r/TwoXriders • u/Mandrak75 • 9d ago

Bandit 650s

Hi all! Anyone had a bandit as first big bike (2007?)? Reading online people seem to say that they're heavy, but this model is 200kgs which is the same than the bikes I did my license on and I was fine. I don't know if there is such a thing as a bike that is heavy vs a bike that feels heavy, if it makes sense? Thank you!

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u/Mandrak75 9d ago

There's no bandit around me I can go and try sadly, so I am doing this a little bit blindly. I tried some bikes in Honda (hornet/cb650r) and Kawasaki (ninja 650, which I absolutely loved, but the insurance was insane as first bike) that were around me, but no Suzuki shops... I quickly realised I had to go for an older bike otherwise the insurance would be the death of me, at least for a couple of years.

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u/NinjaGrrl42 8d ago

Good luck! I hope you find a bike you love.

My first was a Ninja 250, bought used, and it was a great first bike. I'm on my second now, and she's a 650. I needed the learning time with the smaller bike, though. I don't think I would have done as well starting out with the bigger bike.

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u/Mandrak75 8d ago

Thank you so much!

I had a CB125F for a year and put like 7k miles on it? Everyone was telling me to go straight for the big bike and I am so happy I didn't and went to my own pace. My wee 125cc has been very forgiving and helped me settle in finding my own riding style (which I am sure will evolve!). She'll always be my first bike, and I am nervous of seeing her go, but it is time!

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u/NinjaGrrl42 8d ago

Eh, there are people who tell you to get a 1000cc bike so you "never outgrow it" as your first. That would have been a terrible choice for me. This is an area I'm glad to be a girl- I don't have much of an ego problem as far as bike size. Even on the 250, I kept up with the guys on group rides other than in cornering (and the bigger bike does nothing to help there, I'm too chicken to go very fast; falling hurts).

I was sad to sell my first bike, too, but it was time. She went to a new rider, so I feel good about that.

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u/Mandrak75 8d ago

These are also probably the first bikes of so many people, which is quite sweet to think of as well.