Suzuki Bandit 1250 Review

Used Buyer Review

The Bandit 1250 is one of motorcycling's great unsung workhorses. That fuel-injected 1255cc inline-four pulls hard from basically anywhere in the rev range — you're never hunting for power, it's just always there. Build quality is typically Suzuki: bulletproof and deliberately unglamorous. These bikes will happily tick past 50,000 miles with basic maintenance, and parts are cheap and plentiful. Don't let the 'budget bike' reputation fool you. Buying used, check the throttle bodies for carbon buildup if it's been sitting — they can get sticky. Frame sliders are your best friend on these because previous owners loved dropping them in parking lots. Inspect the final drive chain carefully; neglected examples chew through sprockets fast. The ABS models from 2010 onwards are worth the small premium. Avoid anything with a dodgy service history or evidence of track abuse — the suspension is highway-grade, not canyon-carver spec.