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The 2007 Suzuki Bandit 1250S -The Mega Thread

My stockers lasted about 5.5k but then again I was still learning to ride a bike that actually handles and wants to go! ;-) Since we're on tire pressure. PR2s stock pressure 36/42 or higher!?
 
Mega Tire Thread: http://www.twtex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22409

Might be more helpful to start at the back and work your way forward there's so much info there...

The Bandit favorites seem to be the Michelin PR2 or PR3, and the Dunlop Roadsmarts. Any of those should get you 7-8k miles easy, some of us are getting 12-15k miles out of the PR2's.

RE: Pressure... I run a little higher than the swingarm recommends. More like 38-40 front, 43-45 rear. But, most of my miles are commuting/highway blasting... not a plethora of twisty mountain bits in my day to day riding.

As always, YMMV.

trey
 
How many miles are you guys getting out of rear tires? I have Bt021's front and rear
which come OE on the 2011 and at 2500 miles the rear is starting to flatten out. I run
34psi in front and 36 in rear. I talked to Bridgestone and they do not import the Bt021
to the states but they do the Bt023 and recommend it. I would like to get 4K out of rear
tires but the front design is so rounded I hate to mix a Metzeler in to do it. Any ideas?
And what the heck is a "Dyna bead" and where do you get them? Thanks....

Dyna beads are tiny ceramic beads that live inside the tire and roll around to balance same. Many of us are sold on them, some not. Beads=no wheel weights to mess up rims. Not too costly to try though a pain in the derierre to put in. I've had them since I got my 07 brand new and have no complaints.
go here:
http://www.innovativebalancing.com/motorcycle.htm
 
Your Lucky! I took my Bandit for my first ride of the season today. 47 degrees feels nice outside until you start going 70 mph. I got a bit cold but still put on about 60 miles.

yep, warm winter but I ride year round. You should have seen the looks I got last year when it was 12-degrees outside (not including windchill).....


it looked a little like this....................................
:eek2:
 
I was running lower pressure to try to avoid the bald in the middle look. But now that I think about what you guys are saying the additional heat from running them low may be wearing the rear out faster. I have the factory bags loaded most of the time and I run high speeds whenever I get the chance. The torque of this machine must tear up the OEM Bridgestone. BTW, the OEM tire is not imported by Bridgestone so I might as well pony up to the tires you all suggest. If I got 10-15K miles I would need CPR. At 2500 miles my rear tire looks like it is mostly done. I might get 3K with some luck.....
 
I got 4k out of my stock rear, in the 8 to 9 K range with Dunlop Road Smarts, Bridgestone 021s, Avon Storms. 14K from 1st set of RP2s, 12K from 2nd set due to running with low pressure a few times on front and a little harder use. On 3rd set of RP2s at present with just about 3K on them. Long ways to go I hope.
 
Dyna beads are tiny ceramic beads that live inside the tire and roll around to balance same. Many of us are sold on them, some not. Beads=no wheel weights to mess up rims. Not too costly to try though a pain in the derierre to put in. I've had them since I got my 07 brand new and have no complaints.
go here:
http://www.innovativebalancing.com/motorcycle.htm

To each their own. There are pro's and con's to each balancing system. The pro's to the beads is that your tire is always balanced, it's easy to do yourself, it's simple, and it works.

The first reason I choose not to use them because I carry a tire plug kit in case I get a flat out on the road. I can only begin to imagine how the beads would stick to the sticky gummy tire plug and cause the tire to be out of balance. Plus, the plug would prevent the beads from smoothly rolling around and would further cause the tire to be out of balance. The second (and main) reason I don't use beads is that I bring my wheel off the bike to the shop to have new tires install. The balance fee is included for the $20ish the shop charges to change the tire. They charge the same with or without balancing so it would cost me a lot more to switch to the beads.
 
In the '70's we used a product , then called, Balance and seal. Most all tires were tube back then. Was about the same as today tire seal but with a bit more fiber in it. Did a marvy job of balancing tires. But, shame on you if you got a flat and had to patch it down the road. Most of us then carried spare tubes so we could continue using the Balance Sealer. I still carry a spare tube on my KLR , but, on da Bandit, just a string plug kit and air compressor. I'm fine with the stick on weights I've been using for the last 30 years. Started with the Lester Wheels on Yosh kited 920 Suzuki GS750 I was playing with back then. Just never left.
 
The mileage you guys are getting on tires is amazing. Tire pressure/light throttle must really matter. With the cost of fuel, I better start watching both better...
 
The mileage you guys are getting on tires is amazing. Tire pressure/light throttle must really matter. With the cost of fuel, I better start watching both better...

:lol2::lol2::lol2: I'm afraid my Go Fast Days have been long over. Spent a lot of time on race tracks , both dirt and pavement in the late 60's , 70's , early 80's so, kinda got the race out of my system. My first race was a scramble track in Lake Charles, La. in 1960 on a '59 Triumph 500. I almost had to ask directions after the 1st corner. ;-) Drove it there, pulled the light, put the lights back on, drove 30 miles back home. Don't see that no more.
But, it did take many trips to Arkansas before I realized , there is scenery there. Ha ha ha ha. Now, a low rpm rider, not in a hurry, do a lot of cross country stuff on back roads of America , 400 mile max days instead of 800 - 1000 mile days and ACTUALLY see more than interstates, traffic, gas stations. :trust:
 
The mileage you guys are getting on tires is amazing. Tire pressure/light throttle must really matter. With the cost of fuel, I better start watching both better...

