1996 Suzuki Bandit 600s

1996 SUZUKI BANDIT 600S

CYCLE WORLD TEST

A GOOD IDEA MADE IN METAL

WHAT THE WORLD OF MOTORCYCLING needs, we declared in our September, 1989, issue, is a modern standard, a Universal Japanese Motorcycle for the '90s, one with a four-cylinder engine, minimal bodywork and a rational seating position.

Imai to create such a machine, on paper. The resulting Cycle World Convertible borrowed mainly from existing Suzuki GSX-R750, Katana 750 and GS500 components. Starting with a combination GSX-R/GS perimeter-style, double-cradle steel frame, Imai added the air/oil-coolcd, four-cylinder engine and sport-oriented suspension from the Katana, followed by suitably wide three-spoke wheels, an easily changed tube handlebar and a plush seat. Completing the image-and hence the Convertible namewere a quick-release quarter-fairing and detachable hard luggage. Target price? Under $5000.

Suzuki's new-for-’9 6 Bandit 600S is that motorcycle. Well, almost.

Parallels between concept and production are uncanny: air/oil-coolcd inline-four borrowed from the ever-popular Katana 600; double-cradle steel frame; conventional 41 mm fork and link-type single-shock rear suspension; 17inch wheels in 3.5and 4.5-inch widths; Kutana/RP600style disc brakes front and rear; a sporty quarter-lairing; moderate ergonomics. Suggested retail? $5399.

Suzuki selected the Katana's dohe, 16-valve, 599cc inline-four, officials say, for its strong performance, reliability and ease of maintenance. But because the Bandit was conceived as a sporting streetbike rather than a GSXR replacement, engine tuning focused on low-end and midrange power. As such, there are different camshafts. revised valve actuation, juggled ignition timing. smaller car buretors and a new exhaust system.

More specifically. the Katana's individual rockerarms and shim-type valve-actuation system gave way to forked rock ers and threaded adjusters, the same setup used on 1988-'91 Katana 600s and all Katana 750s. This saves money and promotes owner maintenance. though, at 3500 miles, valve adjustment intervals come as often as with the current shimtype Katana 600 system. A silent, multi-plate cam chain replaces the Kat's roller-type chain, and valve timing is revised for less overlap. Like the Katana, the Bandit uses Suzuki's Air/oil Cooling System (SACS). The frame-mounted oil radiator is slightly smaller than the one used on the Katana. Otherwise, the cooling system is identical. The only other change is to the oil pan, which is now a ribbed honeycomb design for additional rigidity. The rest of the motor-bore and stroke, valve sizes, pistons, connecting rods, crankshaft, finely pitched cylinder fins and cases-remains unchanged. The same is true of the cable-operated, multiplate wet clutch and smoothshifting, six-speed transmission. although a slightly higher final-drive ratio is used. One glitch was a weak shift-linkage rod, which bowed upward towards the end of our 1000mile test period. Apparently, this has not been a problem in Japan and Europe, where the bike has been on sale for six months. American Suzuki is investigating the situation. Even with the alterations, extensive as they may be, don't expect the wallop of a 750, or even a good-running supersport 600. That's not to label the Bandit as a marginal performer, it just doesn’t accelerate through the gears on par with the class leaders. Still, its quarter-mile performance-1 1.97 seconds at 111 mph-is only a half-second behind that of the RF600 and just over a tenth slower than the Katana 600. Top-gear roll-ons are actually quicker than those of either bike; from 40 to 60 mph, the 600S takes 4.3 seconds, then needs just 4.7 seconds to go from 60 to 80 mph (RF600, 4.5 and 5.3; Katana 600, 4.5 and 5.1 ). Top speed is a respectable 127 mph. More importantly, the Bandit flat smokes its logical sport-standard competition. Yamaha's $4849 Seca 11, in quarter-mile (13.14 seconds at 99 mph). roll-ons (4.8 seconds and 5.7 seconds) and top speed (112 mph).

