Suzuki GSF1250S Bandit (2007-2012 & 2015-2016) - Review & Buying Guide

2007-2012 Bandit S, 2007-2012 Bandit and 2015-2016 Bandit S

First of all, let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way. Why have we put the Suzuki GSF1250S Bandit as being built between 2007-2012 and also 2015-2016? After launching the all-new water-cooled Bandit in 2007, Suzuki killed it off in 2012 only to revive it again in 2015 for a few short years. This reincarnated bike is basically identical to the old model aside from a new fairing and slightly cleaner-running motor, so it can be treated as the same model when buying used. That cleared up, back to the Bandit itself.

Replacing the air/oil-cooled Bandit 1200 model, the ground-up new GSF1250S arrived in 2007 in both naked (GSF1250) and semi-faired (GSF1250S) form and brought with it an all-new water-cooled engine as well as sportier chassis. Picking up on all of the older Bandit model’s strong points, the new machine aimed to replicate the winning big-engine, low price tag, formula to inspire a whole new generation of riders alongside fans of this classic bike. And it worked, to a point.

A good seller for Suzuki, the Bandit is a real no-frills bike that does exactly what it says it will. If you are after an easy-going machine with bags of grunt, the GSF1250S Bandit is practical, reliable and great for pillions. Its build quality can leave a bit to be desired but get a good one and it will do everything asked of it.

Pros & Cons

Suzuki GSF1250S Bandit (2007-2012 & 2015-2016) Price

Costing just £5299 in 2007, the Bandit was remarkably cheap and its cut-price nature is reflected in its used values. You can pick up an early Bandit for £2000 if you go for either a private sale or high-mileage bike from a dealership but you are better off spending £2500 - £3000 for one with around 20,000 miles on its clocks, which isn’t that many for the liquid-cooled motor. A few sellers are attempting to get £5000 for low-mileage examples but the Bandit isn’t a bike that it is worth paying this for, simply down to its workhorse nature. Buy one for around £3000 and get out there and enjoy it rather than worry about it suffering (it will suffer...) when subjected to rain or salt.

Engine & Performance

The all-new liquid-cooled motor marks quite a radical departure from the old air/oil-cooled model and as well as gaining some extra capacity through a longer stroke, it also features aluminium-alloy bores with SCEM (Suzuki Composite Electrochemical Material), which is a nickel-phosphorous-silicon-carbide plating where the old model simply had cast-iron liners. Not only that, the new engine also comes with a sixth gear! But when you ride it the engine remains very much a Bandit in nature and attitude.

Wonderfully smooth and bursting with mid-range grunt, the inline four may only make a fairly modest 96bhp but it is the 79lb-ft of torque (18% more than the old model) that sets it aside. One of those engines that lollops along with a wonderfully relaxed nature, it is a great engine for cruising about on and effortlessly shrugs off the extra weight of a pillion. And it is reliable too, in the most part...

Major mechanical issues are rare with the Bandit but small irritations are a little more common. Happily, due to the popularity of the Bandit, diagnosing and fixing them tends to be fairly easy and not that expensive. Well, unless you buy parts directly from Suzuki.

First on the list of annoying faults is the neutral switch, which tends to become sticky and either fail to indicate neutral or stick indicating neutral all the time. Generally it just requires removing and cleaning (look online for how-to guides, it’s quite easy) which is good as a new item is about £130 from Suzuki. Next up on the engine issues list is the starter motor, which burns out on higher-mileage bikes as it is a little under-powered for the compression of the motor. Again, replacing it is quite easy and if you are happy to use a second-hand or pattern part the bill should be less than £200 – however if you buy it from Suzuki it will be closer to £700! Generally any other engine faults are traced back to fuel-injection sensors, which can be found quite cheaply if you use pattern items, so look for an ‘Fi’ warning light, and then ask about the bike’s service history. The valve-clearance service, which is every 14,500 miles, is expensive and due to the workhorse nature of the Bandit is often skipped, so check it has been completed. Interestingly, a lot of Bandit owners do their own servicing (generally oil and filters, nothing too major), so check the sump plug area for cracks as it is easy to over-tighten it and crack the surrounding casing.

