Suzuki Bandit 1200 shock adjustment tool, where can I get one?

**Vinz0r** · 2nd May 2013, 09:05

I don't have the factory toolkit so was just wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction for obtaining the tool for adjusting rear preload on a 99 Bandit 1200. It looks like a C on the end of an l with a little hook on the C part.

Thanks.

**Banditbandit** · 2nd May 2013, 10:19

Suzuki shop perhaps ??

Or is that too obvious and you've already tried that ...

**Vinz0r** · 2nd May 2013, 11:18

Had a look through the parts list on their website without any luck. Although I probably shouldn't assume that all of their parts and tools are on the website..
Might give them a call.

**Vinz0r** · 2nd May 2013, 11:43

Called up but they don't sell them and can't tell me the size needed either as their database just has the manufacturer part number

**Gianz** · 2nd May 2013, 15:25

If you're in Akl you can borrow mine.

**Vinz0r** · 2nd May 2013, 15:50

Thanks for the offer but I'm in Hamilton

**F5 Dave** · 2nd May 2013, 16:09

Good grief, a decent bike shop should sell a C spanner.

Won't make much diff though, I suspect you are going to say you put a pillion on & the bike handled like a chopper. They are woefully undersprung & a stiffer spring will make a world of diff. Did it to my RF which was similarly afflicted (several parts interchange). Then did it to a mate's Bandit & he was happy after that.

Adding preload won't get near making a diff.

Obviously they are a budget model & a new aftermarket shock would nicely help 14 years of wear.

**Vinz0r** · 2nd May 2013, 16:19

Originally Posted by F5 Dave

Good grief, a decent bike shop should sell a C spanner.

Won't make much diff though, I suspect you are going to say you put a pillion on & the bike handled like a chopper. They are woefully undersprung & a stiffer spring will make a world of diff. Did it to my RF which was similarly afflicted (several parts interchange). Then did it to a mate's Bandit & he was happy after that.

Adding preload won't get near making a diff.

Obviously they are a budget model & a new aftermarket shock would nicely help 14 years of wear.

Close but not quite, I recently purchased the bike and after going for a ride and bouncing all over the place I discovered the preload is set at it's lowest setting. I assume the previous owners were a bit smaller than me so didn't mind, but even with one person on it's bloody horrible.
I might look into upgrading the shock, but can't really afford it at the moment so I'm looking at cheaper options for the meantime.
Might just purchase a random C spanner that looks about the right size and hope for the best.

**bistard** · 2nd May 2013, 16:26

Originally Posted by Vinz0r

Close but not quite, I recently purchased the bike and after going for a ride and bouncing all over the place I discovered the preload is set at it's lowest setting. I assume the previous owners were a bit smaller than me so didn't mind, but even with one person on it's bloody horrible.
I might look into upgrading the shock, but can't really afford it at the moment so I'm looking at cheaper options for the meantime.
Might just purchase a random C spanner that looks about the right size and hope for the best.

Try a wrecker then,ride your bike to one & try said C spanner to make sure it fits

**F5 Dave** · 2nd May 2013, 18:06

ok but it really won't help. You need a stiffer spring unless you are a ballerina. I think we used one from an old Slabby GSXR750, or could have been a old GSX600 teapot (leverage of linkage means springs can be stiffer on diff bikes). Think the std one Bandit was 7kg & the GSX/R was 8.8. Have to be careful working with springs, they store energy, but worked out a safe way to change them.

**nzspokes** · 2nd May 2013, 18:53

Screw driver and a hammer, thank me later.

My old Bandit had a Busa shock in it that lifted the back a little. Handled very well. Common conversion.

**roogazza** · 2nd May 2013, 19:05

Originally Posted by nzspokes

Screw driver and a hammer, thank me later.

My old Bandit had a Busa shock in it that lifted the back a little. Handled very well. Common conversion.

Screwdriver ?? !!!! EeeeeeK ! maybe a brass or copper drift.

I swapped my Bandits rear shock for an 89' I think it was, gsxr1100 ? Gave another 25 mm ground clearance and damping that worked much better.
Also sped up the steering with the rear raised.

**Morcs** · 2nd May 2013, 20:09

40mm jack up kit. Just a pair of dogbones. Works a treat. I weigh feck all and even preload cranked up it still sat really low.

Yes a bike shop should sell C-spanners. At least i do...

**Robert Taylor** · 2nd May 2013, 21:00

I hope none of the butchers here giving ''advice'' are aircraft engineers? No apologies for having little time for stupid and rough as guts ''advice''. Some people may regard it as acceptable.

Its not neccessarily always that the shock is undersprung, always with these low production cost oem shocks there is way too little low speed compression damping. That means they will blow through their stroke too readily as the damping is at low shaft velocities not strong enough to slow down the movement. Stronger springing will help, but often this ''solution'' and the often horrible practice of different link arms acts as a fudge, its not actually getting to the source of the problem.

Certainly there will be shock absorbers from other models that can offer a solution, providing there are no clearance issues through the full stroke range, that the spring rate is somewhat correct and that the internal damping force character is suitable for the motion ratio applied to it.

We stock a number of different C sapnners, the issue is you dont really know which listing will fit properly until you physically try it on the shock