Carhuretion is handled by four 32mm Keihin CVs, as opposed to the Katana's 33mm Mikuni mixers. The slightly smaller bore, combined with longer intake pipes, is said to speed intake velocity and cylinder-charging efficiency. Suzuki further claims that cylinder charging has been improved by mounting the carbs 8 degrees more vertical for a straighter intake tract. Airbox capacity is reduced slightly. The exhaust system is stainless-steel, a 4-into-2-into-1 design with double-walled pipes joined at the number one and four headers, and at the number two and three headers. This helps to balance exhaust pulses between the paired cylinders, which smooths engine idle and enhances low-to midrange power.

In past years, when comparing the Katana engine to its classmates, we’ve referred to it as “buzzy, slow-revving” and “cold-blooded.” Vibrations still seep through (particularly at trailing or partial throttle), but for most kinds of street riding, the 600S is plenty smooth. In use, the engine pulls satisfactorily through the lower ranges, gains considerable strength in the midrange and finishes with an impressive rush from 8000 rpm to the 12,000-rpm redlinc. What’s more, the carburetor and associated engine changes seem to be a plus in regards to warm-up; even on cool mornings, the bar-mounted choke can be thumbed off within a mile or so.

As with the Katana 750 (and more recent RF600). the 600S has a conventional 41mm fork, although it is not adjustable and manufactured by Kayaba rather than Showa. Springs and damping are light, too much so for heavier and/or more aggressive pilots, but it delivers a very plush ride, readily digesting all sorts of bumps and road imperfections. Even with its considerable sag, the fork resists bottoming. The nitrogen-charged, link-type shock absorber is also built by Kayaba and has a seven-way, ramped spring-preload adjuster. It, too, is softly sprung and lightly damped but a satisfactory match-in terms of overall balance-for the fork.

These components are connected to a color-matched, dou ble-cradle, steel-tube frame, which, incidentally, is a com plete departure from the one used on the no-longer offered-in-the-U.S. Bandit 400. You remember the Bandit. that blood-red, four-cylinder, tinfaired sporthike with a 14,000-rpm redline and an affinity for tight corners.' With its “birdcage” style perimeter frame and oval-section swingarm, the little Suzuki was a thing of beauty. And priced at $3699, it was also inexpensive, at least by 1991 standards. Unfortunately, its diminutive size, firm ride and higher-rpm-oriented performance garnered little attention, at least on the sales floor.

To fit the Katana 600 engine in the Bandit 400’s multitube chassis, or one like it, would have required recasting of the cylinder head so the engine could be mounted as a stressed member. That. Suzuki says, would have boosted the bike’s retail price, potentially out of its proposed market. Also, the small Bandit’s liquid-cooled, GSX-R400-derived motor was already wide, and the even-wider Katana application would have posed further styling concerns.

As it is, frame meets engine at five points-onc up front, two in the rear and one on each side. In a partial effort to reduce vibration to the rider, rubber spacers are fitted at the forward mounting point. A silver-painted, steel, RF600-style swingarm completes the picture, delivering an RF/Katana 600-like 56.9-inch wheelbase. Steering-head geometry follows the bike’s sporting mission; there’s 25.1 degrees of rake, 3.9 inches of trail.

The result of all this is neutral steering, responsive turn-ill and excellent top-end stability. l3esides adding to the bike's considerable comfort, the superhike-style tube handlebar is a wonderful ally in tight switchhacks; very little pressure is required to initiate a turn. Modern wheel sizes, a 3.5 x 1 7 front and a 4.5 x 1 7 rear, carry Bridgestone Exedras in 11 070 and I 50/70 sizes. While not ultra-premium rubber. they stick well enough to promote aggressive lean angles, and should wear well.

l3rakes-discs at both ends-also otter good pertormance. There~s plenty of power and good feel from the dual twinpiston front calipers and 11 .4-inch floating stainless-steel rotors. The four-way-adjustable front lever is a nice touch. Out back, an effective 9.4-inch rotor and twin-piston caliper are fitted.

[qually effi~ctive is the seating position. The wide, conifortably padded saddle is a one-piece design, with reason able passenger accommodations. Rubber-isolated rider lootpegs are placed low enough so as not to kink knees but still provide adequate ground clearance. Also worthy of applause are the frame-mounted bungee hooks and originalequipment centerstand. Instrumentation consists of a simple chromed tachometer and speedometer with a small array of warning lights.

