Bandit parts prices

I had a look at a colleagues Bandit 1200S last night, with a view to
buying it (unless ogden pulls his finger out and replies to my email...)

Looks in very good nick, especially considering it's a P-reg.

As a result of a very low speed drop, the front off-side indicator is
slightly bent, there's a scratch on the engine casing and exhaust and
the brake pedal could do with replacing, but I'm not too bothered about
any of that.

It's already got a front mudguard extender and rear hugger, and looks
*very* tidy. Previously owned by a sergeant in Durham Police.

One major bargaining point that I want to check out: the left hand side
panel has a couple of 1-2" vertical cracks along the bottom edge,
directly below the seat. The owner thinks they were caused after a heavy
landing (he's a big lad, which probably doesn't help).

So... how uncheap is a side panel for a P-reg Bandit 12? In black, of
course.

Any suggestions for what sort of offer I should make?

 

Nah, it's actually the bracket behind the fairing, so it'll bend
straight if you can be arsed to take the fairing off.

Black spray paint, ~£5

Polishing kit, free.

60 quid for a new one, apparently.

Oh, absolutely.

I had a quick look, couldn't see anything. He is a *big* lad, so I think
it was just a rough landing.

Cheapest he found on Autotrader was ~£1750 with 37000 miles - his only
has 23000.

Ummm... didn't look that close, to be honest. Not sure if I'd have
noticed in underground car park lighting - need to see it in sunlight,
really.

 

"Heavy landing" ? Has he been going over motocross table-tops with
it?

 

This is what he told me:
New Chain & Sprockets in May 04
New Oil & Filter every year (min once a year)
Just taxed last week
MOT May 05

Tyres looked like there was plenty of life in them.

Yeah... I was thinking 2 grand, minus the cost of a new side panel.

 

He could have done 20,000 miles in that time!

Convenient for you not to have to buy some until next year but that's
only worth £60 on the day.

 

45 quid for one for my GSXR750, which I'll put money on is the same
one.

From http://www.suzuki-spares.co.uk/ good next day service as well.

 

Heh, I'd bet that most bikes don't do that in a year. On the Bandits,
the manual says that you should change the filter every other oil change.

<snip>

 

He hasn't. Chain and sprockets looked very healthy.

I know - it was just in the list of things he told me.

 

I used to change the filter with every oil change every 5,000 or so
miles, still do.

A genuine filter is only about £8 and I get a discount at the place down
the road.

 

5000? That's far too many miles in between oil changes for a Bandit.

 

Really? I'd go with the 4000 mile service intervals myself, but I'm
sure that 5000 isn't too bad; it's supposedly one of the most
abuse-resistant engines ever made, isn't it?

 

If you want to go halfers on a proper Suzuki engine black touch-up
paint, let me know.

Oi! DNC! Magnesium alloy, on a Bandit? Since when?

 

I'd think so, seeing that it was designed as a 750cc engine. I don't
leave my Bandit for more that about 3000 miles in between oil changes /
valve adjust, depending of what time of year it is, and how I've been
using it.

 

Heh, that may be the last 20,000 miles the engine would do though.

 

Tell you what, why don't you try it with you bikes.

 

I tried it on the CBR1000 for over 20k miles.

Sounded sweet as a nut when it did get changed.

--
| ___ Salad Dodger
|/ \
_/_____\_ GL1500SEV/CBR1100XXX/KH500A8/TS250C
|_\_____/_| ..73063../..16589.../..3180./.19406
(>|_|_|<) TPPFATUICG#7 DIAABTCOD#9 YTC#4 PM#5
|__|_|__| BOTAFOT #70 BOTAFOF #09 two#11 WG*
\ |^| / IbW#0 & KotIbW# BotTOS#6 GP#4
\|^|/ ANORAK#17 IbB#4
'^'

 

Assuming a new filter went on and the oil was good semi-synth I can't
see too much wear occuring on most bikes, sure the oil may be on it's
last legs by 20K, but I'll bet it still lubricates effectively.

Look at the fact with modern oil most a standard car has service
intervals are now 20K apart, mechanically little about engines has
changed in the past 10 or 15 years, but the oil technology has improved.

 

Ginge says...

My Golf needs servicing every 30K miles. I top the oil up in between
services, but that's it.

 

I've alway understood that the problem with oil was not that it got beat to
shit by the engine, but that it got dirty - filled with stuff ground off the
engine, combustion products, black sludge etc.

And filtration, presumably.

 

Blimey, 30K does sound a bit far apart for the way I treat cars.

I've not done a lot of mileage in the past 12 months having worked at
home a lot. So, I was a little surprised when Vauxhall phoned me up a
few weeks ago to say "Your car is due a service - it's 20K or every
year"

"Yeah, ok.. you can check if there's enough oil in it,[1] and the plugs
probably need a fettle." I replied.. "the clutch might have seen better
days too.."

"Ok Sir, we'll book you in."

Company cars, don't you just love them?


[1] I don't think it'll have dropped after only 10K, there's no sign of
a leak on the driveway..