Suzuki Bandit 600 S test

Menus

• 60,000 km in Suzuki Bandit 600S model 1999
• Story
• Discovery
• In the saddle
• Contact
• In the city
• On the highway
• On departmental
• Braking
• Duo
• Convenient
• Consumption
• Assurance
• On occasion
• Conclusion

60,000 km in Suzuki Bandit 600S model 1999

When we speak of Suzuki Bandit, we no longer speak of a motorcycle but of a phenomenon. Because at the time of the Diversion, Suzuki launched a small bomb (600) or even a big bomb (1200) with this precursor idea of ​​declining a motorcycle in two displacements with big engines like that and a look to thrill a filibuster. The success that ensued was suddenly more than logical, deserved with more than 55,000 sales of the model in France, only in the 600 version! The competition has not, however, dozed off and the Bandit has since been caught up, first by the Fazer phenomenon at Yamaha, then Hornet at Honda. But when is it today of these original models? Forgotten or on the contrary do we make the best soups in old pots. Long-term test over 60,000 kilometers of my Bandit 600.

Suzuki GSF 600 S

Story

The Bandit, like often any motorcycle for a biker, it is a story of crush. When I first saw her in the street, in her non-streamlined N version, my heart went boom. This was the one I wanted and not another. For lack of money, I was still in 125, but each month was spent putting money aside. Three years later, the pot was enough to pay off most of it. I tried it anyway … with a stretch of motorway at 200 km / h around the concession outside Paris (there is a limitation). I came back with the banana. I signed immediately. I loved the N version, but for the duo, with a top-case and a bubble to go on the road, I finally chose the S. Since then, it has toured France, in all conditions, in solo and duo. And the photos of this test were taken this month of July 2016. This is to tell you that what will soon be a classic has lived well..

Efficient bubble

Discovery

Stocky, it was undoubtedly the first word that came to mind when seeing the Bandit, but also fine, especially with this literally sculpted and inimitable tank (and inimitable since). And then there were those two big counters above the round headlight, all chrome. In the S version, the counters are identical but hidden by the screen and a fairing not resting on the fork and therefore not making the front heavy..

Cockpit

A long, soft double seat can comfortably accommodate driver and passenger. The engine is just huge in comparison, including a 600, literally sticking out of the frame with a tank that appears to be sitting on it. The Bandit is that, a big air-oil engine, which has since proven its performance and durability. Indestructible! In fact, it was just necessary to be careful in case of resale at the time to those who pulled anyhow in and cold, because the Bandit really encouraged to play and send heavy and all the more so, since it offered another face above 8,000 rpm.

Top view of a thin line

At 39,700 francs at the time (6,000 euros today), it was even an excellent deal, both for its overall price and in terms of performance / performance / price ratio, not to mention the negotiable discounts a few years more late when the competition started to get tougher.

Rear light and top case support

In the saddle

The 1.70 rider barely puts his feet on the ground, in part due to a relatively wide saddle even at the base. The position is straight while the hands rest on a fairly curved and narrow handlebars. On many roadsters today, we have our arms outstretched compared to the Bandit where the arms are close to the body. Compared to more recent roadsters where we tilt significantly or even a lot forward, we are even here almost closer to the position of some trails.

Under the eyes, we then discover the two large shells as counters, with the speed on the left and the tachometer on the right. No digital here, we just have a totalizer and a partial trip, which is reset by turning a knob to the left. Some indicators come to indicate neutral, full headlight, the oil indicator.

Analogue meters with red zone at 12,000 rpm

At the time of 2016 with on-board computers, we return here to the basics of motorcycles. Just useful, nothing superfluous, not even a warning and of course no fuel gauge. We must not even forget to turn on the headlights on the right stalk, otherwise we drive all lights off. A detail that we forget on more recent motorcycles where we are automatically in low beam.

Contact

Starter on the left stalk, especially in winter, to heat it up for a few seconds. But the Bandit always leaves in the first round! And even after a rest period of several weeks !

Commodos with starter on the handlebars and warning light

When certain motorcycles have the battery flat after several weeks of immobilization without maintenance, or have difficulty starting, here nothing of the kind. It starts right off, always ready and without complaining. The exhaust makes sing a rewarding sound, which however appreciates the more serious exhausts which sit with its personality. But everything is original on this model until the turn signal after having resisted the wave of tuning then customization, which nevertheless offered many possibilities to this bike several years in a row in the top sales..

