thinking about getting a bandit, are they like the sv

how does the bandit compare to the sv ?????? please help

completely diff engine feel and weighs more, are you comparing the naked sv to the naked bandit?

They've both got 2 wheels.....?

Not very similar IMHO - the Bandit I borrowed was a 36k shed though so not really a fair comparison....

the bandit is a good bike but one being an in line four and one being a v twin makes them very different rides.

I've owned several Bandits. They are nothing alike in comparison with each other. I have never owned a Bandit 650 so can't really comment on that too much.

Bandit 600 naked. Very handy town commuting bike. Masses and masses of after market parts out there to personalise (tart) it. Even in the high rev range it has not got super acceleration but is very smooth delivering the power it has got.

Bandit 600 faired. Very handy motorway commuter. Not so good in traffic but still better than a sports bike as they still have handlebars and not clipons. No difference in riding position for either. Both have same budget suspension and brakes that the sv has.

Bandit 1200. 5 speed wheelie monster. Loads of grunt but a bit thirsty for an in-line 4 due to gearing. Quite a bit heavier than the 600. Not really the best for commuting. A lot less need to change gears though. You could commute in the 2nd gear all through town without any real need to change gear.

Build quality is on a par with the SV. Expect pitted forks and nuts and bolts to go rusty. Rear sub-frame will take a beating from the weather if you ride in the wet. Engines on 600 and 1200 are solid lumps and can take quite a bit of abuse before they brake. Which is good, as most Bandit riders tend to rag them quite hard. It's the only real way to get any enjoyment out of them.

[fizzwheel]

Its not as sporty ride chassis wise as the SV, but the seat is more comfortable. I found that when I started pressing on that the chassis would wallow on the 600's I rode, the 650 was a little better in this respect though.

Engine isnt very lively and being an IL4 you'll need to work the throttle harder and keep the revs up to make good progress, but it will pull from low RPM as long as you are in a suitable gear, its smoother to ride than the SV and around town I found the clutch a little lighter.

The faired one would make a brilliant motorway mile muncher / tourer the fairings better

Would I buy one.. no I prefer the sportier riding position of the SV and I think the SV handles better than the bandit as well.

I reckon if you could find one a bandit 1200 or bandit 1250 would be a much better bike.

HTH

Saw a bandit 12 rider slide half the length of chelsea bridge on his a4se back in the last ice age....

its a good bulletproof bike it all depends on what type of riding you do? they are an ace commuter but not so good on motorways(naked version), i used to lye on the fuel tank trying to get out of the wind.

Just took a 1250 naked bandit out the other week while my bike was in for a service, in comparison to the SV650 I have there was loads more grunt, didn't even have to rev it as much for overtaaking etc, suspension is sublime compared to the Sv and it feels more planted on the road ( like a nice hedge )

sorry to say this and pls dont throw me out but.
I would rather have the Bandit,smoother ride,better brakes, forks and easier for a pillion
maybe because I had a bad time with my SV suspension
Maybe(going to regret this)I should have got a pointy