01 KDX220 (Big Green Antisocial Machine)

[TravisBickle]