Exhaust Suzuki Bandit 600 S

In the city

I found it light despite its 224 kilos fully packed. Today when we descend from a recent roadster, lighter overall (often more than 20 kilos anyway) and with weights placed lower, the Bandit shows its age and its weight, high perched, especially in maneuvers slow. There are even 1200s that now seem lighter and more manoeuvrable nowadays..

If the four cylinders agree to wind on the last report in six, at 30 km / h, at 1,500 rpm without knocking, the Bandit prefers intermediate speeds, showing little availability at low speeds. This is also the major revolution that has taken place on roadsters since: torque and availability at low speed from 3,000 r / min while under 5,000 r / min the Bandit drags and has no recovery real, unless you are driving in very sunk mode. On the other hand, the first is taken at an already unacceptable speed on the national road, then in town! But in the end we drive more in third gear, enough to revive dynamically.

The handling is at the rendezvous and the Bandit squeezes between cars with ease, aided by an arm to lift the handlebars easy to maneuver at slow. Particularly well balanced, it is held at the stop of two fingers placed on the bubble, that is to say. But the weight is rather high compared to others.

Suzuki Bandit 600 S on the road

On the highway

The Bandit sets off very dynamically on the highway, stalling at 6,500 rpm at 130 km / h in the last gear. It can then fly above the 200 km / h mark or even hang a good 220 km / h (in Germany) aided by an effective bubble deflecting the wind above the head. It remains stable in large, fast curves, as long as it is not abrupt, its limit being above all its shock absorber, causing it to wiggle gently as soon as the pace picks up and it is necessary to string together the pif-paf, but it’s on departmental and that’s another story. The saddle confirms its excellent comfort allowing you to do long periods on the motorway, in duo and loaded without suffering.

Suzuki Bandit 600 S on highway

On departmental

If the Bandit is at ease on the motorway, it also easily returns to the secondary network. We then go down one, or even two or three gears, to keep it above 7,000 rpm. Because the Bandit is not very lively under this regime and struggles to resume its turns from one virolo to another. On the other hand, when we keep it in the laps, it reveals its true face, angry, dynamic, catchy, while giving its driver confidence. The engine is a treat and even the original exhaust adds to the fun. With its only 74 horsepower, however, it shows more than much more powerful models. Only the cycle part shows its limits fairly quickly in arsouille mode, pumping briskly both at the level of the front fork and the original rear shock absorber, giving the impression of sausage. In short, the motorcycle lives but never any surprises. Once you are warned, you can take it very quickly, but today’s roadsters are much more rigid and precise. The vast majority of Bandit owners choose fairly quickly to change the front fork oil with a more viscous one and the rear shock absorber with a quality, reconditionable adaptable, EMC type. I waited 12,000 km for the front fork and 20,000 km for the rear shock absorber, rinsed then. The transformation is radical and brings the motorcycle – almost – up to date.

Suzuki Bandit 600 S on departmental

Braking

It’s not the best braking in the world, but the front brake offers a pretty good feeling without being particularly biting. In the end, we obtain a progressive and enduring braking in use on small roads which makes it safe and gives confidence. Alone, the rear brake has always been quite discreet. No ABS here, but it’s hard to original block anyway.

Disc brakes

Duo

The Bandit is comfortable, both for the saddle and its shock absorber, rather flexible. But even set to the hardest, it allows you to ride for a long time without suffering. The S model also offers additional comfort with the screen, very useful on the motorway, or despite the fact that it is not adjustable, it allows the wind pressure to pass above the helmet..
The passenger benefits from a real grab handle and an equally pleasant position. Only its weight and the shock absorber can then illuminate the sky in the middle of the night instead of the road as usual solo. The saddle, however, tilts forward and there are roads offering a more horizontal seat and less likely to make the passenger forward..

Comfort seat for rider and passenger

The original shock absorber is flexible and contributes to comfort.

