Motorcyclists; what are your thoughts on a 600 Bandit as 1st bike?

I’ve always like the look of the late 90’s Suzuki Bandit 600. There seem to be some quite nice low mileage examples around for about 1k.

It will be a first bike (well, returning after a 25 year lay off) and used to commute around Norfolk. No motorways and doesn’t need to be fast, just steady and reliable. Like me.

Yeah good choice I think, stone axe reliable. Have a good look at it as I think the suspension can go very soggy (all bikes do I guess)

yup, fine.

Perfect sir

They are great bikes. I owned one for a number of years.
Downside it they are very heavy (as pretty old style design) compared to a new 600cc bike.
Usual checks, but have a good look at the exhuast where the front pipes join the tail section as if it is on its original they rust through there.
Other one I got caught by is the suzuki rear brake. The pin that holds the pad in can rust in place, expecialy so if it has been on the same pads for a while and not serviced.

I had one as a replacement when mine was attacked by a bin lorry. Great engine, fast compared to my 650 single cyl bmw. By god it was uncomfortable though.

Great choice. I started on a bandit 400 but have since owned the 600. Lovely bikes – try to find a standardish one though.

Also worth looking at the SV650. V-twin engine is lovely

Very good. Cheap to run insure everything. As above try find a bog standard one

Yep. Good choice… if – dare I say it – eventually feeling a bit bland. Soggy suspension and indifferent build quality. Stil, these things were built to a price! The engine’s a stormer though, even if the timing chain does get a bit rattly as the miles go up. Reliable – apart from the exhaust as mentioned – and a tendency for the spark plugs to be ‘snuffed out’ by the engine’s compression if it isn’t run for a number of weeks. (Need to heat them over a flame to get the engine started!). The lack of fairing means you’ll get strong arms real quick if riding in the motorway.

I hope you are going to get some training after 25 years. It’s been 10 years for me now and I know I wouldn’t be able to avoid hurting myself if I got on a bike now.. 🙂

I had an original 600 Bandit as my first bike.

Passed my test on a 125, waited 6 months then bought it brand new.

Fast is a relative term and it was fast as a first bike but for me that meant respect and the ability to get out of trouble if needed. Handles well and was reliable. I liked it so much I upgraded to the 1250 version which is a bit of a beast – a tame beast.

The only issue I ever had was carb icing when I commuted on it one winter. A scary experience until I found out what carb icing was.

As a returning biker I’d say it would be a very good choice

Good bikes as is the SV650 as mentioned above. Suzuki’s still prone to early corrosion so ACF50 is a must have to keep it in check. Buy on condition than mileage.

I hopped straight onto a 600 Bandit after a direct access course. It was a bit of an eye opener but I’ve still got it and without the urge for mega top speed I can’t justify anything bigger. No fairing will help keep your speed sensible and make you think twice about going out in horrible weather. As said above, go for standard but I stuck some renthals on mine and it feels a lot less cramped. Mine has done getting on for 30k and has been very abused (living outside all year round doesn’t help) so again, as above buy on condition rather than mileage.

Bombproof but built like a tank.
Crash well and cheap to fix.

See also: SV650 and Honda Bros 650

I swapped over to a Bros 650 after years riding the Bandit. It was slower, particularly at the top end, and less powerful, but with superlative handling, bags of v-twin character and infinitely better levels of refinement with Honda build quality. That’s the bike I’d get again if I could. Not sure if you can still find one that hasn’t been couriered to death by now though 😐

I’m sure the SV650 would provide a similarly engaging drive quality. IMO The trouble with the Bandit is that ‘fast’ or ‘powerful’ rapidly becomes a relative term – and the Bandit is none of these ultimately. I’d go for ‘character’ over power every time. YMMV

Thanks everyone. I am looking for something completely std, I thought i might struggle with this given that I’m looking at 15 year old examples but actually there seem to be a few around locally.

I will be booking on to a refresher course before taking to the roads, only a couple of days but I think that should be ok.

I can’t remember years but there’s some older bandits where the exhaust hanger is integrated into the frame- making it possible to write the bike off with frame damage, by overbalancing in a carpark. It’s not actually that big a deal as they can be straightened, removed and replaced with a bolton, etc but it’s probably best to avoid those ones.

Good sensible fairly oldschool bikes, not high performance or anything but who needs that?. Orrible build quality so buy a tidy one, and the suspension wasn’t good when it was new so it’ll be rotten now, but it’s adequate. Weight is a definite downside though.

I’d add the Hornet 600 to your “see also”, and the SV650 is a better learner bike imo – lighter and nicer handling, still has the same suspension and build quality issues though. Also, crashes brilliantly, very hard to kill an SV except from wheelying it to death.

I too got a Bandit after doing direct access – many years ago. I liked it a lot – engine revs quite happily to 12k+ from what I remember!

Get the Haynes manual as you can do pretty much everything on it yourself.

Mate had one as a first bike. As said, very heavy and usual Suzuki cheap feel to everything. Do the job though.

His only issue was leaving it for so long that fuel evaporated and gunked up the carb.

CBR600F is another option as reliable, comfy sports tourer with great build quality. Loads of cheap well cared for examples out there. Potter around on it or wind it up for some fun.

The SV650 is better and the very twin is better for commuting on. However I find the bandit comfier than SV’s.

Echo above coat the in Acf50 as Suzukis don’t do well in winter.

Slightly less powerful but a Honda CB500 is better built.

Slightly less powerful but a Honda CB500 is better built.

That was my first bike, ’95 vintage.

I was looking at the Bandit / Hornet / Fazer triumvirate, favouring the Hornet as the Bandit had a thimble for a fuel tank and the Fazer had a face only a mother could love.

Shopping round, they were all either over £2k, ragged, or both. Lowering my sights to a 500 got me a great bike for not much money and I absolutely loved it; quick enough without being silly. But this was over a decade ago.

I think these days I’d still be looking in that “600cc Streetfighter” sort of arena. The Triumph Street Triple really appeals, and the SV650 seems a popular choice also.

sv650s was my first bike, was great

All bikes with anything over 500cc are quick, and many with 500cc or below are fairly quick too

Its a relative thing. You’ll be able to lose your licence with any big bike

They’re all broadly similar

KTM390 Duke is a cracking 1st bike purchase.

Yep.. had brand new t plate as my first bike. Absolutely loved it

As has been mentioned, consider a CBR 600F. Cracking bike. I loved mine to bits.

A Honda Hornet 600 will be better built and more fun too.

Triumph Street Triple is superior to all of them, in my opinion.

I like the street triple, horrible plastics aside but you can get about 4 Bandit 6s for the price of one.