Sport Touring Bikes $5000-$5000 before taxes. CBF1000... 1250 Bandit?

7up said:

Same bike, 85000+ km and not a valve out of spec. I couldn't ride without the panniers on it any more! These are Canadian model 1250sae
Auto Cam chain tensioner has fully run out of adjustment (must find APE replacement)
There is a recall on the regulator/rectifier (and pannier reflector upgrades ???) just go to any dealer and have them run the VIN and see what you get.
Suspension is the only real weakness. I had an Ohlins put on the back and the front needs an overhaul. Spindly legs for such a heavy bike but it kept it cheap.
Find a windshield that works for you. Hole Shot for mirror extenders. Lose the 35 lb exhaust. Plug or cap the PAIR system. Remove snorkel from air box.
Chain saver and Seafoam and you are set for years.

I have a stock windshield and a Suzuki adjustable gel seat if you are interested.

And congrats on the new bike!

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My Bandit came with 3 windscreens (2 OEM and a tall aftermarket one). So far I have kept the smoke OEM one which looks pretty nice. I might try the tall one out one day to see how much of a difference it makes. I want to do a decent little trip this year and the tall windscreen might make a difference on a longer trip.

I think I will PM you about the gel seat; I could see that being a nice upgrade.

As for exhaust. I do find the bike crazy quiet. The original mufflers on my old 1981 CB 750 were kind of rotted out so they were fairly loud. I think I will keep the factory exhaust for the rest of the season and live with it. If i still have the itch to hear the engine more I could always get that done over the off season. From the bit I have read you can't just put a slipon onto it. There needs to be some ECU flashing and/or some other stuff. I wonder which would be the best choice? There was/is a modified Bandit at Two Wheel in Guelph that has a Yoshi exhaust on it.

As for the recall. One recall was already done on the bike. The seller gave me the recall letter for the second recall. I guess Sturgess in Hamilton was trying to get the parts in stock. Or, I could bring the bike over to Two Wheel and have them arrange with Suzuki to get the recall process started.

crankcall said:

that little lighter adapter USB hooker upper is exactly what I've been looking for. Thanks Zoodles.

The top case and panniers on my triumph 1050 sport tiger being genuine Triumph parts cost double what Givi costs, hold approx 50% less, but are very stylish and hard to operate.

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Happy to help! I got the tip from a thread on the Sport Touring forum and figured it was spot on. Some people are also getting USB ports designed for marine use. They look really slick but would not be the easy "plug and play" that the kit I am installing is. Also, my bike is in exceptional shape. The last thing I want to do is hack and cut a hold on the inside fairing to install something; no matter how cool it would look after.


I love your comment about your top cases and panniers. They may cost double but they make up for that by being stylish and hard to operate. :lmao:

So... Today was the day to install the USB power source. Kit is very comprehensive, it even comes with an extra fuse, a block to mount the unit onto a flat surface (instead of on handlebars), and even several plastic ties:


The first thing I did was simply hook it right up to the battery to ensure if was working properly. No sense going to all the trouble or tying wires to framerails etc and doing all of the minutiae and not having it work! Water resistant on/off switch which illuminates. That is a good thing! Make sure it is turned off when you are not riding the bike so as to not drain your battery.


And showing the switch turned off:


It comes with 3 layers of rubberlike material which are to dial in the proper fit to your width of handlebar. I used two which made for a nice snug fit. Honestly, figuring out where to mount the thing took longer than hooking it up! In the middle would have looked good but it was just a shade too wide. I ended up mounting it to the left side of the handlebar just to the right of the RAM mount. If you look closely you can see where the unit is going to clip in:


Here is the physical unit which will mount onto the handlebar component. You see where it will interface with the handlebar component:


Once it clicks onto the handlebar component you are good to go. From here it was a matter of hiding the wires. I ended up only using one of the plastic ties that came with the kit. I have a whack of black and white plastic ties I use for various things. The black ones are used on my bikes all the time. I took the side fairing off and I think I did a decent job hiding the wires. When I pull the tank in the future to check the air cleaner (which is below the tank on this bike) I will be able to do a better job.


