MO Reader Needs Advice

I bought a 2001 1200S Bandit for $7k out the door. Added a Holeshot exhaust can and it produces about 118hp and 80 ft/lbs on the dyno. Makes 70 ft/lbs at 3500 rpm. Used it for the California Superbike School at Putnam Park. Commute almost daily March- Dec on Southern Indiana backroads. I have added a set of Corbin Beetle Bags for backroad touring next summer. I raced RD/RZ 350 Yamahas through the 70's and 80's and have owned alot of bikes but have never ridden anything that rolls into to a corner as sweetly or has the front end feel of the Bandit. For the price as a general purpose all around bike I don't think you can beat the Bandit. It offers instant user friendly power in abundance. It will fly on the backroads even two up but is tractable around town. Only draw back is it's a little porky.

Re: Does your Bandit burn oil?

I have heard alot of people have trouble with oil consummtion with 2001+ 1200 Bandits. They report using a qt every 600-1000 miles. I have also heard the problem is with excessively large oil return holes in the lower oil ring groove and that Suzuki has been reluctant to acknowledge and fix the problem. My bike had about 30 dyno runs on the motor at 1500 miles and now has 20k miles on the motor. I use a quart every 3000 miles which is not great but not excessive. Incidently this is about the same mileage I get out of a rear M-1 Sportec when touring with my wife on back. In Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana I wear out the sides. Illinois and Missouri flatspot the center

Re: Does your Bandit burn oil?

Don't need a sidecar. I've been lucky and only missed riding one month out of the last 25 due to weather. But I am looking for a trashed off-road bike to use as a winter/supermotard bike. I hate running the Bandit on all the salt and crap they use on the roads around here.

I like the Corbin beetle bags after the intial hassles I had with Corbin. The devlivry was 10 weeks and then the left bag came without one of the attachment holes drilled. After sending the bag back and waiting another month I finally got both bags mounted. The fit very close to the bike and the styling is great. They are not easily removable. The Holeshot pipe fits closer than the stock pipe and only leaves about .25" of clearance. I haven't ridden in really high temperatures like we had last summer but so far there is no problem with heat affecting the bag. I took one 3 day trip in steady rain and the bag stayed dry. They open from the top hinged at the front so you don't dump stuff out or get things wet when you open them. I haven't really loaded them heavily yet so I dont know how hard they will be to load and unload every day when touring. The openings are not overly generous and they wont hold a helment.