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Have a dilemma I hope someone can help with. I'm 31, rode dirt bikes both on and off road through my teens (not always legal, the on-road part), got away from it by my 20s b/c of real world priorities, got back into it with the Motorcycle Safety Course, and have been riding a '77 GS750 for over a year now to get my cycling feet wet again. (An odd choice, but my dad always had those style bikes around when I was growing up and they felt the most familiar and comfortable to me getting back into it.) I'm now considering two possibilities for a "keeper" bike: an '01 Bandit 600 ($3000) or an '03 Bandit 1200 ($4500).

Logically, the 600 seems a better fit for a relative newbie (I definitely consider myself still a beginner given the long layoff), but the 1200 could be a better long-term bike once I get comfortable. I'm also known for being notoriously conservative as a rider, even on a dirt bike, rarely "opening 'er up", and being much more concerned with just riding than breaking speed records. In the past year-plus on my GS750, I've had no trouble, and absolutely ride much more conservatively and defensively than I drive. Never get on the bike without full gear, either, no matter how short a trip I'm taking.

Any suggestions on which way I should go? Both bikes are in good shape with low miles. I've read the excellent articles here on 600cc sports bikes and beginners, and agree wholeheartedly. I guess I'm trying to figure out if I'm in the same delusional boat as those that article's aimed at, or if there are enough differences (my past experiences, 1200 Bandit's not necessarily being "sports bikes", etc.) for me to legitimately consider this.

How many miles have you done on the GS?

If its at least a few thousand then you should feel comfortable upgrading. The bandits are actually lighter than the old GS so you shouldnt have any trouble handling them. But they will have alot more power, especially with the 1200 which is almost a 100hp bike.

Just take it slow and easy at first and respect the bike's power and you should be fine. Personally I think the 1200 is overkill and I would get the 600 just for fuel economy and insurance reasons, but thats just my opinion.