Styling is always a subjective matter, but the 600S's lines-while to our eyes not as pleasing as those of the Bandit 400-satisfy nonetheless. The fairing, with its square halogen headlight and Ducati-esque vertical vents, is actual ly an afterthought. cooked up by the factory at the request of American Suzuki. Initially, the bike was to conic to the U.S. without a fairing, as it does in every other market through out the world. American Suzuki balked, saying the U.S. market would want, at the very least, a small fairing. one that still showcased the engine but offered a some wind pro tection and looked sporty. The result accomplishes both objectives. Suzuki also hopes the lack of expensive fairing sidepanels will greatly reduce tip-over costs and over the long run, decrease insurance premiums.

As it turns out, Suzuki has crafted a terrific all-around motorcycle. all the while keeping its price at an acceptable level. It does nearly everything well and almost nothing poorly-competence defined. The 600S is, in many ways, the very motorcycle (`ide IVorid asked for six years ago. It was a very good idea then. It's a very good bike now.

SUZUKI

BANDIT 600S

$5399

EDITORS' NOTES

YOU'VE BEFN iN THE 5~ I'lR\lARKET AN!) seen the generic white box with the blue stripe around it housing snack crackers or laundry detergent or dog food? Well. I'm the guy who buys those. And if I were streetbike hunt ing in the 600 class right now, more than likely I'd be eyeing either the Yamaha Seca 11 or this new Suzuki Bandit. While it's hard to call anything painted blood-red and wearing a 4-into-I pipe "plain wrap," both motorcycles fall into the bargain-basement category of full-size streetbikes.

For me, the Bandit is the winner in a showroom shootout between the two, despite its $500 higher price tag (remem ber, though, we're comparing the Suzuki's `96 price to the Seca's `95 sticker). The Bandit's got a better motor, better brakes and better suspension. The few extra bucks a month the Bandit would cost over the Seca 11 would be worth it. -Jimmy Lewis, 0/i .Road Editor

IN MANY RESPECTS, THE BANDu' COOS reminds me of my 10-year-old Yamaha RZ350. As delivered, the red-and-white Kenny Roberts signature model was full of potential, needing only minor alterations to punch it up to full-bore street-fighter status.

That's why, when I traded my `76 Honda CB400F for the RZ, the closer wasn't a deal-sweetening Bell Star or Team Yamaha windbreaker. Rather, it was an aftermarket thick with fiberglass fairings, performance exhaust pipes, suspension pieces and steering dampers-stuff a heady enthusiast could fit-up in an afternoon, in time, my lightweight Twin bristled with hop-up parts.

I find the Bandit has the same appeal. Heck, the air/oil cooled, Katana-based engine alone represents all kinds of tuning options. The RZ, now regarded as a cult-bike, never really caught on in the U.S. and was soon dropped I iom the lineup. Here's to a happier fate for the Bandit. It deserves it. -Matthew Miles, Managing Editor

WHAT WE 1-LAVE JIlIRE IS A GOOD NIWS/ bad news situation. First the bad. It's unfortunate the little 400 Bandit's dis tinctive, lovely-to-look-at, multi-tube frame didn't come along for the ride with the 600S. Ditto for the Katana 600's adjustable suspension-its simple, soft-medium-hard settings provided a ride for almost every situation. And, yes, it is easy to blame the evil ol' cor porate bean-counters for all this corner-cuttrng, but the truth is, to have any chance at sales success the Bandit 600 had to be built down to a price.

wmcn is wnere me gooci news comes in. in tnis uay or dismal dollar-yen fluctuations, bringing in a full-size streetbike for anywhere close to $5000 is an accomplishment in itself. When the finished product tops 125 mph, knocks off 11-second quarter-miles, can hang with all but the most repliof racers in the twisties and doesn't send you off in search of a chiropractor after a simple I 00-mile ride, well, that's worth cheering about. Nice work, Suzuki, very nice. -David Edwards, Editor-in-Chief