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Bandit Brad! (don't forget to post in the Start Your Engines Welcome forum)

The Bandit 1200 is a great bike... heck, even that 400/4 is a real classic. The Bandit 1200/1250 represents the best in value in it's class though, just can't beat it. I do wish we got the fully naked ones that the UK does.

Mike

Bandit Brad wrote:I know I am late on this topic, my 1st post here actually

Hi Brad



You should say hello in our "start your engines" forum, you'll get all kinds of hello's and people will know you're one of our newest members!

The Bandit is a great bike, I'm glad you enjoy it!

I am a fairly new rider (under 3,000 miles) that considers weight a major factor in choosing a bike. I got my endorsement back in 2002 after taking the Team Oregon class, but due to circumstances did not purchase a bike until spring 2009.

I started off on a used 2006 Honda Nighthawk 250, but it didn't seem to stable at highway speeds. There was just something shaky about it to me.

We sold it and I bought a used Ninja 650r which I hated. It wasn't the weight of that bike but the fairing that liked to mess with my head. Just like a naked bike better I guess, doesn't have as much bulk. I had a mental block with that bike for some reason but no incidents. Sold it last Feb and bought a 2009 Suzuki TU 250 - wet weight of only 326 lbs.

I am 5'8" and weigh 155 lbs with a 32" inseam, so I am not petite by any means - yet bike weight is still a factor. Not so much for riding but for parking and slow speed maneuvering.

I love the little TU and it is a perfect starter bike but it is hard to keep up with hubby (on his Triumph Tiger) and our friends through the passes surrounding the valley. Seems every direction we go is uphill. It is the little bike that could. "I think I can, I think I can." Putting yourself in a full tuck in a headwind trying to make it to at least 60 mph for any sustained length of time is no fun. For short uphills it can be a hoot, but for extended periods on flat or long passes it is tiring.

With regards to weight I find that I get blown around a lot on the smaller bike. Hubby rode it to work last week while his bike was having some work done. He rode home through the rain and wind and proceeded to tell me I was riding a death trap that tossed him around his lane. I just smiled - I knew what he meant.

We are looking for a larger bike for me now and weight is still a factor. Looking at a Street Triple vs. Gladius, etc. I like the Bonneville SE but at 75-100 lbs more than the others I am reluctant.

Having said that, IMHO and from my experience, I think that too light of a bike is not as stable and can be slightly detrimental to the learning process. Or at least as bad as too heavy of a bike. Sure a light bike is easy to park and control at low speeds but a slightly heavier bike will be more stable when riding at highway/back road speeds and can hold a line better in the corners. I remember from the Ninja that it felt smooth compared to the lighter bike.

Could I have started on a heavier bike? Sure. But I may not have had the same results as stepping up gradually.

Just my two cents.

Happy riding.

Trobairitz wrote:We are looking for a larger bike for me now and weight is still a factor. Looking at a Street Triple vs. Gladius, etc. I like the Bonneville SE but at 75-100 lbs more than the others I am reluctant.

Trobairitz- A bike I could recommend you look at is the BMW F650GS twin. (Despite the 650 name, this is a 800cc twin.) My wife, who is 5'6", rides one in complete comfort. It has a low chassis option, a low seat option, or you can combine the two for a very low bike, or just get the standard height. 377 lbs dry, 439 lbs ready to ride. Handles beautifully - my V-strom feels like driving a pickup truck after I've ridden my wife's bike.

(By the way, I'm completely jealous of your TU250X. I got a chance to sit on one at the NY motorcycle show two weeks ago - what a little gem of a bike! If I had unlimited funds, I'd have a TU in my collection, just because it's such a well-balanced and beautiful machine.)

I don't really consider the weight of the bike alone, more how it handles the weight. Center of gravity and power to weight ratios play a big part. Riding styles also, a heavy bike would be ok for touring but definetly want lighter in the twisties.

jstark47 wrote:

Trobairitz wrote:We are looking for a larger bike for me now and weight is still a factor. Looking at a Street Triple vs. Gladius, etc. I like the Bonneville SE but at 75-100 lbs more than the others I am reluctant.

Trobairitz- A bike I could recommend you look at is the BMW F650GS twin. (Despite the 650 name, this is a 800cc twin.) My wife, who is 5'6", rides one in complete comfort. It has a low chassis option, a low seat option, or you can combine the two for a very low bike, or just get the standard height. 377 lbs dry, 439 lbs ready to ride. Handles beautifully - my V-strom feels like driving a pickup truck after I've ridden my wife's bike.

(By the way, I'm completely jealous of your TU250X. I got a chance to sit on one at the NY motorcycle show two weeks ago - what a little gem of a bike! If I had unlimited funds, I'd have a TU in my collection, just because it's such a well-balanced and beautiful machine.)

We have looked at the F650GS since one of our lady friends had one. I have poor circulation as does she. She found the vibrations made her hands go numb. (She now has a Street Triple) I worry about the same issue. The bars feel a little too high in relation to my elbow position. My hands go numb in the dentist chair just because of the elevation compared to the rest of me. They are sweet bikes though and would be a good multipurpose option so I could chase hubby while he is on his Tiger. But I don't think it is viable at this time

The TU is a great little bike for around town or short jaunts. Our riding days are typically 150-200 miles (or more) with lots of back roads and hills. I can tell you that it will pass a Prius while going uphill if you are tucked over the tank, in 4th gear and the throttle is wide open......

And I like my 2009 color combo better than the new 2011 we saw at the International Motorcycle Show in Seattle in December. Of course we removed all identifying badging....even the Suzuki that was painted on the back of the seat.

Thanks for the input. Always appreciated.

Trobairitz wrote:Could I have started on a heavier bike? Sure. But I may not have had the same results as stepping up gradually.

+1, Totally agree!

It's great to start on a small bike (small cc's, lighter weight) to cut your teeth (not literally!), it gives you great maneuverability and keeps your fear in check.

Not especially. I bought the nightster as my first bike (IN B4 2 much bike). Weight of the bike is not much of a problem at 545-560 lbs. It has a low center of gravity in my opinion making it easily manageable.

weight was really not a factor at all for me(they called it a water buffalo for a reason...). A cheap bike was my first factor. I spent $300 on my first bike, so it was perfect! I just wanted to make sure I didn't get a bike that was too small, that I'd be bored with before my first riding season was over. I am super happy that I went with the cheap bike. It had a whole lot of "old school cool," just enough problems to teach me some things, and I didn't give a damn if it fell over. Plus, I sold it for $700! If you spend under a grand on a bike, there is a real good chance you won't lose any money at all.

I am so glad I stumbled onto this site, man, the things that new riders may not take into account and should consider can be found right here. I considered the type of bike I wanted before purchase, I considered engine size, reliability, type of helmet, and other related equipment. However, bike weight WAS NOT a consideration and I now know that it should be in order to be able to pick it up in the event of a dropped bike. And by the way, I watched the video on how to pick up a dropped bike from this site. Man, this site is amazing