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Bandit 1250 vs Vstrom 1k cage match

NPHLYT

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Jim
I am looking at the two subject bikes and would like your input. I am short (5'-5") and will need to lower the winning pugilist, I know this can be done on the Bandit, but know not about the other. I will be taking trip (day and other) on the winner but I would also like a daily rider, FYI.

What are the pros/cons between the v-twin and the inline 4?

Discuss
 
Any plans to ride dirt at all? If it's strictly for the street, I think you'll be happier with the street-dedicated Bandit. If you want to do a lot of gravel/dirt/etc, the longer suspension (which also means taller...) on the Strom would be beneficial.

Two different animals... kinda. Both have full luggage available for longer trips and all kinds of other farkles.

There is no bad decision, good luck!

trey
 
Something to consider - insurance. Get a quote on each and see how they compare. Some Ins Co's might consider the Bandit a standard, while others consider it a "sport" bike (blame that S on the end!)
 
Something to consider - insurance. Get a quote on each and see how they compare. Some Ins Co's might consider the Bandit a standard, while others consider it a "sport" bike (blame that S on the end!)

Good thinking.... State Farm was going to kill me on Bandit insurance, where I got a fair(er) rate with Progressive.

As for comparing the motors, both have pretty similar characteristics as far as power delivery, with the Bandit having a little more "umph" pretty much everywhere.

DL1k: http://www.holeshot.com/dynocharts/dyno_dl1000.html

B1250: http://www.holeshot.com/dynocharts/dyno_bandit1250.html

I'd venture to say the 1250 is probably a little more smooth, but I've never ridden the 'Zuk liter twin. The 1250 is much smoother than my SV650 was though.

trey
 
Any plans to ride dirt at all? If it's strictly for the street, I think you'll be happier with the street-dedicated Bandit. If you want to do a lot of gravel/dirt/etc, the longer suspension (which also means taller...) on the Strom would be beneficial.

Two different animals... kinda. Both have full luggage available for longer trips and all kinds of other farkles.

There is no bad decision, good luck!

trey

+1 Trey's right
Wally:rider:
 
Hrmmm, doubt I would get in off-road (or would get off road be more grammatically correct?) much, if any.
 
I have looked for the bandit forum and the only real dedicated one I found is Banditforum, is there one I am missing?
 
Get the Bandit. You're too short for the Strom.
 
Get the Bandit. You're too short for the Strom.

?? I've seen people shorter than 5'5" ride bigger and taller bikes with no problems at all. Get the seat off the DL650 and if you have the right mindset when it comes to riding, then you'll be good to go. But even then if you have to lower it, it really is a simple process.

As far as which to get, I don't have a clue. Both are awesome bikes, and even for full street duty, I'd be hard pressed to pick a winner. Here are some things that I would consider.....

First and foremost, V-twin/Inline 4. If you like the power delivery of one over the other then your choice is made up right there.

Fit. Which one fits you the best and would be the most comfy after 700-800 miles in a day?

Next on my list would be luggage options and which one has the one that suits me the best. I typically shy away from stuff like Givi's mainly because my bike seems to have a knack for falling over.

After that, fuel range. I don't know what the 1250 gets per tank but whichever can go further on a tank of gas is a pretty good thing to me.

Forum support. I really haven't searched out the Bandit forums, but I do know that the Strom forums are fricken AWESOME. Everything that has ever gone wrong with these bikes, or any service that needs to be done has already been done by tons of members and there are quite a few tips and tricks to keep you from scratching your head.

Finally, whichever one you like best. Whichever one "speaks" to you. That is the one that you will enjoy more.
 
