2002 Suzuki reviews

Stock, this bike is undersprung for most men and it is really choked up from the factory, but once you open up the airbox, jet it, pipe it, and spring it, the bike becomes really fun. Throttle it up in first any time. The torque of this bike really shines, as with most Suzuki's. Very happy with my purchase. Oh, by the way, the engine is TOTALLY bulletproof. Show less

I was looking at a Honda 750 and my wife said I was too big for the Honda. So I told her to pick out my bike, since she was so smart. The VL800 is the bike of her choice. I didn't even test ride it. I bought it used in 2005 with 1100 miles. The price was right!!! This is a great bike!!! Now that I have been doing some research on them, I found that it is great!! I will tell you this, it is taller than the C90 and one inch shorter. The seat height is the same, and the 800 holds more gas. As for power, the 800 will kick some you know what. Mine is the black and blue two tone, and I get all kinds of compliments including nice HARLEY. Then I laugh and tell them it's a SUZUKI. All in all, it's a great bike and worth the money. Great ride! Show less

I picked up a used 2002 1200S back in 2003 with only 145 miles on the odometer. I have since put 7400 aditional miles on it over the last 4 years. I am a 40+ year old rider who does no racing on the street or track, so performance wise, the Bandit exceeds all that I need. For someone who is an agressive and hopefully experienced rider, the Bandit would not be my first suggestion. Since the Bandit, I have purchased a couple of sport bikes -CBR 954RR and GSXR 1000- and the difference in handling and breaking is night and day. Then again so was the purchase price. For responsible street riding the Bandit has power-o-plenty with torque that requires less shifting than the other bikes. The riding position of the Bandit allows all day rides that would have my back aching on the other bikes. If you enjoy doing your own mechanical work, you will enjoy the easy access to the motor without plastics and radiator to deal with. Pros: Riding Comfort. Easy Engine to work on. Fewer downshifts because of high torque. Low Price. Tons of accessories avalible. Cons: Playing with choke on cold starts vs Fuel Injection that spoils you. Heavy and requires upgrading of suspension to make it more canyon carving friendly. Low Beam very poor. Engine / Mirror vibrations. Show less

Bought a 2002 GSF1200S in 2002. Was pleased with the bike for the first month riding it up and down the coast and freeways. The Pros: Great bike for cruising, good mileage, low maintenance, and reliable. Can ride this baby for hours in comfort. The Cons: Suppressed carburetor's; could use a stage one, two or three with K&N filters and a matching exhaust system will definitely open it up. Poor suspension, not made for heavy riders like myself, needed to modify to a .95 rated spring by Progressive on the front forks, adjusted to heavier oil and a Progressive rear shock; these modifications made a difference in the canyons. Without them, the bike is hard to push through the corners; had to do a lot of trail braking, gear and weight shifting to make it do what I wanted it to do. So, if anyone wants this bike and they are less than 200 lbs, I would say go for it. It is a bike that can last a long time. Great sport tour. But if you want it to be a sport bike with comfort, expect to spend a few grand more, otherwise be happy with what it can do which it does very well. Show less

I got bike fever in the spring of '05. My 1980 Yamaha just wasn't doing it for me anymore. I made my way to the local dealer and after showing me several bikes including a r6 and a 919, he showed me a Bandit. I had been interested in one since '99 but got into a heavy and slow/limited funds funk for quite some time. I bought the Bandit two days later and have never regreted it. I have owned it for two seasons now (winter in Minnesota, though not like it used to be) and find it to be a great all around bike. Tons of power (added more this winter), great handling, and great mpg. My only complaint would be that the seat can get sore on the bottom after awile, but that might just be mine. A friend of mine bought his about a year after I got mine and likes it just as much. He was a big part of the reason I got mine. I have also had interested parties ask about the Bandit in parking lots and have highly recommended it to them as well. Show less

I got my Busa only two days ago and haven't been able to get off of it. Even at a brisk 40 degrees (that's cold in California) it's pure enjoyment. I traded my 2003 Suzuki Intruder 1500 for this Hayabusa. It's a tremendous change in style, but worth it. Even the die-hard cruisers can respect this bike. Incredibly comfortable and outstandingly responsive. I have roughly 16 years experience and this is my fourth bike. Many have said this is not for beginners. I will say that the Hayabusa is not for the IMMATURE. If you want this bike simply because it will do 180 mph without a whimper, then look at something else. Throttle control is very important. She's rock steady at 20 mph and 120 mph. If you are inexperienced, immature, and like to show off...you will get hurt on this bike. The most important bit of advice I can offer to anyone contemplating a Hayabusa is respect it. Not only for the name and reputation, but the reputation of all the other Busa riders out there. Show less

I took the MSF course, (NEVER RIDDEN BEFORE) and had a Harley Sportster 1200 to ride. Actually felt very uncomfortable with the gas tank sitting high with me over it. After talking to my instructor, he suggested I get a Savage to start out on. I am very happy to have taken his advice. What a great handling bike, very nimble and easy to take around corners. Made me feel like I'd been riding for years. I would eventually like to get a Suzuki M50 for more power and looks. But this has been an awesome ride and great training. I am sure it will be a while before I up grade. Show less

My bike is a K2 built in 02. I will start by telling any potential buyer of a 01-02 Bandit 1200 to take it on a long test ride and when fully warmed up check for blue smoke from the exhaust. I myself bought this bike without a test ride as I have had a few Bandits and all were great bikes but some 01-02 models were plagued by a problem (oil burning) that stems from the manufacturing stage and if you buy one it will burn almost as much engine oil as petrol!!! It would appear (so I am told) that the oil holes in the pistons on some were drilled a fraction of an inch above the oil control rings thus allowing the oil into the combustion chambers where it was readily burnt with the fuel. Another theory I have heared is that the valve stem oil seals were at fault, which ever it was caused a lot of oil burning and if you end up with one of these it will cost a major amount of cash to remedy the problem. I was lucky, the dealer where I purchased the bike put it right for me at great cost to themselves. Right, please don't be put off by all that as the Bandit really is a great bike for the cash. I found the 600cc model runs out of steam quite easily and the new 650 model is not much better but at least it does have abs brakes. The 1200's are by far the better option, bags of grunt/torque with the standard set up, change the exhaust and fit k&n filters and it will give most sport bikes a run for their money. You only have to drop a spanner near the engine and the bhp will improve!!! It is, as most will know, an old school engine but what an engine it is. The roll on accelleration is outstanding and it wants to pull your arms out of their sockets at high revs. Be careful, it a wheelie monster as well!! I know a couple of mates who have accieved over 100,000 miles on theirs with no major probs. Bulletproof springs to mind!! Really though, they are a very tough engine which has been tried and tested and is very long lived. Standard windscreens leave a bit to be wanted, the wind buffeting above 80mph is awful, fit a taller aftermarket to this fine all round bike and the world will literally be you touring oyster. This machine is capable of doing everything well, be it solo or two up touring, commuting or taking it for a blast on the twisties you will not go far wrong with this all rounder. Try one and buy it, you WILL enjoy!! Show less

Looking to buy a V-Twin and found this bike. Not at all disappointed, especially what it would have cost for a "comparible" H-D. Added pipes and windshield, and have the resulting jet-issues as a result of the new pipes. Jet change will fix this. However, my big issue is the seemingly high RPM on the freeway; 70 mph sounds like I am red-lined. No tach is really a bummer. Show less

I bought my bike feb 2006 traded honda vtx in on it. What a diffrence a bigger bike makes. I absolutly love this bike and would not trade for anything. Show less