Suzuki GSF1250S Bandit (2007-2012 & 2015-2016 - Handling & Suspension

To be brutally honest, handling has never been at the forefront of the Bandit’s design brief and while the 1250 has a far stiffer frame than the 1200, there is no getting away from the fact that Suzuki refused to invest in quality suspension and the Bandit is a heavy bike. Softly-sprung and with a pretty poor quality shock (both ends have limited adjustability) , the Bandit is perfectly happy on straight lines but when you up the pace and introduce a set of bends it can feel a bit lardy and wobbly. A new shock certainly helps matter, especially if you combine it with a fork re-valve, but you are still working against a 250kg wet weight so you can’t expect miracles. Take it easy and it is stable and secure, push on and it isn’t great. And suspension isn’t the only cost-cutting area on the Bandit 1250...

The over-all level of finish is pretty poor on the Suzuki and if subjected to a winter’s riding, quite quickly the Bandit starts to look very second-hand. The paint on the engine and forks flakes and bubbles badly and the wheels often look just as bad. If you buy a tidy bike, keep it clean and invest in some anti-corrosion spray or you will regret it. As with the engine, the chassis is generally very robust so you just need to check for worn bearings, duff suspension and the usual consumable items such as tyres, chain and sprockets, brake pads etc.

Comfort & Economy

The Bandit is a comfortable bike and its fairing is pretty effective, making it a decent option for touring on. Pillions generally love it on the back and thanks to a very low and adjustable seat height (785/805mm), it is easy for the rider to get both feet reassuringly on the ground. When it comes to fuel economy, despite its sixth gear the Bandit isn’t as frugal as you may expect with an average of about 49mpg to be expected and a range of just over 200 miles from its 19 litre tank.

Suzuki GSF1250S Bandit (2007-2012 & 2015-2016) Equipment

Where the naked model never had ABS, the S version has it as standard and the 2015-onwards bike is actually called the GSF1250SA in recognition of its ABS system. As the Bandit is big and heavy, ABS is quite nice to have but you do need to check the sensor rings and sensors as if they get damaged they are expensive to replace at around £300 from Suzuki. Other than ABS, the Bandit comes with a centre stand as standard, which is good, as well as an adjustable seat height and pillion grab rail. Does it need any more?

Those who use the Bandit as a daily commuter or tourer often add a taller screen or fairing lowers and even panniers (there was a GT variant with dealer-fitted luggage) but really, if you are planning on doing this you should look at buying the full-faired GSX1250FA instead, which comes with a stylish full-fairing as standard. With the GSF1250S, the list of must-have accessories is realistically a taller screen, heated grips and some crash protection – it honestly doesn’t need anything further.

Suzuki GSF1250S Bandit (2007-2012 & 2015-2016) - Rivals

The Bandit is generally bought as a workhorse bike, a role it excels at.

Suzuki GSX1250FA (2010-2016) | Approx Price: £2000-£6000

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Power/Torque

97bhp / 80lb-ft

Weight

257kg

Suzuki SV1000S | Approx Price: £1600-£4000

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Power/Torque

123bhp / 75.2lb-ft

Weight

208kg

BMW R1150RS (2001-2005) | Approx Price: £2000-£4000

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Power/Torque

95bhp / 73.8lb-ft

Weight

246kg

Suzuki GSF1250S Bandit (2007-2012 & 2015-2016) - Verdict

If you are after a do-it-all workhorse, the Bandit 1250S is hard to really criticise. Its inline four has bags of grunt and its physical size makes the Bandit very comfortable to ride for long distances. But it is far from perfect and cost-cutting measures in areas such as the suspension and finish do tarnish it slightly. If you want a big-engined bike that is cheap, effective and reliable it is a good option. But it is one that does feel like it will probably quite quickly become a hack rather than a treasured possession.

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Suzuki GSF1250S Bandit (2007-2012 & 2015-2016) - Technical Specification