I am at about 14k on my shinko 009 raven rear, about half that two up and loaded down , probably about 2k left in them. :-P
 
To each their own. There are pro's and con's to each balancing system. The pro's to the beads is that your tire is always balanced, it's easy to do yourself, it's simple, and it works.

The first reason I choose not to use them because I carry a tire plug kit in case I get a flat out on the road. I can only begin to imagine how the beads would stick to the sticky gummy tire plug and cause the tire to be out of balance. Plus, the plug would prevent the beads from smoothly rolling around and would further cause the tire to be out of balance. The second (and main) reason I don't use beads is that I bring my wheel off the bike to the shop to have new tires install. The balance fee is included for the $20ish the shop charges to change the tire. They charge the same with or without balancing so it would cost me a lot more to switch to the beads.

I shud have noted our "gang" has an expensive tire changer so we do it all ourselves. I have been fortunate enuf to not get a flat requiring repair with goey plugs. But.......I should think a relatively "slow" ride home with an out of balance tire is quite possible with minimum associated risk. Has anyone done this yet?
 
The wisdom of age, requires this racing thing goes on the back burner for most of us.
I raced through the 70's (mostly off road), through the 80's (again off road) and 90's
(road racing) rode some serious off road events and track days up to 2006. Sold my
dirt bikes and vintage bikes when my second daughter went to college (needed the
money) and now after a series of Buell's have a GSX1250FA. It is really all I need now.
 
GSX1250FA. It is really all I need now.

Now everybody needs a KLR 650 in the wings. I messed up and sold mine after 8 years of ownership ( a 2000 I bought in 1999 ) It came up for sale last year as the guy wanted an Hd sportster. Bought it back, went though it from front axle to rear ( cept the motor, didn't need anything there ). So nice to have it back home. Not for sale again! Course, Da Bandit ain't going anywhere either. :lol2:
 
That pretty much sums up my stable with just two bikes...1250S and XR650L
 
I'm hoping I can get some input on a note that I wrote concerning trackday etiquette. I don't want to post it here but it's on my Facebook page under notes . It's marked Public so anyone should be able to see it. Please provide feedback from those in the know - trying to win a free TD at Barber.
 
With just under 3k miles I just ran out of rear tread on my 1250, I looked at the OE Bridgestone, the Roadsmarts, the Michelin PR2/3's and Shinko R005 Advance rears. Everything but the R005 was way out of my budget. I hope I made a good choice...
 
you should try the new continental motion tires... Its the most bang for buck tire... $170 shipped for the bandit from motosport.com

don't let the price of tire fool you.... I have it and think its equal if not better then the bt23, which was way more $$$$..... These conti tires plain are soft and grippy, sticks in the twistie very well... and from reviews supposed to last long miles..... I only have 1k miles so far and it looks new...will see how long it last???

With just under 3k miles I just ran out of rear tread on my 1250, I looked at the OE Bridgestone, the Roadsmarts, the Michelin PR2/3's and Shinko R005 Advance rears. Everything but the R005 was way out of my budget. I hope I made a good choice...
 
I just knew the RP2s were well worth the money when I went 14,000 on the first set, over 12,000 with the second set. More local stop and go ( plus a slow leak in the front ) in the 2nd set Had a best of about 8600 on the other sets I had tried. Roadsmarts, 021s, Storms. Stockers slick at 4000.
 
I just knew the RP2s were well worth the money when I went 14,000 on the first set, over 12,000 with the second set. More local stop and go ( plus a slow leak in the front ) in the 2nd set Had a best of about 8600 on the other sets I had tried. Roadsmarts, 021s, Storms. Stockers slick at 4000.

+1. The PR2/3 aren't the cheapest tires, but for me, the price per mile is lower than anything else I've tried because I get so many miles out of the suckers. Doesn't hurt that they're a fantastic all around tire as well .:rider:

trey
 
I am going to cut some plastic bottles and zip tie them around the ares of concern. I've seen this cheap setup used a few times without scratching. For $50-$100 it can't be beat. Sure, I'd like to get the high dollar No-Mar, just like I'd like to get a high dollar BMW but we all know what I did buy - something practical, that will do it all very well without all the frills, bells, or whistles, but in an efficient manner.....:lol2:


I know I'm a couple of pages late, but I thought I'd jump in on the tire changing stuff.

I built my own bead breaker that looks a lot like this
http://www.clarity.net/~adam/images/bike/tirechange/mbarassy.jpg

In fact, this page has several good suggestions for doing your own tire changing without spending a lot of money.

http://www.clarity.net/~adam/tire-changing.html

I use the cut up plastic milk jugs as rim savers. Works awesome, though sometimes I wish for a third hand.
 
Works awesome, though sometimes I wish for a third hand.
Gimme a shout next time you're changing tires, and I'll come give you a hand. With any luck, we'll both need to change at the same time.....:zen: I PM'd you with my email address.
 
It's getting warmer and the posts are picking up! Went riding yesterday and couldn't believe how nice it was to not be freezing.
 
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