I sold an '02 BMW R1150GSA and bought an '06 DL1000 while up in Ohio. The DL1000 took some getting used to from the BMW. Had to do some work to firm up the suspension and get it where I wanted it. It's a tall bike, taller than what either of my GS's were. Great smoothness from the engine. Not so from my transmission on the 1st to 2nd shift unless you had everything just right. About 30% of the time for me. Gone was my bottom end torque. This engine likes 4000 and above when working it in the mountains and their 180 curves. Did I mention my 29" legs were in trouble? ;-). The stock DL1000 seat is not for me. Put on a Corbin and now it was a good long distance bike unless I had to stop. I could just touch the tips of my toes on both sides or slide out and put one foot down. I had an engine issue that finally drove me in a fit of impulsive anger along with the height of the DL to finally get overly mad at it and traded it in on a left over '07 Bandit a few months back. Took a good beating money wise but it was time to move on and find a bike I wanted to take into retirement with me. So far, the Bandit is what it's going to be. I have done a few things to it for wind and seat and softening up the suspension but the basic package is so great and the balls of my feet are firmly planted on the ground at stops. I love this , plus, the engine / transmission package is so awesome in driveablity. Instant go anywhere, any gear. I've run it on gravel roads and a few hard packed dirt roads with no problem and , for me, is more stable than my DL1000 was in this stuff. Lower center of gravity perhaps? Way closer to what my GS's would do than the DL1000.
Just My Opinion, but I think you would be better off with the Bandit. I know I am.
Now , my KLR650 has a mate to carry me short legged, fat body, into retirement. ;-).

Oh , by the way, I did put 16,000 miles on the DL in 14 months including a trip to Central California.
 
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Andy, just wondering, but what was the engine issue on the DL that you had?
 
Andy, just wondering, but what was the engine issue on the DL that you had?

The first thing I noticed with the DL1000 was a light shudder when the engine went through 2900 to 3000 RPM in 1st and 2nd gear at about 1/4 throttle when accelerating out of corners are away from stops. Didn't bother me too much down here in the flatslands of Louisiana and I was still learning the bike. 11 years and 130,000 miles on BMW twins before this bike. Also a few other bikes in the stable at the same time with the BMW's > DR350SEs, DRZ400SE, KLR650 < ( which I still have and love to death )

The other was the not to clean shifting between 1st and 2nd gears. I had the same issue on the DRZ400SE I had for awhile. Crunch unless you were shifting at a very low rpm or high rpm. I was generally shifting in the 3 to 4K rpm range about town.
My big eye opener was in California when coming out of hairpin turns and it being a bit too fast for 1st gear and in the 2500 rpm range in 2nd gear. A few time the engine shuddered so much I thought the engine was going to quit on me. So , to complete my trip I started just slipping the clutch in situations as such.
When I got home I bought a PCIII and Leo Vince pipes and hooked that up, plus checking sync and everything thing else on the engine. All was good in that department. The PCIII was able to dampen some of the shudder but you could tell it was still there. What was strange about this was it was just in 1st and 2nd gear.
Next I did the valves which everyone was on the lowered end so changed shims in all 8 of them, re-sync on the TB, Check the STB's to make sure they were together. Checked for anything kind to a vacuum leak from the heads to the airfilter.
Tried several maps from the web and played with my own maps , even activating the Accelerator Pump function. Still there.
A few thousand miles later the engine started developing a surge on hard throttle noticable especially in the lower gears. I was thinking, Gotta be a vacuum leak. So back down to the heads and checking and coating everything with silicone just to be sure. Still there. Pulled all the PCIII stuff off incase it was going bad. No help.
About the only thing I didn't do ( which may have cured all my engine problems ) was to pull the secondary butterflies out.
So that , plus two drops in my yard due to height plus my legs put the finale " Need to change bike now " implant firmly into my brain.
So now, very happy with the Bandit 1250S and it's lower chassis and beautiful engine transmission package. I almost bought this bike when I picked up the DL1000 while in Ohio at that time. But, wanted to give the DL a shot. So did. It just didn't work out to what I wanted it to do. But a great bike none the less. Liked it better than the BMW GS in ways, in some ways not. But such is the thing with any bike. ;-)
 
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