Back in the "sort of" GS Suzuki fold: '98 Bandit 1200S

[gtem]

I regretted it as soon as I sold my silver '02 "naked" Bandit, and decided that at some point I'd have another. But I wanted to get back to a 1st gen "S" like the '99 I owned back around 2014. My "ideal" one would have been that awesome forest green they came in, but black or blue would be great too. This one popped up locally a while back but priced a bit high considering the 31k miles and very dusty bike in the photos. Well the seller reduced the asking price and I whittled him down a bit further based on the old tires and some other deferred maintenance. Ended up getting it for $2300 and trailering it home yesterday. Has some nice comfort mods (the Corbin seat, handlebar risers) along with braided brake lines (necessitated by the bar risers), and it's been jetted for that slip on (that I'm not crazy about the looks of, will try to hunt down a Yoshimura or Holeshot can I think). The plan is to go through the whole thing top to bottom starting with the tires, chain and sprocket, valve adjustment and checking the chain tensioner, valve cover gasket (it's seeping). Just all the usual wear items.


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[rphillips]

Dang, wish we'd have known, I have a hunter green "99" model that doesn't get ridden near as much as it should any more. We maybe could have worked something out... Hope your new purchase brings back the enjoyment you were missing..

[Tazman001]

Just like mine. How many miles? Although I do have a Yosh can.

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Appears someone has put an extended wind screen on yours, like it!

[gtem]

Just like mine. How many miles? Although I do have a Yosh can.

1998bandit002.jpg

Appears someone has put an extended wind screen on yours, like it!

31k miles on this 98. Now sporting a mellower, more period correct looking oval Delkevic can. Really impressed with the quality of the exhaust for the money. Just finished some winter maintenance on it (valve adjustment and new top end gaskets, back the cam chain tensioner out one more tooth, fiddled with idle mixture and determined the carbs have a dynojet kit installed, repaired some damage to the RH side fairing from a PO's drop in a past life. Now I just need to sand, weld and repaint the crusty set of OE engine case guards I scooped up on Ebay a while back and I'll be ready for the Brown County rally this summer, although, there's something else new in the garage that I will soon post...

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