Convenient

It was still the time when you could put something under the saddle, in this case a disc pad and today a fluorescent vest (mandatory since January 1, 2016). It’s already that.
This S version has a relatively aesthetic top-case, Givi in ​​this case, which fits well into the line with a support that fits without damaging the original fittings. Even if in twenty years of driving in all weathers, it is he who begins to see some spots of rust, when the bike itself has hardly any. There are still Top-Cases for this model in 2020, but not the side cases for those who would like to fully equip it for the trip..

The crankcases installed at the time of purchase saved it from two small falls when stationary.

Suzuki Bandit 600 S

Consumption

Ah the settings and the importance of the quality of the mechanic during the revision for the synchro carbu. In fact, at the beginning, it fell on the reserve around 220 km, knowing that you have 4.5 reserve (out of the 19 liters in the can) it could still drive a good fifty kilometers. Over time and following its latest revisions, I rather spend the reserve between 240 and 265 kilometers and I have already refueled at 340 km while there was still enough to drive a good ten kilometers in the tank. Note that the reserve is done manually, by making a U-turn at the valve placed under the tank, a maneuver which is carried out very well by rolling as soon as it begins to gasp when accelerating..

19 liter tank

Side tires, the Bandit 600 does not have as much torque as the 1200 and does not encourage the same driving mode. The original Bridgestone BT fit thus made 33,000 km for the front and the rear, changed at the same time! I admit, however, that it was a real bar of soap in the rain. The more recent retrofit but with more grip did 22,000 km but could have done much more without an untimely puncture.

Everything is easily accessible and apart from the oil change every 6,000 km, the revisions are economical, especially since it consumes very little consumable such as chain or brake pads if you drive smoothly. At 60,000 km, I just changed the discs once. I changed the bulb of the front headlight twice as well as the rear one.

Assurance

I paid 280 euros per year at all risk with the individual pilot, before switching to simple third-party liability for just over 100 euros per year. The Bandit has a low loss rate and has benefited from advantageous rates. Do not hesitate to make comparative quotes. Euro-Assurance had refused to insure me after my 125, the Mutuelle des Motards was at an exorbitant price. The Macif was then the friendliest for the biker.

On occasion

If the owner has played with it too much and / or maintained it poorly, a Bandit can take the brunt of years. It is therefore necessary to look at the attack of rust in the corners (collector, frame, screws, tank …) as well as the scratches that may have attacked the plastics.

It deserves maintenance with regular lubrication, especially at the level of the steering column and cables. Done well, this simple maintenance the metamorphosis between two models of the same mileage, even more than other models of motorcycles..
Avoid all models that have undergone modifications to the high engine, including carburation and ignition. Conversely, an adaptable exhaust is often a good thing, the original one can rust, especially if the bike has been lying outside..

If it was considered a nervous motorcycle in 1999, by attempting wheelies (damaging), it is especially necessary to learn about the type of driving of its owner. If he was careful, it is a motorcycle that can happily exceed 200,000 kilometers.

Biker Bandit

Conclusion

Some have criticized the Suzuki build quality and premature aging. On my model, having driven every day in all weathers, you really have to look for rust spots, not visible when you walk around them. Sleeping in a garage sure helped, but a little regular maintenance with the right products too. Regardless of the hundreds of testing other motorcycles over several years, I have always found the Bandit with pleasure, like an old friend. Today it begins to live, not so much for its performance which even tends to improve on the engine side, but through the existing differential with the very latest roadsters, including at Suzuki. The new roadsters are lighter, more manoeuvrable, brake better, with engines available much earlier and often for a price identical to the original one, therefore less expensive at constant euros than at the time. But for all that, she has never been a whim and is on the contrary always ready to hit the road. The years helping and his rating of heart being opposed to his rating occasion, I can not find anything better in exchange at this price at the moment. So, I always pamper it as much and as it is almost always as fresh as when it was purchased, I hope to take it even further. For those finding a used one, it can be an excellent choice reason, inexpensive to buy and maintain and therefore with a real engine capable of being whipped to make it a hundredfold..

Strong points

• versatility
• engine reliability
• performance / quality / price ratio

Weak points

• weight
• Rear shock absorber
• asks to be led in the towers

Suzuki Bandit 600 technical sheet

Test conditions

• Itinerary: small varied roads + highways, town regularly
• Motorcycle mileage: 60,000 km

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