I went into the local bike store on the way home to pick up the latest Kiwi Rider mag. Anyway the latest K7 Gixer and the ABS bandit were there too, I so got distracted.
So, as I was looking over the Bandit and about to walk over to get the mag, the sales guy wanders up (as they do) said "Hello, do you want to take it for a ride?"
I said "nah not really" and we shot the shite for a couple of minutes before I left. As I was swinging my leg over the SV I though - why not? So I wanderred back in and said how about I take it home tonight and drop it in in the morning - he said sure.
So long story short It will have about an extra 60ks on it by tomorrow morning.
Engine - very quiet and smooth. Its pulls smoothly from just under 2000rpm and has lots of mid range grunt. It is doing about 3500 at 100ks and accelerates about the same as the SV (4000 at 100ks). There wouldn't be a big difference between them for that. Engine braking isn't huge. Basicaly just very smooth torquey motor. And very quiet shhhhh. Didn't get to sample the top end.
Instruments - standard zook fare, Analogue tacho, digital speed, LCD fuel guage, trip, clock and idiot lights. The mirrors only just OK with a big look at my elbows. The headlight is not as good as the SV. It has a single bulb on low beam with sharp horizontal cutoff. High beam brings on a spot and the low beam stays on.
Comfort wise I was expecting more but was dissapointed. The seat height felt marginally higher than the SV and is too narrow and firm for this style of bike. My old GS1000 puts it to shame for comfort. The seat somehow seemed to put pressure on the 2 bony bits where my femur bone joins the hip if you know what I mean. I tried sitting back further where the seat is wider but it didn't seem to make any difference. I measured the distance from the peg to the seat and the old GS is about 2 inches longer. This may explain the sore rs effect with the knees being higher and less weight on the inner thigh????
The reach to the bars was OK and almost identical to the old GS. I felt that the bars were angled backwards a bit too much too - probably just my reaction to the SV clip ons, than anything meaningful. I was really surprised at the pillion seat, I was expecting wide soft comfort. I put it on the centre stand and perched up there. The distance to the pegs is quite short resulting in a tight knee bend. It is also a lot higher than the pilot seat. It is overly firm and not all that big.
Ride was OK, at low speeds I could feel all of the little bumps, but above 20ks it all smooths out. I didn't get to do any twisties and couldn't detect the extra weight (about 45kg more than the SV). There is no steering damper.
What did I like? Smooth and quiet. Good low and mid range grunt.
What didn't I like? Seat.
Pic1) Big fat can, 2) 1981 GS1000s seat to peg about 50 cm, 3) Bandit seat to peg about 45 cm, 4) Quite a new engine shape.
Originally Posted by Albert
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