Yup! We've got juice!


This is a very workable package. Again, a hard wired Garmin would be nice but then again Google Maps works very well and is constantly being updated. I am going to experiment with Waze and Co-Pilot too. This also opens up the possibility of trying out bluetooth ear buds on a longer trip.



A black charging cable would look less conspicuous. I am keeping a twist tie on the back here and I can just put the wire into a loop when I was to use it. A better idea might be to get myself a new, black charging cable and just keep it on the bike.


While I was at it I installed the Battery Tender leads, adjusted my brake and clutch levers to my liking, and remounted the licence plate. It is like I am looking for excuses to fart around with the bike.

I think I did a decent job hiding the wires. The only sign I was working on it is that the lead for the battery tender is on there now:



Hard to get used to a fuel injected bike with everything being so easy to work on. On the old bike anything required wrenches and time. A turn of the key and this seat comes off. On the CB I had to use a wrench to take the seat off (two bolts held it on). I love how easy it is to adapt this bike by taking luggage on and off etc.

did you make sure it can produce 2.1 amps out for USB ...otherwise your phone will drain slowly when on full bright and GPS.

I do not know how I would test it out but the specs say:

Output current: 2.1A
Product weight: 150g I
Input voltage: 12V-24V ± 4.0V
USB (output): 5V ± 0.25V with 2.1A charge
Cable length 1.5M 18AWG fused with battery leads
Measures 7.5 x 3.2 x 5.5 cm

If you want a proper Garmin gps on the cheap, look into a Streetpilot 2720/2820. Waterproof and can be had for <$50

Speaking of bandits I have a GSGMoto front fork slider kit for sale, small skuff on one of them. $40
Fits all 2007 up Bandit 1250 & 650

If you want to get real carried away for touring....
It's only a 650, but I only ride one up. I can load up and camp for 4 days before I need more supplies. Small cooler sits in the front. This pic is without the 2 hard case side bags.

If touring is the goal, I'd want a shaft drive. More time touring, less time cleaning/lubing the chain and adjusting for wear, smooth power delivery. That brings in the Honda ST1100 and ST1300, Kawasaki Concours (previous generation is very affordable), various BMWs, and others.

griff2 said:

If touring is the goal, I'd want a shaft drive. More time touring, less time cleaning/lubing the chain and adjusting for wear, smooth power delivery. That brings in the Honda ST1100 and ST1300, Kawasaki Concours (previous generation is very affordable), various BMWs, and others.

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Very good points. My last experience with a shaft drive was a 1980s 750 Shadow a buddy had which had shaft drive.

The previous owner has moved onto a new Sports Tourer which has shaft drive. I think the Triumph Trophy is one sweet looking bike and that has shaft drive as well.

JD_PICKLE said:

If you want to get real carried away for touring....
It's only a 650, but I only ride one up. I can load up and camp for 4 days before I need more supplies. Small cooler sits in the front. This pic is without the 2 hard case side bags.

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Wow! That is awesome. I think I will start with the luggage I already have. As a commuter the bike blows away the CB. Day trips are certainly a lot more enjoyable and comfortable than ever. Who makes that trailer/luggage?

You got the right one with 2.1 amps on the USB output.

I thought I would update this thread since I have lived with the Bandit for awhile now.

The bike has been great so far. One feature I really like is the "push to pass" switch on the left switches. I guess this is more of a European sort of feature but it allows you to flick your highbeams really quickly which is really helpful when coming up on an intersection and a car is getting ready to turn left in front of you.



The best feature of the bike has to be the engine. About 100 hp but a whack of torque everywhere and a very linear powerband.

About the only thing I can think the bike could use is a slipper clutch with all that torque but I have adjusted to it. The lack of a USB charger was fixed by utilizing an aftermarket solution.


I just did my first little tour with the bike with a nice 4 day ride up into Quebec with my buddy.


The bike's main weakness showed itself: the seat. Wow... Two hours in that saddle is torture! This is where I am going to spend some money upgrading the bike. Sure, I could put some money into the suspension, or I could put an aftermarket exhaust and do some minor mods to add more power. However, for the type of riding I want to do I think the best bang for my buck will be in addressing the seat comfort issue.

So... There is a factory gel seat I could try. Then there is the aftermarket (Corbin etc).

Or, I could take the seat into the Foam Store in Kitchener when the season ends and have them re-foam and re-upholster the seat. I could add an extra 1" to 1.5" and have them do a tri layer foam with the top layer being a super soft visco or memory foam.

Weird that the bike is a Sport Touring bike and yet the seat is lacking.

On my bandit 1200 I found the seat always left me sliding forward into the tank, not too comfy. I can attest to the Corbin on a bandit, they make a fantastic seat.

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Zoodles95 said:

I thought I would update this thread since I have lived with the Bandit for awhile now.

The bike has been great so far. One feature I really like is the "push to pass" switch on the left switches. I guess this is more of a European sort of feature but it allows you to flick your highbeams really quickly which is really helpful when coming up on an intersection and a car is getting ready to turn left in front of you.



The best feature of the bike has to be the engine. About 100 hp but a whack of torque everywhere and a very linear powerband.

About the only thing I can think the bike could use is a slipper clutch with all that torque but I have adjusted to it. The lack of a USB charger was fixed by utilizing an aftermarket solution.


I just did my first little tour with the bike with a nice 4 day ride up into Quebec with my buddy.


The bike's main weakness showed itself: the seat. Wow... Two hours in that saddle is torture! This is where I am going to spend some money upgrading the bike. Sure, I could put some money into the suspension, or I could put an aftermarket exhaust and do some minor mods to add more power. However, for the type of riding I want to do I think the best bang for my buck will be in addressing the seat comfort issue.

So... There is a factory gel seat I could try. Then there is the aftermarket (Corbin etc).

Or, I could take the seat into the Foam Store in Kitchener when the season ends and have them re-foam and re-upholster the seat. I could add an extra 1" to 1.5" and have them do a tri layer foam with the top layer being a super soft visco or memory foam.

Weird that the bike is a Sport Touring bike and yet the seat is lacking.

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I found that the over all ergos of the bike must have something to do with it so I changed out my bars made me come forward a bit more and helped seating position. I couldnt stand the original bars felt like I was riding a wheelbarrel with the funky wrist angles.

Lots of choices for aftermarket seats like corbin or the gel insert or like macdoc wooden bead things.

Anyway enjoy the bike its a great allrounder which with a few modest upgrades can unleash more ponies and can be easily upgraded on the cheap. Kinda nice having maximun torque at 1800 rpm eh LOL blast out of corners all day

This is a rare GTAM thread, very good information and stays on topic.

Thanks all for sharing, maybe post pics of your bikes with luggage on it and helpful mods you did so others get a sense of what is available.

Zoodles95 said:

The bike's main weakness showed itself: the seat. Wow... Two hours in that saddle is torture! This is where I am going to spend some money upgrading the bike. Sure, I could put some money into the suspension, or I could put an aftermarket exhaust and do some minor mods to add more power. However, for the type of riding I want to do I think the best bang for my buck will be in addressing the seat comfort issue.

So... There is a factory gel seat I could try. Then there is the aftermarket (Corbin etc).

Or, I could take the seat into the Foam Store in Kitchener when the season ends and have them re-foam and re-upholster the seat. I could add an extra 1" to 1.5" and have them do a tri layer foam with the top layer being a super soft visco or memory foam.

Weird that the bike is a Sport Touring bike and yet the seat is lacking.

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My OEM seat was good for 2 hours, a gel insert added 30 minutes to this and I really suffered for way too long before spending about $600 (including postage there and back) for a Russell Day Long. Dollar for dollar the best value for money of any accessory I've added. How can you ride and enjoy the road if your rear end is aching?? Trips to PA, OH and WV can result in 8 - 10 hour days in the saddle with an occasional 12 hour day. Never an issue with a RDL. OEM seats are usually garbage, no one I ride with has an OEM seat, most are RDL.

Zoodles - I see your buddy is riding a yellow Strom. Nice bike! How do you like that usb/cig adapter? I like the on/off switch. How are the flaps to close up the outlets - they looked a little weak in the picture so I wasn't sure if they would get brittle really easily and snap off one day.

Ditto on the aftermarket seat - I also really like the Corbin. My Corbin actually slopes a bit towards the tank, but not that it bothers me. Stock seat gives me about 45 minutes at a time, gel seat about 90 minutes, and Corbin about 4 hours. Also worth noting is that every seat is different, even the same models of seat from the same brands. I just bought a new Corbin seat to replace the last one and it feels different as soon as I'm on it - perhaps it just needs to be fitted to me over a few months of riding. I don't know of a sport touring bike that doesn't need the stock seat replaced for distance riding.

Don't know if you have or like a throttle lock, but I find they make a big difference on wrist fatigue as well as swapping out my bars for ATV bars.

shanekingsley said:

Zoodles - I see your buddy is riding a yellow Strom. Nice bike! How do you like that usb/cig adapter? I like the on/off switch. How are the flaps to close up the outlets - they looked a little weak in the picture so I wasn't sure if they would get brittle really easily and snap off one day.

Ditto on the aftermarket seat - I also really like the Corbin. My Corbin actually slopes a bit towards the tank, but not that it bothers me. Stock seat gives me about 45 minutes at a time, gel seat about 90 minutes, and Corbin about 4 hours. Also worth noting is that every seat is different, even the same models of seat from the same brands. I just bought a new Corbin seat to replace the last one and it feels different as soon as I'm on it - perhaps it just needs to be fitted to me over a few months of riding. I don't know of a sport touring bike that doesn't need the stock seat replaced for distance riding.

Don't know if you have or like a throttle lock, but I find they make a big difference on wrist fatigue as well as swapping out my bars for ATV bars.

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That VStrom has over 100000 kms on it and going strong. My buddy lives in the GTA and Rosey Toes gave his bike a good going over recently. New stator, battery, tire etc and the bike is back at it. We traded bikes a few times over the trip. While I like the look of the tinted shield I should try the taller aftermarket windscreen which came with the bike. The taller windscreen on the Vstrom made for a lot more wind protection.

I got to ride in lots of rain and cold. While I was not so sure about the Vstrom hand protectors the previous owner put on the bike they sure work well in cold and/or rainy weather. Most of the rain ends up on the mid level arm and does not touch the gloves at all. Got so cold one night I had the water proof and thermal layers in the jacket, plus my inner gloves I use in the spring and fall and I had the thin balaclava I wear under my helmet in use. I have Velocity heated gloves which I should have packed as well. My buddy on the Vstrom just turned on his heated grips and that plus his hand protectors, plus the tall windscreen made for a comfortable ride for him. He also has an aftermarket seat so he was happy to continue riding while I was screaming for a 10 minute break.

USB adaptor works great. I rode in the rain with it on. The only thing I had to do was turn down the touch sensitivity on my Galaxy S5 because the rain was confusing my phone and it kept switching functions! The only thing I need to remember is to turn off the switch when I am done riding. With the switch on the phone stays charged and with google maps running it never shuts off the screen. Our destination was off a logging road so we were sent directions on google maps and I sent it to my phone and away we went. Nice and easy and workable.

The throttle lock might be another thing to try out. Seat first though!

ReSTored said:

My OEM seat was good for 2 hours, a gel insert added 30 minutes to this and I really suffered for way too long before spending about $600 (including postage there and back) for a Russell Day Long. Dollar for dollar the best value for money of any accessory I've added. How can you ride and enjoy the road if your rear end is aching?? Trips to PA, OH and WV can result in 8 - 10 hour days in the saddle with an occasional 12 hour day. Never an issue with a RDL. OEM seats are usually garbage, no one I ride with has an OEM seat, most are RDL.

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Thanks for the suggestion. I knew about Corbin since I remember people using them in the 1980s. Sargent I have seen but I need to research the Russell Day Long option.